Pro/Am Contests Blog

Check out Bodybuilding.com’s full contest coverage from this competition right here.

2008 AFBB Anchorage Results. Check out the results from the 2008 AFBB Anchorage contest here. [ View AFBB Anchorage Results ]

2008 AFBB Anchorage Photos Check out the pictures of the 2008 AFBB Anchorage.  See pictures of contestants, crowds and competition! Prejudging Photos: [ Men ] [ Women ]

Alaska Showdown
2008 Anchorage Natural Pro-Am
By Tony Weaver

The 20th Annual Natural Pro-Am Anchorage Body Building Figure and Fitness Championships is now history. Competitors traveled from as far away as Kansas and Idaho to compete in this years’ contest. The Anchorage Championship is the harvest of the fall season in Alaska. With the next big show the Alaska Pro-Am in March 2009, the Anchorage Championships is the last ABFF competition in 2008.  Pros Walter Burr and Robert Green traveled from as far away as Kansas and Craig Toth from Boise, Idaho who was back this year to defend his crown. The amateurs were also well represented from around the state with competitors from Soldotna, Valdez and Eagle River. Alaska’s own Hall of Famer Lindsay Knight handled microphone duty for this year’s show so the evening was bound to be entertaining.

Women’s Division

Starting off the competition was the women’s novice class and newcomer Tanya Byrd. This was Tanya’s first show and from first observations at prejudging she would be in the hunt for the overall.  Byrd possesses a complete package of symmetry and posing and she will be a force to deal with in future contests. The women’s master class was well represented by Kelley Herring and Mary Floyd. Floyd was the better conditioned but Herring still impressed with a well-choreographed routine in the evening show. Floyd was declared the winner and was sure to be in the mix for the overall. One of most exciting classes of the evening was the lightweight women’s class, Pamela Hannam from Boise, Idaho won the class over a very respectable Molly Waters, Waters who is from Valdez showed up in good shape with nice lines and with some work on her presentation could be a threat in future contests. Laurie Rubino rounded out the class in third place. Rubino rocked the house in the evening show and received a standing ovation with one of the night’s most exciting routines. The   overall comparisons and pose down was exciting with Byrd, Floyd and Hannam all in great shape. In the end it came down to Hannam’s overall package of conditioning, shape and posing that gave her the title of this year’s Anchorage Pro-Am winner.

Men’s Division

In the men’s amateur divisions all the competitors showed up in great shape. In the men’s novice class Alex Bonnecaze showed nice muscle fullness and symmetry and was the sole competitor in his class and would advance to the overall. After problems locating his award Alex was left standing on the stage awaiting his award. Without missing a beat a fully clothed Lindsay Knight assumed a mock pose down or shall we say couples routine with Bonnecaze, it was a entertaining and humorous and a much needed tension breaker as Bonnecaze’s trophy was finally located and awarded. The junior men’s class has always been the incubator and proving grounds for future Alaska Hall of Famers…recent 2008 Alaska Overall Winner and now ABFF Pro Wyatt Belanger was a junior champion as well as multi-Alaska winner Shawn Boisacq. Both Mike Patino and Matthew Wonechala could again succeed from the Jr. ranks to the future crown. Wonchala looked great with a superb package of posing and symmetry and was declared the winner in this class with all first place votes over a symmetrical but lighter Patino.  Wonchala also took the best poser award for the competition. This was Wonchala’s second major win this year by adding the Jr. Alaska Pro-Am title from earlier in the year. In the masters’ class Scott Helle from Iron Core Fitness in Wasilla was the winner. Next was the men’s middleweight class, which was well represented and won by Soldotna competitor Joshua Braud. Braud was the hardest competitor in the amateur show and was going to be tough to deal with in the overall. Second place Derek Ross was very balanced but gave away too much to Braud in conditioning. Ross was also awarded the most muscular award for the show. A very solid and sharp Scott Greibel placed third. In the overall comparisons it came down to Braud and Wonchala in the majority of the call outs. But it was Braud that got the nod with all five first place votes. Braud is the 2008 Anchorage Bodybuilding Champion.

Pro Division

If the amateur men’s divisions proved to be the battleground of the most fit, surely the pros in this years’ show were ready for war. With pros Robert Green and Walter Barr traveling 3500 miles and Geoff Bonin from Soldotna and perennial favorite Al Wilson it was shaping up to be an interesting showdown. Toth last years’ winner proved to be as formidable as last year with a little more size and just as hard of a physique. Green also was harder than last year and was coming off a win at the 2008 Alaska’s Pro-Am. Most comparisons were between Barr and Green with Toth centering them both. Barr a seasoned pro with incredible conditioning was primed for a potential upset. Barr had one of the best routines of the evening and everything was looking great for the lightweight pro from Manhattan, Kansas. It would come down to the details…Green with the symmetry and presentation, Barr with posing and hardness or Toth with his incredible size and hardness. Ultimately it was Toth’s night again as he nudged his way to victory and cash. Toth is the 2008 Anchorage Pro-Am Champion. The ABFF is forging ahead in 2009 with more amateur qualifying shows and more cash for the Pro Division. The ABFF is looking forward to adding a women’s figure and possibly women bodybuilding class to its’ pro division. The three qualifying shows will begin with the 2009 Alaska Pro-Am, Idaho Pro-Am and Anchorage Pro-Am shows. Points will be awarded with a yearly winner declared at next years’ Anchorage Pro-Am. All ABFF winners and all Natural Pros are tested using IOC urine tests.

Check out Bodybuilding.com’s full contest coverage from this competition right here.

