2006 NPC USAs Contest Report

July 28-29, 2006 - by Hans Klein, photos by gene x hwang

Las Vegas, NV, USA - With just one pro card up for grabs for female bodybuilders, the NPC USA is always intensely competitive. Last year’s show was surrounded in controversy about the judging standards in women’s bodybuilding, but this year turned out somewhat differently.

USA Champion Heather Policky!

The lightweights were over almost as soon as the first of the five competitors walked out onstage at the pre-judging at UNLV’s concert hall. 38 year-old Californian Claire Rohrbacker-O’Connell won the Teen Nationals back in 1987 but quit competing at 21, before getting back into it in 2004. But although she stopped competing for 17 years, she never stopped training and has the muscle maturity to show for it.

Onstage at 5-foot and 114 pounds, Claire looked stunning - beautiful shape, with her delts popping out and an awesome v-taper and quad sweep, great condition, and a perfect tan. She was called out first and there was never any doubt she would win the class – in fact, she was so complete some people in the audience were wondering if she could even take the overall.

In the middleweights, Tina Chandler had almost the same effect. Tina, who placed second in the middleweights last year behind Britt Miller, had spent the off-season working on improving her thickness – and it made a huge difference. Her whole upper body looked much bigger than before (although she weighed in at 122, two pounds lighter than last year), the extra size and thickness in her delts totally setting off her already awesome v-shape, especially when she hit a lat spread.

National-level debutante Jennifer Sedia of Texas, who is trained by IFBB pro Bonny Priest, also had great size and thickness. Veteran Ellen Woodley looked awesome as always and Diana Tinelle, switching over from figure, looked great as a bodybuilder.

The light-heavyweights – where all the controversy was last year – was the hardest to call. When the first group of six filed onstage, Christine Sabo, competing in this show for the third year in a row, immediately stood out in a bright red suit. Chris, who placed second in the light-heavies here in
2004 immediately after winning Junior Nationals, was extremely disappointed that she missed out on the top five at this show last year. This time, weighing in at 139, she looked so different that a lot of people didn’t recognize her. She had an improved v-shape, with a great back and ripped legs, and looked both more complete and more feminine.

Debbie Bramwell, who had won the light-heavyweight class at the Masters’ in Pittsburgh the week before the USA and narrowly missed out on a pro card, looked awesome again - probably the thickest in the class. Other standouts were the sculpted Karen Tucker of LA and Karen Choate of Texas (another Bonny Priest protegee competing at national-level for the first time), who was the biggest girl in the middleweight line-up.

Jodi Miller is switching from figure to bodybuilding!

But the big surprise of the light-heavies was Angela Salvagno of California, who took third last year. Angie had what was probably has the best v-taper of the class but, standing in the line-up she didn't immediately stand out.
But as soon as she started hitting poses – especially her side chest and back double bi - she seemed to explode into life. By the end of the comparisons it looked like it was between her and Christine.

In the heavyweights the big question was the same as last year: how would Heather Policky look? Ever since she exploded onto the scene at the 2002 Junior Nationals, where she placed second in the heavies, Heather has been an enigma. She has always had genetics that most other female bodybuilders would kill for, with some of the best legs ever seen in the sport, but has never seemed to be able to dial it in well enough to win a national-level show. Then last year she won the heavyweights – although she seemed to have lost size in her upper body, affecting her proportions - but missed out on the overall to light-heavyweight winner Amanda Dunbar.

Leading up to the show, it seemed like it might be the same story of unfulfilled potential again. Heather had written in her journal on her website that it had been the hardest prep of her life and that she was disappointed with how she looked. “I’m so not sure if I’m ready,” she wrote just a week before the show. She also suggested that if she didn’t get her pro card this time she would quit competing. Those who saw her after she arrived in Las Vegas said she looked great, although she still wasn’t confident on Thursday morning when she weighed in at 174.

However, as soon as she stood in the line-up on Saturday morning it was pretty clear the heavyweight class was hers. She looked incredible. She had brought her upper body back up, with bigger lats and arms than last year, putting her incredible proportions back in balance and giving her that unbelievable huge look that she was known for. When she stood on tiptoes and hit a lat spread, flaring her lats and quads, she totally dominated the stage. She was also in shape - when she flexed her quads she had cross-striations in them.

