Pro/Am Contests Blog

I’m reposting this MySpace bulletin with permission from IFBB Fitness and Figure Pro Nicole Wilkins for your reading pleasure.  Enjoy!

"For those of you who couldn’t get to NY for Team Universe this past July, you can see my routine that won the overall on YouTube or go to this forum link. 

Also… I only have 6 more days until I step on stage in Spain for the IFBB World Championships! Tracy Beckham, Jodi Miller and I will be representing the USA in Santa Susanna, Spain next weekend. We were all invited to compete after winning at the Team Universe Championships. I found out that there will be about 60 other countries competing, so it is similar to the Olympics except it is for bodybuilding, fitness and body fitness (aka figure).

Afterwards, I will be enjoying a little more variety in my diet until my pro debut. When will that be you ask??? Well…. you will just have to wait and see… 

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend - I am about to finish packing!

GO TEAM USA!!!!!”

Nicole Wilkins
http://www.myspace.com/36550924
Team Universe Figure & Fitness Overall Champion and IFBB Pro

For more info on the IFBB World Championships, click here:
http://www.ifbb.com/reports/insprep/santasusanna2007.html

Flying into NYC, I gazed down at the Statue of Liberty and felt a rush of excitement spread to every limb of my body.  I couldn’t believe I was about to compete in the 2007 Figure Nationals Pro/Am.  This would be the toughest competition I’ve ever competed in and I was quite anxious for the games to begin!

Knowing this would be a very competitive show, I was hoping to crack the top 15 out of the 38 girls in my class, who all looked AMAZING!!  To be in a class with such high caliber athletes such as Jessica Wright, Catherine Anderson and Misty Green was an honor all in itself!

Round one was underway and as I waited patiently Sandy called out the first 5 girls.  Four girls stepped out, but where was the fifth?  I looked at my number again, and was totally stunned, I was the fifth girl!  I made the first call out!  Holy crap!!!  I felt like throwing my arms in the air like Rocky, but held back. 

As round two went underway I was in the second call out for a final placing of 7th.  I couldn’t be more happy with my placing and overall experience at this wonderful show.  Steve Sant was a hoot and kept us laughing all the way through finals.

The best part of the show was when they announced that for round two they would start with the tallest class, which was the case for the finals as well.  This was terrific!  I was in the tallest class, "F," and we are always last, so it was nice to finally be first!  Kudos to Bev and Steve for a very well run show.  I can’t wait to compete again next year!

Get ‘em while they’re hot…  Isaac Hinds’s entertaining video clips from the 2007 Team Universe are now available for the taking. 

View them here:

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

I got permission from Odis McCullough to repost his recent MySpace blog entry here on Bodybuilding.com, so without further ado…

"Well everyone… I’m sitting on the sofa eating a brownie and some ice cream. Oh, my stomach is going to hurt tonight! LOL. I’m celebrating victory once again. I won the overall at the John Sherman Classic tonight. It has been a great year so far. I want to give a shout out to Sylvie and her husband. It was great finally meeting you, Girl. I love being in the presence of a Champion. Muah!

As you all know, I am aiming for a pro card this year. And The Nationals in Dallas is where I plan on getting it. Of course that’s not until mid November. And I am growing in leaps and bounds. I weighed in at 205 for the John Sherman Classic. 6 more pounds heavier than a week ago at the Team Universe. I am now officially carrying 22lbs more muscle than in April when I won the Ronnie Coleman. Again, I will be tighter and carrying more muscle for The Nationals. I promise!

Odis McCullough Winning The 2007 NPC John Sherman.

In the mean time, I am physically and mentally exhausted. Oh I’m having a blast. But I am just worn out. So I have decided to give my body a 3 week rest… Celebrate my birthday on August 13th, and begin my conquest of winning the Texas Championships on Oct 27th, and The Nationals on November 16th. It’s a big task ahead of me. But Champions look for big conquests. That’s a Champion’s nature.

So let’s talk about persistence. Persistence is “the act of persisting or persevering; continuing or repeating behavior”. That means even when you get knocked off your path… Like me placing 3rd at the Team Universe last week. You still keep striving toward your goal. Let nothing hold you back. Winners and Champions always keep moving toward the goal. They are determined to win no matter what.

I will tell you that after not winning last week… it made this victory all the sweeter. Every time you rise from the ashes to victory, you prove you are a true Champion. So I’m gonna have some fun the next couple weeks, and then get back to the grind. I hope that I am inspiring you guys to follow your dreams. Cause I love you all, and I want you all to reach your full potential with persistence and determination. ‘Til next week… I love you all! BTW… I’ll get some pics up as soon as I see them posted.”

Live Longer, Live Better -

Odis
http://www.myspace.com/meditate101

I received this message from Top 5 finisher at the 2007 New York Pro Figure contest this past weekend, Jessica Paxson-Putnam, and I’m posting it here with her permission:

"The New York Pro was a great experience. I had a blast meeting some great girls and competing with them. I would by lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed with my placing since I won last year, but I am still very happy with making the top five.

I just did not come in looking as good as I did last year. I have not had a full off-season due to photo shoots and I came in smaller and a little flat.  I still came away from the experience feeling like a winner with all of the many blessings my husband and I have had come our way. 

I am taking time off to work on my physique and will possibly apply for the 2008 Arnold.

