New York Pro Preview

It’s time for another IFBB Figure show this weekend and three Olympia qualifications are on the line. Which ladies will prevail when they take the stage Friday night at the Tribecca Performing Arts Center? Looking at the line up there are a few women who stand out to me as being in the top call-outs. It all depends on who shows up at their best but let’s assume they all do.

My picks for the top callouts…
• Jelena Abbou – She’s already qualified for the Olympia so the pressure is off her to land in the top three. Anyone who knows Jelena knows that won’t stop her from coming in at her best. This Jersey girl has her sights set on the title and will have the hometown advantage at her side. Look for her to land in the top three in this show.

• Julie Ann Kulla – Julie Ann won the overall crown at this year’s Jr Nationals and has the potential to make a splash in her pro debut. She has the look that has been consistently rewarded and I look for her to be in the top callouts at this show. Don’t be surprised if you see this Minnesotan making the trip to Vegas in a couple weeks, as a Olympia competitor.

• Krissy Chin – Krissy returns to the stage where she turned pro. She’s consistently improved from show to show this year and should find herself in the top callouts in this line up. Will she prevail as she did last year? Highly possible for her to be making a trip to Vegas as well.

•  Huong Arcinas – She’ll be the shortest competitor on the stage but don’t be fooled by her height. Huong has one of the most complete physiques from top to bottom and can more than hold her own against the taller competitors. She should find herself in the top callouts.

Others who could be in the mix and could be as high as 3rd.

• Natalie Benson – This is a make or break show for Natalie. When she is on, she’s great but when she is off she is out of the top five. If Natalie brings a smaller, tighter package then she had at the Europa she could be in the hunt for the Olympia. The softer look doesn’t suit her physique because of the amount of muscle she carries.

• Teresa Gillian – She had an impressive debut in Dallas with a 7th place finish and has the makings of a solid pro. She should find herself in the first or second callouts in this line up and has a look that is often rewarded. The biggest challenge for Teresa is her stage presence and presenting her physique with confidence. That will come in time and if she’s able to strut her stuff she should be in the mix.

• Tivisay Briceno – I like her physique and thought she could have been in the top five at the Europa Super Show. She’ll hold her own in the Big Apple and will undoubtly be in the top ten. The question will be how high in that top ten? We’ll see.

• Allison Jones-Williams – She presents a nice physique and should find herself in the mix of the top couple of callouts. It will be a battle for her to get into the top five but don’t rutle it out.

The Darkhorses:
• Tana Clough – We haven’t seen her take the stage as a pro but she shined at last year’s Jr. Nationals. She has a very balanced, aesthetically pleasing physique. She could be in the mix in the top three or at the bottom of the pile. She carries a fair amount of muscle and the determining factor for Tana will be her conditioning. If she comes in too hard she’ll be on the outside looking in but if she finds a nice balance look for her to be called out early.

• Erica Fuerst – The California girl makes her return to the stage after a long lay-off. When she is on she’s great but if she is off she’s standing on the sidelines. The key for Erica to do well will be her conditioning. She’s struggled as a pro to nail it but if she finds the right balance here she could fair well. We’ll have to wait and see which Erica shows up in New York.

Check back here throughout the weekend as I provide updates on the show. Best of luck to all the competitors and remember these are only my opinions and we all know the saying about opinions.