HARDBODY Fit Female News & Events

Holy smokes kids, this is one stacked line-up in the female world of the IFBB. Fifteen Fitness pros and twenty-eight Figure Pros will take the stage in Orlando, Florida this weekend. Here are your official competitor lists as of today.

IFBB Fitness:
Maggie Blanchard
Jessica Booth-Palmer
Myriam Capes
Shannon Dey
Tina Durkin
Melissa Frederick
Ryall Graber
Liza Hughes
Donna Jones
Shannon Meteraud
Leslie Rae Newton
Mindi O’Brien
Mandy Polk
Erin Riley
Siene Silva

IFBB Figure:
Aymara Bernardo
Monica Brant
Deanne Brown
Natalie Calland
Rachel Cammon
Heather Mae French
Brandie Gardner
Valerie Haines
Lisbeth Halikka
Alana Hernandez
Catherine Holland
Ines Jimenez
Candice Keene
Cea Anna Kerr
Amy Lee Martin
Petra Mertl
Jennifer Migliacci
Hazal Nelson-Etiz
Inga Neverauskaite
Kristin Nunn
Nicole Pitcher-Scott
Marcy Porter
Erin Stern
Laura Sutter
Shelly Taucher
Natalie Waples
Nicole Wilkins-Lee
Karen Williams

Good luck picking the winners of this one. If anyone can correctly pick the top 5 (in exact order) in Figure I will fork over $100. Picking a winner, much less the top five in these lineups is like finding a needle in a haystack. There are a number of women making their pro debuts in the figure division along with some seasoned vets. Who do you like in this group?

Thanks to Richard “cheese” from bodybuilding.com for getting a few videos posted from Dallas. He’s been working like a madman to post several videos Ron Avidan and I did at the Europa Supershow. Check them out on bodyspace.com

Will Monique Minton turn pro this weekend? She stands a great chance of nabbing one of the top two spots. She’ll be battling Alicia Marie again in the tall class. Keep your eye on Monique you’ll be seeing her in the magazines very soon.

Individual photos of each competitor are featured on the homepage of IFBBpro.com. The ladies continue to be featured on the site and thanks to Mr. Ben Weider and Tony Blinn for their continued efforts online.

Bernadette shines at the top.

Ed and Betty Pariso recognized Sandy Williamson for her dedication to the sport. Sandy was busy tallying scores and was caught off guard when they called her on stage to accept her award. She graciously accepted however despite the prompting of myself and IFBB Pro Judge Johnny Tuman there was no speech. Congrats Sandy and very much deserved.

Betty, Sandy and Ed at the Europa Super Show.

Some individual shots of each fitness competitor are on IFBBpro.com. Thanks to Tony Blinn for the continued coverage of the females in the industry.

Looking for the full results from the weekend’s competition? Click on over to IFBBpro.com where my man Tony Blinn has posted them for the world to see. Congrats to all who dieted for this show.

Jennifer Sedia made her debut tonight and was in top form. Great symmetry, good conditioning and nice muscularity placed her in the top callout. She is in a tight race for the win with last week’s Tampa Pro winner, Nicole Ball. Nicole looks good but next to Sedia she loses ground in her symmetry. I’d give Sedia the win tonight and Ball in second. Klaudia Larson is in great condition and has some crazy bicep peaks. I’d give her the nod for third. I liked Benni Lopez’s overall look.

The heavyweight was between two women and every one else. Sherry Smith should receive the top spot as she was the most conditioned and balanced competitor. Kim Perez has awesome shape, tiny waist, great back but lacks hamstrings. These two were above and beyond the rest. Look for Annie Riveccio in third.

The competitors completed their check-in and are getting all dolled up for tonight’s prejudging. Shannon was gimping around and will be competitor #35 for the Figure. Her and Tracey Greenwood were horsing around as usual. I chatted a bit with Paola Almerico and she looked noticeably different in the face, much healthier look to her than I’d seen in any of her previous shows. Jelena Abbou had her game face on and is looking to qualify for her first Olympia this weekend. Amy Peters was in the house and ready to take the stage her home state of Texas. The competitors will go over to the venue around 4pm.

