Pro/Am Contests Blog

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

2009 New York Pro Figure Results. Check out the results from the 2009 IFBB New York Pro Figure here. [ View 2009 IFBB New York Pro Figure Results ]

2009 IFBB NY Pro Figure Coverage Check out the pictures of the 2009 IFBB New York Pro Figure.  See pictures of 2009 IFBB New York Pro Figure Competition! [ 2009 IFBB New York Pro Figure ] Prejudging Photos [ One-Piece ] [ Two-Piece ] Results [ Results ] [ Main Page ]

Check out the 2009 New York Pro Main Page right here. See photos and results from the New York Pro Mens, 202 and Womens shows.

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

2009 IFBB New York Pro Results. Check out the results from the 2009 IFBB New York Pro contest here. [ View Men’s Results ] [ View Women’s Results ] [ View Fitness Results ]

2009 IFBB New York Pro Check out the pictures of the 2009 IFBB New York Pro.  See pictures of Men’s, 202 & Women’s competition! [ 2009 IFBB New York Pro ] [ Men ] [ 202 ] [ Womens ]

Check out the 2009 New York Pro Main Page right here.

Men’s Open
1. Evan Centopani
2. Dennis James
3. Marcus Ruhl
4. Silvio Samuel
5. Hidetada Yamagishi

Men’s 202 & Under
1. Kevin English
2. Mark Dugdale
3. David Henry
4. Eduardo Correa
5. Jason Arntz
6. Fakhri Mubarak
7. Vince Galanti
8. Jose Raymond
9. Vincent Liu
10. Gilles Bellehumeur

IFBB Women’s Pro Results
1. Cathy LeFrancois
2. Betty Pariso
3. Rosemary Jennings
4. Debbie Bramwell
5. Dena Westerfield
6. Tazzie Columb
7. Jeannie Paparone
8. Brenda Raganot
9. Jennifer Sedia
10. Antoinette Thompson
11. Beverly DiRenzo
12. Maryse Manios
13. Maria Segura
14. Nancy Lewis
15. Claudia Partenza
16. Diana Tinnelle
16. Kim Buck
16. Giusy Caputo
16. Marika Johansson
16. Nadia Nardi
16. Maria Calo
16. Myriam Bustamante
16. Fabi Antoine
16. Irene Andersen

Well, the 2009 New York Pro is here and tomorrow the stage lights up!

Bodybuilding.com’s very own Kris Gethin is on site front and center to cover the show as well as support his wonderful wife Marika.

The line up for the show for all three divisions, including Mens, Womens and 202, are all star studded to make this a great show.

Check out more info right here.

Mens
Aiman Faour
Ben White
Daniele Seccarecci
Darrem Charles
Denis Sergovskiy
Dennis James
Ed Van Amsterdam
Evan Centopani
Evgeny Mishin
Francisco Bautista
Francisco Javier Mula
Hidetada Yamagishi
Jari Mentula
Leo Ingram
Markus Ruhl
Michael Kefalianos
Sergey Shelestov
Silvio Samuel
Tarek Elsetouhi
Vincent Liu

202
David Henry
Eduardo Correa Da Silva
Fakhri Mubarak
Gilles Bellehumeur
Jason Arntz
Jose Raymond
Kevin English
Mark Dugdale
Vinny Galanti

Womens
Antoinette Thompson
Betty Pariso
Beverly DiRenzo
Cathy Lefrancois-Priest
Claudia Partenza
Debbie Bramwell
Dena Westerfield
Diana Tinnelle
Fabi Antoine
Giusy Caputo
Irene Andersen
Jeannie Paparone
Jennifer Sedia
Kim Buck
Mari Carmen Gomez Segura
Maria Calo
Marika Johansson-Gethin
Maryse Manios
Myriam Bustamante
Nadia Nardi
Nancy Lewis
Rosemary Jennings
Saskia Salemink
Tazzie Colomb

Post By: Brian Bullman

I recently caught up with IFBB Pro Silvio Samuel, who is on a winning streak as of late, adding the Iron Man Pro to his resume earlier this year. He also placed 5th at the Arnold and 2nd in Australia. With less than two days to go before he competes at the New York Pro, here is what he had to say…..

Brian: Silvio, we are only two days away the 2009 New York Pro, this is your 3rd contest this year, I would be beat up, but tell me, how are you feeling?