In contrast to Heather, 2006 Emerald Cup overall winner Candy Canary, who was competing against national-level heavyweights for the first time here, exuded confidence at the weigh-in on Friday morning. At 5-foot-4 and 155 pounds, she was significantly shorter than most of the class but also significantly wider, especially in her upper body, and looked incredible onstage. But it was also apparent that she wasn’t quite hard enough, especially in her quads, to make the top three this time.

Instead, along with Heather in the first comparison were Michelle Neil, Sheila Bleck and Nekole Hamrick. All three looked great in different ways – Michelle was huge and ripped, Sheila had the structure and thickness, and Nekole, although still needing slightly more mass (she is 5-foot-9 and weighed in at 153), was just beautiful. Bev DiRenzo was looking as hard as ever, while Tina Zampa (third in the heavyweights last year) and Gerri Deach also looked awesome - definitely the deepest, most competitive class of the show this time.

At the night show, Claire and Tina took their classes as expected. In the light-heavies, the first – and, as it turned out, last - boos of the night came when Debbie Bramwell was announced in fourth place. Karen Tucker took third ahead of her, with Chris Sabo in second and Angie Salvagno the light-heavyweight winner. Heather Policky, in a silver suit with her long hair down, took the heavyweights ahead of Michelle Neil in second and Sheila Bleck in third.

Despite Heather’s overwhelming size, all four class winners were outstanding and any of them could have won the overall. Heather seemed to breathe huge sigh of relief as she was announced as the winner and she realized that she was finally a pro.

Overall winner Simona Douglas reacts:

---

Check out our message boards to discuss the competition, post your thoughts and chat with the athletes!

More contest photos are posted here!

Results

Women's Bodybuilding (scoresheets) Overall: Heather Policky* Lightweights 1) Claire Rohrbacker-O'Connell 2) Melinda Williamson 3) Tracy Witherspoon 4) Melissa Alvarado 5) Rochelle Palko Middleweights 1) Tina Chandler 2) Jennifer Sedia 3) Tatianna Tinnelle 4) Ellen Woodley 5) Tammi Burdelski 6) Yvette Bova 7) Holly Robey 8) Rebecca Greaig 9) Julie Williams 10) Dawn Principe Light Heavyweights 1) Angela Salvagno 2) Christine Sabo 3) Karen Tucker 4) Debbie Bramwell 5) Karen Choat 6) Anita Nikolich 7) Melissa Dettwiller 8) Karen Garrett 9 7) Holly Nicholson 10) Barbara Harmer-Garcia 11) Mona Krause 12) Diane Steinbronn Heavyweights 1) Heather Policky* 2) Michelle Neil 3) Sheila Bleck 4) Nekole Hamrick 5) Beverly DiRenzo 6) Geri Deach 7) Candy Canary 8) Tina Zampa 9) Jennifer Gutierrez 10) Jayne Trcka 11) Christina Sondgroth 12) Lizette Pegueros * eligible for IFBB pro card

