The 2011 IFBB Jacksonville Pro prejudging has concluded and it looks like the favorites heading into the contest will deliver. Erin Stern should stride to victory in the Figure competition while Jaime Baird appears to be in position for her second IFBB pro win.

HARDBODY Figure Breakdown:
Based on the call-outs it looks like the Figure competition will have Erin Stern winning with Candice Keene in the brides-maid position. This is how I saw it going into the show and based their competition history no shocker here. RXmuscle.com’s Dave Palumbo commented in his live play-by-play nearly the exact same thing for both women. “Best structure up there. Tight waist. Should be hard to beat.” I agree with this assessment however there can only be one winner and at any other show Candice might be the winner. Erin’s athletic background and years of training propel her to another level. The battle comes in the third place position where Holly Beck has found her stride, and just in time heading into the Olympia. She was third last week and could find herself in the same spot here but it won’t be easy. Kristen Nagrani has proven she’s a contender and is in the hunt for the third place spot but might have to settle for fourth. I see Nagrani in third, why well that’s what I predicted before the show so it has to be right. I kid, I kid but I do think that’s how we’ll see it shake out. Petra Mertl looks to round out the top five based on call-outs. Some felt this was a generous position for her and would have liked to seen Marie Ann Newman and Gina Trochiano compared to for the fifth spot. In the end only the top three spots go to the Olympia and from the looks of things the top four will likely already be qualified which would mean no one new is headed to the big dance from this show.

HARDBODY Bikini Breakdown:
Jaime Baird was on top of her game once again and should leave with win number two. She won her first pro show earlier in the year at the Pittsburgh Pro and it looks like tomorrow night she’ll leave with her second. She’s rock’n the same balanced, tight, toned physique as before and has a new suit. Jaime tells me she had a suit malfunction before going on stage but thankfully Cynthia James (CJ) did an emergency fix and she avoiding any meltdowns. Second looks to be India Paulino who was off her game in her pro debut at Tampa but is back with the sass. Her yellow suit pops and it well suits her well. The third and final qualifying spot appears to be a head to head match up between rookie Marissa Renee Lee, who turned pro last month at Team Universe and Tianna Ta. I picked Marissa as my dark horse to shake things up and it looks like she’s doing just that. If she snags the third place spot in her pro debut it would be a huge accomplishment and a crushing blow to Tianna. Don’t count Tianna Ta out. She was close in Tampa to a third place finish and it looks like she’s in a similar situation here. Also making an impressive showing in her pro debut is Lisa Lutz. Lisa avoided getting trapped in any elevators and should be in the top five at this event. Great job by the rookies and veterans alike.

The finals will take place tomorrow night in Jacksonville, Florida. For more information on the show and how you can see it in person, visit www.dexterjacksonclassic.com.

This weekend in Jacksonville, Florida Gale Ellie and 2008 Mr. Olympia Dexter Jackson play host to a NPC and IFBB Pro event. The show is held in a great venue and always a well run event. The women’s IFBB pro competition will be one of the last chances to qualify for the Olympia. Defending Olympia Champion Erin Stern will be competing in this year’s show and it’s one of the rare opportunities fans can see her compete other than the Arnold and Olympia.

The HARDBODY Breakdown of the Jacksonville Pro show. Three Olympia qualifications are up for grabs in each division. It is possible that we see a fourth person head to the Olympia in the Figure division since there are three women already qualified for the big dance. If I was a gambling man I’d say who ever finishes in fourth will head to the Olympia because of that rule.

IFBB FIGURE:
Tiffany Archer - She missed the top five last weekend and was relegated to 6th. If she finishes in the top five here, I’d consider it a win. This is a tougher line up than last week though so we’ll have to see how she matches up.

Stefanie Bambrough - Cute woman but struggles to come in conditioned. If she matched the physique she brought when turning pro she could be in the mix but we have yet to see her nail it as a pro when it comes to her conditioning.

Michelle Bates - Michelle is one of the taller competitors and with Erin Stern in the show I think it could help her. She has a nice look and many times looks to big next to some of the shorter competitors. She has yet to get inside the top 10 as a pro but I could see her doing it here.

Holly Beck – Holly has the pressure off her as she qualified last week in Hartford. She’ll have her work cut out for her to return to the top three here but look for her to be in the top five.

Sherma Dillard-Del Tergo - Sherma competed in this show back in 2008 and finished in the dreaded 16th position. We’ll see what she brings to the stage this time around and she’ll need to be much improved in order to hang in this line up.