The two stooges horsing around at check-in.

There are tons of other events happening at the hotel and the place is a mad house. The rooms are nice but kinda funny. I need a ladder to get into the bed but the dresser drawers are built for midgets. The breakfast buffet was a bit pricey at $16 but had a healthy menu which is helpful. It was stupid humid here yesterday but today it’s cloudy and rainy. Many people have had delayed flights and while the rain has stopped for now it’s still extremely cloudy.

That’s it for now. Check out a few photos on Bodybuilding.com in a couple hours from the check-in and make sure you catch the webcast tonight.

Fitness that is. Shannon sustained a knee injury about a week ago and has been trying to let it heal. She had hoped to topple Tracey Greenwood this weekend but it wasn’t meant to be. Shannon will instead compete in the Figure competition where she was the winner last year. Yes, Shannon will now be defending her figure title in Dallas. Rumor has it Greenwood has a few voodoo dolls that she is taking out her Olympia competition one by one - no truth to it of course. When asked Shannon how it felt she told me, “it sucks”. She was given the go-ahead to compete in the figure competition late last night from Chairman of the IFBB Pro League, Jim Manion. Shannon will look to qualify in figure this weekend and if she does she’ll have the luxury of doing fitness or figure at the Olympia. The only competitor who has qualified in tomorrow’s lineup, to date, is Paola Almerico. Stay tuned for more info from Dallas throughout the weekend.

No, she won’t be competing this weekend however fans of Jen Hendershott can meet her this weekend at the Isatori booth. Jen will be on hand for the Europa Super show to not only work but will be on the receiving end of an award. If you’re interested in meeting one of the top IFBB fitness pros in the biz you can find her at the expo on Saturday.

There is going to be a major shake up in the fitness and figure competition at this weekend’s Europa Super Show. Stay tuned for complete details in the morning.

There will be another IFBB fitness showdown this weekend. At last count 19 pros will take the stage at the 2008 Europa Super show to battle it out in the fitness division. Three women will return to the Texas stage who found success a few weeks ago. Tracey Greenwood, Shannon Meteraud and Erin Riley went 1-2-3 at the Houston Pro Fitness show. Can they repeat or will someone else spoil their plans? Shannon has found success at the Europa show in the past. Last year she won the figure title and is seeking revenge on the loss Tracey handed her in Houston. Will Dr. Greenwood buckle under pressure with her fellow stooge nipping at her heels? We’ll have to wait a couple more days before we know for sure. If the top three placings are already qualified for the Olympia, the fourth place finisher could find themselves with an invite to the Olympia.

Who do you think will be the Europa Super Show champ? Anyone going to shock and awe the crowd with their performance?

Last year’s Europa Super show had a number of high flying fitness athletes. One of the highest was Canada’s own Sandra “air” Wickham. Her routine has more leaps and bounds than Superman. Routines like this are hella fun to photograph. It’s a bit of a contest amongst photographers in the pit to see who can capture these images at the right time without cropping their heads or legs off. Sandra took some time off from the stage and it should serve her well this weekend.

Sandra gets a leg up in mid-air.

This morning Rick Lohre informed me that there was yet another IFBB Pro expecting a child. No, Julie (his wife) isn’t pregnant but a fellow fitness competitor in the pro ranks is. Kendra Elias is currently 14 weeks pregnant and enjoying some time away from the stage. I’m told she plans to compete again next year after and will return late in the season. We wish Kendra and her husband Michael all the best with the pregnancy.

Kendra competed in last year’s Europa Super show where she demonstrated her incredible flexibility.

Kendra at the 2007 Europa Super Show.

Hardbody.com approved make up artist, Laurie St. Michael will be in Dallas for the Europa Super Show this weekend doing hair and makeup. If you’re competing and looking for someone who is top notch, she’s your girl. When I spoke to Laurie today she told me she had a couple opening left for the show. Laurie’s worked with many of the top pros and is one of the most accommodating people you will find. She recently worked with Amy Lee Martin and Rachel Cammon on their hair and make up at the NPC USAs, where they both turned pro.