Silvio: Actually Brian, this is my 4th show, I went to Australia and competed where I placed 2nd. But you know back in the day of Kevin Levrone, Flex Wheeler and Shawn Ray they got to compete in shows back to back. I did 9 shows in 2007 which is a record amount of shows for one year. I don’t consider it hard or grueling, this is my job, I am a professional bodybuilder. I love what I do, and the more successful I am in each contest, motivates me to train hard and keep doing what I love.

2009 Australian Pro

Brian: So far this year you have won the Pro Ironman, placed 5th at the Arnold and 2nd in Australia, tell me, what do you see happening this weekend for Silvio Samuel in NY?

Silvio: I’m not a judge, so I will not predict a placing, that’s your job. I just do what I have to do to make improvements from my last contest to ensure that I have a good ranking in the contest. I don’t like to trash talk, I just like to do what I do. Bodybuilding contest are won and lost in the gym, as you well know, after that it’s all up to the judges.

Brian: As always you are in great condition, have you made any changes or done anything different from earlier in the year?

Silvio: I have improved every year, from show to show. Just like everyone else I focus on what I think I need to work on and I stick to it. I know the heat is on me in this contest, but I have made improvements in every show I have competed in over the last two years. I could go and put on size, that is easy, but quality is more important to me. I’m 5’7’ 226lbs, I’m not going to beat guys that weigh 280 or 290 in the mass game so I just focus on quality improvements show by show, which is what I have done.

2009 IFBB Arnold Classic

Brian: You are the highest ranking athlete competing here in NY, who do you see as your main competition?

Silvio: I don’t care who turns up on the day of the show, I respect each and every athlete that competes in the IFBB. They are all great athletes, I just like to focus on myself and the job that I have to do so that I can bring a great package of condition and symmetry to the stage.

Brian: There has been alot of hype on the internet about Rookie Pro Evan Centempomi, who is making his pro debut. How do you think he will fair out against seasoned pros such as yourself, Dennis James and Darrem Charles?

Sivlio: He is a good bodybuilder, I don’t really know him, and I don’t know how he will do come Saturday. I only know how I was when I made my pro debut, I wish him all the best.

Brian: Another big story for the NY Pro is the comeback of the German Giant, Markus Ruhl, do you think we have seen the best of him or will he be one to watch?

Silvio: Markus has a great name in the sport, and had his reasons for retiring and he also must have some strong reasons for wanting to get back onstage. I look forward to competing against him and seeing what kind of package he can bring to the stage.

2009 Iron Man Pro

Brian: When the dust settles on Saturday night, regardless of placings, what is the next step for Silvio Samuel? Will you do the pre Olympia shows or just focus on the big O?

Silvio: This is my last contest before the Olympia, after this show, I will rest focus on some guest appearances before I begin my Olympia preparations.

Brian: Ok final question because I know you need to get to the final preparations for Saturday, Can you give me a predicition for Silvio Samuel for the 2009 Mr. Olympia?

Silvio: I’m not into predicting where I will place; I’m just going to focus on this contest, and then when I begin my preparations for the Olympia I will focus only on that show.

Brian: Thanks a lot bro for taking the time to talk with me and the fans here on bodybuilding.com , Im sure you’re tired after travelling across the country, I’ll let you too it and best of luck for Saturday.

Silvio: Thanks Brian

Check out this interview Brian Bullman had with Mark Dugdale!

A huge thanks to MuscleMag for hooking this interview up.

[ Q ] Hey Mark, I understand you are in the middle of traveling east to New York to compete this Saturday at the NY Pro 202. You have already competed several times this year, which is hard work, how are you feeling this close to the show?

[ A ] I feel great…eating carbs today so all the hard work and dieting is over now. Having competed in 4 shows since last August 08 has been tough in light of all the other responsibilities I have outside of competitive bodybuilding. People often ask how I balance it all, but honestly I don’t even know!

2009 IFBB Europa Super Show

Christina’s an incredibly supportive wife, but I still feel like I’m a mouse running full-tilt on a wheel almost daily. The economy has impacted my business which has added a great deal of stress to our lives. Thankfully one of the benefits of bodybuilding is the ability to hammer the weights and leave some of the daily stress behind at the gym each night.

