This weekend marks the second to last chance for IFBB Bikini pros to qualify for the the 2012 Olympia, at least this year. Next year IFBB Pros will need to win a show in order to qualify for the big dance but at this show the top three women will be qualified to compete in Las Vegas next Fall. Seventeen women have signed up to compete and while there are no super-star names in the line up, it is a competitive one. This is the first time we’ve seen Pro Bikini in Iowa and promoter Jack Titone tells me it won’t be the last. Let’s break down the competition.
The Hardbody 411:
Only Vanessa Campbell is qualified for the 2012 Olympia in this line up so she’d be the logical winner, right? Not so fast. Here’s the skinny on this weekend’s competitors. Vote for who you think will win below.
1. Jennifer Andrews – Jennifer has been up and down in her placings since turning pro. She was just inside the top 10 at the Bikini International and won the St. Louis Pro in March. She slipped 12th at the Dallas Supershow and then the dreaded tied for 16th at the Olympia. Where will we see Jennifer finish at this show? She has the potential to be in the top five but will need to come in on her A game to return to the Olympia stage.
2. Vanessa Campbell – Vanessa has found her stride and continues to improve at the end of this season. She’s coming off a second place finish at the Ft. Lauderdale Cup and the pressure is off to return to the Olympia stage. She switched up her bikini suit and has been on point with her physique and presentation. I look for her to be in the hunt for her first pro win.
3. Kim DeArcangelis – This will be Kim’s pro debut and if she brings a tight backside she could fair well. It won’t be easy to crack the top spots but she found a winning combo at the Masters Nationals to achieve pro status. We’ll see how she stacks up in the big league.
4. Jennifer Dietrick – One thing you can give Jennifer props for is she’s persistent. She’s looking to improve on her 14th place finish at the Titans Grand Prix a few weeks ago and should move up here. She has a solid booty and if it was simply a booty contest she’d be in the top spots every time. Unfortunately, it’s not and she’ll have her work cut out for her to crack the top five.
5. Diana Fields – Diana has enlisted the help of bodybuilding guru Hany Rambod for her training. She was one of the first women to turn pro and her physique is playing catch up in terms of size and proportion. She’s improving and at the end of the day if you’re improving that’s the real name of the game.
6. Trina Goosby – Trina will look to crack the top five for the first time in her pro career. She’s coming off a 9th place finish at the Ft. Lauderdale Cup and will need to be a bit tighter with her conditioning than she was there if she wants to be in the hunt.
7. Candyce Graham – Candyce has a sic physique. If she doesn’t “angry pose” she’ll be in the mix. I’ve seen her pose where she over exaggerates her poses and sometimes has a scowl. If she smiles, chillaxes and presents in a calm, controlled manner she’ll have a chance at the top three.
8. Christie Marquez – Christie had her best showing at the Tijuana Pro a few weeks ago where she finished in 4th. She was 10th at the Titans Grand Prix and if she can land in the top ten here it will be a successful showing for her.
9. Christy Merritt – Christy landed on the fast track to success in 2010 going from a local show, to winning the JR USAs, qualifying for the Olympia and competing at the big show. Christy has yet to crack the top five this year and she’ll look to do so here. Many times it depends on who Christy is on stage with as to how she compares. This show she should be in the top two call-outs.
10. Nicole Moneer-Guerrero – Nicole got a whole lotta love at the Ft. Lauderdale Cup where she placed fourth. She slipped to sixth at the Houston Pro and I see her finishing somewhere in that spot again here. She’s a top 10 contender but needs a bit more booty to hang in the top spots at least in my opinion.
11. Heather Nappi – Heather finished in fifth at her pro debut. She has a nice physique and look to land her in the top cal-lout. I’m not a fan of the legs spread wide pose and when she does this I think it detracts from her backside. Heather should be in the mix at this show.
12. Khahn Nguyen – Khahn is a a rockstar. Despite missing out on the top spots she continues to come back and do her best. If shows were judged on comedic ability, she’d be the winner every time because she’s hilarious. Unfortunately, it’s a physique competition and while she has a great physique it’s not one that the judges seem to favor in the division. What can she do to improve? Not much except continue to bring her best. It’s a testament of how competitive pro shows can be. She has turned competing into some modeling work so there is a silver lining to competing and not winning.
13. Tianna Ta – Tianna has been in the top five her last three shows however an Olympia qualification has avoided her. She did make it to the 2010 Olympia with her 4th place finish at the Pittsburgh Pro. Can she make it into the top three? She can but it won’t be a walk in the park. She’s improved her stage presence and become much more relaxed on stage which was needed. She used to shake on stage and that’s long gone. If she has a tight booty and brings confidence to the stage, she can be top three. IF she let’s nerves get the best of her and isn’t tight from the back side, no O for her.
14. Roya Tehrani – Roya won the 2011 Team Universe and jumped into the pro competition right away. She finished 5th at the Phoenix Pro and dropped to 8th at the Houston Pro. Roya has to come in tighter in her lower body and change up her posing if she hopes to make it into the top three. When she poses with her legs spread wide and apart it’s not flattering and makes her hips look bigger.
15. Michelle Trasey-Hutton – The twins are back again. Michelle finished in a respectable 7th place at the Ft. Lauderdale Cup, her pro debut. She tends to pose with borderline over the top enthusiasm. Many times you will see the “hair whip” where she flips her hair with a snap of the neck. I’m not a fan of it but she definitely has fun with it. One thing you can count on is she’ll be smiling from ear to ear.
16. Kristie Trasey-Winter – Kristie tied with her twin sister for 7th at her pro debut and I guess that speaks to her physique as it compares to her sister. I give her the nod over her sister based on her presentation and I think she has a bit more balance physique. The sisters will battle it out once again this weekend.
17. Cristina Vujnich – Cristina has a nice physique and one of the few women who can rock the short hair and look sexy. The only issue that I go back to with Cristina is she tries too hard to be sexy sometimes on stage. The myspace face and sometimes goofy facial expressions can be distracting. If she smiles, presents with confidence and rocks it sans goofy face she’ll be in the hunt for the top three. She finished in second at the Phoenix Pro and will becoming off a 15th place finish at the Olympia. I hated her Phoenix suit but loved her Olympia one.
Isaac’s Predictions:
1. Candyce Graham
2. Vanessa Campbell
3. Cristina Vujnich
4. Tiana Ta
5. Heather Nappi
Ron’s Predictions:
1. Cristina Vunjnich
2. Vanessa Campbell
3. Tiana Ta
4. Roya Therani
5. Candyce Graham
Event info:
When:
Prejudging 10am / Finals 6pm
November 12, 2011
Where:
Davenport, IA
The River Center convention center
136 E. 3rd Street
Davenport, IA 52801
563.326.8500
For more information on the show and to get tickets visit: npcmidwest.com/iowa. The show will also play host to a n IFBB Men’s 2012 Bodybuilding show and a large NPC event.
