The 2011 IFBB Tournament of Champions is the last stop on the road to the Olympia. Twenty-three Figure pros have entered this weekend’s competition but only three will qualify for next weekend’s big dance. Four of the competitors are already qualified so it’s highly likely we won’t see anyone knew added to the Figure Olympia. There are of course a few women who may have something to say about that. Let’s break down the field, shall we?

The Hardbody Breakdown:

Teresa Anthony - Teresa has positioned herself as a top contender in every show she enters when she’s in shape. She tends to get better as she goes when she strings shows back to back. She may not be 100% at this show but look for her to be at her best next week at the Olympia. I still see her being in the top call-out and in the top five here.

Michelle Bates – I really like her physique and shape. Look for her to make some refinements since the Europa Supershow and despite her lackluster placings I think she has the potential to be in the mix. I’d like to see her compared to some of the other taller women in the competition to see how she matches up.

Michelle Battista-McDonald - Michelle finished fifth at the 2011 IFBB St Louis Pro but dropped to the bottom of the pack at the Toronto Pro. Michelle turned pro at the 2010 Team Universe. She’ll have her work cut out for her to crack the top five here.

Crystal Chiles - I like Crystal’s look and shape. If she comes in tighter on the lower half than she was at the Phoenix Pro you could see her in the hunt of the top five. She has the potential to hang with the top dogs just needs to dial in the booty and hamstrings.

Krissy Chin - Krissy has already qualified for the Olympia so the pressure is off her to qualify. She will look to gain some momentum heading into the Olympia and be in consideration for a top spot there. She’ll likely be in the top call-out and compared for a top three spot. Krissy has stripped down the muscle and streamlined her physique which is a more suitable look for the division.

Jennifer DeJoya - Jennifer has yet to crack the top five as a pro and I don’t see her doing it here. She has nice structure however when you’re on the pro level it takes a combination of everything to be in the top spots. If she can finish in the top 10 with this line-up it would be victory for her.

Deborah Denio - Deborah was near her personal best at the Phoenix Pro and was in the bottom of the pack. I’d like to see her work on her posing and relax her arms/hands a bit when she hits her back poses. If she can refine some of the little details she could move out of the tied for 16th spot.

Thea Erichsen - I’ve got nothing. I am not familiar with Thea or her previous contest history. She’s listed as being from Norway so if anyone is familiar with her background please share so we can take a look.

Rachel Gichert - Rachel was 10th at the California Pro earlier this year and if she can finish in the top ten here she can consider it a victory. She’s facing tougher competition than she has in the past so we’ll see how she matches up.

Heather Grace - Heather has been competing all year and her body may be ready for a rest. She turned pro earlier this year at the NPC Jr USAs and immediately jumped into the Cal Pro where she finished 12th. She was on the outside of the top ten at the Phoenix Pro as well. I don’t see her cracking the top five here and if I was her trainer I’d recommend she shut things down for the year and get the noticeable hernia fixed.

Carin Hawkins - Carin is back on stage and tends to fair better in California shows than other events. I have her in the mix for the top ten but getting into the top five will be tough. I’d like to see her with a bit more booty than she had in 2010 and we’ll see what she brings to the stage this weekend.

Soleivi Hernandez - Soleivi battled it out in the NPC ranks before turning pro at last year’s Jr USA. She had a less than stellar pro debut at the Europa Supershow this year. If she hopes to be in anything but the last call-out she will need to have a better tan and be much, much tighter. She’s a beautiful woman but will need to step up her game now that she’s in the pro ranks.

Candice Houston - Candice look great for her at the Europa Supershow this year. I’d like to see her tweak her posing a bit when she hits her back poses. She tends to pull her elbows back a bit too far and not open up enough. I can see her in the top ten here.

Tracey MacDonald - Tracey has been competing for some time and will have her work cut out for her to be in the mix here. I don’t have her in the top ten but if she can finish above the dreaded tied for 16th she can chalk it up as a victory.

