While twenty plus IFBB Figure women will quarter-turn it out in Cali, 13 will do the same in New York this weekend. Despite there being fewer numbers in the New York Pro Figure, I think the line up is tougher. Mr. Ron “Yogi” Avidan disagrees with me but he would since he’s in California and can drive to the Cal Pro and cover the action. I will be flying to New York on Friday to cover the entire event which includes not only Figure but also Bikini and men’s bodybuilding.
The Hardbody Breakdown:
The favorite heading into this show is Cheryl “Brownie” Brown. She’s already notched two wins to her credit this year and will look to make it three in a row. It won’t come easy for her and we have yet to see if she can hold her peak doing so many shows in a row. I give her credit for improving her physique since teaming up with Kim Oddo but I’ve gotta be honest, I’m still not a big fan of her physique. Luckily for her, I’m not a judge and the judges do favor it.
Heather Dees is hot on Brownie’s tail and could pull up the upset here. She was second at the Pittsburgh Pro in her pro debut and will look to avenge her loss to Cheryl in the Big Apple. Heather streamlined her physique since turning pro and has made an immediate impact on the pro ranks. Jelena Abbou has gone back and forth between the bikini and figure divisions and will try her heels at figure this time. She has an incredibly tiny waist and great shape but hasn’t nailed her conditioning in the glutes and hamstrings. If she can come in sharper there, she could be in the hunt. There’s no question she’ll have the crowd on her side and she’s one stunning woman. Candice John has steadily moved her way up and could be a threat for the top spots here. She’s polished her presentation and appearance and I like it. Charmayne Jackson finished much higher in Louisiana than some may have expected, can she do the same here?
Larissa Reis will look to return to the Olympia stage once again. If she shows up like she did at the Arnold, she’ll be watching the Olympia as a spectator. Personally, I think she fits in line with the new Women’s Physique division but since there are no pro shows for that until next year, we’ll have to wait. She has won a pro figure show before so it’s not out of the picture for her to do so again. Alea Suarez made the switch from Bikini to Figure and it suited her well. She’ll be in the hunt here if she shows up like she did in Pittsburgh.
Gina Trochiano is my dark horse in this show. She has the structure and look for her to be in the top three if she’s on point. I could see her qualifying for the Olympia but it won’t be an easy task. Josie Zamora jumped into the pro scene immediately after her overall win at last year’s Jr. Nationals but has come up short of an Olympia qualifying spot. She could be in the mix but I’d like to see her ditch the Mr. Potato-head looking bright red lipstick and pose with some curves instead of so rigid.