If you’re interested in Laurie’s services EMAIL HER HERE and tell her HARDBODY sent ya.

If you’re unable to attend this weekend’s Europa Super Show would like to catch the action, you can on bodybuilding.com. There is a special page set up for the webcast to be stream the pro events live. Bookmark this page for Friday and Saturday’s shows.

2008 Europa Super Show Webcast
Prejudging: Friday August 15, 2008, 5:30 P.M. (Central Time)
Finals: Saturday August 16th, 2008, 1:45 P.M. (Central Time)

At last year’s Europa Super show we saw the emergence of a bright new star, Oksana Grishina. Her routine was unlike anything the IFBB had ever seen before. Will there be a new standout this year? Could a fitness competitor come out of no where and challenge Tracey Greenwood and Shannon Meteraud for the one/two spots? We’ll see in a few short days.

Oksana Grishina demonstrating her amazing talent.

I heard from IFBB Pro Figure competitor Paola Almerico this weekend and she informed me that she will be making the trip to Dallas this week. Paola decided to compete in the Europa Super show this weekend and tells me she is looking forward to stepping on stage. She placed fifth at the Houston Pro and with a little more prep this time around is looking to improve upon that showing. She’s definitely a threat to the top three in this show. We’ll see how many others are added to the list before the dust settles in Texas.

Those of you attending the Europa Supershow next weekend. There is now a place to go after the show besides the hotel lounge…

What: A Jason Dhir Production… The Official After-Hours Party at The Europa Super-Show
Where: At the Lizard Lounge - Dallas, TX
When: SATURDAY NIGHT - AUGUST 16th

Featuring International DJ Dave Dresden (Gabriel & Dresden)
And Special appearance from some the Dallas Cowboys

More info: jasondhir.com

Stop by bodybuilding.com for my preview on the Europa Supershow. This will end up being one of the biggest IFBB shows of the year and one of the few that has all the competitions of the organization. Female bodybuilding, male bodybuilding, fitness and figure will all be rockin the stage in Dallas. I’ll be venturing down to the show on Thursday and help cover the event for bodybuilding.com. If you’re not able to attend the show it will be webcasted via bodybuilding.com. Stay updated with all the Europa Show updates on bodybuilding.com’s Europa feature page.

Europa Super show will go down next week.

IFBB Prof Figure competitor Meriza DeGuzman check in as she prepares for the IFBB Europa Super show next weekend. Meriza will be headed to Dallas with a couple pounds lighter and tighter. Watch for her to be a bit more refined at this show than at her Cal Pro showing in May.

Meriza DeGuzman preps for the Europa.

Meriza practicing her posing.

Amy Lee Martin will try to keep the momentum going from the NPC USA and make her pro debut at the Europa Supershow. Amy tells me that, “after reflecting on that absolutely incredible weekend in Vegas and giving myself a little time to make sure my body and spirit were still in check, I have decided to make my pro debut in the EUROPA.” We’ll see how she stacks up in the pro ranks next week.

Amy Lee Martin will debut at the Europa.

A few more names have been added to the Europa Super show. Thanks to Tony Blinn at IFBBpro.com for the updated lists. The show is slated for August 15-16, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. Holla on the comments form if you plan on attending.

Fitness
1. Maggie BLANCHARD, USA
2. Myriam CAPES, Canada
3. Jennifer CASSETY, USA
4. Nicole DUNCAN, USA
5. Bethany GAINEY, USA
6. Tracey GREENWOOD, USA
7. Susan GROSHEK, USA
8. Lori KIMES, USA
9. Lizbeth MARQUEZ, Venezuela
10. Michele MAYBERRY, USA
11. Leslie Rae NEWTON, USA
12. Traci REDDING, USA
13. Erin RILEY, USA
14. Kristina ROJAS, USA
15. Nicole ROLLOLAZO, USA
16. Brenda SANTIAGO, Puerto Rico
17. Sandra WICKHAM, Canada
18. Stacy WIG, USA