2008 NPC Northwestern Results. Check out the results from the 2008 NPC Northwestern contest here. [ View NPC Northwestern Results ]

2008 NPC Northwestern Photos Check out the pictures of the 2008 NPC Northwestern.  See pictures of contestants, crowds and competition! Prejudging Photos: [ Men ] [ Women ] [ Figure ] [ Fitness ] [ Mixed ]

2008 NPC Northwestern Review
Text and Photos by Mark Mason

Nearly six hundred spectators and seventy competitors were on hand in Olympia, Washington to witness rebirth of the NPC Northwest Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure Championships. Arising like a Phoenix from the ashes of mediocrity the Northwest was the perfect high note to conclude the 2008 bodybuilding season.

This is promoter Nic “The Young Gun” Younis’ first venture back to contest promotion since 2000.  Younis took the show over at the beginning of the year and vowed to restore the Northwest to it’s past glory days. The success of the show could not have been a better “welcome back” gift to Younis and bodybuilding fans throughout the area.

The show was held at the recently remodeled Washington Center for the Performing Arts. The Washington Center has been the home of many muscle wars in the past fifteen years. It is large enough to accommodate the throng of spectators but intimate enough to see the intensity on the athlete’s faces during the competition.

The MC was northwest bodybuilding legend Turk Fickling.  The Majestic Vision Performing Arts Company gave two dance performances during the evening along with a guest-posing exhibition by NPC national level competitor Kenny Gipson.

Rising star Lilli Ewing kept her winning streak alive by capturing the women’s masters division as well as soundly defeating the competition in the open classes. Ewing’s victory at the Northwest is her second in as many weeks.

In the open men divisions the rivalry continued between Mell “Swatdog” Taylor and “Mad Man” Matt Porter. Taylor and Porter have been trading licks for the past two years along with AJ Moore and Roger Baker.  Moore and Baker were no shows in Olympia.  Taylor eked by Porter but had stiff competition from Randy Edwards and the super heavyweight Joe Chunard.  Middleweight winner Boyke Pribadi displayed the latest refinements to his physique and the six-five year old wonder boy, Terry Fultz, defeated contestants forty years his junior.

The 2008 figure show boasted twenty-five well-conditioned women in four classes.  Masters and short class winner Brittani Simpson wound down a very successful 2008.  Winning the overall at the Vancouver Natural, taking third at the Emerald Cup, first at the Delaware State and first at the Seven Feathers Classic her Northwest victory was the icing on the cake.  

Kiana Phil-Lewis is another short class gal that deserves props in 2008.  Phil-Lewis presented herself well on-stage and possesses exceptional genetics.  With continued dieting and training she could be in the winner’s circle in 2009.

Jessica Flammini took home the medium class trophy with Jade Coffman winning second and Erika Mott third.  

In the tall class two points separated winner Tiffany Forni from second place Juliana Jade.  In fact Jade was a couple of points up after the two-piece round.  Third place went to the ever-smiling Tracy Fenske.

The overall between Simpson, Flammini and Forni was no easy decision.  MC Fickling took the line-up through several rounds of quarter turns before the judges declared Simpson the winner in a close split-decision.

With the momentum of the success of the “new and improved” Northwest Championships there is no telling where Younis make take it.  The rumors are abounding.  One such rumor is that the 2009 Northwest Championships may be held in the ballroom of one of the newly constructed casinos in the Olympia area.

Check out Bodybuilding.com’s full contest coverage from this competition right here.

2008 USBF New York State Results. Check out the results from the 2008 USBF New York State contest here. [ View USBF New State Results ]

2008 USBF New York State Photos Check out the pictures of the 2008 USBF New York State.  See pictures of contestants, crowds and competition! Prejudging Photos: [ Men ] [ Women ]

Check out Bodybuilding.com’s full contest coverage from this competition right here.

2008 NPC Border States Classic XXIX Results. Check out the results from the 2008 NPC Border States Classic XXIX contest here. [ View NPC Border States Classic XXIX Results ]

2008 NPC Border States Classic XXIX Photos Check out the pictures of the 2008 NPC Border States Classic XXIX.  See pictures of contestants, crowds and competition! Prejudging Photos: [ Men ] [ Women ] [ Fitness ] [ Misc ]

On Sat. Oct. 18th,  2008 the Body Be 1 Bodybuilding Classic was held at the Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. IFBB Pro Roland Huff was the promoter of the show. This was Roland’s first year as a promoter but says he will do it again next year. Mike & Jan Horn were there to judge. Mike was head judge as Georgia State Chairman Ty "Ropeman" Felder oversaw the event and made sure everything ran smooth. Ropeman also paid tribute to the late great Ben Weider & Steve Stone. Ropeman had every Pro in attendance come on stage with all competitors and sponsors and had a moment of slience after he spoke of the two friends we all lost. The rest of the night was a blast. This was a bodybuilding only event and had a small turnout but was huge on entertainment. There were six guest posers including the "X" Man Toney Freeman who had the crowd on their feet with his size.  Ricky "Tricky" Jackson also got standing ovation with his incredible posing routine. This was one of the most impressive routines we’ve ever seen and that says a lot. Michael Bailey Who is dieting for the 08′ Nationals. Michael has huge arms and great muscle fullness. IFBB Pro Sherry Smith Who besides Ricky & Toney was also in the 08′ Olympia. Sherry was impressive with her conditioning and size in the off season. New IFBB Pro Gale Frankie who was also the head expiditor came out with an outstanding performance on stage. Krissy Murell who is a local Columbus Gold’s Gym manager and awesome competitor came out in costume and did a routine with the most fluid moves of the night. You could tell Krissy put a lot of time into this guest posing routine and was very entertaining. Jay Hammett was the emcee and he kept everyone laughing. Jay also presented a full screen on stage during the show with highlights of his bodtv.com check it out.

   The competition started with the Women’s Masters. Brenda White was 1st place with great detail she clearly won. 2nd place was Lisa Boothby and only one point behind her was Terri Powell. The Ms. Ft. Benning winner was Brenda White and we thank her for her service. In the Women’s Open light weight class Donna Sweat was 1st place and also won the award for best arms. Terri Powell was 2nd with another split decision by only one point. Women’s Open Light-heavy class there were three competitors. In first place was Brenda White 2nd place Katrina Hill and 3rd place was Lisa Boothy. Brenda White the most detailed female competitor took the overall award.