Catherine Holland - It’s been some time since we’ve seen Catherine on stage. She’s switched up her training and is working with a new trainer. Will the results of this switch up be prevalent this weekend?

Tara Hollingsworth - Tara earned her IFBB Pro card at the Master’s Nationals in Pittsburgh last month and will waste no time competing as a pro. If she tweaks her posing a bit from that show it could help her. We’ll have to wait and see how she matches up with the seasoned vets.

Candice Keene - Candice was second earlier this year at the Europa Orlando, a show many people felt she should have won. I look for her to be in the first call-out and in the mix for a top three spot. The only way she’s not top three is if she comes in off. I don’t see that happening but one never knows.

Petra Mertl - Petra has steadily improved and will look to move into the top five spots here. It won’t be easy and I see her being in the middle of the pack when it comes to placings here.

Kristen Nagrani – Kristen is already qualified for the Olympia and showed she can hang in the big leagues. I look for her to be in the top five here and wouldn’t be surprised if she’s in the money placings. I have her sitting in third and if Keene comes in off she could leap her for the runner-up position.

Vicki Nixon – Vicki keeps coming back and gets an award for persistence. That said I think she’s in the deep water here and will have to strive for being her personal best as her award.

Marie Ann Newman – Marie Ann could make run for the top three if she brings a tight backside. I see her finishing in the top five but cracking the top three will obviously be her goal. She could technically head to the Olympia if the top three are already qualified. It’s highly possible we see her on the Olympia stage if she finishes in fourth behind Stern, Keene and Nagrani which I see happening.

Marie Pierre Ripert - Marie will need to come in way tighter and sharper than her last couple of outings if she has any chance of cracking the top 10 here. I don’t see her in the mix of a top call-out but we’ll see what she’s done in her time away from the stage.

Erin Stern – Unless something drastically goes wrong this is Erin’s show to lose. She’s the defending Figure Olympia champ and her physique is in a league of it’s own. I don’t see her scoring anything but straight ones. My money is on Stern for the win as she warms up for her Olympia title defense in a few weeks.

Gina Trochiano – Gina was in the top five last week and will look to return and move up here. She has the ability to hang in the top call-out if she hits her posing and her conditioning is on. She’ll have her work cut out for her to get into the top three but don’t rule it out.

Patrice Vignola – Patrice will make her IFBB debut after earning pro status at this year’s Team Universe contest. I don’t see a top five finish in the cards for her but never say never

I’m going with the following as my top three predictions.
1) Erin Stern
2) Candice Keene
3) Kristen Nagrani

I’m surprised the field for this show isn’t at least twice the size given the number of IFBB Bikini pros in the mix now. While it’s not the largest line up, it will be competitive. Here’s how I se it going down.

IFBB BIKINI:
Jaime Baird – Jaime has found her groove and will make the drive from Orlando to compete in her first show since her victory at the Pittsburgh Pro. I look for Jaime to leave Jacksonville with her second pro victory and head into the Olympia with some momentum.

Deborah Denio – Deborah will try her hand at Bikini after competing as a Figure pro. It’s been a few years since we’ve seen her on stage so who knows what type of physique we’ll see this weekend. She competed in Figure back in 2004 and 2005 but was out of the money there. She finished out of the top spots years ago and will have a challenge to be in a top spot here. We’ll have to wait and see what she brings back to the stage.

Kristin Gomes - Kristin has competed in the Figure division so we’ll see how she fairs in her switch to bikini. I don’t see her in the top call-out but hey anything is possible.

Marissa Renee Lee - Marissa turned pro at the 2011 Team Universe and has a great look. I could see her being a contender in the top five if she brings the same look she did when she turned pro. She could be the dark horse to shake things up in the show.

Lisa Lutz – Lisa turned pro at the 2011 Team Universe event and this will be her pro debut. She trains with IFBB Figure Pro Nicole Wilkins and she’ll hope some of her mentor’s mojo will rub off on her. I see her finishing in the top five and challenging for the top three.

Dayna Maleton - Dayna isn’t on the “official” list but I’m told will be competing. She has one of the best booties in the bikini biz and has steadily found her mojo on stage. When she presents calm, cool and collected she’s great. I like the look she brings to the stage and if she can leave the nerves behind look for her to be in the mix for a top spot. I look for her to be in the first call-out challenging for a top three finish.

Nicole Moneer-Guerrero - Nicole has polished her posing since turning pro and tightened up her physique along the way. She’ll need to be at her all time best from the back side to finish in the top three here.