Lisa Maloy - Lisa made a return to the stage at the Phoenix Pro after some time off. She was way, way too lean and it wasn’t a healthy look. She needs to fill out for this show or she’ll look took stringy once again. My hope for her is that she doesn’t try to come in the same way as Phoenix.

Michele Mayberry - Michele looked her best at the Phoenix Pro and FINALLY brought a pro package to the stage. Her tan is often an issue with her and it was spot on in Phoenix. Whatever she did for her hair, make up and tanning it was what she needs to do for this and every show here on out. A top ten finish would be a solid showing for her.

Jodie Minear – Jodie is a stunning competitor and has taken some time away from the stage since the St. Louis Pro earlier this year. Her legs looked a little under-sized at that show and if she brings a balanced package to this show she’ll be in the top five. She ditched the “Big Bird” looking suit she rocked last year and as long as she doesn’t have any crazy suits this time she could be in the hunt for an Olympia qualification.

Akane Nigro-Ismeal - She’s a shorter competitor and packs some muscle on her little frame but it works for her. She reminds me of Huong Arcinas a bit and has some of calves that are sic. I like her look and if she comes in conditioned without being overly muscular she’ll be in the top two call-outs.

Eleni Plakitsi - I like Eleni’s look and she should be in the top two call-outs. She was ninth at the Phoenix Pro and with a couple little tweaks to her posing and hand position she’s someone we could see in the top five. Originally from Greece she’s a virtual unknown but take note she’s one to watch.

Ann Pratt - Ann is always a bit more poised and relaxed at the night show. If she can bring that same confidence, relaxed, poised look to prejudging she’ll move up a bit. She’ll need to be a bit tighter than she was in Phoenix to crack the top ten here.

Ellena Reidie - Ellana calls Australia home and will be in some deep waters with this line-up. We have yet to see her at her best when it comes to conditioning and being tight enough to compete with a line up like this. We’ll have to wait and see what she presents but it won’t be easy to crack the top 15 here.

Natalie Waples - Where will the judges place our figure friend from the North? Nat has been third and thirteenth this year. That’s a bit of a stretch in placings. She fairs better in California so look for her to be higher than 13th here. Will she be top three again? I wouldn’t bet on it but a top five spot is realistic but then again we thought that going into the Toronto Pro show. She’s already qualified for the Olympia so she’ll look to get back in the hunt for a top spot with no pressure to qualify.

Nicole Wilkins - Do we really need to say anything? Nicole is obviously the winner of this show unless someone spikes her pre-contest meals with salt and she shows up looking like a puffer fish. Ya, not likely. It will be interesting to see what look Nicole brings to the stage as it will serve as a preview for what’s to come when she looks to reclaim the top spot at the Figure Olympia. I think we’ll see her at her all-time best and the bigger story will come next week when she squares off against Erin Stern.

Hardbody Top 3 Predictions:
1. Nicole Wilkins
2. Teresa Anthony
3. Krissy Chin

WHEN:
September 10, 2011

WHERE:
Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium
4117 Overland Avenue
Culver City, California

TIME:
Pre-Judging at 11:00am
Finals at 6:30pm

More info on tickets and the show.

The 2010 IFBB Tournament of Champions took place in Culver City, California over the weekend. Promoter, Jon Lindsay did another tremendous job with this contest which was held in conjunction with a NPC event. It was refreshing to see a large turnout (18) from the pro bikini competitors. The top three women qualified for next weekend’s first ever Bikini Olympia. Sonia Gonzales notched her third win in the bikini division. Her only loss was in Pittsburgh to Nathalia Melo. Rookies Brooke Mora and Anca Marcus both qualified in their first pro shows.

Below are the results of the show and my opinions on the competition.

1. Sonia Gonzales – Sonia has definitely improved her physique since the first show. She’s not the curviest competitor in the division but does present a nice overall package. I’d like to see her improve her presentation a bit for the Olympia but it was an improvement from Pittsburgh. She has to be considered a top five Olympia threat with three wins to her credit in the division.

