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Barbara Fletcher arriving at the host hotel, the Miami Beach Resort, on Thursday afternoon. She had put on 7 pounds of muscle - which means she now weighs over 100 pounds! |
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Sheila Bleck arrives at the hotel for the weigh-in. She looked totally ready, with striations throughout her upper body. She is now living in Florida with Monica Martin, who she said helped pushed her with her prep. |
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You won't find two more enthusiastic, positive people at any show than Carla Salotti and Debbie Bramwell are at every show. Carla was excited about competing as a pro next year. "I'm going to shred it up and be the littlest chick up there!" she said. As for Debbie, forget next year - she looked almost like she was already ready to step onstage this weekend!
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Elena Seiple arrives for the weigh-in on Thursday evening. She had warmed up by competing at the Eastern USA in New York the weekend before (needless to say, she won the show). Steve Wennerstrom came out of the weigh-in saying she was in the best shape of her life.
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The other light-heavyweight everyone was talking about at the weigh-ins on Thursday evening was Debi Laszewski, who was extremely confident. "I can't believe how good I look," she said. She said she had brought her lats out and her waist in - by 2 inches. "Wait until you see my 'V'," she said.
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Colette Nelson was one of the first people to spot Tina Chandler's potential after seeing her compete in Texas last year and they are still great friends. After winning the middleweights at the USA, Tina was trying to get her pro card. Arriving for the weigh-in on Thursday, she looked beautiful as always.
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The other big talking point at the weigh-in on Thursday was the return of Nursel Gurler five years after last competing. Now living in Santa Fe, she was amazed that people still remembered her. I'm honored," she said. The rumor going around before the show - based on an incorrect competitor list posted on the NPC website - was that she would be a light-heavy. One look at her at the weigh-in and it was obvious she would be what she was always was - a heavyweight. In fact, she weighed in at 159, a few pounds heavier than when she last competed. Here she is with Colette Nelson, who she used to know when she lived in New York City.
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Heather P in da house!
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Heather was helping to prep California champ Jennifer Gutierrez, who was competing in the heavyweights. |
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Here's Elena goofing off in her hotel room on Thursday night after making weight and starting to carb up. She was looking happier and more relaxed than she ever has before a show. Way to go Elena! |
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Cindy Phillips, fresh off her second place in the middleweights at the Canadians, was at the show to help out her best friend Britt Miller. Here she is waiting anxiously to see if Britt makes weight on Friday morning. She did - just. She was three pounds over on Thursday evening but 124 3/4 pounds (the cut off is 125!) on Friday morning. |
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Even before she stepped onstage, the word was going around that newcomer Casey Daugherty of Florida could make the top five in the light-heavies. At 5-foot-3 and 137 pounds, the 24 year-old had won the middleweights and overall at the All South the weekend before. A week later she was in even better shape and weighed in in Miami at 131 pounds. |
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Lora Ottenad was competing in her tenth national-level show and a lot of people were speculating that it could finally be her time to get her pro card. She looked as huge and impressive as ever and weighed in at 167 pounds on Friday morning. |
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Another of the favorites in the heavyweights, Jody May, makes a phone call just after weighing in at 166 pounds on Friday morning. |
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Larger-than-life Kris Murrell was doing Nationals for the first time in her home state. "I'm just hoping to make the top five," she said. |
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Genex was busy setting up photo shoots at the weigh-in. Here he is with fan favorite Nursel Gurler. |
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Heather and Debbie just hanging out on the hotel on Friday morning. |
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Dena Westerfield - who won the light-heavyweights at Nationals last year - was also in Miami hanging out... |
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... and of course doing a few photo shoots. Here she is shooting with pro bodybuilder turned photographer/videographer Annie Riveccio by the hotel pool on Friday morning. A lot of the girls Annie shoots with are like, "I can't believe Annie is taking pics of me!" |
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On Friday afternoon, most of the competitors were in their hotel rooms carbing up, putting on coat after coat of Pro Tan and resting. Here's Jody May putting her feet up! |
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Cindy and Britt came to watch the men's pre-judging on Friday night. Britt was looking at lot happier after finally making weight and finally being able to eat some carbs! Britt was wearing those boots - borrowed from Cindy - pretty much all weekend. |
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Yaxeni Oriquen at the men's pre-judging. She looks so impressive looking when you see her in the flesh - even in regular clothes - that everyone just stops and stares at her as she walks around. Even new pro Heather Policky was in awe of her. "She's so hot," Heather said as Yaxeni walked by her in the lobby. "She's just ... so hot!" |
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Betty Viana - who like Yaxeni, lives in Miami Beach - was also there to watch the show. She's had a much-needed break from competing this year but tells us she'll be back onstage next year. |
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Karen Garrett is just one of the coolest chicks around. |
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Cindy and Britt had a lot to catch up on - they hadn't seen each for five months. "That's a long time not to see your best friend!" Cindy said. |