Figure (scoresheets) Overall: Simona Douglas* Figure A 1) Kristen Gomes* 2) Meriza Goncalves 3) Sarah Nakajima 4) Jennifer DeJoya 5) Melissa Froio 6) Kristie Newsome 7) Jennifer Gates 8) Desha Rodriquez 9) Sherlyn Roy 10) Jodi Miller 11) Michele Dennis 12) Sanovia "Nikki" Browner 13) Evian Delly 14) Angela Komis 15) Marina Lopez 16 tie) Alexandra Galvez 16 tie) Keri Moser 16 tie) Rachel Gallegos 16 tie) Trish Stevens 16 tie) Jill Knight 16 tie) Mona Liza Reyes 16 tie) Yolanda Glaeser 16 tie) Misty Tidmore 16 tie) Karen Bock 16 tie) Carla Stone 16 tie) Lynn Racoma 16 tie) Esther Taylor 16 tie) Heidi Bauer 16 tie) Denise Hughes 16 tie) Angela Robertson 16 tie) Desiree Masters Figure B 1) Felicia Romero* 2) Melody Clere 3) Stacy Adams 4) Karen Mullarkey 5) Gail Ehle 6) Marissa Ann Garza 7) Leanna Thomas 8) Natosha Green 9) Sandy Lueck 10) Halcyon Duarte 11) Allison Jones 12) Stacy Cannady 13) Katrina Robinson 14) Elissa Schlichter 15) Jill Smith 16 tie) Sarah Hoy 16 tie) Terri Stevens 16 tie) Melissa Baclig Ruiz 16 tie) Lilia Sandozequi 16 tie) Sandra Barckholtz 16 tie) Ann Pratt 16 tie) Patricia Farrow Figure C 1) Consi Shirlaw* 2) Lois Powell 3) Jana Stewart 4) Anna Laratta 5) Michelle Naylon 6) Ginger Redeker 7) Grace Rivera 8) Lynn Widdowson 9) Jennifer Cowan 10) Denise Jensen 11) Michelle Dragavon 12) Debra Dunn 13) Megan Thomas 14) Kathy Fehringer 15) Carmen Demske 16 tie) Sheron Falcon 16 tie) Tamara Amend 16 tie) Enji Khoo 16 tie) Shakelle O’Neal 16 tie) Sarah Pawlicki 16 tie) Dana Ventetuolo 16 tie) Dr. Angel Allison 16 tie) Amber Knight 16 tie) Glenna Viland-Weltzin 16 tie) Karen Smith 16 tie) Dina Atha 16 tie) Lisa Norris 16 tie) Jennifer Kline 16 tie) Laura Richards 16 tie) Jessica Norlander 16 tie) Lily Williams 16 tie) Maxine Johnson 16 tie) Gaylene Vedder Figure D 1) Angela Turleski* 2) Tana Swink 3) Tracey Guarino 4) Inez Bess 6) Dawn Melanie 7) Michelle Welsh 8) Traci Redding 9) Kathleen Zamora 10) Kendra McAdams 11) Kristine Reinking 12) Shannon Roberts 13) Julie King 14) Julie Green 15) Nancy Garcia 16 tie) Martha Lepe 16 tie) Noreene Castillo 16 tie) Natalie Verges 16 tie) Elizabeth Rocha 16 tie) Stacey Ann Barta 16 tie) Annita Reuben 16 tie) Karen Anderson Figure E 1) Natalie Bedford* 2) Melissa Thalheimer 3) Stacey Clary 4) Paolo Almerico 5) Nola Trimble 6) Stacy Boles-Jordanoff 7) Tanisha Harrison 8) Jenny Lewis 9) Angela Watson 10) Shari Yates 11) Rebecca Ibbs 12) Jennifer Schumm 13) Kimberly Neumeyer 14) Norma Larson 15) Dena Anne Weiner 16 tie) Alison Busher 16 tie) Monique Donya-Jackson 16 tie) Heather Jones 16 tie) Tracy Clark 16 tie) Jennifer Myers 16 tie) Suzanne Barlas 16 tie) Brenda Anderson 16 tie) Dawnice Beckley Figure F 1) Simona Douglas* 2) Jessica Wright 3) Nancy Georges 4) Catherine Anderson 5) Avis Ware 6) Misty Green 7) Stephanie McDonald 8) Jamie Reed 9) Shawni DeSalvo 10) Stephanie Philosophos 11) Klubo Rachel Flingai 12) Delene King 13) La Drissa Bonivel 14) Brandie Gardner 15) Christine Aguilar 16 tie) Angela Stueber 16 tie) Jen Thaler 16 tie) Susan-Marie Williams 16 tie) Elise Penn 16 tie) Michelle Chadwick 16 tie) Megan Payan 16 tie) Christine Moore 16 tie) Soumaya Wilmore 16 tie) Lynda Musgrove 16 tie) Michelle Selfe 16 tie) Lisa Balash 16 tie) Heather Porter 16 tie) Chris Kramer 16 tie) Tamee Marie 16 tie) Ronda Richard 16 tie) Kerstin Khalfani 16 tie) Gretchen Crass 16 tie) Amanda Bollinger 16 tie) Niki Kutrumanes 16 tie) Melissa Hessel 16 tie) Danielle Rouleau * eligible for IFBB pro card