2. Brooke Mora – Brooke made an impressive debut and stood out beyond just being one of the taller competitors. She has a great look and a very pleasing physique. I wouldn’t have argued if she was in the first place spot at the end of the night. She has a pretty long torso compared to the other women and it will be interesting to see how she stacks up in the Olympia. She should land in the top 10 and potentially the top 6.

3. Anca Marcus – Anca has a nice physique and as expected made an immediate impact in her pro debut. She snagged third place by just a couple of points over Zhanna and Dina. I’d like to see her slow her posing down just a bit but overall a nice job.

4. Zhanna Rotar – Zhanna was definitely improved from her first bikini competition earlier in the year. It’s nothing personal but I didn’t see her in the top five at this show. I think she has a little too much muscle still for the division and a little thick in the waist compared to the other women.  Props to her for improving and getting the nod for a top five spot though.

5. Dina Al-Sabah – Dina continues to refine her physique for the bikini division and this was the best she’s looked since returning to the stage. I wouldn’t have argued with her being in the top three here and she was 2 points away from it. She does carry some muscle in her legs but I don’t see her being too much different from Amanda Latona in that department.

6. Jennifer Deitrick – Jennifer has a nice body and a killer bikini booty. The only thing I notice with Jennifer is when she presents it doesn’t look genuine. It comes across like it’s a fake smile and not one that is natural.

7. Christina Vargas – Christina looked more at home in the bikini division than Figure. She looked a little nervous in her bikini debut and could have presented in a more relaxed manner. If she improves her presentation and brings a little tighter booty I could see her moving up into a top five spot.

8. Vanessa Prebyl – Vanessa wasted no time getting into the thick of things in the pro ranks. She turned pro at the JR USAs and had an impressive debut. Maybe a little more roundness to her booty but overall she has a nice bikini look.

9. Jessica Clay – Jessica has a good bikini look and if she can bring a tighter booty to the stage could move up. When she first comes on stage she seems a bit nervous but by the end of her posing she seems more at ease. I’d like to see her bring a bit more confidence to the stage to help her stand out a little more.

10. Michelle Gullett – An attractive woman and when she smiles you’re drawn to her. I thought her bikini suit bottoms were a bit too big in the back and not flattering to her butt. She needs to come in a bit tighter in the booty area to move up in the placings.

11. Nicole Moneer-Guerrero – Nicole has improved her presentation with every show. She needed to come in a bit tigher in the glutes and hamstrings to move up.

12. Rachel Labender – Rachel has a cute look. I wasn’t crazy about her suit at the USAs and I had similar thoughts on her choice here. The top wasn’t flattering and the bottoms had a some distracting metal thingies. Yes, thingies. She needed to be a bit tighter from the back as well.

13. Kat Holmes – This was probably the best Kat has looked as a pro but her lower half still holds her back. She’s battling the genetics of being very hippy. Her suit looked a bit small and almost like a thong in some poses.

14. Cathy Miller – Cathy also wasted no time getting into the pro ranks after turning pro at the NPC USAs. She’s a pretty woman with a nice looks. She’s a little straight up and down in structure. If she can pose herself with the illusion of more curviness I could see her move up. I think a different suit cut to her bottom may help with that look from the back as well.

15. Michele D’Angona – One of the shorter competitors Michele has the challenge of not looking blocky in the waist. She needed to be tighter and present her angles better. Popping your hip to the judges will make you look bigger, she needed to pop her hip away from the judges to create an illusion of being smaller.

16. Jennifer Celeste – Taking over a year off since turning pro this was Jennifer’s debut. She missed the mark this time and came in off with her conditioning. She’s a pretty woman but needs to come in much tighter her next show if she hopes to move up.

17. Natalie Pennington – Natalie has an exotic look and is qualified for the Olympia with her second place finish in New Zealand. She’s pretty flat in the booty department and it wasn’t tight enough to move up into a higher spot. I think the white suit earlier in the year looked better on her.

18. Karen Mullarkey – Karen made the move to bikini from Figure for the first time and unfortunately it wasn’t the finished I’m sure she’d hoped for. I would have had her a few places higher but her back side wasn’t quite tight enough.

