2005 NPC National Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships Contest Report

November 18-19, 2005 - by Hans (with additional reporting by genex hwang)

Altanta, GA, USA - A whopping 68 female bodybuilders converged on the Hyatt Regency hotel in a not-so-Hotlanta for the 2005 Nationals, the last big show of the year, in pursuit of four pro cards. After 12 months of controversy in women’s bodybuilding, the year was almost bound to end with more drama.

The lightweight class was one of the most competitive in a long time. 4-foot-9 Barbara Fletcher of California was as thick as she was at the USA in July, where she won this class, but was slightly off her condition there. Tera Guzman, who came in a couple of pounds lighter than last year, looked awesome as well with her perfect symmetry. Lisa James of Virginia, who hadn’t competed since placing fourth in the lightweights at Nationals in 2003, also looked impressive.

But the two standouts in the class were Carla Salotti and Jamie Troxel. Carla, who was coming off lightweight wins at both the Masters and the North Americans last year, had beautiful shape and was probably the sharpest competitor in the class, complete with Christmas tree back. Jamie, who placed third in this class last year, also looked amazing, with super wide shoulders and a thick, ripped back that looked incredible when she hit a back double biceps pose. Carla got the first callout, followed by Jamie. Then, after the judges had compared all 10 lightweights, they called Carla and Jamie out again to take another look at them.

In the middleweights, it was Norma Nieves of Puerto Rico who immediately stood out. She had come down from light-heavyweights (she placed 11th in the light-heavies at Nationals in Dallas last year), and competing at a lighter weight seemed to work for her – she looked big, thick and conditioned onstage. The first comparison was Norma; Ellen Woodley, who also looked awesome; and Lindsay Mulinazzi, who had moved up from lightweights.

A lot of the pre-show excitement had centered on the light-heavyweights, not least because of the return to competition of Debi Laszewski, who was competing at Nationals for the first time since 2001. After the weigh-in here (she weighed in at 133) on Thursday evening, the word went around the show that she was in phenomenal condition, complete with striated glutes.

As soon as she walked onstage as part of the first group of eight light-heavyweight women, your eyes were drawn to her. She looked breathtaking – shredded from head-to-toe, with ripped-to-shreds quads, and yet exuding femininity. Just standing there onstage her whole body rippled with striations, and when she started hitting her mandatory poses, the audience went crazy.

However, Dena Westerfield, who placed fourth in this class at Nationals last year, also looked incredible, with a thick, striated upper body and much improved v-taper and quad sweep – previously her two weaknesses. Surprisingly, she had weighed in at 131 – eight pounds lighter than last year. Elena Seiple, who placed second in the light-heavyweights at the USA, also looked like she had brought in her waist and improved her shape, but also seemed a little softer than in Vegas.

The judges called out Debi first, then Dena, then Elena, and put Debi in the center. But Dena seemed to look better and better the longer she posed, and the judges moved her to the middle. As in the lightweights, the judges also called the top contenders – in this case the top three - out again for another look, this time starting with Elena in the middle.

Once again, the light-heavyweights was also the deepest class of the show, and it was especially good to see so many up-and-coming, feminine-looking competitors. Kristy Hawkins had only decided to compete at the last minute but was in awesome shape and looked perfectly prepared. Jodi Coy had moved up a class after winning the middleweights at the Junior USA and looked awesome as a light-heavyweight, with great shape and an impressive v-shaped back. Alicia St. Germaine was slightly off the condition she was in when she won at the light-heavyweights at Junior Nationals in June but still looked great. Nicole Berg, who placed fifth at the USA in July, looked beautiful but needed a little more hardness to make top five here.

In the heavyweights, the two pre-show favorites, Mimi Jabalee and Lora Ottenad, came onstage together in the first group and it was immediately obvious they were both on. Lora had weighed in at 169.5, three pounds lighter than last year, and looked huge and impressive as always.

But hometown girl Mimi was just incredible. Last year she had come in at 162. This time she weighed in at just under 151 and looked even better than in Miami in 2003, where she placed second. With a beautiful x-shape set off by her show-stopping delts, a tiny waist, and dramatically sweeping, cross-striated quads, she immediately looked like the likely winner.

