HARDBODY Fit Female News & Events

Tomorrow the IFBB female bodybuilders will take the stage at the NY Pro. The event will be held at the Tribecca Performing Arts Center in New York. Below is the competitor list for tomorrow’s event. I like Cathy LeFrancois to repeat as the champ once again. Who do you like for the win?

COMPETITOR LIST
Irene Anderson
Fabi Antoine
Debbie Bramwell
Myriam Bustamante
Maria Calo
Giusy Caputo
Tazzie Columb
Beverly Direnzo
Maria del Carmen Gomez-Seguro
Rosemary Jennings
Marika Johansson
Cathy LeFrancois
Nancy Lewis
Maryse Manios
Nadia Nardi
Jeannie Paparone
Betty Pariso
Claudia Partenza
Jennifer Sedia
Antoinette Thompson
Diana Tinnelle-Stanback
Dena Westerfield

Here is the final (as of Friday but pros have until Monday to send in a contract) competitor list of the IFBB California Pro, which will be held on Saturday, May 23rd, along with the NPC California contest (which has over 110 competitors at the moment.)

IFBB Pro competitors competing include…

1 - Jane Awad (USA)
2 - Macey Boudreau (Canada)
3 - Deanne Brown (Canada)
4 - Natalie Calland   (USA)
5 - Nadya Castellas (Canada)
6 - Krissy Chin (USA)
7 - Becky Clawson (USA)
8 - Lorena Cozza (Italy)
9 - Meriza DeGuzman (USA)
10 - Jennifer DeJoya (USA)
11 - Celeste Gonzalez (Spain)
12 - Sonia Gonzales (USA)
13 - Alicia Harris (USA)
14 - Carin Hawkins (USA)
15 - Catherine Holland (USA)
16 - Crystal Lowery (USA)
17 - Amy Lee Martin (USA)
18 - Michele Mayberry (USA)
19 - Tanya Merryman (USA)
20 - Kristin Nunn (USA)
21 - Amy O’Neil (USA)
22 - Rosa-Maria Romero (Australia)
23 - Sherlyn Roy (USA)
24 - Laura Sutter (USA)
25 - Kristi Tauti (USA)
26 - Natalie Waples (Canada)
27 - Karen Williams (Trinidad)

Here’s a glimpse at what IFBB Figure Pro Krissy Chin will be bringing to the stage next weekend. Krissy makes her return to the figure stage after a few months off. Check that. A few months away from the competitive stage but she’s been keeping plenty busy training, hosting a new radio show and working for ALR industries. Krissy tells me she is excited to be back on stage and happy with the improvements she’s made.

Krissy Chin gives a preview of what’s to come.

Check Krissy out at the 2009 Cal Figure Pro next Saturday. Good luck Krissy.

Catherine Holland posted a few photos of her killer work out with super trainer Mike Davies on her blog. She also shared a preview of what she’s looking like as she heads into next weekend’s IFBB California Pro. Cat also gives everyone a sneak peak at one of the top NPC Figure competitors, Teri Turner. Teri narrowly missed her pro card a few times last year but has her sights set on finishing business at the NPC JR USA next week. Check back next week to see how these two do at their shows.

Catherine and Teri practice their posing.

Teri and Cat getting in a workout in Ohio.

This is shaping up to be a great line up for the California Pro Figure, which will be held on May 23rd. The top three will qualify for the Olympia.

1 - Macey Boudreau (Canada)
2 - Deanne Brown (Canada)
3 - Krissy Chin (USA)
4 - Meriza DeGuzman (USA)
5 - Jennifer DeJoya (USA)
6 - Celeste Gonzales (Spain)
7 - Sonia Gonzales (USA)
8 - Alicia Harris (USA)
9 - Carin Hawkins (USA)
10 - Catherine Holland (USA)
11 - Crystal Lowery (USA)
12 - Michele Mayberry (USA)
13 - Tanya Merryman (USA)
14 - Kristin Nunn (USA))
15 - Amy O’Neil (USA)
16 - Rosa-Maria Romero (Australia)
17 - Sherlyn Roy (USA)
18 - Laura Sutter (USA)
19 - Natalie Waples (Canada)

More photos from the Orlando Pro are featured on IFBBpro.com.

