Pro/Am Contests Blog

Congrats to IFBB Figure Pro Felicia Romero for winning tonight’s California Pro show!

Here are the Top 5 results:

1) Felicia Romero
2) Heather Mae French
3) Kristi Tauti
4) Huong Arcinas
5) Darlina Brown

Congrats ladies! 

UPDATE:  Full results now in:

1st. Felicia Romero*
2nd. Heather May French*
3rd. Kristi Tauti*
4th. Huong Arcinas
5th. Darlina Brown
6th. Heather Green
7th. April Fortier
8th. Hazal Nelson
9th. Andrea Dumon
10th. Michele Mayberry
11th. Meriza DeGuzman
12th. Zhanna Rotar
13th. Angela Terlesky
14th. Petra Mertl
15th. Waleska Valle
16th. Nicole Pitcher-Scott
17th. Stacy Clary
17th. Maria del Figueroa Consuelo Rojas
17th. Nancy Georges
17th. Celeste Leandro Gonzalez
17th. Yamanaka Kiyoko
17th. Anna Larsson
17th. Leslie Morris
17th. Kirsten Nicewarner
17th. Tammy Strome
17th. Masae Tagami

*top 3 qualify for the 2008 Figure Olympia.

To read some great live coverage from this show, check out:

http://www.siouxcountry.com/showthread.php?t=1431

Meriza DeGuzman will be competing today.  Here is a pic of her 3 weeks out.  She should do very well!

This weekend over twenty IFBB Figure pros will make their way to the west coast for super promoter Jon Lindsay’s IFBB Cal Pro. The event will be held Saturday in Culver City, CA at 11am. This is the third pro figure show of the year and the second since a letter was sent out from the prez, Jim Manion. The letter directed the pros to tone it down on the extreme conditioning and overpowering shoulders. While there is a great deal of buzz about what the judges are looking for, it’s pretty simple in my opinion… Come into the show looking healthy, athletic, muscular, feminine without a dry and hardened look you will be fine. The IFBB Pittsburgh Pro was a good example of what is being rewarded. It’s not a drastic change like many are trying to make it out to be and not an excuse to slack on the diet if you’re a competitor.

Three women will qualify for the Olympia at this show and the door is wide open on who will prevail with the title. Past winners of this show have been Elaine Goodlad in 2004, Mary Elizabeth Lado in ‘05, Christine Pomponio-Pate in 2006 and Sonia Adcock last year. As you can see the past four winners are all beautiful competitors who have been successful in their careers. I’ve put together my short list on who could be the next winner, at least as I see it…

People have asked me why I haven’t been doing predictions this year, so what the hell let me throw out my top 5. Do these predictions mean anything? No. Will any one but the winner be happy with how I handicap the show? Probably but hey it’s figure and all these pros look great at this level so I am going to go out on a limb and break it down as I see it.

5. Huong Arcinas - This shorty will make the trip down to from Norther California in hopes of qualifying for the Olympia. I have her in the top 2 call outs without much question unless she’s been eating cheesecake since Pittsburgh. She might look like a mini-me competitor in street clothes but when she steps on stage she stands tall with the other pros. I love her physique and think she is balanced from top to bottom. You’ll be hard pressed to find someone with better calves in this show and while it’s not a bodypart contest I do feel she has one of the most complete packages.

4. Heather Mae French - She narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympia at her last show and brings the look the judges are after. She brings a balanced physique and has refined her physique since turning pro at Jr. Nationals a couple years ago. This blondie calls Colorado home and should find herself smiling when her name is called in the top call-out. She could move up and find herself in an birth to the Olympia but she’ll have to bring her A game.

3. Heather Green - HG is always smiling on stage and brings a great look to the stage. She missed the top five at the PA Pro but the added time to diet and bring her legs in a bit should be a good thing for her. Heather had a successful 2007 by turning pro and ending up on the Olympia stage. I like her look and easily see her in the top five at this show.

2. Meriza DeGuzman - Keep your eye on “butterfly”. I call Meriza “Butterfly” not only for her exotic beauty but also the way she used to flutter her eyes on stage. While photographing her on stage, it seemed every shot I snapped had her eyes closed. Meriza has dramatically improved her stage presence and has added a bit of size to balance her physique. She’s another shorty like Houng but it won’t stop her from walking tall with the others. Look for her in the first rounds of comparisons on Saturday morning.

1. Felicia Romero - She won the Jan Tana last year and deservedly so. She’s a beautiful gem out of Arizona that brings beauty combined with a toned, muscular, feminine physique. 2008 has already served her well by gracing two covers in the fitness industry and my magic 8-ball shows more success ahead. If I was a betting man for this show I’d put my money on Felicia. Anything can happen on show day and she’ll have her work cut out for her but she is my pick to prevail.

Others to keep an eye on that could shake things up… Celese Gonzalez Leandro - she is making the trip from the Canary Islands and is a beautiful woman. She graced the Olympia stage last year and could be in the mix if her physique is on. Andrea Dumon could be in the mix if she is dieted down and not too drawn in. Andrea is a good competitor and when she is on, she’s good. Don’t count her out of the top comparisons. Darlina Brown is already qualified for the Olympia from her showing last year and she really came into her own at the Sacramento and Kentucky Pro shows. Darlina brings a nicely balanced physique to the stage and could be in the mix.

Good luck to all the competitors this weekend and remember to HAVE FUN! You’re sporting some of the best physiques in the world and the IFBB is proud to have you part of their organization. Stop and smell the roses and enjoy the sunny skies of Cali.

