There are few magazine covers that are as highly anticipated as the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. The SI cover has turned into a media event and has helped launch model’s careers. This year’s cover, in our opinion, is one of the worst we’ve seen. The swimsuit isn’t flattering, there’s too much touch up on the body and it’s overall just bleh.
The NPC/IFBB Bikini division has hundreds of women who would make better cover models than (no offense) Kate Upton, at least as she appears on this cover. Kate is actually a beautiful woman but you’d never know it from this image. Check out the photos of her on ESQUIRE and she looks pretty hardbody . This cover, well not so much.
Photo via Sports Illustrated facebook. Kate Upton cover model.
Keeping things real, there is no chance in hell that a fitness or figure competitor would appear on an SI Swimsuit cover but the chances of a bikini competitor doing so are a bit more realistic. A bikini body is the closest thing to “mainstream” in the women’s division. That said who would you vote to put on the cover? We’re going to keep the poll open for awhile and who ever YOU think would make the best cover, we’re going to mock it up and show a comparison.
Will Sports Illustrated take note? Let’s find out.
** BIKINI PROS NOT FIGURE OR FITNESS PROS **
I totally agree with your opinion. These swimsuit models have a whole lot of work to do in order to even come close to looking as fit and healthy as the bikini pro’s!
Brooke Mora all the way! Someone should drop this link into Si’s editor box. Let’s get some IFBB bikini girl representation!
IFBB Marcela Tribin because have the body and the face
IFBB Marcela Tribin for sure!!
All the IFBB Bikini Pro’s should have their own edition of Sports Illustrated Bikini Pro Edition!!! They have earned it!!!
Have to go with Brittany Tacy on this one! Killer body
IBFF Pro Marcela Tribin killer body and doll face
Sam Morris is not only beautiful but her poses are phenomenal!!!
Marcela Tribin ifbbb she have the cover look
Vote for Sam Morris — it’s a no brainer!
You know who rocks? Marcela Tribin !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Vote for Marcela Tribin. Believe me she is stunning. Go Marcela and i know that even if you don’t win you will always win in my heart. Totally fan of you Marcela, my inspiration.
This Poll is getting out of hand. The amount of people adding themselves is unbelievable. Some of these girls are not even PROS let alone in the BIKINI class. Pretty sure at the end of the poll it says
** BIKINI PROS NOT FIGURE OR FITNESS PROS **
Marcela Tribin is a perfect match for the SI cover. She’s beautiful!
Jamie Eason isnt a PRO….
Bernadett Matassa HOT Bikini Pro as well as a MOM…. She Rocks…
IFBB women don’t have any chance to be cover models. Natural look is what sells to the masses in glamour, fashion, and swimsuit modeling. Unfortunately, IFBB women might have lower body fat and muscle tone, but they don’t present themselves in their natural state. Prime example, fake tan, spray tan, breast augmentation, overdeveloped muscles, sun damaged skin, unequal facial symmetry, oversized jawline, excessive lines and wrinkles, and fake nails. The list goes on. Some of the IFBB women do have incredible bodies, but their faces don’t makeup for it. Sports Illustrated cover models are the full package from head to toe.
If IFBB women don’t have a chance to be cover models then why are they on the cover of oxygen magazine month in and month out? Oversized jawlines and unequal facial symmetry? Are you sure your not watching IFBB bodybuilding? Fake tan?! Do you know how many sports illustrated models have fake tans
Oxygen is a niche market magazine that caters to women who train, women interested in training or more “serious” training, or those into the competition world to an extent. So they will always feature women who are “names” in that sect of the industry. The truth of the matter is that even some bikini competitors don’t and some couldn’t work in a more commercially geared market outside of competitions. And without some sort of name recognition or a track work of actually being a real working model (meaning you’ve booked a campaign, or have done real print work commercially or in fashion, you’re represented by a REAL modeling agency, or in some cases you are an actual ATHLETE – the mag has featured Olympic athletes and other sports athletes, etc) then you have almost no chance of landing on the cover of a commercial mainstream magazine. Just how it is. These girls may be pretty with great fit bodies, but put against a mainstream working model, the latter will 9x out of 10 get the job.