1997 Arnold Classic Weekend Report

1997 Arnold's Classic and Ms. International

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What a great show, definitely the best BodyBuilding event to attend!
Well, i got into Columbus on Friday afternoon flying in from Colorado. The trip was nice and i was definitely starting my weekend on the plane. My friends Alison and Jim ("coach") picked me up from the airport and we proceeded to get ready to see the expo and possibly the fitness competition... Although not planning to see the fitness women, we got there so late at intermission that we snuck in for free. Anyhow, i really didn't see anything, soo......

The prejudging for the women's was interesting and although i was way back in the stands at the Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, i got a decent view of the competitors. It was obvious from the start that the favorites were Melissa Coates, Gayle Moher, Vickie Gates, Yolanda Hughes, Tazzie Colomb and Jitza H. I had never heard of Jitza but she's from eastern europe and only 21 years, i heard. Although her muscle maturity didn't seem to be there, she had wonderful lines and there were many catcalls and whistles when she came out for her posing...definitely a good looking lady with a great future.

L to R: V. Gates, M. Coates, Y. Hughes, T. Colomb, G. Moher, J. Harazimova

I personally don't know why Melissa Coates was rated so highly, as from what i could see she was hard and all, but her physique just didn't seem to mesh well...something about her gives me the creeps (maybe it's because i was berated by her at the nationals)... Moher looked great and she's having a great year. The crowd loved her, being the home town girl, but Laura Binetti also had a strong following. I was impressed with her stacks of beef and conditioning but as usual, her torso looked a little thick, especially when called out. However, everyone was dissappointed when she didn't make the final six, me included!

Ericca Kern looked nice (aesthically) but looked kinda small on stage although when i saw her in the lobby right afterwards she looked great...very nice woman with a kewl husband taboot...

Chris Bonginvanni was called a good amount and looked her usual hard self...i thought she might have placed higher. I have always liked Nikki Fuller, but she just never seems to hit her diet just right and again looked a little softer than some of the other competitors, but she has some nice size...she's definitely nice and has a great voice too. On sunday she wasn't looking too happy though (maybe too much partying) so i didn't bother her even though she was signing pictures at a booth. Denise Masino is a very nice woman and although she didn't place well, she was a very pleasurable woman.

Someone I really was excited to see was Natalja Murnikoviene, but unfortunately she came in a little (lot) bloated and just was out of it from the start. It was unfortunate but hopefully she'll be shredded at the "O."

As far as posing routines, i have to say i was pleased. Some people i spoke to said they thought the routines weren't the best, but i though overall they were good and held people's attention. I just wish somebody would have posed to Firestarter or something harder... maybe i'll coach/choreograph someones routine soon...

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Now away from the actual contest, here's what i saw....
Well, Amy Fadhli is really short! We were taking the elevator down on Saturday afternoon and as we get in there's this short woman leaning with nice long blonde hair, she looks at us as we walk in and low and behold it's Amy Fadhli - having just got out of bed, she tells us (who's bed she didn't mention)..she looked pretty good to me, but i could have sworn she was taller when she was hanging out at the 1995 Olympia...

Best Booth/Hottest Women Award: This has got to go to MuscleMag, who had an amazing fitness model (competitor too?) named Stacy something or another and another woman who were both amazingly beautiful (pics to come). A lot of the fitness models walking around had little or no muscle tone, but these two had noticeable muscle and were amazing, the type that really don't exist in real life, it seems. Dining after the show, i met the other woman's husband who was a nice guy (and lucky one too). [Leaving the Arnold's was like leaving Spring Break and going home to a bland life....ugh! A few others shared my sentiments in the rental car return shuttle....]

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Thumbs Up:
"The Gurus" (?) - These guys are pretty kewl. Had dinner/cocktails with 'em: Dan Duchaine, Pat Arnold, Will Brink and "The Fat Guy" (i can't remember his name)...very intelligent and pretty laid back as well. Michelle (Will's girlfriend) is also very kewl, another rad chick!
In the picture are the "fat guy" and Will Brink (that's me in the middle)

Other notables included Cathy Lefrancois who looked great IMHO. Although softer and in off-season shape, she had a great smile and was nice too.

Anthony Clark - Man this guy is impressive. Looking a little healthier than before, i finally met him and he is a genuinely nice man. He set a new world record 800 lb. Bench Press which my friend Jim, a powerlifting purist, said didn't look like a good lift, but hey, it's not Anthony's fault that they gave it to him...either way the man is hoss!

Thumbs Down:
Sue Price - what happened to her? she looked way soft and if you didn't know she was a pro bodybuilder you'd probably think she was just someone else visiting the expo (she was looking pretty pale white too)...sorry Sue, you look good when you compete, but i can't give you much here. (But you're still a very nice person)

Laura Bass - Man she should have stayed in bodybuilding! i don't know what she's been doing, but going fitness doesn't seem to have helped her at all.

Results:
1997 Ms. International 1. Yolanda Hughes 2. Vicki Gates 3. Tazzie Colomb 4. Jitka Harazimova 5. Gayle Moher 6. Melissa Coates the rest: Laura Binetti, Chris Bonginvanni, Nikki Fuller, Mereta Hornnes, Ericca Kern, Nancy Lewis, Denise Masino, Natalja Murnikoviene and Eva Sukupova...	1997 Arnold Classic 1. Flex Wheeler 2. Nasser El Sonbaty 3. Mike Francois 4. Ronnie Coleman 5. Vince Taylor 6. Paul Dillet 7. Lee Priest
1997 Arnold Fitness Classic 1. Carol Semple 2. Monica Brant

Last updated 10/8/97