[ Q ] Competing at 202lbs is a lot closer to the weight at which you turned pro (198lbs) What lead to you making the decision to come down and compete in this new division? Correct me if I’m wrong but you were in the region of 215lbs at the Ironman?

[ A ] The heaviest weight in which I competed was in Tampa last August at 218. Granted I did not bring my trademark conditioning which hurt my placing. After this last Ironman in January 09, where I weighed about 210, I realized that most of my success came at a lower body weight. I tried pushing to the 220 pound mark chasing the mass, but I didn’t like how I looked or felt. I decided to stick close to my diet after the Ironman and get down to 202 pounds for Pittsburgh to see how I stacked up in the new division.

2009 IFBB Iron Man Pro

[ Q ] You recently placed 2nd at the Pittsburgh Pro 202, have you made any changes in your diet/training over the last couple of weeks coming into this contest?

[ A ] Honestly, there isn’t much you can do in 2 weeks, unless you did something completely stupid to blow your look the last few days before the event. However, I’ve analyzed the pictures from Pittsburgh and realized I can improve some of my posing to better display my physique. I typically get sharper when competing in multiple shows in a row so I anticipate this being the case in NY.

[ Q ] What about supplements? What do you use to get that ultra ripped, feathered quad look that you are known for?

[ A ] I’ve been using a couple new product by Nutrex…even before their official release. Specifically, Lipo-6 Black really helped strip the fat and control my appetite. Nutrex’s first-ever protein supplement, ProGram, is one of the best tasting, sustained release protein supplement I’ve ever used. These two supplements really helped while dieting, while Vitrix still remains my favorite testosterone booster.

2009 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro

[ Q ] The Rookie Pro Eduardo Correa edged you out for the win in Pittsburgh, how do you see that battle going this weekend?

[ A ] Most people I spoke with that attended prejudging thought I edged Eduardo out based on conditioning and balance, but that didn’t prove true by the finals. The brutal reality of bodybuilding is that we as competitors bust our asses all year and then put things into the hands of the judging panel on the day of the event. The end result is ultimately out of our hands. I don’t want to take anything away from Eduardo as he brought a great physique to Pittsburgh, but I still hope to turn the tables in NY.

The fact that the end result lays in the hands of the judging panel, doesn’t mean I’m not going into NY to win…all highly competitive individuals train to win and I’m extremely competitive. I think I’m capable of winning, so I’m anxious to step on stage and battle it out.

[ Q ] Missing from your 202 debut, were the Olympia 202 Champion David Henry and runner up Kevin English. How do you see yourself competing against these guys?

[ A ] I’ve never competed against Kevin English, but have done battle with David on numerous occasions. David has a fantastic physique and when he’s in shape is very dangerous. Historically if I nail my conditioning I’ve beat David. My point is that all these guys are capable of winning, myself included, and I sincerely hope everyone brings their A-Game to NY..it will make for a great contest!

[ Q ] With a few more 202 shows to go before the Olympia, will we see you onstage again, in any of those shows?

[ A ] It’s possible, but not likely. I’ve been dieting for almost 5 months and want to spend some time hammering the weights with adequate carbs in my body to improve my physique prior to the Olympia.

[ Q ] The Olympia 202 showdown, I want a prediction for Mark Dugdale, let us have it?

[ A ] Personally, I want to win it - flat out. I won’t make predictions because people who do end up wrong and looking foolish. All I can predict is I’m going to give 100% to be a dominant player in the 202 division.

2009 IFBB New York Womens Pro will be held the same weekend s the Mens Pro on May 16.

Here is the official list of competitors as of today from IFBBPro.com for this years New York Womens Pro.

Debbie Bramwell
Diana Tinnelle
Giusy Caputo
Jeannie Paparone
Mari Carmen Gomez Segura
Maria Calo
Marika Johansson-Gethin
Maryse Manios
Nancy Lewis
Saskia Salemink

As of today here is who will be competing at the 2009 IFBB New York Mens Pro on May 16.

Jose Raymond
Ahmad Haidar
Ben White
Craig Richardson
Darrem Charles
David Henry
Denis Sergovskiy
Ed Van Amsterdam
Evan Centopani
Evgeny Mishin
Francisco Bautista
Francisco Javier Mula
Gilles Bellehumeur
Hidetada Yamagishi
Jason Arntz
Kevin English
Leo Ingram
Marcus Haley
Markus Ruhl
Michael Kefalianos
Silvio Samuel
Vincent Liu

There are some big names on this event so you wont want to miss this show.