Figure
1. Elisha ARCHIBOLD, USA
2. Natalie BENSON, USA
3. Tivisay BRICENO, USA
4. Jeni BRISCOE, Canada
5. Thais CABRICES-WERNER, Venezuela
6. Becky CLAWSON, USA
7. Meriza DeGUZMAN, USA
8. Aprille DeSHIELD, Bermuda
9. Andrea DUMON, USA
10. Marie GIBBON, USA
11. Donna Louise JONES, Australia
12. Patricia MELLO, Brazil
13. Tanya MERRYMAN, USA
14. Petra MERTL, Czech Republic
15. Karen MULLARKEY-BARRINGER, USA
16. Hazal NELSON, USA
17. Susanne NIEDERHAUSER, Austria
18. Melissa PEARO, USA
19. Amy PETERS, USA
20. Marcy PORTER, USA
21. Jill ST. LAURENT, Canada
22. Kate SHELBY, USA
23. Mascha TIEKEN, Netherlands
24. Stephanie TULIN-TOGRUL, USA
25. Rosalind VANTERPOOL, Barbados
26. Sandie WARD, USA
27. Elizabeth WHITE-LAMM

The ladies show is loading up with competitors for the 2008 Europa Super Show. The event will take place on August 15-16, 2008 in Dallas, Texas. There are a number of the same competitors in the fitness event that competed earlier in Houston. Will Moe and Shemp… errr Tracey Greenwood and Shannon Meteraud be back to battle it out? Despite not being on the list (they are rumored to be busy arguing over their respective stooges names) they will be competing in the fitness.

FITNESS
1. Maggie BLANCHARD, USA
2. Jennifer CASSETY, USA
3. Myriam CAPES, Canada
4. Nicole DUNCAN, USA
5. Bethany GAINEY, USA
6. Susan GROSHEK, USA
7. Lori KIMES, USA
8. Michele MAYBERRY, USA
9. Leslie Rae NEWTON, USA
10. Traci REDDING, USA
11. Erin RILEY, USA
12. Kristina ROJAS, USA
13. Nicole ROLLOLAZO, USA
14. Brenda SANTIAGO, Puerto Rico
15. Amy VILLA-NELSON, USA
16. Stacy WIG, USA
17. Sandra WICKHAM, Canada

Based on the competitor list for figure, there is no clear cut favorite going into this show. I’m certain more women will jump into the show but at this point it’s any one’s show for the taking. Three more women will head to the Olympia stage from this event. There are no Olympia qualified athletes on the list at present time.

FIGURE
1. Tivisay BRICENO, USA
2. Jeni BRISCOE, Canada
3. Thais CABRICES-WERNER, Venezuela
4. Becky CLAWSON, USA
5. Meriza DeGUZMAN, USA
6. Aprille DeSHIELD, Bermuda
7. Donna Louise JONES, Australia
8. Tanya MERRYMAN, USA
9. Petra MERTL, Czech Republic
10. Karen MULLARKEY-BARRINGER, USA
11. Hazal NELSON, USA
12. Susanne NIEDERHAUSER, Austria
13. Melissa PEARO, USA
14. Amy PETERS, USA
15. Marcy PORTER, USA
16. Jill ST. LAURENT, Canada
17. Mascha TIEKEN, Netherlands
18. Stephanie TULIN-TOGRUL, USA
19. Rosalind VANTERPOOL, Barbados
20. Sandie WARD, USA
21. Elizabeth WHITE-LAMM

There are rumblings of another shoot out in Texas in the fitness world. The top two place winners from Houston (aka two of the three stooges - Shannon Meteraud and Tracey Greenwood) are contemplating competing in the Europa Super show. Will they go one and two if they enter? Can Shannon over take Tracey this time around? Will some one come in and upset them both? They might leave Texas mumbling nuk-nuk-nuk-nuk… We’ll have to wait and see if there will be another fitness dance off between these two.

IFBB Figure Pro Teresa Gillian has decided to ride the current wave of success by making her debut this year. Teresa has decided on the Europa Super show as her figure debut, which will take place next month. She’s today’s Photo Of The Day. Those of you in the Denver area can meet Teresa at this weekend’s NPC Colorado State show.

Teresa Gillian eyes her IFBB debut.