Samantha Morris - Sam has struggled with coming in tight enough to hang in the top spots. We’ll see if she can come in tighter here and if she doesn’t she’ll be relegated to out of the top five.

India Paulino - India was a little off at her IFBB Pro debut a few weeks ago. If she can bring her swagga back she’ll be in the top three here. I think she’ll do it and head to her first Olympia.

Tianna Ta – Tianna narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Olympia at the Tampa Pro. She’s brought a tighter, rounder booty to the stage and ditched the shakes she showed earlier in her bikini competitions. I look for her to be in the top three and challenging for the top spot.

I’m going with this as my top three in the bikini division..
1) Jaime Baird
2) India Paulino
3) Tianna Ta

Prejudging will take place on Friday evening in Jacksonville and the finals will be Saturday. Visit dexterjacksonclassic.com for more info on the show and check back for coverage throughout the weekend.

The Jacksonville Pro/Am is in the books and I was there to photograph it all.  Tracey Greenwood received a standing ovation after she announced her retirement and performed an impressive fitness routine. Dexter Jackson and Gale Elie promoted a first-class event and one that I’d recommend to all competitors. Bob Chic did a bang up job as the emcee and kept things moving along. Kai Greene gave fans a sneak peak at what he’s bringing to the Mr. Olympia contest next month.

Check out stage and candid photos on bodybuilding.com from the weekend.

Olympia bound Jessica Jessie at checkin.

Follow all the action from tonight’s Jacksonville Pro Finals. Keep in mind that I am photographing the show while tweeting, which means I may misspell some things. I’ll do the best I can to keep ya updated. I’ll be tweeting under BBcomContests and Hardbodynews. If you’re not on Twitter, you can stay on this page and refresh for the live call-outs and get our thoughts on the events as they happen today.

Think you got what it takes to predict the top five IN EXACT ORDER for the Jacksonville Pro Figure? Enter your top five in the comments field below. If anyone correctly predicts all five IN EXACT ORDER when the finals are read tomorrow night, you’ll win $100. You MUST WRITE BEFORE tonight at 7pm EST. Once prejudging begins your entry will NOT count.

Competitor List:
* Teresa Anthony
* Elisha Archibold
* Holly Beck
* Susanne Bock
* Tivisay Briceno
* Vivian Alejandra Casarubbia
* Nicole Coleman
* Taylor Condren
* Ava Cowan
* Michelle Craven
* LaVonda Ezell
* Brandie Gardner
* Alicia Harris
* Jennifer Hernandez
* Catherine Howard
* Sara Hurrle
* Ines Jimenez
* Candice John
* Candice Keene
* Danielle Kifer
* Petra Metrl
* Jennifer Migliacci
* Joanne Murphy
* Emily Nicholson
* Ann Pratt
* Katherynne Ramirez
* Mikaila Soto
* Gennifer Strobo
* Kathleen Tesori
* Stacey Thompson
* Kimmy Trowbridge
* Sue Upson
* Rosalind Vanterpool
* Christina Vargas
* Josie Zamora

The next stop for the IFBB Pro ladies will be Jacksonville, Florida where IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Dexter “The Blade” Jackson puts on his promoter hat. This contest is shaping up to be a very competitive line-up in the figure and bikini division. It’s one of the last chances to get an Olympia qualification. There will be over 30 IFBB Pro Figure competitors and 10 more in the bikini division. The top five in the figure should be a very impressive group.

A few story lines to watch in this event. Ava Cowan, Sara Hurrle and Joanne Murphy will be making their IFBB Pro debuts. Stacey Thompson is making the switch from bikini to Figure. Michelle Adams will be back on stage for the first time in years but not as a figure competitor. She’ll be testing the water in the bikini division. Dina Al-Sabah is back looking to improve upon her Tampa showing. Bianca Binno will be making her pro debut. Jessica Paxson-Putnam will be making the switch from figure to bikini for this competition.

Here’s the unofficial competitor list as of today.