Winner Shannon Meteraud gets up!

Erin Riley is one of the rising stars of the IFBB Fitness world. This was the final shot of Erin at the Orlando Pro and you can see she’s rock’n some ripped shoulders. If Erin streamlines her physique a bit in the coming months she could become a threat to the top spots in the years to come. Definitely becoming one of my favorite fitness competitors.

Erin Riley lays it all on the line in Orlando.

Check out the beautiful and stunning Mary Lado on the newest cover of Muscle & Fitness Hers. She may be retired from the competition scene but she certainly walked away from the gym. Mary looks great!

Mary on the newest cover of HERS.

I spotted IFBB Pro Bodybuilder, Lisa Marie Bickels yesterday in an unexpected location… the lingerie football league tryouts in Denver. Lisa is three weeks out from her pro debut and wanted to try her luck at the new football team in Denver. Lisa impressed the scouts with her arm during an early practice as she continued to whiz the ball over the heads of other ladies.

Lisa three weeks out from her pro bodybuilding debut.

She showed off her running abilities when she sped off for a touchdown during the scrimmage. No word on if Lisa made the team as of yet but we’ll keep ya posted.

Lisa off to the races during the tryouts.

Nashville Figure Star Valerie Haines

You won’t read about this woman singing at the Grand Ole Opry. Nah, that’s of little interest to IFBB Figure Pro, Valerie Haines. While belting it out with the likes of Dolly Parton may not Valerie Haines forte, putting together an impressive pro figure physique is. Last weekend Valerie took the stge in Orlando where she made quite the statement. Valerie placed 6th out of a competitive field of 28 at the Europa Show of Champions. It’d been a few months since we last saw Val, so I caught up with her to see what she’s been up to.

Where ya been Val and why the time off since your last show?
I wanted to make some significant changes and I knew I had to take some time off to do so…and I think I did. My last show prior to the Europa was 2007 NY Pro where I placed 12th.

I’d agree you did make some significant changes. Do you feel it was the time off that helped?
Absolutely. I feel like I “rebuilt” my physique in a way. I am THRILLED with the results too!

I didn’t see you sporting any bags of asparagus this time - did you make any changes to your diet or training since you last competed?
LOL…That picture is classic Isaac! Actually, I did change my prep diet quite a bit this time around. My cardio was less intense and I did very low to no carbs throughout my prep. I maintained a high fat content and it seemed to work well for me.

Did you diet longer than usual or how long was your prep for this show?
I didnt prep any longer than I usually do. I always start at 16 weeks out. I did incorporate a second cardio session up until about 6 weeks out this time around. But thats the only thing I did differently.

Are you going to jump into another show or enjoy the summer and hit a later event?
I am going to take a SMALL break, not like the last break. Believe me, I have a fire inside me now and I will be back. Look for me at the Kentucky Pro in November!

What’s your occupation besides being a Pro Figure competitor?
Scheduling Coordinator for a dental office

So, do you notice people’s teeth first?
LOL… Actually, yes I do! that’s the first thing I see.

Congratulations Valerie. We’ll look for ya in the fall on the Kentucky stage.
Thank you.

See more photos of Valerie from the Orlando Pro show here.

I offered up $100 to anyone who could correctly predict the top 5 in order. Troy Johnson who is very familiar with the Figure scene came the closest with his predictions. He called the top three in exact order which is impressive. He even called Inga as the dark horse and Erin Stern in the top five. I can’t hold his fifth place prediction of Kristin against him. I’ve got your first drink at the next show Troy. Nice work.