    During Intermission, Catered clean food was available free of charge to the packed lobby.  Out in the lobby the sponsors were giving out free products and swag as well. The lobby was so packed no one could move.  This show was ran so well even the toilet seat were clean ….a rare sight with tanned athletes.  

    The men’s classes were pretty spread out so most of the competition was in the overalls. The men’s novice class winner was Efrin Tamayo who says we will see him again. Mens Ft. Benning winner was Michael Elston, we all thank you for your service Michael also went on to win best abs award. Masters men lightweight winner was Johnny Webber. Masters men middleweight winner was Tom Pocta. Masters men lightheavyweight winner was Michael Elston. In the junior division lightweight class winner was Johnny Webber. Junior middleweight winner was Tom Pocta and the light heavy winner was Michael Elston. The junior heavyweight class winner was Jeffery Brand. In the men’s open division it looked the same with light weight winner Johnny Webber. Middleweight class winner Tom Pocta, Light-heavyweight class winner and also won most muscular award. Michael Elston won lightheavy again and Jeffery Brand took the heavyweight class again. Now here is where it gets interesting Michael Elston won the junior division overall. Between the time of the pose down of the Junior division and the open division about an hour had elapsed. Michael and Tom Pocta had a one point split decision for the overall junior division winner. Tom was sweating pretty good and was getting harder but Michael edged him out in the junior division. So here we are at the end of the competition and Tom has now dried off and looks much better. They went thru quarter turns then mandatory poses then the pose down. The music stops Head Judge Mike Horn asks Tom and Michael to remain on stage and had the other two class winners exit the stage and put Tom and Michael back thru quarter turns and mandatory poses and again pose down. The crowd is going nuts as they can see what has happened. Tom is now much harder Michael reached a peak about an hour earlier and is flattening out. Tom Pocta wins the open mens overall. The crowd is on their feet you could feel the room shake. What a finish! Ropeman went on stage to present special awards and said it all in three words "never give up". Great show to Roland Huff.

written by Mike Horn, IFBB pro and Jan Horn

Check out Bodybuilding.com’s full contest coverage from this competition right here.

2008 NGA Northern States Results. Check out the results from the 2008 NGA Northern States contest here. [ View NGA Northern States Results ]

2008 NGA Northern States Photos Check out the pictures of the 2008 NGA Northern States.  See pictures of contestants, crowds and competition! Prejudging Photos: [ Men ] [ Women & Figure ]

Layton, Utah-   The Northern States Bodybuilding and Figure Championship showcased some of the best natural athletes in the northern mountain states region.  It was held at Northridge High School in Layton, Utah on 27 September 2008.  

       The 1st through 3rd place winners received beautiful trophies from Neils Andersen Trophies.  The Overall Men’s Open Champion and Figure Champion received swords for their hard earned victories.  

The teens opened up the show with surprisingly muscular physiques for their young ages, which ranged from 17-19 years old. Javone Kemp took the first place trophy followed by Eedee Nenbee and Eric Gerardi.  Javone easily stood out above his competition with his ripped and chiseled muscularity!
The Men’s Masters were very competitive.  Ted Rich came in ripped and vascular and with lots of muscle to boot!  Ted held off strong competition from 2nd Place Bing Fang and Jon Decker.  Bing came in the leanest shape I have ever seen him after hooking up with Personal Trainer Dave Edgell of Taylor, Utah.  Dave trained 4 athletes for this contest including one of his former clients Wendy Ciampini, the Open Women’s Champion.  It seems anyone that Dave takes under his wing ends up in the best shape of their life and competes for the top spots.      

     The Men’s Novice division displayed polished physiques.  The Novice Light/Middleweight Class was owned by rookie Rashago Kemp who had tremendous muscle density and cuts.  Rashago has the physique to compete with the big boys at the Open Class level. Look for him in 2009 to wreak havoc in the NGA! He was followed by Jeremiah Webb and Richard Larkin respectively.

The Novice Heavyweight Class featured both mass and definition that commanded attention!  In the end, it was Chad Brann bringing on stage a dense, carved, muscular physique that was enough to fight off 2nd Place finisher Robert Singleton and 3rd Place Matthew Hale.  

Women’s Open Bodybuilding featured the finest Women’s Bodybuilding Physiques seen to date!  If you like women who can combine muscle with femininity, this class was for you!  These women brought the audience to their feet with their muscle and definition rarely seen at this level.  All of the women in the future will easily hold their own at the PRO level.  Wendy Ciampini finally earned her PRO Card after narrowly missing in recent years.  She is hands down, one of the most muscular, yet gorgeous ladies in the bodybuilding circuit.  She will no doubt make her mark in the PRO shows in 2009!   Taking 2nd Place was Pamela Hannam of Idaho.  3rd Place went to Ona Rich.  

       After intermission, was the Ms Figure, which featured 15 of the most beautiful ladies in the mountain states region!  The ladies displayed excellent poise and stage presence.  Winner of the Short Class was Billi Stephens.  Her beauty and fine symmetry combined to make her unbeatable this night.  She will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in 2009!   Jenny Grothe also brought beauty and fine lines to the stage and took 2nd Place.   DeeAnn Servey came into this competition as she always does with eye popping symmetry and tight physique but not enough to overtake Billi or Jenny taking a respectable 3rd Place.  The Tall Class was won by NGA newcomer Rebecca Kjar who on this night would be unbeatable!  Cameras flashed as she strutted her flawless physique across the stage.  Loraine Toone and Jamie Hinckley took 2nd and 3rd respectively.  Rebecca would also take a closely fought Overall Figure Champion from Short Class winner Billi Stephens to win her PRO Card.        