Check out photos on FLEXonline.com and IFBBpro.com from this competition.

This Saturday, 18 IFBB Bikini Pros will take the stage at the IFBB Tournament of Champions held in Culver City, California. The show is the second-to-last competition for those hoping to lock in a spot in the first Bikini Olympia. There are a number of women making their pro debuts and a few familiar names. We’ll be there covering the action and tweeting the coverage with the hashtag #IFBBTOC.

My Top Contenders:
Dina Al-Sabah has steadily improved with every show and has found her way around the new division. She teamed up with TEAM BOMBSHELL a few weeks ago and the results have paid off. Look for her to be one of the names called out in the top five.

Jennifer Celeste will be making her pro debut. She turned pro at the 2009 NPC JR Nationals and has good bikini physique. Since we haven’t seen her on stage in over a year it’s a roll of the dice on what her current physique looks like in a bikini. Jennifer is currently living in Los Angeles and has the added advantage of not having to travel.

Sonia Gonzales has two pro bikini shows to her credit but they were the first two pro shows of the year. She was the runner-up at the Pittsburgh Pro to Nathalia Melo however Melo lost to Latona, who Sonia beat at The Muscle Contest. Confused? Don’t be. Sonia has streamlined her physique with the help of trainer Kim Oddo and will be presenting a much different look than the one we saw at the beginning of the year. The key to Sonia’s success is her stage presence. If she can “own it” and present with confidence she’ll be the one to beat.

Anca Marcus will be making her pro debut. Anca, originally from Romania, successfully petitioned the IFBB Pro League and was granted pro status. She won the overall bikini title at the NPC Orange County Muscle Classic and was the runner-up to Amanda Latona at the 2009 California State Bikini Championships. We haven’t seen her against this type of competition however she has a solid track record and physique to make a case for a top five spot here.

Brooke Mora turned pro in July at the 2010 NPC USAs. Many felt she was good enough to win the overall title there, myself included. Brooke is one of the taller competitors in the line-up and has good stage presence. If she brings a similar presentation and look to this show she could be a top contender. I like her look and would be surprised if she’s not in one of the first call-outs.

The Wild Cards:
Christina Vargas will be making her Pro bikini debut after a few tries at Figure. I think this division will suit Christina better and she could be in the mix if she brings her sass to the stage. I could see her in the mix for a top five spot here.

Jennifer Dietrick was in the mix at the 2010 Europa Super show and could be here. She’ll need to improve her stage presence and have a different suit to move up. Her suit was too small from the back and will likely be one not allowed on stage after this year’s Olympia. Jennifer has a good physique she just need to show some personality and present it with confidence.

Natalie Pennington is already qualified for the Olympia but will face some stiffer competition here. She has a nice look but needs a little more booty to hang in the top spots. We haven’t seen her on stage in a few months so perhaps she’ll bring a bit more junk in the trunk to this show.

Karen Mullarkey is competing in bikini after a few runs in the Figure division. She has the sass on stage but will her physique be in line with what the judges are looking for? We’ll have to see.

There are of course a number of other women who could be in the mix here and it all depends on who shows up with the best presentation and physique on Saturday. Get more information on the show at www.musclecontest.com and we’ll see ya in Culver City on Saturday!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Friday, Sept 10th – 6:30 pm
Figure/Bikini athlete brief followed by check-ins. (NPC)
Radisson Hotel

Saturday, Sept 11th
10:00 am – PRO Athlete brief followed by weigh-ins/check-ins.
11:00am – Prejudging
6:30pm – Finals for all classes
Veteran’s Memorial

There are only two shows remaining before the 2010 Olympia. Next up for the bikini pros is the IFBB Tournament of Champions held on September 11, 2010. There are three qualifying spots up for grabs. We’ll be in attendance to cover the action next month.

