The 2010 Europa Supershow lived up to its name and all the expectations of the last premier competition before the Olympia Weekend in just over a month. Top competitors from all the divisions came out claim the victory and the momentum that comes with it. There were also a lot of ladies fighting it out for one of the final chance to qualify for the Olympia. Rx Muscle was there to cover all the action and here is what went down in Dallas….
IFBB PRO FIGURE
The largest and most competitive division of the day was the Pro Figure where 38 ladies took the stage in what was quite an overwhelming mix of talent. It took a lot of sorting and careful watching, but the cream rose to the top and the judges brought the best to the front. The top callout on both Friday and Saturday was seven ladies, which is a few too many for a comparison that critical. It was tough to get sorted out from my seat, but I was clear that Alicia Harris should take the show. Clear and wrong! Alicia was tight, balanced, and well presented – she just stood out among the other 38 ladies. But the judges saw it differently and Terri Turner was given the nod for first. Terri is pretty and refined on stage, but also very petite and lacks the curves and shape possessed by much of her competition. Terri does carry a near perfect structure and with just a little added size she will step up from Europa winner to the Olympia first tier. Placing third was Teresa Anthony, who placed 11th just last week in Jacksonville. This time she was spot on with an amazing structure and condition to match. With some added stage presence and just more confidence up there, Teresa can move up to first. So while I didn’t agree with the order of first and second, the top three was dead on; after that things get a little weird….
Fourth place was taken by Monica Mark-Escalante, who carries more size then most of the other top ladies and just doesn’t have the same flow to her physique as some of the competitors she beat. Fifth went to Josie Zamora, who could have easily been a place higher. She’s only been a pro for a few months and this time next year Josie will be getting ready for the O. Sixth went to Gina Trochiano, who I would have had alongside Josie in a fight for fourth. Beautiful shape and spot on conditioning has become Gina’s trademark. And falling to seventh was my pre-show favorite Mindi Smith. Mindi was well off her best and she still beat 31 women; I expect her to regain her top form over the next month and be in the mix for an Olympia top 5 callout.
The figure division is growing at a pace that is tough to manage. 38 girls on stage is a wonderful testament to the success of the division, but it’s become unfair to the judges and competitors alike. In another year or so I’d like to see some cuts added to the pre-judging. It might add a little more time to the show, but in the end we will get a better look at the best of the best and that’s what the competitors, judges, and fans all deserve.
IFBB PRO FITNESS
In the last of only five pre-Olympia IFBB Fitness competitions, 15 ladies came out to fight for the last three Olympia qualifications. Just as I predicted on Friday, Bethany Wagner had enough of a routine to back up her top notch physique and take home her first pro-victory. There are few Fitness Pros that can beat Bethany in the two-piece round and with some more refinement and skill added to her routine she is top 5 at the Olympia. Second place went to Myriam Capes, who had my favorite routine of the day with her “Roxy” theme and the best use of a folding chair we’ve seen in a long time. The routine was flawless and fun, but she still needs to bring up her physique to support her consistent routines. Third place went to Shannon Meteraud, who came in great shape, but did not bring a routine that displayed her full capabilities. Perhaps this was just a warm up for the Olympia because at her best, Shannon wins this show.
As we’ve seen throughout the year, the top of the Fitness division is as strong as ever, but the depth is gone. After the best 3-5 ladies take the stage, there is a lot to be desired. I hope the rookie pros and top amateurs start to step it up and bring fitness back. It’s one of the most challenging and fun aspects of our sport and everyone attending a show loves a good routine...we just need more of them.
IFBB PRO BIKINI
The IFBB’s newest division continues to excel and grow as 14 ladies came to the bikini stage in one of the most competitive shows of the year. Nathalia Melo, called in May the best of the sport, came back to the stage to solidify her status against some new faces and was met with a big surprise. At Friday’s pre-judging Nathalia was a little too hard with her ripped six pack stealing the focus and the door was left open for a couple of tall brunettes to grab the top two spots. The 2009 Flex Bikini Model Search winner Amanda Latona took top honors and positioned herself to win again in Vegas. Amanda knows the stage and how to have fun up there, so when you add a beautiful smile and curvaceous frame, you have the recipe for first. In a close second was last week’s winner, Ali Rosen. Ali was striking as always, but not at her best and the wear and tear of three straight contests was beginning to show. USA overall champion, Jacksonville Pro champion, and now runner up at the Europa are beyond impressive and with some rest leading into the Olympia, Ali will be better than we’ve yet seen. That left Nathalia in a surprising third place and more importantly proved that nothing is set heading into the Olympia.
The Europa Supershow proved to be a great event for the ladies and Rx Muscle/Rx Girl was there for all the action. Heading into the Olympia, we are poised to see the most competitive and wide-open Figure O since its inception. The Fitness O is still in Adela’s grasp, but as we saw today there is plenty of new talent knocking at the door. And the first ever Bikini Olympia just got a lot more interesting and it’s hard to pick a favorite heading in….which is just how we like it.
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