           Last event of the night featured the Men’s Open Class.  The Light/Middle Weight Class was won by 2008 Utah Champion Brandon Burrows followed by Cole Hunsaker and Veteran Soc Tieng, who also proposed on stage in front of a near sellout crowd to his girlfriend at Intermission.  The Heavyweight Class showcased muscle and thickness that only can come from the Open Heavyweights!  The winner was 213 pound Kelly Gilchrist and followed closely by 2nd Place Cory Rudd and Masters winner Ted Rich.  The Overall Men’s Champion was Brandon Burrows who earned his PRO Card.

     James and Bianca Purtell would like to thank Northridge High School for use of their magnificent facility. They would also like to thank their sponsors:  Bodybuilding.com, who provided beautiful T-shirts for all the competitors, Golds Gym who provided equipment for use in the pump up room, Gym Hard Wear (www.gymhardwear.com) and Max Muscle of Layton, Utah, who provided gift bags for all the competitors.  
Be sure to check out the Mr and Ms Utah competition at Northridge High School in Layton, Utah on 25 April 2009!  If you would like information on future Utah bodybuilding events, contact James or Bianca Purtell at 801-731-9333 or e-mail PTUTAH95@aol.com.              

Congratulations to Mr. Olympia Dexter Jackson for winning another one this past weekend in Timisoara, Romania (Oct. 11, 2008)!

1) Dexter Jackson (USA)
2) Ronny Rockel (Germany)*
3) Martin Kjellstrom (Sweden)*
4) Sergey Shelestov (Russia)
5) Hanni Glanville (UK)
6) Armin Scholz (Germany)
7) Marcos Chacon (Spain)
8) Manfred Petautschnig (Austria)
9) Khalid Almohsinawi (Netherlands)
10) Ricky Welling (UK)
11) Cesar Mendible (Venezuela)
12) Miggar Milazzo (Germany)
13) Tommi Thorvildsen (Norway)

*Top 3 finalists qualify for 2009 Olympia.

View photos from this contest here:

http://www.ifbbpro.com/results/2008-hungarian-pro-grand-prix-contest-results/

The IFBB KentuckyMuscle Pro Figure contest is speedily approaching in just 4 weeks.

Here’s a tentative list of the competitors who will be facing off in Louisville.

2008 KentuckyMuscle Pro Figure Competitor[list as of Oct 10th]:

1 Anthony, Teresa USA
2 Briceno, Tivisay USA
3 Brown, Darlina USA
4 Carvalho-Ferreira, Andrea Brazil
5 Emborg, Maiken Sweden
6 Gibbon, Marie USA
7 Green, Heather USA
8 Mehling, Christina Canada
9 Mello, Patricia Brazil
10 Montanaro-Griffin, Melissa USA
11 Peters, Amy USA
12 Seiwald, Liane USA
13 Smith, Brenda USA
14 Sutter, Laura USA
15 White-Lamm, Elizabeth USA

This should be a great and interesting show.  Who do you think will take this one?

For details about the show, please visit:

http://www.myspace.com/kentuckymuscle
and
http://www.kentuckymuscle.com/

Check out Bodybuilding.com’s full contest coverage from this competition right here.

2008 IDFA Eastern Canada Results. Check out the results from the 2008 IDFA Eastern Canada contest here. [ View IDFA Eastern Canada Results ]

The IFBB Sacramento Pro Figure contest is speedily approaching in just 3 weeks.

Here’s a tentative list of the competitors who will be facing off in Sacramento.

COMPETITOR LIST [as of October 10, 2008]:

1. Huong ARCINAS, USA
2. Darlena BROWN, USA
3. Michelle CRAVEN, USA
4. Maiken EMBORG, Sweden
5. Michelle FLAKE, USA
6. Erica FUERST, USA
7. Celeste GONZALEZ, Spain
8. Carin HAWKINS, USA
9. Carol KING, Barbados
10. Christina MEHLING, Canada
11. Patricia MELLO, Brazil
12. Tanya MERRYMAN, USA
13. Desha RODRIQUEZ, USA
14. Consuelo ROJAS, Mexico
15. Rosa-Maria ROMERO, Australia
16. Mendi SAKAMOTO, USA
17. Liane SEIWALD, USA
18. Kristi TAUTI, USA
19. Waleska VALLE, USA
20. Lynn WIDDOWSON, USA

This should be a great and interesting show.  Who are your top 3 picks?

For details about the show, please visit:

http://ifbbpro.com/events/2008-sacramento-pro-figure-november-1/
and
http://www.npcsacshow.com/

My husband, Mike Horn IFBB pro, and I will be at the NPC Body B 1 NPC bodybuilding & Figure show in Columbus, GA on Oct. 18.  Hope to see some of you there.

Who else is going?

Will write a follow up with details after the show.

Jan Horn

Check out Bodybuilding.com’s full contest coverage from this competition right here.

2008 NPC Alaska Crystal Cup Results. Check out the results from the 2008 NPC Alaska Crystal Cup contest here. [ View NPC Alaska Crystal Cup Results ]

2008 NPC Alaska Crystal Cup  Photos Check out the pictures of the 2008 NPC Alaska Crystal Cup.  See pictures of contestants, crowds and competition! Prejudging Photos: [ Men ] [ Figure ]

2008 NPCAlaska Crystal Cup:
The best small show ever???

story: Garry Lodoen
photos: studiobanchorage.com

September 27, 2008.  For most, the weekend of the Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, Nevada.  For a very proud few, one of the best small town shows in years.  An AlaskaFit production, this show proved to be every bit entertaining as exciting.  From the top down: Venue to music, entertainment to competitor quality, everyone agreed that the competitors and fans came out big winners.

MASTERS FIGURE

One lone competitor faced the crowd, Vivian Wood.  Vivian came in RIPPED beyond her years.  Beautiful and eloquent, from the minute she walked on stage, everyone knew she was there to give ANYONE a run for their money.