Complete list of competitors:

Huong Arcinas
Darlina Brown
Stacy Clary
Meriza DeGuzman
Andrea Dumon
Maria del Figueroa Consuelo Rojas
Heather Mae French
April Fortier
Celese Gonzalez Leandro
Nancy Georges
Heather Green
Yamanaka Kiyoko
Anna Larsson
Michele Mayberry
Petra Mertl
Leslie Morris
Hazal Nelson
Kirsten Nicewarmer
Nicole Pitcher-Scott
Felicia Romero
Zhanna Rotar
Tammy Strome
Masae Tagami
Kristi Tauti
Angela Terlesky
Waleska Valle

I received this email from IFBB Pro Figure Competitor Heather Green yesterday, and am reposting it here, with permission, for your reading pleasure.  Enjoy!

"Hi Richard,

Thanks for the congratulations, I had a really great time in Pittsburgh!  Everyone was very accommodating and the show was well organized so things ran smoothly which I always appreciate.

The callouts at prejudging were a bit confusing for me, and I walked out of there not knowing at all where I had placed.  I was really psyched to learn later that I placed 6th.  In my opinion the competition was extremely tough and the element of mystery that came along with "the letter" had a lot of us guessing.  I tried to keep it soft for this show, and I could only chuckle when I got the feedback from the judges.  "Your legs were a little too soft.  Just tighten up a bit…"

Amy Fry, Nicole Wilkins & Heather Green @ 2008 Pittsburgh Pro.

I think they know what they’re looking for, I just may have a hard time finding the balance.  I’ve got Mike Davies helping me prepare for the California Pro in a few weeks and I’m confident he’ll bring me in with the right combination.

Thanks, have a great night!” 

~Heather

Sonia Adcock took a solid win at the Cal yesterday. She was the number one call out through the day so it was pretty easy to know where she would place.

And there was more than just Pro figure but also a real quality NPC contest. Take a look right here at the Cal Pro/Am page for results and photos.

You can also check my BodyBlog for more goins on around this holiday weekend including the next two days at Muscle Beach Venice! Thanks and keep coming back!

Your top 5 from the California Pro Figure:

1. Sonia Adcock
2. MaryJo Cooke
3. Felicia Romero
4. Cheri Lewis
5. Chastity Slone

As I stated earlier, I need to stick with the female predictions as I was pretty dead on with the exception of Felicia Romero.

It looks like your top five in figure will be:

1. Sonia Adcock
2. MaryJo Cooke
3. Cheri Lewis
4. Felicia Romero
5. Chastity Slone

I was fairly accurate in my predictions if this shapes up to be the top 5. I think I’ll stick to the women predictions as I suck at the men’s predictions.

1 Sonia Adcock
2. Mary Jo Cooke
3. Zhanna Rotar
4. Chastity Slone
5. Sherri Lewis

Well, for once Lisa’s and Isaac’s predictions don’t stink.  LOL, J/K.

Here are my top picks* for this weekend:

Keystone Pro:

1. Dennis Wolf
2. Silvio Samuel Saviour
3. Johnnie O. Jackson
4. Darrem Charles
5. Kai Greene
6. Branch Warren
7. Desmond Miller
8. Leo Ingram
9. Craig Richardson
10. George Farah

California Pro:

1. Sonia Adcock
2. Chastity Sloane
3. Pauline Nordin
4. Juliana Malacarne
5. Zhanna Rotar

Muscle Beach (Memorial Day):

1.  Chris LaCascia
1.  Adam Kirby
1.  Tracy Guarino

(Each will win their own respective division/weight class, LOL.)

*Subject to change at a moment’s notice!

Well allow me to be the first one an get crazy with this weekends predictions.

I was a lil off last time cuz my peoples decided not to attend the NY Pro. Poopheads. So lets try again…..

IFBB Keystone Pro
1. Branch Warren - cuz come on, he jus won the NY Pro like 2 weeks ago.
2. Dennis James
3. Darrem Charles
4. Desmond Miller
5. Johnnie O

IFBB California Pro
(i always have a harder time with figure)
1. Sonia Adcock
2. Chastity Slone
3. Nicole Pitcher-Scott
4. Zhanna Rotar
5. Pauline Nordine

aaaaaaaaand…….GAME ON!

I received this email from IFBB Figure Pro Sonia Adcock last night with a few thoughts from her regarding her upcoming contest this weekend (the 2007 IFBB California Pro Figure).  I’m posting it here with her permission:

"Hello,

The Cal. Pro is fast approaching, my excitement is growing more and more each day.  I’m very excited about this show being that I am from Cali.  I just want to say good luck to all the competitors this weekend!

GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!

Let’s go rock the stage in Cali!

Bye for now!!!"

IFBB PRO FIGURE
Sonia Adcock

The following tentative list is courtesy of Isaac Hinds from Lift Studios, and is current as of 5/22/07:

2007 IFBB CALIFORNIA PRO FIGURE
May 26, 2007
Culver City, California

1 Adcock, Sonia - USA
2 Cooke-Elliott, Mary Jo - USA
3 Gomes, Kristin - USA
4 Lewis, Cheri - USA
5 Malacarne, Juliana - Brazil
6 Mehling, Christina - Canada
7 Morris, Leslie - USA
8 Nordin, Pauline - Sweden
9 Pitcher-Scott, Nicole - United Kingdom
10 Romero, Felicia - USA
11 Romero, Rosa Maria - Australia
12 Rotar, Zhanna - USA
13 Salvadori, Sherie - USA
14 Shirlaw, Consi - USA
15 Slone, Chastity - USA
16 Tagami, Masae - Japan
17 Tauti, Kristi - USA
18 Terlesky, Angela - USA
19 Valle, Waleska - USA
20 Sarcev, Miramar - USA

Show info here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2007ifbbcalprofig_info.htm

More info here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2007californiaproam.htm