Fitness once again suffered from the growth of figure, with only five competitors choosing to compete. Bodybuilding too had a smaller turnout than many expected with just 12 competitors total, which seemed a lower tally than might be expected from a National level show.

Regardless, there were a number of solid competitors in the show, although overall, the depth of quality has seemed to suffer of late across the board.

The fitness competition started things off with a short class that was won by Kimberly Sheidler who also competed in figure. Sheidler had a strong routine, and edged out Myra Maldonado on the strength it. Her routine featured strong presses, and good tumbling as well.

Rounding out the short class was Trina Grosby and Jamie Shanely. Grosby's routine round score edged Shanely out, as she should have come more forward and used more of the stage. Otherwise, Shanely beat out Grosby in both the two and one-piece rounds, but the defecit from the routine round made up the one-point differential.

Talented newcomer Nikki Warner placed third, and with a more muscular physique than many of the other competitors, looked very tight and lean. A former bodybuilder, it was evident from her mature musculature that Warner isn't afraid of the weights.

Tina Ponchilia followed Warner, and was closely chased by the Latin Bomb, Vivanna Requena who also competed in the bodybuilding competition. Requena's physique was a good balance between figure and bodybuilding but it will remain to be seen which route she will follow in future competitions.

Bernadette Perez had a bit less muscle than some of the other competitors, but placed sixth, although her placements in the various rounds were both in 5th place. Perez was followed by Michelle Brown and Carina Dupree who rounded out the short class. Brown and Dupree looked more natural, and didn't sport implants, but were a bit smoother and softer.

The tall class was won by Bridget Jeffers. Jeffers was lean and in good condition, not too muscled, but tight throughout. Her overall package was the most balanced and helped to edge her past Christina Forlifer and Cathy Nordyke who placed 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Forlifer is a newer face, who was quite strong in the one-piece, but wasn't tight enough overall to edge the more balanced Jeffers, while Nordyke, one of the many talented atheletes from the Columbus, OH area, had what appeared to be a more evenly balanced physique, but with more solid muscularity.

While Nordyke was not as lean or as muscular as Lesli Russell and Elaine Monroe, her overall package was more the more streamlined aesthetic that the judges were rewarding. Russell was very lean, as well as Monroe, who had also competed a week ago, placing 2nd at the Emerald Cup. Both may have suffered from being too muscular and too lean.

The next four placements may also have suffered (placement-wise) because of their strong physiques. While they were all quite well built and ripped to various levels, the judges weren't looking for that look this week. Some of the competitors were confused by the criteria, with some judges telling them they need to be harder, and then when they come in harder, they place lower. But that seems to be the current state of affairs with figure. While some class winners in some shows are often quite lean and ripped, with a strongly built physique, some are much softer overall. An inconsistent situation that is perplexing and often frustrating to many of the athletes who work so hard preparing for these shows.

While those four - Brandee Hughes, Selma Reneman, Marlene Hadren and Brandy Cook - all looked fantastic, it wasn't quite the look that was being rewarded by the judges. [Note: This writer prefers those more muscular physiques for figure, but that is just a personal opinion.]

Fitness tall champion Debra Dunn took 10th in the class, and Gamble Byron was in 11th. Byron has a solid physique, but would do well to smile more on stage. The final four in the class were Kirsten Nicewarner, Rae Ann Mahlstadt, Jill Flynn and Margo Bailey. Mahlstadt looked like a buffed up Meg Ryan and might want to stunt double for her if she ever does an action film.

One thing to note was the quality of the calf development of many of the figure competitors. In particular, Brandee Hughes, Nikki Warner and Marlene Harden had impressive development in their lower legs that would be the envy of many of the bodybuilders who took the stage next.

The lightweight class saw Vivanna Requena edge Mara Brescia for the title. Requena's more mature muscle got her past the young upstart Brescia, who had better lats, but just needs more time to develop more mature and dense muscle.

The middleweights included the overall winner, Heather Lee. Lee was in awesome condition, and although not quite perfect, had the most complete package on stage, and was an easy winner for the class, as well as the overall. Sporting impressive biceps and a strong back, Lee will be preparing for the USAs in Vegas later this year.

Lee was chased by Pamela Shealey and Midge Shull who both had good balanced physiques, but not enough mass to get past her. Shealey has nice lines and was lean, but not quite as ripped. Shull was a bit tighter, but didn't have the aesthetic of Shull. Sondra Faas rounded out the class, and it was on to the heavyweights.

This may have been the closest class, with American Gladiator Jade, also known as Kimberly Rogers getting past Patty Philpot to win the class. Rogers is a veteran competitor who had a solid, lean physique with good balance overall. Philpot was coming in off her 4th place finishing at the Emerald Cup the week before, and carried that momentum, along with her entertaining posing routine to a well deserved 2nd place finish.

In 3rd was Trudy Ireland who was perhaps one of the bigger competitors on stage. She was trailed by Bethan Wondrak who when announced as 4th was booed as the crowd thought she should have placed higher. That might have been because Wondrak looked even tighter during the finals, and had a good strong routine along with some of the nicest abs and a sparkling smile that really got the crowd charged. Wondrak should definitely improve as she continues to compete and should be a strong force and up and comer in future shows.

Stella Krupinski might have been the most solid pure bodybuilder on the stage, with very mature and dense muscle throughout. Her traps, lats and conditioning might have been the best on stage, but with the slightly adjusted judging, this year, managed only to place 5th. Krupinski might have been too muscular (which was also the case at the Emerald Cup where Yumi Sekine took 2nd and was also the most muscular competitor on stage). Terrie Boodie completed the heavyweight class, the largest group of the day.

Guest posing opened the night finals with Vilma Caez doing a very interesting routine, which was a bit more theatric than most. Dressed as a bag lady who finds supplements in the trash and transforms into a musclebound woman (after a strange experience in a gym that sounded like she was having a sex workout), Caez then danced with a street tough who is enamored with her, doing a joint posing routine with him. It was a bit bizzare, and maybe a little too sexually charged, but it was memorable to say the least.

In the end, the show had it's share of up-and-coming talent, and there were definitely some new faces to keep an eye on. While the number of fitness and bodybuilding competitors seems to be declining, it also seems that the support for the sport is still there. Hopefully that will continue to be fostered, and we'll continue to see exciting new competiors on stage and in the crowds.