FIGURE 5’4 and UNDER

Next up was the incredible shape of Heather Lindell.  Heather walked on stage equally as stunning, to the OOOO’s and AAAHHH’s of the crowd.
Although we have only seen two competitors, the crowd knew this was going to be a fight.

MENS MASTERS

Talk about improvement!  Troy Burns from Fairbanks came in nearly TWICE as ripped as he has in the past.  I think everyone can agree, this dentist came in prepared for battle, and ready to show the world that it doesn’t matter your occupation… everyone can find time to train.

TEENAGE MEN

Next up, Mike Patino.  Mike decided to do the show only two days out, but you wouldn’t know that by the condition he came in.  Ripped, symmetrical and very poised there is no doubt we will be seeing Mike in the near future.

MENS NOVICE

Scott McKinna stepped on stage for the first time filled with questions, but walked off addicted to his new found sport.  Muscular and symmetrical, there is once again no doubt we will be seeing him on the stage once again

MENS LIGHTWEIGHT

Now came the battle between Troy Burns and Josh Kronbach.  Both coming in in fantastic shape, Burns’ age and experience were no match for the ultra shredded Kronbach.  Kronbach easily walked away with the first place trophy, and his striations fluttering in the wind as he walked off stage to take a breather.

MENS MIDDLEWEIGHT

The amazing thing about this show was, the bigger the competitors got, the more symmetrical.  Kalani Lagao faced off with Derek Ross in a battle of sheer finesse.  Both were muscular and symmetrical, but Ross edged out Lagao with an incredible back double bicep.  This decision came down to one point, but nobody would have argued either way.

MENS LIGHT-HEAVY

Steve Cherry walked on stage alone, but to thunderous applause.  WOW is the only way to describe this local light heavyweight.  Abs, legs, lats… he has everything.  If Steve works on his posing a bit, he will be VERY dangerous in larger shows.

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT

Miss Amanda Dickens and the amazing Arctic Angels performed for the crowd, four beautiful and visually stunning routines.  A treat for all to see, a mix of Hip Hop, belly dancing and just plain beauty… these girls are amazing.  They were a show in themselves, but hopefully we will see these fine young ladies all compete someday.

GUEST POSER

Todd Scott.  When you meet this man, he is everything you expect to see in a pro bodybuilder.  Wide as he is tall, with mind blowing size we expect to see him on the IFBB Stage soon.  His routine was original and very comical, a wonderful break in the stress of competition.

OVERALL

In the end, only one can be the overall.  Heather Lindell made off with the cup for Women’s figure, and Josh Kronbach made off with the Men’s
overall.   Slightly breaking from tradition, the best trophy girl
category was replaced for this show with the Favorite Arctic Angel, which Miss Amanda Dickens was given by a very close decision.

AlaskaFit productions wishes to thank every one of its sponsors, especially BODYBUILDING.COM for its years of continued support!  Don’t forget the next flavor of the Crystal Cup… join everyone at the NATURAL Crystal Cup, October 25th at the Wendy Williamson Auditorium in Anchorage, Alaska!!!

Check out Bodybuilding.com’s full contest coverage from this competition right here.

2008 NPC Carla Sanchez Results. Check out the results from the 2008 NPC Carla Sanchez contest here. [ View NPC Carla Sanchez Results ]

2008 NPC Carla Sanchez  Photos Check out the pictures of the 2008 NPC Carla Sanchez .  See pictures of contestants, crowds and competition! Prejudging Photos: [ Junior Fitness ] [ Figure ] [ Models ] [ MISC ]

2008 Carla Sanchez Fitness Fiesta Fitness and Figure Championships
By Isaac Hinds

The sixth annual Carla Sanchez Fitness Fiesta took place on October 4, 2008 which showcased some of the brightest upcoming female talent.

Jr. Fitness
The highlight of this show is always the Junior Fitness competition.
These youngsters are able to perform moves that many top national competitors struggle to complete. The ages ranges from 6 to 17 and these young ladies knew how to play to the crowd. The show stopper was MaKayla Laurita who knew how to ham it up better than most pros. She worked the crowd and performed her gymnastic moves with ease. This girl is already a fitness star. 17 year old Sarah Alred was also impressive in her moves and could be one to watch in the NPC ranks soon. Sarah headed to her homecoming dance right after the show, now that’s what I call dedication.

Figure
The figure competition was a little lean this year and it could be due to the earlier date from year’s past. There were a variety of physiques and with some refinement a few of these women could go on to do well at larger shows. It happens on every level and every show, large and small, competitors need to practice their posing, stage presence and find the right balance of not being too hard or too soft.

Chris Kramer has been on stage a few times before and was definitely the leader in the pack for this show. She showed poise and confidence and she took home top honors. Danielle Marez also showed promise by winning her class and the overall novice title at this show.

Special Guests
This show featured guest performances by Elements in Motion, Denever Nugget Dancers, new IFBB Pro Jo Marriner and IFBB Pro Andy Haman & family. IFBB Pro Elaine Goodlad was also on hand to help hand out awards. The special guests did a great job of entertaining the crowd with each of their performances.

This is definitely a show worth attending as a spectator or competitor.

– Isaac

Bodysport.com Fitness Model search
Denver’s fittest compete for the chance to fulfill their fitness dreams
Reviewed by Jacqui Skibba

By day they are average working professionals; Lawyers, nurses, graphic designers, students, parents, all striving for personal excellence in their respective lines of work. Once per year, however, these “average” every day individuals make their way to beautiful Denver, Colorado to display their commitment to physical excellence by participating in the Bodysport.com Fitness Model Search, held annually in conjunction with the NPC Carla Sanchez Fitness Fiesta Fitness and Figure Championships. This year’s contest featured the men’s and women’s model divisions, as well as the Fittest Couple and Hot Mama Divisions.

