This weekend 17 IFBB Figure pros will head to San Diego, California for the Border States competition. Promoter Jon Lindsay always does a great job with his pro shows that are held in conjunction with a National Qualifying NPC event. Our West Coast correspondent Ron “Yogi” Avidan will be in attendance and keeping us updated on the action. Things get started at the Scottish Rite Event Center at 11am with the prejudging and the finals will begin at 6:30pm.
The Hardbody Breakdown:
This is one of the last IFBB Figure competitions where the top three women will qualify for the 2012 Olympia. Teresa Anthony and Jami DeBenard are already qualified so we could potentially see one additional woman qualify in this line up.
Leading Contenders:
Teresa Anthony has found her groove and don’t look for her to slow down here. She’s coming off a win at the Houston Pro where she narrowly defeated Jelena Abbou. Look for her to be in the top call-out and compared for her third pro victory and second win in a row. She’s also the defending champion and looking to retain her title.
Krissy Chin came close to qualifying at the Houston Pro and many felt she was at her all-time best, or close to it. She should be in the hunt once again but cracking the top three won’t be a walk in the park. Look for her to be in the top five but where is the question.
Jami DeBenard has been on a roll since turning pro at the 2011 NPC USA. She’s already qualified for the 2012 Figure Olympia with her third place finish at the Houston Pro so the pressure is off her to land in the top three. She’ll of course be gunning for her first pro win. The judges like what she’s bringing to the stage and look for her to be in the top call-out once again.
Candice Lewis made her pro debut at the 2011 Ft. Lauderdale Cup and showed tons of potential. She was the overall winner at this year’s Jr. Nationals and has the genetics to be a contender in the pro division. Her lower body needed to be a little tighter, specifically her quads to match her upper body at her debut. If she comes in tiny bit tighter in the lower body, don’t be surprised if you see her in the top three.
Potential Contenders:
Jaime Cash may not be a name that you are familiar with however Jaime Meade might be. We interviewed her back in 2008 before she turned pro, if you missed it check it out here. She’s since left her goats behind, been remarried and ready to hit the pro stage again. She was 14th at the 2010 Phoenix Pro, her IFBB debut. She has the genetics to do well but we’ll have to see how the time away from the stage has served her.
Crystal Chiles was 6th at this show last year and if she comes in a bit tighter from behind she could be in the hunt here. I look for her to be in the first or second call-out and the potential to be in the hunt for a qualification if she’s on the money.
Meriza DeGuzman-Ciccone is shown on the poster as a co-emcee so she might be joining her husband Pete at the microphone after she ditches her posing suit at the finals. Meriza has been up and down in the Figure division and has yet to crack the top five in her last few shows. She’s one of the shorter competitors will could work against her in this line up. At times she comes in too hard and it hurts her. That’s the tricky part of being a shorty. If you come in too soft it can often make you look out of condition to the taller women, come in too lean and you look jacked. We’ll see what she brings this time around.
Allison Frahn continues to get favorable call-outs however I gotta say I don’t see it. It’s nothing personal however when you see striations in a figure competitor’s glutes I don’t think that should be rewarded. She was fifth at the Houston Pro but you’ll see a different set of judges at this show. We’ll see where she fares but don’t be shocked if she is in the first call-out or two.
Natalie Waples was left out of the call-outs in Houston when she should have been in the top ten. Unfortunately for her she has a 16th place finish on her resume at no fault of her own. She should finish in the top 10 here and could potentially be in the hunt for the top five. She’ll have her work cut out for her to get into that top three and return to the Olympia but never say never.
Competitor of Note:
Rosalind Vanterpool has a sic physique however it’s often “too muscular” for Figure. She’ll likely be told the same thing here unless she’s stripped some muscle off. She’s someone who I think could come in how she has at previous shows and do well in the upcoming IFBB Women’s Physique division.
We’ll see how things turn out on Saturday October 29, 2011. For more information and tickets visit MuscleContest.com.