Troy’s Top Five Figure
1- Nicole Wilkins-Lee
2- Heather Mae French
3- Monica Brant
4- Erin Stern
5- Kristin Nunn
Dark horse’s- Inga Neverauskaite and Cea Anna Kerr

Many of you have started “tweeting” and are now part of twitter. It took me a little while to figure out what the deal was with it and why I needed it. I don’t NEED it but it is a helpful way to get news out in a quick fashion. If you’re still wondering what twitter is all about or even if you’re part of the tweetworld - check out this very informative and helpful page. This covers pretty much everything you ever wanted or needed to know about twitter.

A few random thoughts from my nearly week long stay in Orlando and the Europa Show of Champions. The Good, The Bad and The in Between…
• The venue and hotels were conveniently located from the airport. The airport itself was easy and affordable to fly into.

• The hotel staff didn’t seem to have much information on the schedule of events or shuttle service to the venue. I was at the second host hotel and it was a nice hotel but the staff seemed fairly clueless on the entire event.

• The show ran much quicker than it did in Dallas. There were two less events for the pros, so that obviously helped.

• Orlando was a good place to hold an event like this, my only hope is that it’s near another show to draw in more competitors - primarily for the men and not the women.

• Note to Self: Don’t procrastinate and leave late for the airport. I missed my flight to Orlando because I didn’t pack the night before and hit traffic. I missed my flight back (which sucked because only one flight back on my airline) because I didn’t allow enough time to return the rental car.
• The lighting improved for the NPC show and the night show of the pros but I hope every promoter can do the competitors justice by properly lighting the stage. I know every venue is different and it’s a challenge to often work with the given venue however if the competitors put in the time and effort to attend your show, they deserve to show off their hard work with proper lighting.

• A number of women commented to me that they were dissappointed in the evening show. Every competitor had to get in their two-piece outfits but only the top three went on stage. By that point in time the scores are tabulated and there is no reason (in my opinion) to make every competitor change into their two-piece if they are not going to all walk on stage. Either bring them out on stage one more time for another pose or inform them that they were not in the top placings.

• The vendors/supplement companies seemed pleased with the amount of traffic that the expo received. I was photographing the NPC and Pro events which didn’t allow for much time to hit the expo. What part I did, it seemed to run much the same as the Dallas show.

• Promoting shows is often a thankless job. Ed and Betty were able to duplicate their efforts in Orlando that they’ve done numerous times in Texas. It’s one thing to put on a show where you live, it’s an entirely different animal when you are organizing a show in another state. Overall I felt the did a good job. There are a couple little details I’d like to see change - like the lighting but aside from that it was a great showcase of talent with the women’s events.

• Erin Riley impressed me with her routine. It is choreographed to her music perfectly, when she hits a move in her routine it is timed with the beat.

• Myriam Capes is one to watch come Olympia time. She’s changed her physique a great deal and has one of the best routines you’ll ever see. She could be a top 6 finisher in September.

• Mindi O’Brien also had an awesome routine and did a great job of entertaining the crowd.

• Shannon Meteraud made it two in a row. Impressive. Especially when you consider she is 40 and able to do moves that women half her age are unable to do.

• Nicole Wilkins-Lee is definitely one of the stars of the future and it looks like her time arrived in Orlando.

• Heather Mae French looked her best ever and solidified herself as a top 5 competitor in any show she enters.

• Erin Stern has a great, athletic, healthy look that will continue to improve as she competes. She’s a great example of what a taller figure competitor should look like.

• NPC Bikini is still finding it’s way. There weren’t many competitors in the show so it’s hard to critique it. The top three in the Tall Bikini class stood out to me and should be able to hold their own on the National stage.

Check out the score sheets on IFBBpro.com for a complete breakdown. I will be providing photos from the finals as well as the fitness routines later today or tomorrow. Congrats to all. Nicole Wilkins-Lee edged out Heather Mae French by one point to win her first pro show. Shannon Meteraud made it two wins in a row, while the two Canadian Fitness women rocked the house… Myriam Capes and Mindi O’Brien brought down the house with their routines.