First place finishers in the men’s and women’s divisions received a photo shoot with renowned fitness photographer and Bodysport owner Terry Goodlad and will be featured on his website, Bodysport.com. All of the division winners also received a photo shoot and portfolio from Denver-based photographer Jason Hayes, and prize packages from event sponsors including Dr. Jeff Raval, PR Beach Body, VPX, and Bodywell Nutrition. This year’s panel of celebrity judges featured IFBB figure Pro Elaine Goodlad, Professional boxer and Denver resident DaVarryl Williamson, former Denver Bronco Cheerleader and local sports radio and television host Renee Herlocker, as well as other local and national fitness personalities.

Free from the formality of quarter turns and mandatory poses, the model search allows competitors to showcase their tight and toned physiques through more relaxed and natural posing. Contestants are judged based on stage presence, poise, beauty, fitness, and model qualities. Participants present themselves in a swimsuit of their choosing, many of them showing their creativity and personality by using fun and funky fitness-themed props and accessories.

Women’s Model Search
This year’s top honors went to 22 year old Sonya Vecchiarelli of Lakewood, Colorado. In her first appearance on any competitive stage, Sonya bested the highly competitive field of 18 fit ladies with her adorable smile and athletic curves. Sonya was absolutely shocked yet thrilled with her win, and was looking forward to fulfilling one of her ultimate fitness dreams; her Sunday morning photo shoot with Bodysport’s Terry Goodlad. Sonya plans to continue building and shaping her physique in preparation for her first figure competition this fall.

Much to the delight of her numerous supporters in the audience, The Fan Favorite award in this category went to Aurora, Colorado’s Yvonne Vaicius. Another first-time model search competitor, Yvonne’s four months of hard work in the gym and dedication certainly paid off. She hopes to continue her winning streak in future model searches, and as a figure competitor.

Men’s Model Search
Although the quantity of competitors did not match that of the women’s division in this year’s event, there was certainly not a lack of quality physiques amongst the men’s division’s two competitors. Ron Worley of Greeley, Colorado won the men’s overall title, as well as the Fan Favorite award. Hopefully Ron’s fit physique will inspire more of Denver’s athletic men to don their swim trunks and display their model-worthy bodies onstage.

Fittest Couple
Continuing his winning ways, Men’s Model Search winner Ron Worley also took top honors in the Fittest Couple division, competing alongside girlfriend Erin Brady. Their “cops and robbers” themed costumes were quite appropriate as Erin is a police officer and Ron a bail bondsman working in Greeley, Colorado. Despite opposite schedules and near break-ups due to contiguous contest dieting, Erin and Ron prove that the couple that trains together stays together.

Hot Mamas
Always an audience favorite, the Hot Mama division featured 8 of the fittest mommies in the Denver area. Somewhere between soccer games, homework, and violin lessons, these amazing women find the time to sculpt their post-partum bodies into enviable athletic physiques. Byers, Colorado resident and mother of two Tara Lynn Woodis finished first in this incredibly fit field, with Fan Favorite honors going to Overall Figure Division winner Chris Kramer.

Congratulations to co-promoters Carla Sanchez and Jeff Taylor on another successful event. Be sure to visit www.bodysport.com to check out Terry Goodlad’s photos of the Model Search winners. We hope to see you next year in the Mile High City!

– Jacqui

Check out Bodybuilding.com’s full contest coverage from this competition right here.

2008 NPC Washington Ironman Results. Check out the results from the 2008 NPC Washington Ironman contest here. [ View NPC Washington Ironman Results ]

2008 NPC Washington Ironman Photos Check out the pictures of the 2008 NPC Washington Ironman.  See pictures of contestants, crowds and competition! Prejudging Photos: [ Men ] [ Women ] [ Figure ] [ Fitness ]

Washington Ironman goes Back to the Future

Text and Photos by Mark Mason

As the last notes of guest poser Brandon Curry’s music faded into history one could only marvel at the full circle that the Washington Ironman had traversed. It has been nearly a decade since Brad and Elaine Craig held their all-natural bodybuilding, fitness and figure contest at the Everett Civic Auditorium.  In those ten years the depth and breadth of the Ironman has grown by epic proportions.

The 2008 Ironman boasted one hundred and twenty-seven competitors. That is one hundred and twenty-seven bodies, not trumped up numbers, the product of dozens of crossover competitors.  As a result of the true numbers, the show flowed smoothly and effortlessly.

Add two thousand fans, the irrepressible Kim “Kong” Farrison as MC along with super-star guest posers Tanji Johnson, Peter “The Punisher” Putnam and the new Black Prince, Brandon Curry and you have yourself a physique extravaganza extraordinaire.

Women’s Figure
Fifty women in five classes brought the packed house alive and tested the strength of the Civic Auditorium’s very foundation. Short class winner, Kristina Whitehall’s conditioning and stage presentation as well as her dynamite smile gave her the edge over more seasoned competitors like the raven-tressed Audrey Penza and the leggy Kiana Phil-Lewis.

In the medium short class a single point separated winner Heather Lindell and 2007 Ironman masters winner, Heidi Hansen-Carlin. Hansen-Carlin took the near miss with her usual grace and charm. Once again showing the quality of competitors third place Carole Castillo edged out fourth place Jacey Bourne by three points.

Jade Coffman of Team Physique ventured up from Vancouver USA to win the medium class. Coffman left second place for Ti Wickland and third place for Diana Gere.

The largest class of the night was the tall class.  Fourteen ladies vied for top honors.  Veteran competitor Casey Tuttle’s training with Kimberly Agnew paid off big. The Montanan secured the win over newbie Andrea Canonge.  Canonage was in great shape and presented well.  Third place went to Tina Tricoli out of Puyallup’s Bodylogic.

The masters figure class was loaded with some of the Northwest’s best talent. Winner Julie Barnett finally got her due. Barnett has been a constant in competitions throughout the region for the past several years. Each time she returns she has improved her body, conditioning or presentation. 2008 at the Everett Civic her perseverance paid off by scoring a resounding victory.  Second place went to Mary Napolizano and third to Jennifer Knox.