The big surprise of the class was Jodi May of Texas, who had placed 11th in the heavyweights last year and had nearly quit competing. As soon as she walked onstage, it was clear she now has the size, thickness and shape to stand next to anyone in the class. With the help of Bonny Priest, she had also dialed it in, and she got the second callout after Mimi.

Also in the first comparison with Mimi and Jody were Audry Peden and Sheilahe Brown – but, surprisingly, not Lora. Almost as surprising, especially given the emphasis that the judges have placed on structure at national-level shows this year, was the fact that Sheila Bleck, who has one of the best genetic shapes in the heavyweights, did not even make the second comparison.

The audience arrived at the night show anticipating a showdown for the overall between Debi and Mimi, but, needless to say, things turned out a little differently. Carla took the lightweights, completing an amazing two years in which she has has won her class at three national-level shows. In the middleweights there were no surprises either, with Norma announced as the winner.

Almost inevitably, however, there was drama to come in the light-heavyweights. Elena took third place – after being too hard at the USA, the judges apparently thought she wasn’t hard enough this time. But both Debi and Dena looked stunned when Debi was announced in second place. It was reminiscent of the light-heavyweights at last year’s Nationals, where, to the utter disbelief of most of the audience, Robin Parker placed fifth. But it was also a repeat of the 2000 USA, where Debi was expected to win the heavyweights but placed seventh.

It turned out that only two points separated Dena and Debi - six of the judges had Dena in first place, four Debi, and one Elena. (For more on this controversy, watch out for our forthcoming profile of Debi).

The audience was still reeling as the heavyweights came back onstage. For a moment, some were wondering whether Debi’s placing might mean that the judges might also be about to penalize Mimi for her awesome condition and give the class to Jody. But they announced Jody in second – a fantastic placing for her that establishes her as one of the top heavyweights in the US and a contender for a pro card in the near future – and gave Mimi a much deserved pro card.

Carla, Norma and Dena all held their own in a great posedown for the overall (Carla at one point kissed Dena's bicep!), but in the end it was impossible to deny Mimi, looking resplendent in red, the overall. Meanwhile, the debate about the light-heavyweight judging went on until late in the night at the Hyatt – a controversial end to a controversial year for women’s bodybuilding.

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Fitness Quick Hits: While figure has been taking off and stealing competitors from fitness and bodybuilding, this year's Fitness Nationals showed that there is still a lot of talent in the fitness arena.

In the short class it was Heidi Fletcher's year as she took the class as well as the overall title.

The scoring was all over the board primarily because Nicole Duncan who swept the routine rounds placed last or nearly last in both physique rounds so she became a non-factor and the physique round scores in essence became more important.

Regardless, Angi Jackson pushed Fletcher and will do the same as both join the pro ranks. That leaves it wide open for Nita Marquez who always comes in tight and has strong routines. She also choreographs her own routines as well as producing her own music which features her own vocals! Kristi Wills is always a threat and should soon earn her pro status while Rose Hendricks is steadily improving.

Keep your eye out for Victoria Larvie and Holly Stewart-Dyer. Holly's routine was really different and refreshingly so, perhaps because she didn't use "Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me" in her routine! Larvie is still a teen but has added some size and will just improve with age.

The medium class was deep. Tami Ough won it by dominating the routine rounds and taking 3rd and 4th in the physique rounds. However, that second pro card was a tough one for Lisa McCormick who just edged out Corry Matthews by a single point to take it.

While Matthews may be saddened by being so close, she should feel good knowing she's next in line and with her youth and shape should be a pro in 2006. Angela Enlish really had impressive pop in her routines which was missing overall in many of the routines. The gap in routine levels between pros and amateurs seems to be a larger gap than in the physiques.

Karen Patten edged out Sara Flom, but Flom looked incredible. Hers was one of the aforementioned physiques that is definitely pro quality and her routine is solid with strong presses and good flexibility. She may have been deemed too hard by the judges which is what the case was for some of the other fitness and bodybuilding athletes, but it's also closer to what the pro stage is like.