Figure
1. Nicole Wilkins-Lee*
2. Heather Mae French*
3. Monica Brant*
4. Inga Neveravskaite
5. Erin Stern
6. Valerie Haines
7. Candice Keene
8. Rachel Cammon
9. Laura Sutter
10. Hazal Nelson-Etiz
11. Jennifer Migliacci
12. Natalie Waples
13. Karen Williams
14. Brandie Gardner
15. Kristin Nunn
16. Aymara Bernardo
16. Deanne Brown
16. Natalie Calland
16. Lisbeth Halikka
16. Alana Hernandez
16. Catherine Holland
16. Ines Jimenez
16. Cea Anna Kerr
16. Amy Lee Martin
16. Petra Mertl
16. Nicole Pitcher-Scott
16. Marcy Porter
16. Shelly Taucher

Fitness
1. Shannon Meteraud*
2. Myriam Capes*
3. Mindi O’Brien*
4. Erin Riley
5. Tina Durkin
6. Melissa Frederick
7. Donna Jones
8. Jessica Booth-Palmer
9. Ryall Graber
10. Siene Silva
11. Maggie Blanchard
12. Liza Hughes
13. Shannon Dey
14. Leslie Rae Newton
15. Mandy Polk

*Qualifies for the 2009 Olympia.

Here are the results from the 2009 IFBB Europa show of Champions.

IFBB Pro Figure Results

1. Nicole Wilkins-Lee
2. Heather Mae French
3. Monica Brant

IFBB Pro Fitness Results

1. Shannon Metraud
2. Miriam Capes
3. Mindi O’Brien

For those interested, here are the Men’s top five

1. Troy Alves
2. Hidetada Yamagishi
3. Darrem Charles
4. Sergey Shelestov
5. Frederic Sauvage

Complete results will come soon…

A big shout out to Dean Donlon at the main office of Bodybuilding.com for working with me to get these photos up in a timely manner. You can check out all the prejudging photos here!

Lighting wasn’t quite this bad but it definitely makes a difference.

I try not to be negative or criticize unjustly but I have to say the lighting at this show absolutely sucked. I’m not sure who set it up or why more attention isn’t given to it but my hope is some changes are made for the night show.

A look at the Orlando Line-Up.

The Europa Super has concluded and the photos are being uploaded to the folks in Boise (bodybuilding.com is where you can see my photos from tonight). I’ll give you my top five predictions and a break down of how I saw it. The fitness isn’t over just yet as the women will be preforming their two minute routines and it counts as 1/4 of the overall score. Going into the night show this is how I see things going down and again, just my opinion.

FITNESS TOP 5 PREDICTIONS:
5. Mindi O’Brien - Mindi I have in fifth for the physique rounds but I have her in second for the 45-second routine. Depending on the scores and how the judges saw it she could be as high as 3rd. I don’t see her placing higher than that but hey stranger things have happened.

4. Erin Riley - Erin is a kick ass performer with a raw, edgy vibe. She’s definitely a rocker when it comes to the routines and I have her in 4th for the routine round. I have her in third for the physique rounds based on how the judges positioned them. Personally, I feel her physique needs to be streamlined a bit. She carries a good deal of muscle and building muscle isn’t her problem. I think her physique needs to come down in size, particularly her back. Get away from the hardcore lifting (which is cool and I dig the power lifting stuff) but not needed at this point. Again, just my opinion.

3. Tina Durkin - Tina I have in second for the physique rounds. She looks a little fuller than she did in New York. It will come down to where she places in the routine rounds. She could be as high as second or as low as 6th in my book. I have her in a solid third going into the final round.