The figure overall was about as exciting as the law would allow.  As masters winner Barnett lined up next to Tuttle, Coffman, Lindell, and Whitehall head judge Rick Kasten took the ladies through a dozen minutes of fierce quarter turns. Complete pandemonium was imminent as the scores were tallied. After a three-way split decision MC Farrison declared Heather Lindell of Anchorage, Alaska the Ironman figure champion for 2008.

Fitness
As fitness competitor numbers decline around the country, here in the Northwest, fitness is on the upsurge. Most likely this unique trend is due to the support and inspiration of the bevy of fitness pros in the area. Michele Mayberry, Tami Ough, Sandy Grant, and the newest IFBB pro, Rose Hendricks, continue to wave the banner for the fitness renaissance. Without a doubt the heart and soul of the revival is the first lady of fitness, Tanji Johnson.

Fresh from her fifth place finish at the Olympia, Johnson was on hand to flaunt what she does best. Her ninja routine was filled with strength moves, hip-hop dance and highflying gymnastics. People talk of TJ’s come back. There is no comeback. Tanji Johnson has never left and she is just as viable as she has ever been.

Not only were fitness competitor numbers up but the competition was strong. Eventual winner Genie Markwell had her hands full.  Rival Kristina Lum pushed Markwell each step of the way.  Markwell won both the one and two-piece rounds but it was Carole Castillo passing both Lum and Markwell to win the routine round. It ended Markwell, Lum, and Castillo with Janice Zander fourth and Emily Arger fifth.

Novice Men
The novice men classes featured some of the best posing of the show.  Lightweight winner and hometown boy, Eric Sailer, swept through the class taking all but one of the first place votes.  Second place Brian Bear was a handful of points ahead of third place, Brenton Moore.

Winner of the novice middleweights, Ernesto Rios, had one of the most solid physiques of the show. Rios came out fast and never looked back.  Second place Cory Patterson is another contestant whose posing belied his experience. Third place from Mill Creek Gold’s Gym went to poser extraordinaire Jon Blodgett.

Novice heavyweight Tyler Leenknecht stood tall and took home first.  Leenknecht possessed a well-muscled upper body and with continued improvement to his legs he will become a formable open competitor.  Derek Hess and Ronnie Sullivan rounded up the class second and third respectively.

Novice Women
The novice women’s bodybuilding class was swept by Janet Guenther protégé Anastasiya Chumova. Not only was Chumova’s conditioning dead on by her posing routine was punctuated with subtleties that help put her far ahead of her competition.
Second in the novice women class went to newcomer Jacqueline Siochi. Third place went to Nancy Pooler.

Junior Men
If the future of men’s bodybuilding can be predicted from the junior division the forecast looks bright indeed. Seven young men, twenty and under, swaggered across the stage showing off physiques that appeared beyond their age.

The battle for first place was between Paul Tomko and Lueth Alexander.  Tomko the shorter of the two possessed thick muscle density as well as phenomenal conditioning.  Alexander’s posing routine was perfectly paced and he looked as if he owned the stage.  Another junior with a bright competitive future was the Ironman himself, Brandon Craig. Standing at least six foot five Craig displayed impressive upper body musculature. With time and training he will turn out to be a threat in the novice and open classes. The class placings went Tomko, Alexander, and Craig.

Masters Bodybuilding
Masters women winner, Linda Ham, hit the stage like a runaway train. Her spirited posing routine was well received. Ham received another first place award in the Mixed Pairs division, which she shared with her son, overall novice winner, Eric Sailer. Seattleite Susan Elliot won the battle for second place with Canuck Eden Davidson placing third.

In the men over forty division DynOmite Daniel Rutherford was back after a disappointing near miss in the 07 Ironman. Rutherford’s eclectic “Will Pose For Food” routine wore perfectly in the midst of the present financial crisis.   If anyone could give Rutherford a challenge it was Rob Barnett. Barnett was at the best shape of his bodybuilding career. Although smaller then Rutherford his conditioning was superior. Good enough in fact to garner three first place votes.  Rounding up third place was the “Huggy Bear” of bodybuilding, Jerome Williams.

In the masters men over fifty all the usual suspect showed up in full force and ready to rumble. Plus one…Perry Plush.  Plush, sporting a Dorian Yates coiffure, posed his way to victory over the likes of second place Corky Gainsford and third place Charlie Brown.  Both Gainsford and Brown are crowd favorites and pride themselves with coming up with outlandish posing routines. Both out did themselves this year.

In the men over sixty it was the Silver Stud, Walt Radke, one upping the senior statesman of the show, seventy-two year old Robert Mussehl.  Radke, who is seventy, has his eyes on the grandmasters title at the 2009 Masters Nationals.

Open Women Bodybuilding
To say that heavyweight winner and overall champion Lilli Ewing dominated the division is no slight to the other competitors. Back to Ewing in a moment. First, props must be given to lightweight winner Cindy Goodrich. Goodrich comes ready to compete in every local show and is rarely even opposed in her class. The fact that she continues to come back show after show to pose and pick up her first place trophy is a testimony to her love of her sport. That being said, I know Goodrich would welcome some competition.

Middleweight winner Jennifer Erickson, another competitor from Pete and Apple Grubbs’ Construction Zone, really brought it to Everett. She was a delight to watch and the exuberance in which she accepted the first place trophy was thrilling to witness.  Fellow CZ teammate Marni Alvarez place second and Zoe Lefrancois-Hansen took third.

It seems that the mantra of women’s bodybuilding nowadays is “bringing femininity back.”  From what I witnessed at the Ms. Olympia contest the previous weekend that is nothing but lip service.  