Venue:
Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium
4117 Overland Ave, Culver City, CA 90230

Host Hotel:
Radisson Westside
6161 West Centinela Avenue
Culver City CA 90230-6306
Reservations: (714) 635-9000 Fax: (714) 520-5831

Time:
Saturday, Sept 11th – 11:00am – Prejudging
Saturday, Sept 11th – 6:30pm – Finals

Competitors to date (As of August 20, 2010)
Dina Al-Sabah
Jennifer Dietrick
Sonia Gonzales
Michell Gullett
Rachel Labender
Cathy Miller
Christina Vargas

Visit IFBBpro.com for individual photos of the figure competitors. The photos are compliments of Ron “Yogi” Avidan from Getbig.com. We’ll be posting more photos from Ron’s great adventure at the TOC.

Gina Aliotti repeats as champion at the TOC.

It was pretty much a given that Gina Aliotti and Sonia Adcock would be your top two in today’s show. The bigger contest was the battle for third. Who would nab the last qualifying spot and head to the Olympia? Head Judge John Tuman is doing a number of comparisons and giving the judges a good look to base their choice on. It is coming down to Houng Arcinas, Rosa Marie Romero, Desha Rodriguez and Meriza DeGuzman for that third spot. Rosa Marie is the surprise to this lineup but has a tremendous physique.

Which shorty will get the nod? We’ll have to wait until tonight when the results are announced. If you’d like to be one of the first to know and tired of waiting by your computer. Text the word “muscle” to 88222 – MUSCLEPHONE.com will bring you the results immediately after the computer and let’s you have a life on Saturday night.

The figure pros are currently in their competitor meeting. The NPC will go first and then the pros take the stage. Desha tells me she is excited to take the stage. This will be her second pro show. Will she qualify for the Olympia? We’ll know in a few hours. Check back for more updates through out the day.

The last qualifying show before the big dance in Vegas… The 2008 IFBB Tournament of Champions. Who will win? The odds on fave going into the show is without question, Gina Aliotti. Nipping at her heels will be Sonia Adcock but who else is in the mix? Will Huong Arcinas finally get the nod and find her way onto the Olympia stage? What about Desha Rodriquez, she had an impressive debut…might she get the qualifying spot?

UPDATED COMPETITOR LIST:
1. Sonia ADCOCK, USA
2. Gina ALIOTTI, USA
3. Huong ARCINAS, USA
4. Macey BOUDREAU, Canada
5. Jeni BRISCOE, Canada
6. Valerie CHRISTENSEN, USA
7. Meriza DeGUZMAN, USA
8. Maria Del Consuela ROJAS, Mexico
9. April FORTIER, USA
10. Erica FUERST, USA
11. Jacqui JARRETT, New Zealand
12. Tanya MERRYMAN, USA
13. Desha RODRIGUEZ, USA
14. Rosa Maria ROMERO, Australia
15. Zhanna ROTAR, USA
16. Laura Sutter, USA
17. Sandie WARD, USA

There are only two more chances for the figure women to qualify for the Olympia. This weekend’s Atlantic City contest and the Tournament of Champions.

When:
September 20, 2008

Where:
Cook Auditorium
811 West Lincoln Ave
Anaheim, CA

Host Hotel:
Crown Plaza – Fullerton
1500 South Raymond Ave
Fullerton, CA
Reservations: 714-635-9000

Promoter:
John Lindsay – jon@musclecontest.com

Contest Flyer for TOC

Competitor List:
1. Sonia ADCOCK, USA
2. Gina ALIOTTI, USA
3. Macey BOUDREAU, Canada
4. Jeni BRISCOE, Canada
5. Valerie CHRISTENSEN, USA
6. Meriza DeGUZMAN, USA
7. Maria Del Consuela ROJAS, Mexico
8. April FORTIER, USA
9. Erica FUERST, USA
10. Jacqui JARRETT, New Zealand
11. Carol KING, Barbados
12. Tanya MERRYMAN, USA
13. Rosa Maria ROMERO, Australia
14. Zhanna ROTAR, USA
15. Jill ST. LAURENT, Canada
16. Laura Sutter, USA
17. Sandie WARD, USA