2. Mariam Capes - This Canadian cutie has totally transformed herself from when I saw her first perform at the 2007 Europa Super show in Dallas. I have her in third for the physique rounds and I have her winning the routine round. It’s definitely a battle between her and fellow Canadian, Mindi O’Brien for the 45-second round. Her physique has come a long way in the last two year and her routine shocked the hell out of me. She did a standing backflip like it was no big deal. She held her strength moves as if to add extra emphasis of her abilities.

1. Shannon Meteraud - The fitness momma is back for win number two. I was impressed with Shannon’s 45-second routine and her flexibility. I have her in third for the routine round behind the two Canadian standouts. It was pretty clear the judges have her smack dab in the middle for callouts and will win the physique rounds. Shannon looks to have this one in the bag if she has a solid two-minute routine.

There were some physiques that looks like they belonged as light-weight bodybuilders in the fitness division. There were a couple women who were too skinny or over-dieted, a couple who look like they needed to diet and a few that were middle of the road.

FIGURE TOP 5 PREDICTIONS:

5. Erin Stern - Erin improved her presentation and some of the finer details from the Arnold. She ditched the crown and changed up her heels. She also looked like she stripped a little muscle off since March, not much but a little. I like her physique and I’d put her in the 5th place spot based on callouts. I could see her moving up into a top three spot in a future show.

4. Inga Neverauskaite - We haven’t seen Inga in awhile but she came back looking better than ever. She’s making a run at the top three but I think she is in a solid 4th here. Inga has a good look and I’d have her in third from the read poses but 4th in the front. I’d like to see her compared to 5-7 instead of just the top 3. Great showing by her at this show.

3. Monica Brant - I had Mo in second in the one piece but I have her in third in the two piece. Why? I’m going off from call outs and comparisons. Mo doesn’t have the same detail in her back as the others in the first call out. I could see her getting a few 4th place votes because of it. We’ll see where the judges place her but I see her as high as second or as low as fourth. It looks like Mo will once again not take top honors in a Figure competition.

2. Nicole Wilkins-Lee - She looked great and I have her in a solid second. She might get a couple third place votes but I don’t see her placing any lower than third. Could she win? Anything is possible but I don’t see it this time. You can’t help but continue to look at her when she is on stage. A natural beauty who holds her own in tremendous fashion. A return trip to Vegas (the Olympia) looks like it’s in the cards for Nicole.

1. Heather Mae French - I see Heather winning her first pro show in clear fashion. This is the best I’ve ever seen her look and I’ve seen her compete in a number of shows. YEARS ago Heather was competing in NPC fitness and was a tiny little thang. She’s far from the most muscular but she has added some muscle to her well structured frame and found a winning combination to her conditioning. Heather should take home top honors tomorrow night as well as a qualifcation to compete in the Figure Olympia.

A few random figure thoughts…
Candice Keene is close to a top 5 finish and looked good. She could hold her own in a top five position in future shows. I have her in 6th or 7th. Valerie Haines was at her all time best and will be in the 6-9 spot. I would have liked to see her suit fit a bit different from behind to show her booty and hips a bit better. Great symmetry and she really shined in the two piece. Rachel Cammon had a solid debut and will land in the top 10. She too looked better in her two piece. I would have liked to see her just a bit fuller and if she enjoyed a little meal tonight, she will end up doing just that tomorrow night. No offense to the other women in the second callouts in both 1 and 2 piece rounds but I didn’t see them in those spots. The top five I don’t have much argument with beyond the 6-8 spots it starts to become a toss up. Natalie Waples making her debut seemed better suited for the bikini division as she looked smallish next to the other women. She has a great physique but just not the same level of muscle the others have. Hopefully, the pros will adapt the NPC rule change and just go with the 2 piece as the physiques can’t hide and most of the women looked better in them tonight.

Some women looked like they should hang up the suit and call it a day. Now it’s not my place to say when anyone should stop competing but some of the women’s physiques left me wondering how they turned pro. Overall though it was a solid line-up and a presentable top three heading to the Figure Olympia.