2009 ABFF Alaska Championships!
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2009 ABFF Alaska State Results. Check out the results from the 2009 ABFF Alaska State Championships here. |
2009 ABFF Alaska State Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships
By: Tony Weaver
With the largest figure competitors in recent history and the addition of the Bikini Division this year’s Alaska Championships was shaping up to be one of the best. Starting out the show was Helen Aye who exhibited fine shape and overall presence and cruised uncontested in the Women’s figure 5’3” and under division. She would have her hands full with a stacked 5’3” and over division where there were five women contesting for a spot in the finals. Pako Wannell a crowd favorite from Soldotna placed 5th followed by much improved Jessica Parra in 4th . A statuesque Jeannie Zingg in 2nd over 3rd place Staci Meredith from Nampa, Idaho. An elegant Leah Sommer was the winner with a strong first place finish in the class, Sommer and Zingg both exhibited great shape with Sommer taking a edge in conditioning and shape. With competitors switching classes it was Staci Meredith again with a strong win the Women’s figure over 35, and veteran Jeryll Luper from Anchorage finishing 2nd.
WOMEN’S FIGURE UNDER 5′3″ WINNER HELEN M. AYE
The Women’s Fitness was shaping up to be a competition between contrasting styles in the routine round. Hamar’s a bouncing energetic routine contrasted with DeYoung’s slower music interlaced with flexibility moves. In the other two rounds Hamar’s conditioning and polish took the edge. Hamar was the decided winner with DeYoung 2nd.
WOMEN’S FITNESS OVERALL L TO R SOHNYA HAMAR- WINNER LYNDIE DEYOUNG-SECOND
The Bikini Division in this year’s Alaska proved to be a surprise. With depth from the top of the class to the bottom, it was a nice addition to this year’s show. Pauline Mitchell was the winner in the class. Pauline has dominated the figure class with wins in the Anchorage and Overall Alaska in the last two years and was taking a break from the Figure Class and moving over to the Bikini Class. Mitchell is a featured guest at the Fitness Expos gratis Bodybuilding.com and is a frequent contributor to the Bodybuilding.com forums. In 2nd place an Elena Lalkey brought a nice package with future promise. Rounding out the class were solid showings by Michelle Hart in 3rd and Emily Black in 4th .
PAULINE MITCHELL- BIKINI - OVERALL, MATT WONCHALA MEN’S- OVERALL
The Junior Men’s Division always seems to produce future bright stars and solo competitor Kris Black definitely has a future in the sport. Taking the division uncontested Black would return for a showdown in the Overall Masters, Novice and Junior Divisions.
JUNIORS WINNER KRIS BLACK W/ WYATT BELANGER
In the Novice Men Division the requirements are that the competitor has never placed in the top three in any bodybuilding show. With a strong class of five competitors it was shaping up to be a tight call. Late entry David Burroughs was 5th followed Mark Johnson in 4th and Nathaniel Missimer from Fairbanks in 3rd, the top two contestants Steve Hall of Wasilla and Darin Hagen traveling all the way from Soldotna both showed promise with a nice combination of shape and conditioning. Hagen edged Hall for the class to take the win with Hall finishing 2nd.
They say the new 40’s are the old 30’s. Surely the soothsayers are off base, because the new 40’s are definitely the new 20 something’s. It is amazing the conditioning and longevity of some of the Master competitors. The 40 and over class of Masters was a strong class with Gene Lawrance taking 3rd a much-improved Scott Helle taking 2nd and Kevin Thomas who was the hardest competitor in the class who locked down first place. In the Grand Masters Class (over 50) solo competitor Lindsay Knight exhibited superb conditioning and some smooth posing to take the class. Knight would be back for finals. Knight has been competing for over three decades and keeps improving. In the overall it was a close competition with all the competitors vowing to exhibit their best physiques. Thomas with hardness and abs to spare, Knight with hardness and muscle maturity and Black the new comer with the balance of cuts, shape, and posing it was Black’s combination that lifted him to the Overall title.