In the tall class there were the fewest competitors, but it was finally Jennifer Cassetty's day. Cassetty has been plugging at it for several years, continually improving and it all paid off on Saturday night as she took her class and earned her pro status. April Jacobs was only four points behind to take the second pro card, while Alissa Carpio and Mandy Polk were just two points from each other and six and eight points behind Jacobs respectively - that shows how even and tight the class was.

Theresa Hendricks was the most conditioned athlete in all of fitness coming in totally ripped with nice full muscularity throughout but suffered the same fate as Flom for perhaps being 'overconditioned' for amateur fitness which is what short class competitor Diana Crandall was told as well.

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Results

Women's Bodybuilding Overall: Mimi Jabalee* Lightweights 1) Carla Salotti* 2) Jamie Troxel 3) Lisa James 4) Tera Guzman 5) Anne Marie Kam 6) Barbara Fletcher 7) Angela Sales 8) Michele Burdick 9) Laurie Burdette 10) Rebecca Gore Middleweights 1) Norma Nieves* 2) Ellen Woodley 3) Lindsay Mulinazzi 4) Yahaira Agosto 5) Janet Kauffman 6) Yvette Bova 7) Michelle Morrisson 8) Kaylie Perry 9) Tammi Burdeski 10) Brenda Smith 11) Sondra Foss 12) Denise McMahon 13) Lee Ann Scelfo 14) Dorothy Trojanowicz 15) Mary Bowles Light Heavyweights 1) Dena Westerfield* 2) Debi Laszewski 3) Elena Seiple 4) Kristy Hawkins 5) Gale Frankie 6) Jodi Coy 7) Sylvia Cowen 8) Kate Cooper 9) Yamile Marerro 10) Nicole Berg 11) Alicia St. Germaine 12) Heidi Gay 13) Dana Capobianco 14) Judy Gaillard 15) Marlene Churchill 16) Melba Davila Heavyweights 1) Mimi Jabalee* 2) Jody May 3) Audren Peden 4) Sheilahe Brown 5) Lora Ottenad 6) Beverly DiRenzo 7) Gwendolyn Malone 8) Michelle Baker 9) Stephanie Kessler 10) Giana Holder 11) Sheila Bleck 12) Rebekka Armstrong 13) Amber Deluca 14) Lena Sanchez 15 tie) Star Blaylock 15 tie) Julie Peavey 16 tie) Valeria Peart 16 tie) Anne Sheehan 16 tie) Tangela Morgan 16 tie) Heather Reed 16 tie) Demetria Franklin 16 tie) Jennifer Turner * qualifies for IFBB Pro status

Fitness Overall: Heidi Fletcher* Short Class 1) Heidi Fletcher* 2) Angie Jackson* 3) Nita Marquez 4) Rose Hendricks 5) Holly Stewart-Dyer 6) Kristi Wills 7) Tonya Burkhardt 8) Nicole Duncan 9) Michelle Theison 10 tie) Jessica Nabinger 10 tie) Christy Green 12) Lauren Burnett 13) Victoria Larvie 14) Diana Krandall 15) Ashlynn Evans 16) Margaret Blanchard 17) Apri Wintie 18) Brandi Buffkin Medium Class 1) Tammie Ough* 2) Lisa McCormick* 3) Corry Matthews 4) Karen Patton 5) Sara Flom 6) Tessa Wood 7) Angela English 8) Safiya Johnson 9) Angel Stanton 10) Sha Nay Montez Norvell 11) Siena Silva 12) Angela Wehage 13) Wendy Wolbert 14) Katie Madden 15) Jennifer Sweeney 16) Lishia Dean 17) Annie Lee 18 tie) Jemika Robinson 18 tie) Sandi Stuart 20 tie) Lori Smith 20 tie) Shari Riepe 20 tie) Kimberly Lynn Tall Class 1) Jennifer Cassetty* 2) April Jacobs* 3) Alyssa Carpio 4) Mandy Polk 5) Theresa Hendricks 6) Susan Aukerman 7) Leslie Rae Newton 8) Sara Krajnik 9) Charleene Lockwood * qualifies for IFBB Pro status