The week/weekend hosted two separate television events: the Fitness America Pageant itself and taping of 11 ESPN Series shows. The competitors who compete can participate in both competitions, and in total, there were 96 contestants. Thursday was the preliminaries for the Fitness America Pageant, Friday was the taping of all 11 shows, and Saturday was the finals.

The depth of the field was quite impressive, and athletes came to compete from as far away as South Africa, Finland, Australia and Canada, just to name a few. There were also a number of familiar faces to readers of various fitness magazines including Tina Rigdon, Nancy Georges, Amy Zych-Fessler and Ocean Bloom.

The show was organized by having five women comprise each group. They all do routines and then go on stage individually and are compared against each other. It's not completely clear how they are able to judge people from different groups against each other though, since there are so many women, and they are not directly compared against each other until the final five are named. Regardless, it's an area that can probably be improved.

Jennifer Flatt (competitor #3) was in Group One, and looked very good. However, the judges awarded the class to Corie Shaffer (#2) who did not make it to the finals, and thus handed the award to Yolanda Dixon (who was originally #36, but was later placed in Group One just for the awards portion). That didn't seem to be the best way to handle it since the runner up should probably have won the class since each group of five is judged against each other only.

In Group Two, Tiffany Ripple's (#10) impressive tumbling and solid physique immediately stood out, but Keri Bourg (#7) took the class. Interestingly enough, Bourg did not make the top 20 of the Fitness America Pageant although she won her ESPN Series group.

Group Three saw Madison Chase (#13) at the top, with her elegant and classy presentation. She was pressed by Tricia Dallman (#11) who should improve if she just smiles a bit more on stage. Her physique was strong, but her stage presence suffers a bit because her energy isn't projected outwardly as well. Sandra Agustin (#12) presented herself quite well onstage and Cynthia Gruss (#14) had the most impressive strength moves in the group.

Overall winner Stacey Cravens (#19) added several pounds to her physique from the year before and along with her energetic routine, won Group Four. Although aesthetically not as streamlined and symmetrical as otheres, it may have been her tv presence that won it for her. Since the events are made-for-tv, it's hard to pinpoint just what the exact criteria are since viewing the show from the audience (as the judges are) may not be the same as how it's all presented on tv.

California Highway Patrol (CHiPs) member Heather Mangus (#16) had a solid muscular physique, while Gail Moyer (#17) had a smoother, but polished look in the same group. Also, four-time returning competitor Dana Hazlett (#20) from Colorado was impressive with a finely balanced package and entertaining routine. Like many of the other athletes, Hazlett first became aware of the show from television and was urged by people at her gym to train and compete. Her gymnastic and cheerleading backgrounds were evident in her short, but entertaining routine.

Susan Bold Smith (#21) led Group Five with some strong tumbling, but it was the spritely Tina Rigdon (#23) who's hyperkinetic routine and infectious smile swept the group. There were also strong showings from Rhonda Finlayson (#24) who should be a prime challenger in future shows with her elegance and wit that matches so well with her solid physique and routines. Nikki Crawford (#25), a former San Francisco 49er cheerleader also had a strong routine coupled with great stage presence, rounding out a very competitive group.

The regal Valerie Brown-Stephens (#27) took Group Six but was challenged by Minnesota's Melissa Stevens (#29). Stevens had the tightest physique in the group with nice definition, impressive calves and a eye-catching smile. Renee Comoa (#28) of New York was injured during her routine, and the on-stage cameraman also got in her way, which resulted in a collision which left her bruised. Admirably, Comoa pressed on, and to many her routine was all the more impressive considering the additional challenges she had to deal with. Jennifer Leigh (#30) of Kentucky looked solid, but was a tad larger and more muscular than the others, and may have been marked down for it. However, Leigh loves muscles and had not even weight trained for many months leading up to the show, and still looked quite buff.

Group Seven was won by Danielle Bird (#32), but Traci Shoop (#31) and Emily Nevin (#33) were close on her heels. Phoylin Vongkhamchanh (#34) had one of the more muscular physiques, but it may have been to her detriment. Another muscular competitor was Jennifer Lankford (#35) who's quads were among the biggest on stage.