JACKSONVILLE PRO FIGURE
Teresa Anthony
Elisha Archibold
Holly Beck
Susanne Bock
Tivisay Briceno
Vivian Alejandra Casarubbia
Nicole Coleman
Taylor Condren
Ava Cowan
Michelle Craven
Brandie Gardner
Alicia Harris
Jennifer Hernandez
Catherine Holland
Sara Hurrle
Ines Jimenez
Candice Keene
Danielle Kifer
Petra Mertl
Jennifer Migliacci
Joanne Murphy
Emily Nicholson
Ann Pratt
Katherynne Ramirez
Mikaila Soto
Gennifer Strobo
Kathleen Tesori
Stacey Thompson
Kimmy Trowbridge
Sue Upson
Christina Vargas
Josie Zamora

JACKSONVILLE PRO BIKINI
Michelle Adams
Dina Al-Sabah
Jaime Baird
Bianca Binno
Diana Fields
Safiya Johnson
Amanda Marinelli
Dayna Maleton
Jessica Paxson-Putnam

This show is held next weekend in Jacksonville, Florida. Prejudging will take place on Friday August 6th and the finals are Saturday, August 7th.
Visit: dexterjacksonclassic.com for more information.

Looking for what the scene is like backstage? Check out some of the photos on SiouxCountry.com from the Jacksonville Pro.

Backstage in Jacksonville with a few figure pros.

Check out photos of all the IFBB Pro Figure competitors from the Jacksonville Pro. Money Mark Mason was in attendance and captured the action.

Congratulations to Jessica Paxson-Putnam for the victory. She came in looking her best and was noticeably tighter in her glutes/hamstrings than she’s ever been. Erin Stern continues to find comfort on the figure stage and displays one of the most athletic physiques in the industry. Jenny Lynn is still searching for the combination that worked for her a couple years ago but has yet to put it all together. She’ll look to come out on top next week in Dallas. Krissy Chin made her way into fourth with a new, fuller look to her physique. Look for Krissy to try her hand at an Olympia qualification again at an upcoming event.

“Money Mark” Mason was in Jacksonville covering the figure action and passed a few photos along. These photos are from the Jacksonville Pro Figure Prejudging. It looks like the top three will go to Jessica Paxson-Putnam, Erin Stern and Jenny Lynn. What order they fall is a coin flip. Many I spoke to felt that Jenny Lynn should be out of the top three when it came to the two-piece round. Comments were that Jessica looked great and was a bit softer than some of the other competitors. Those I spoke to felt that Jessica would prevail and come out the champ. The most consistent feedback I received was that Erin Stern looked her best and everyone I spoke to was very impressed. The top three spots qualify for the Figure Olympia. One of our favorite hardbody competitors, Alicia Harris wasn’t called out in the top comparisons at first but found her way into what seems to be the 4th place position. We’ll find out who comes out on top at the Saturday night finals.

Erin Stern, Jessica Paxson, Jenny Lynn

What appears to be the top three from the back.

Erin, Jess & Jenny in the quarter turn.

Check back for results and more news from Jacksonville. Follow us on TWITTER @Hardbodynews.

The prejudging for the IFBB Jacksonville Pro Figure will take place tonight at 6pm EST. Check back here for updates from the event. I caught up with Erin Stern who tells me she is ready to rock. Erin has steadily moved her way up in the placings and cracked the top 5 at the Orlando Pro. Krissy Chin makes her way back to the stage and shared that she’d never felt better. Working under the watchful eye of Kim Oddo, she said her body is where it needs to be. Can Jenny Lynn return to the winner’s circle again? What about Jessica Paxson-Putnam… Will she qualify for the Olympia again? Alicia Harris made more than a few people take notice in California and could be on pace to qualify here is she toned down the muscle. Might there be a surprise that no one is expecting to do well in this show? We’ll find out this evening as it all goes down in Jacksonsville.

This is the last and final list for the Jacksonville Pro Figure contest. The competition will go down this weekend in Jacksonville, Florida. You still have time to cast your votes for the TOP FIVE IN EXACT ORDER and win. See the previous post for details, you can leave your guesses here or on the other post.
The new additions to the line up are, Tina Marie Bloomfield, Karen Mularkey, Jessica Putnam & Michelle Theison.

Tina Marie Bloomfield
Tivisay Briceno
Krissy Chin
Melody Clere
M.J. Fox
Alicia Harris
Alana Hernandez
Jacqui Jarrett
Candice Keene
Jenny Lynn
Amanda Marinelli
Petra Mertl
Karen Mularkey
Marcy Porter
Jessica Putnam
Sandra Simons
Amy Stephens
Erin Stern
Sabrina Taylor-Gibson
Michelle Theison
Siobhan Tewari
Sue Upson
Julie (DJ) Wallis
Tessa Wood-Thomas

Here’s a look at your IFBB Jacksonville Pro Figure competitor list. Post your predictions in the comments field below. If anyone correctly predicts the TOP FIVE in exact order we’ll hook you up with a sweet goody box of supplements. You have until Friday at noon to cast your votes. I believe Jessica Paxson-Putnam is doing this show but I don’t see her name on the competitor list.