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

2009 IFBB New York Pro Fitness Results. Check out the results from the 2009 IFBB New York Pro Fitness contest here. [ View 2009 IFBB New York Pro Fitness Results ]

2009 NPC Metropolitan Bodybuilding Fitness & Figure. Check out the results from the 2009 NPC Metropolitan Bodybuilding Fitness & Figure contest here. [ View 2009 NPC Metropolitan Results ]

This weekend New York, NY will be filled with the excitement of the New York Pro Fitness Competition and the 2009 NPC Steve Slone New York Metropolitan.

Bodybuilding and fitness fanatics from all over will be out to enjoy this exciting event.

The top three in the Fitness competition will qualify to compete in the 2009 Fitness Olympia.

This will be a great show with some intense competition, for those of you who will be unable to attend check back at Bodybuilding.com for the results to this show right here.

Here are this years New York Pro Fitness Competitors:

Bethany Wagner
Donna Jones
Erin Riley
Maggie Blanchard
Myriam Capes
Nicole Wilkins Lee
Ryall Graber
Shannon Dey
Shannon Meteraud
Stacy McDowell
Stephanie Irick
Tina Durkin
Trish Warren

For show results check back soon.

The night belonged to the competitor absent from the early lists… Ziville Raudoniene. When I spoke to Ziville at the New York Pro Men’s contest earlier in the year she mentioned she’d be back to defend her title. We haven’t seen much from her and since she wasn’t on the list I assumed she decided to skip the contest. The only thing she skipped was cheat meals as she was on point and the clear favorite from the moment she took the stage. She’s one of the competitors that shines more in person than she does in photos. Beautiful girl, nice balance to her physique and spot on conditioning. She will successfully defend her New York Pro Figure title.

Second will go to the rookie Julie Ann Kulla. Everything fell into place for her tonight. Her color, suits, hair, makeup, conditioning, muscularity… She had it all. Julie Ann looked better at this contest than she did when she won the Jr. Nationals title. Like Lenay Hernandez she will get the runner-up title and make a name for herself right out of the gate.

Who will get that last qualifying spot to the Olympia? It will either be Huong Arcinas or Jelena Abbou. Jelena is already qualified but Huong is not. Huong is the shortest competitor on stage but the most complete in my opinion. When you look at her physique top to bottom she has it all. Great calves, symmetry, muscularity and conditioning. This was the best I’ve seen Huong and she could get the nod. Jelena looked great and you’re either a fan of her physique or not. She was more polished in her presentation tonight than at the Europa. I personally like her look and she has done all she can do with her genetics. Super tiny waist, great presentation, beautiful with nice conditioning. It will be close between these two.

Based on the callouts I have Candice John in fourth. I’m not familiar with the Trinidad competitor and was surprised to see her called out in the first round. It is proof that when people want to cry “politics” and “the name game” that it isn’t the case. She was tied for 16th at this show last year so landing in the top five is a huge accomplishment for her. She has a nice physique with good symmetry and balance.

The top five as I have them on my scorecard:
1. Ziville Raudoniene
2. Julie Ann Kulla
3. Huong Arcinas
4. Jelena Abbou
5. Candice John

3-5 could be any mix of Houng, Jelena and Candice. We’ll have to wait and see how the final scores come out.

Other thoughts from the show…
Teresa Gillian is doing very well in her second pro show. She’ll be in the 6-8 range and looked great. Nice symmetry and balance. I wasn’t a huge fan of her make up as it looked a bit muddy on stage. Overall though her presentation continues to improve and is doing a great job.

Natalie Benson was a bit soft from behind and despite getting good callouts I didn’t have her as high as she will most likely end up. She did look better than at the Europa show and appeared much tighter.

Krissy Chin will find herself on the outside of the top 10 most likely. I thought she could have been in the second round of call outs but it wasn’t meant to be for her this time around.

Becky Clawson was much improved from her previous shows and moved up in her call outs. This was definitely her best showing as a pro.

Tana Clough has an amazing physique. She came in a bit too hard for her debut. Had her conditioning been backed off a bit she would have faired better. Tana also needs to work on her posing. This is her first pro show so there were most likely some first time jitters. If she is little less hard and presents herself better she will move up at the Atlantic City contest.