Angelique Lupo (#39) wins the award for most layers of clothing in a routine. Her routine began with a Janet Jackson theme, and went two additional layers deep. Although quite entertaining, Lupo was beaten by the impressive Kim Dolan (#38), who surprisingly did not make the top five in the finals. Dolan's physique was impressive with nice tightness. Her stage presentation is memorable as well, and her sultry presence had many in the crowd cheering her on. Kentucky's Brooke Johnson (#37) displayed impressive flexibility and tumbling in her routine.

Group Nine was very competitive and included Canada's Allison Ethier (#45), who has one of the coolest stances on stage when standing relaxed. Sporting a tight, lean physique, Ethier also is quite direct and honest in her opinions, and answered her final question during the finals quite well, earning her the 3rd place spot. However, it was the enthusiastic Linda Okwor (#42) who won the group with the judges awarding her for her more polished stage presence.

In what might have been the toughest group (along with Group Five), Canada's Sylvia Trembely (#49) edged out Natalie Hunt (#47) and Lydia Carlino (#48) in Group Ten. Trembley's look is like a cross between Monica Brandt and Pamela Anderson, and her presence on stage is as well. Hunt is quite demure, but her routine was refreshing and creative with some impressive gymnastics moves. With some work on her stage presentation and a slightly more defined physique, Hunt could take the whole show. Carlino's bubbling personality and energy on stage is projected well to the audience, and her routine matched her physique quite well.

The final group for the ESPN series was Group Eleven, which Cara Kokenes (#54) won, much to her own surprise. Lorri Insisiengmay (#52) and Andi Martin (#51) also made the top twenty, although Martin did not seem as if she was in the same class as some of the rest of the top twenty. Dr. Venus Ramos (#53) was also in the class, and as the emcee/producer/expediter Lou Zwick constantly reminded the audience, Ramos had a stint on Fox's Temptation Island.

Groups Twelve through Nineteen were also judged, but only as part of the preliminaries of the Fitness America Pageant. Notables included Heather Rankin (#59), Teresa DeRota Cavlek (#61), Philippa WIlkie (#63), and Ruscha Kouril (#69). Kouril made the top twenty and placed second overall.

Also, of note were the impressively built Linda Mitchele (#67), Illinois' Margaret Charaim (#70), Jennifer Searles (#71), and the demure Kera Claussen (#74) of Colorado. Although Claussen was very tentative and shy on stage, it was evident that if she can come out of her shell more on stage and project a more confident air, she will improve drastically in her placements.

Michelle Freeman (#76) made the finals along with Natalee Ardon (#78) who may have been the most popular competitor with her awesome breakdancing and hip-hop dance moves. Tracey Rauer (#77) and Holly Kissinger (#79) were also memorable, along with Nadine Haag (#82) and Stephanie Clark (#81), but it was Mindi O'Brien (#84) who may have had the most solid physique on stage. Sporting an impressively muscular, but aesthetic body, O'Brien was probably too muscular for this competition, but should be able to fare well on an NPC or IFBB stage.

Nadine Dubauskie (#87) and South Africa's June Heydenrych (#88) also look impressive, and Nicole Hero (#94) , Karen Shea (#95) and Nicole Borgeous Ferrari (#96) rounded out the competitors. Shea sported the show's best calves and they are probably on par with many national and pro level bodybuilders.

Throughout, the show production ran into several glitches and delays, which the audience and especially the competitors, were patient in dealing with. Distressing though was the attitude and treatment that Zwick doled out to the athletes. At some points he was yelling at them for things which he was responsible for, and did not appear to be giving them the respect and consideration they deserved.

It was a bit sad to see that such dedicated and amazing athletes had to deal with those additional hassles, but it is even more a credit to them that they were able to persevere. Even standing outside in the biting cold waiting nearly three hours to tape a shor video segment at night, many of the athletes were still able to smile and laugh it off. Of course some didn't and were fed up enough to skip the segment, and justifiably so.

In the end though, it was the competitors who were the stars and hopefully they will get the attention they deserve and inspire many others.

Note: Results of the Fitness American ESPN Series for 2002 are posted below, along with the show numbers for reference. Numbers in parenthesis are the competitor's number. You can find the television schedule for these shows online here.