Thanks for all your support! God bless!”

Jess
http://www.myspace.com/jessfit

Note: Check out more 2007 New York Pro Figure coverage here.  You can also read Jessica’s pre-contest comments here.

What a great weekend!  As I reflect back on the excitement from New York, I can honestly say I’m not sure I have seen a more stellar lineup of figure competitors!

Every class was filled to the brim with top athletes who all came to fight for the top spots - 12 pro cards!

It was a long and hot day at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, but everyone seemed to feed off that infamous New York City energy and hardly a complaint was heard!

The Fab 5 came to represent the Performance Ready Team and it was a very successful weekend!  We add one to our entourage for USAs, so we become the Super 6 Pack and I think we will be a team Las Vegas won’t soon forget!

Have a great day!
XO,
Liza

After my 7th place finish at the Arnold, followed by another 7th place finish in Chicago, I feel that the judges’ message is clear: I am almost there!

I am looking forward to competing in Las Vegas at the USA Figure Championships (only two weeks away!) and I am hopeful that I will break into the top 5! I have spent the past four weeks continuing to improve my physique and conditioning and am on track to present my best package ever at the USAs!

Jacqueline Skibba.

If the physiques presented this past weekend in New York (at the National Figure Championships) are any indication of the caliber of athletes that will be present in Las Vegas, it should be an outstanding competition.

NPC Figure Competitor Jacqui Skibba, 2007 Jr. Nationals.

I look forward to competing with these incredible ladies, probably just as much as I’m going to enjoy my double-double from In-N-Out Burger once the show is over! 

-Jacqui

NPC Bodybuilder Odis McCullough posted the following in his MySpace blog.  Here it is for your viewing pleasure:

“Well as most of you know I placed 3rd last night at the Team Universe. A lot of people thought I was disappointed. LOL. Now you know Odis better than that. Come on now…I’ve been competing 22yrs. I know I’m a Winner. I looked great, and I felt like a winner the whole time. I am more pumped than ever…..Could it be the ribs I ate last night. Hmmmmm. LOL. As always, I had a great time in NYC. I always get treated good when I come here. Thanks to all my great friends who came out and supported me. I love you all. You are very special to me. I met some great new friends here as well. A special shout out to Ed Brown and his sweet mother. Ed and I have competed with each other before. He is a young up and comer. Keep your eye on him. I will be posting pics up as soon as I can get to my computer back home. Ok….let me give you a time line. I fell asleep at 2:24am last nite. Don’t ask what I was doing before then…cause I won’t tell. LOL.

I woke up at 8:08am this morning. Showered and headed to the gym. Yes…THE GYM! I love what I do. Thanks to the people of NY Sports Club who let me use there facility on Broadway this weekend. And it is a sweet facility. I hit my legs for an hour and 15 min. and then did 30 min. of cardio. Damn! I feel good! I will be competing next week at the John Sherman Pro-Am in Houston, and then the Europa in Dallas 2 weeks later, and finally the Nationals in November in Dallas. Am I worn out?….Yep…..Am I beat up?…yep! But as I told you before. I am a Champion! No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I set a goal of getting a Pro card this year. I WILL HAVE IT! And those of you that know Odis…I mean Really Know Odis….Know I won’t be Stopped.

I weighed in at 199 for the Team Universe. 16lbs. heavier than at the Ronnie Coleman, 12 weeks earlier. I was as lean as I was in April. I will be tighter and carrying more muscle at the Nationals in November in Dallas. Yeah Buddy! LOL. Feel free to give me some constructive criticism on the photos from the show last nite. Don’t worry…you won’t offend me. So is there some motivation in what happened this weekend in NYC? I think so. Victory is a frame of mind. The events are the things that are happenning around you. But the way you feel inside is really what Life is all about. I want what God wants for all of You….I want you to be Happy! Plain and simple! So just as I did today…get up and celebrate Victory. You are a Winner. And I am with you all the way. Till next week…. I love you all. Get into that gym today and mold the body you want.”

Live Longer, Live Better

Odis

A guest named Chris left this link for me - looks like lots of great off-stage photos from this weekend’s Team Universe contest.

Check them out here:

http://flickr.com/photos/8866421@N04/sets/72157600830772953/

The results are in!

http://contest.bodybuilding.com/contestresults.php?compid=2332

W

Nicole Wilkins wins the Overall Fitness, too!

Can you believe it - winning both the Overall Figure and the Overall Fitness in the same show?  cRaZy!!

Congrats, Nicole! 

More photos here:

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

The Overall Figure title goes to Nicole Wilkins.

1. Zivile R.
2. Shannon Meteraud
3. Jennifer Gates
4. Chaundra Coffey
5. Jessica Paxson-Putnam

Congrats to Tracy winner of the heavy and overall title. We’ll have a video interview up next week with her

Jodi Miller takes the lightweight class. Melissa Dettwiller takes the middleweights. The heavyweight class up next.

My Internet connection keeps going in and out, but will try to keep updated. We are on the last class in the one piece. Look for Nicole Wilkins to turn pro in Figure, she could also do it in Fitness but in the E Class I have her winning it. Look for Krissy Chin to nab one of the two pro cards in the D class. Huong Arcinas is my pick in the A Class. Shelly Rego looks great and will be top 4, she could move up in the two piece.

More updates during the two piece round.