In the Women’s Novice Class Diane Stefan competitor edged out Alesha Lafleur for 1st. The Masters Women’s Class over 35 was deeper class than the Novice. With a nice overall balance of cuts and shape and a energetic routine Judy Klok was the decided winner in the class, with Jeryll Luper and Mary Floyd finishing in 2nd and 3rd place respectively.
Mixed Pairs competition has always been a routine over physique event, but this year’s contest paired the eventual overall winners together. Their routines were well choreographed and with Wonchala’s and Hegg’s smooth posing both competitors showed the complete balance of muscle and shape, and took the Couples Class with a crowd pleasing routine.
Winning the Alaska Overall Women’s Physique title is no easy task. The first step is to win your class and then advance to the finals where the second show starts, because after the class wins, you are still one contest away from the Overall Title. Taking first in the Lightweight Class was Sohnya Hamar who cruised to a win over newcomer Mya Dale. Both women exhibited nice routines, but it was Hamar who has the edge on conditioning and posing. Hegg was the only competitor in the Heavyweight Class took the class uncontested. In the Women’s Overall it was a showdown between Hamar’s cuts vs. Hegg’s size. With a bobble in the awards at the end, it eventually was Hegg who reversed the decision and edged out Hamar for the Overall.
The Alaska Men’s Class in 2009 showcased a very competitive Middle and Light-Heavyweight Classes. In the Middleweight Class a leaner bigger Matt Wonchala and much-improved Scott Greibel from Soldotna who wowed the crowd with good posing and razor conditioning. But it was the young polished Wonchala that took the class with a strong 2nd from Greibel. In the Light-Heavyweight Class Dan Wellborn with a nice set of arms and good balance took the class over a very tough ripped Shawn Shelly. Wellborn and Wonchala would meet in finals for the Alaska Overall.
The Men’s Pro-division is starting to become a showdown between the Midwest and West with respective Pro’s Walter Barr and Robert Green and Craig Toth trading places for the titles. The ABFF has started strict drug testing and has tested all the pro athletes. The pros have passed all tests on the ABFF tour as well as many other drug tested shows that they have competed in. The ABFF testing is extensive with IOC protocols that test for all anabolic steriod as well as designer steroids and all masking agents.
In the Pro Division it looked as thought previous 2008 Anchorage Pro Winner Craig Toth would have a tougher contest this year. Toth had a bad case of flu and was contemplating taking a pass on the 2009 Alaska, but a last minute decision to make the trip would prove profitable. A very hard and bigger Walter Green was primed to take some of Toth’s glory. Robert Green Alaska’s 2008 Winner was also in the mix with a newer tighter physique. With the scoring running very close and a very long comparisons round it came down to the intangibles, Green’s size who was decidedly bigger than the other two competitors, a ripped Barr with great crowd charisma, or Toth the combination of mature muscularity and precise stage presence. It would ultimately come down to splitting hairs as judges were divided on all three sides, with Toth taking the last decisive vote and taking the 2009 Alaska Pro-Division Title.
In last year’s Alaska it was Wonchala’s mentor Wyatt Belanger that took the Overall title. Belanger’s fine balance of cuts and symmetry wowed the audience and judges, and this year’s show would prove to be similar. Although Wellborn and Wonchala were on equal ground condition wise, it was Wonchala’s shape small waist and tight conditioning that stood out in the final lineup. It would prove to be the winning combination. Wonchala was the unaamious winner; Wonchala is now the youngest ever Mr. Alaska and now part of the Alaska Bodybuilding Hall of Fame.
OVERALL WINNERS LTO R JUDY KLOK-MASTERS WOMEN, LEAH SUMNER FIGURE OVERALL, CRAIG TOTH-PRO DIVISION, MATT WONCHALA -MEN’S OVERALL, HEIDI HEGG-WOMEN’S OVERALL