Tivisay Briceno
Krissy Chin
Melody Clere
M.J. Fox
Alicia Harris
Alana Hernandez
Jacqui Jarrett
Candice Keene
Jenny Lynn
Amanda Marinelli
Petra Mertl
Marcy Porter
Sandra Simons
Amy Stephens
Erin Stern
Sabrina Taylor-Gibson
Siobhan Tewari
Sue Upson
Julie (DJ) Wallis
Tessa Wood-Thomas

The 2009 IFBB Jacksonville Pro Figure will take place on August 1, 2009. It will be the first pro figure event since Memorial Day weekend and sure to be a competitive line-up. As of today here is the official competitor list:

Tivisay Briceno
Krissy Chin
Melody Clete
Alicia Harris
Alana Hernandez
Jacqui Jarrett
Kandice Keene
Jenny Lynn
Amanda Merinelli
Petra Metrl
Sandra Simmons
Amy Stephen
Erin Stern
Sabrina Taylor-Gibson
Siobhan Tewari
DJ Wallis
Tessa Wood-Thomes
I know there will be a few more names added to this list so check back for a complete list as the competition nears closer. Can Jenny Lynn, the past Ms. Figure Olympia, return to the top spot or will some one be able to beat her? Valerie Waugaman defeated her at the Colorado Pro show…Anything is possible.

Andrea Watson has been unbeatable in every figure contest she has entered. She won not only the A Class but also the Overall in each NPC show she competed in. Keep in mind, she been a figure competitor for less than a year and she’s already a pro.

Can she follow the footsteps of last year’s JR USA overall winner (Lenay Hernandez) and qualify for the Olympia her first time on a pro stage? Definitely.

Does she have the potential to go into her first pro show and win? Absolutely.

Some will say she has no chance with the likes of Jenny Lynn and Jessica Paxson-Putnam in the mix for the Jacksonville Pro. I beg to differ. Andrea is the one woman who has turned pro this year that I feel can go into the Pro ranks and immediately shake things up.

Watson gets twitty with it.

Props to Tony Blinn who continues to promote the female competitors on IFBBpro.com. There is now a figure 2-piece feature from the Jacksonvillle Pro. Check out the gallery and see the variety of physiques that took the stage last weekend.

Figure two-piece feature.

Photographer, Mark Mason delivers photos of each competitor from the Jacksonville Pro. You can check out the One-Piece Round images on IFBBpro.com.

Flex magazine’s Allan Donnelly caught up with Mary Lado after her victory in Florida. Check out the interview and individual photos of each competitor courtesy of Mark Mason on FLEXonline.com.

Mary Lado shines in Florida.

Congratulations to Mary Elizabeth Lado on her return to the winner’s circle. After a disappointing finish at the 2007 Figure Olympia, Mary found the winning combination at the Jacksonville Pro. Mary’s win puts her back on the Olympia stage in September. Joining her will be blonde beauty Jessica Paxson-Putnam who finished second and in third was Florida rising star, Kristal Richardson. All three are now qualified to compete at the biggest figure competition of the year, the Olympia. Congratulations! We’ll see ya in Vegas. Check back for full results and more info here on hardbody.com.

Mary Lado back to her winning ways in Florida.

The finals at the Jacksonville Pro are set to begin in a few minutes. Who will come out on top? Stay tuned for all the action in rainy Florida.

If you’re not online and want to get the result sent directly to your phone via text message just type the work MUSCLE to 88222. You won’t have to call your friends or stay glued to your computer to find out the results. MusclePhone.com will take care of that for ya.

Below are photos courtesy of Mark Mason from last night’s prejudging.

Jane Awad, Mary Lado, Jessica Paxson-Putnam & Kristal Richardson.

Jessica Paxson-Putnam looking for another win.

Mary Lado hopes to find victory in Jacksonville.

The top three at the IFBB Jacksonville Pro Figure look to be Mary Lado, Jessica Paxson-Putnam and Jane Awad. All three of these women have yet to qualify for the Olympia but based on the way prejudging went to night it looks like they will at this show. The old Mary Lado is back and should take top honors tomorrow night. Don’t count Kristal Richardson out for a top three spot either. Kristal is also looking for an Olympia birth and could slip into the top three. These are not final results, the final and actual results will come tomorrow night at the evening show. This is only my guess based on the call-outs, the end result could be different. We’ll have to wait and see…