The truth is the future of women’s bodybuilding lies with the likes of competitors like Cindy Goodrich, Jennifer Erickson and Lilli Ewing.  Ewing possessed the perfect amount of muscle for her frame. Her lats tapered down to a small waist and the sweep in her legs was just the right size to accentuate her symmetry. Her conditioning was sharp and her skin clear and healthy.

Lilli Ewing is a worthy champion of the 2008 Ironman and hopefully she will be leading the march towards the new direction of women’s bodybuilding.

Open Men
Neo-classical poser Andrew Saguid’s impressive routine and his sharp lines are why the judges gave him the unanimous victory in the open men’s bantamweight.  Robert Bauer and Diamond Dale Morishige rassled through prejudging and into the evening. It ended up Bauer over Morishige by a point.

In the lightweight class it was Jon Stockwell who pushed through to victory over veterans Tony Ruggiero and Shawn Ryan. But final placings don’t tell the whole story.  The prejudging scrap between Stockwell, Ruggiero and Ryan was one of the longest of the morning. Rick Kasten took the group through several rounds of comparisons before the results could be determined.

A three-point difference is all the separated middleweight winner Andrew Lindaas and second place “Montana” Jess Edens.  The crowd response was so loud for third place winner Jacob Hall you would think he brought his own cheering section with him.

Light-heavyweight winner Paul Halalilo came back strong after taking a year off.  The time served him well. He was thicker through the chest with better definition in his hamstrings and quads.  Jonathan Gibson just squeaked under the heavyweight limit and was the only real test to Halalilo’s supremacy.  Scott Hickman placed third to Gibson.

In the open men’s heavyweight it was Pastor Ken Ralston all the way. In the past three years Ralston has not failed to show up in top condition and there are few men his size that can mount any serious challenge to his posing ability.
Kim Farrison called all five athletes to center stage.  As Kasten took the lineup through both the symmetry round and muscularity round s the house came alive with excitement.  Shouts for favorite competitors nearly stifled Kasten’s callouts. Halalilo received some strong competition from lightweight Jon Stockwell. At evenings end the overall title of Washington Ironman Overall Champion went to Paul Halalilo.

The team award went to the Construction Zone and the male best poser award went to Jon Blodget and the female to Jennifer Erickson.

The after show party was held around the corner at Alfy’s Pizza.  Pizzas were eaten by the dozens and beer drank by the pitcher as the competitiveness faded into the camaraderie that only amateur bodybuilding can inspire.

I have many thoughts on the sport of figure competing!  My first thought is that I LOVE IT! I love everything about it!  (yes, I even Love the dieting as crazy as that is!)  I just love all  the challenge of it!

I travel all over to compete at a national level and I have the opportunity to meet all types of people and competitors.  I get a chance to hang with the pros and to hang with the wanna be pros (yep, I guess that’s me too, haha).

I hear so many girls that either aren’t placing where they want to or aren’t placing at all, talk about their opininons on the sport.
  
Yes, as I have said before, the sport is still new, it’s still going through changes and that’s just part of it.  I think this year has been the most consistent as to what the judges were looking for.

This is how I see it, Figure is NOT bodybuilding, it is NOT fitness, it is FIGURE!  I don’t think it’s a matter of coming in hard, or coming in soft, I think it’s a matter of coming in balanced, shapely, fit and feminine.  They don’t want us flexing our guns, or squeezing our glutes or quads on stage!  They don’t want our lats flared out (or like some girls do and try to flare their arms out to make an appearance of a big back!–ummm doesn’t work, just looks silly). 

I hear girls (or better yet, the girls trainers), say they don’t care what the judges think, they are only here for themselves, and blah, blah, blah…well, if that’s the REAL case, then great for you! and I’m proud of you and you should be too! ,but usually it’s not the case , because they are upset about their placements! (if you didn’t care about what the judges think, then why would you care where they place you!)

Pamela Soper at the 2008 IFBB North Americans.

Most everyone comes to the show for the same reason (notice I said MOST)– they want to win, or at least make top 15, top 10 or top 5!  WHo doesn’t like to win!?!  THIS IS A COMPETITION!

Personally, I like the way figure has gone, it’s a look that is something an average person could acheive AND maintain through diet and exercise.

Take a look at MOST of the top girls that are winning, they are “marketable”, they are beautiful, in shape, fresh looking and feminine.  THey are girls that could grace the cover of most fitness magazines (and many do or will!).

Now I am speaking from a national stage point of view, girls from all over the NATION come to compete at this level to achieve that ultimate goal: IFBB pro status.

If you are just getting into the sport, GREAT! You then need to  find a good coach (just like you would if you were playing basketball, football, golf, etc.)  Listen to your coach, and trust them.  I am a coach to many figure girls, but it wasn’t until I found my coach (MIke Davies), that I really learned what it would take to become the athlete I needed to be.

Many girls sometimes mistake the sport of Figure for not working or dieting hard, UMMM yes! we train VERY hard and diet VERY hard to achieve the look we are going for. Everyone has different genetics to work with, but through the proper type of training for your bodytype you  can achieve anybody you want (within reason, haha).  it just takes some longer than others! (and try not to hate on the ones it comes easy for!haha).

So, I know I’m blabing right now, LOL - so let me sum it up:

If you are a competitor, or planning on competing, educate yourself on your sport. Find a the right coach and/or trainer for you make a comitment to them and yorself and follow through!  When competing be that athlete you were trained to be and PLEASE do us all a favor and have good sportmenship! Understand that it is a competiton, everyone wants to win but in the end there will only be one winner!  That winner worked just as hard as you did and should be congratulated!  Learn from each show and take it to the next! Lastly, don’t ever QUIT or giveup!  If you want it, you can achieve it! it just takes, time, education, and  consistency!

Until next time~~~ Keep training hard, live life with no regrets, and always love yourself first inorder to love everyone else!

Pamela Soper
http://contest.bodybuilding.com/bio/6307/
http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/Pamelasoper/