Erica Fuest made her return to the stage but wasn’t at her best. She is lacking the muscle maturity and wasn’t in the condition she needed to, in order to do well here. Erica plans to compete at the Tournament of Champions so she should be improved there.

Juliana Malacarne should do female bodybuilding. I love her physique and she carries a ton of muscle beautifully. She will never crack the top 5 in figure, in my opinion. If she were to compete in female bodybuilding she would be winning every lightweight competition she entered.

Jessica Steffens is a pretty woman and has a nice upper body. Her legs need to drastically improve for her to do well in the pro ranks of figure.

A hearty congratulations are in order for IFBB pro bodybuilders Kai Greene and Cathy LeFrancois for winning the 2008 New York Pro this weekend!

Get contest photos and full results right here on Bodybuilding.com:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ny_ifbb_08_rev.htm

And kudos to Isaac Hinds for taking such wonderful photos! 

I am back at the hotel downloading and processing photos before heading back to the finals. My man Will Dawg is in Boise uploading the photos. Check them out on the main NY PRO page. The 202 class is between David Henry and Kevin English. I’d give the not to David Henry as he seems a bit more complete from head to toe but English gives him a run for his money and is in better condition from the waist down. Jason Arntz looks like he’ll be in third with Charles Dixon in fourth. This is Charles’ IFBB Pro Debut and he looks good. His conditioning is what is holding him back from moving up a few placings but still looks good.

The women’s top three look to be Dena Westerfield, Cathy Le Francois and Rosemary Jennings. I’d go with Cathy first, Rosemary second but Dena I didn’t have in the top three. I actually had her fifth behind Jeannie Paparone and Debi Laszewski. Jeannie looked very good with great conditioning. Debi also looked good and was poised on stage. Dena looked good and improved as she posed in her conditioning, perhaps that is what the judges saw and rewarded her accordingly. Annie Rivieccio looks to be in sixth place. Tina Chandler had a nice debut and could tell was nervous as she posed. If she polishes her posing she could move up. A little off in the conditioning but not by much she looks to be around 7th place.

The men’s show was no contest. It’s Kai Green and everyone else. I’d go with Ronnie Rockell in second, Craig Richardson in third with David Henry fourth and Kevin English fifth. Is that how it will play out? Eh, probably not. Ben White could sneak into the top five but he was bigger off stage with his mouth than he was on stage. Some of the 202lb guys looked bigger than him. Craig Richardson looked great but faded a little bit as he went on. He has a very pleasing physique though and one that is in line with the Dexter Jackson/Phil Heath look. He’s not quite there in terms of conditioning but still a great showing for him. Kai Green will pose last tonight and should bring the house down. We’ll see.

The finals start tonight at 7pm EST.

I’ll be keeping everyone updated here on the Pro/Am blog this weekend from New York. My flight was delayed leaving Denver due to the stormy weather NYC is experiencing. Surprisingly, we didn’t land that much behind schedule despite leaving 45 minutes behind schedule. I had the fastest cab ride to Manhattan, ever. The cabbie took a few different routes to avoid traffic and it shaved about $25 off the usual fare. When I got out of the cab the first person I see was Robin Chang from AMI who heads up the Olympia.

Robin told me Bodybuilding.com’s own Bob Chicherillo was stuck in Atlanta. Ah, gotta love direct flights! I am checked into a great hotel - the Millenium Hilton which overlooks ground zero. This is where I typically stay when traveling to New York as the rooms, while small (as are most in NYC) are built for business travelers. There is a giant flat screen tv and the rooms are well kept. The hotel was rebuilt after 911. Below are a couple shots from my hotel room - I’m on the top floor looking directly into ground zero.

The men weighed in tonight but due to arriving late I didn’t make it to see who will be in the 202 Class. Tomorrow morning the action starts in the Big Apple around 11am EST. My man Grif and Will are in Boise and the three of us are going to be rock’n the blogs and photo updates for you. Check back tomorrow for more info. I’m off to meet up with IFBB Pro Figure diva Tara Scotti and her husband Dominic for dinner.

Cheers!
Isaac

This is going to be an awesome show - IFBB Men’s 202 and Under.

I really am curious to see who will be at the top!

Go to the Bodybuilding.com IFBB Forum to see what everybody is talking about :

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=107659801

Click Image To Enlarge.