2007 Europa Supershow

August 10-11, 2007 - by Hans Klein

Dallas, TX, USA - Ed and Betty Pariso’s Europa show, which began 13 years ago as a local NPC show, is now so big that it has outgrown its original venue in Arlington.
This year, the contest – which also included a car show for the first time - was moved to the Convention Center in downtown Dallas – the same venue where Nationals will be held in November.

22 pro bodybuilders were vying for $6,000 in prize money and – more importantly - two spots at the Ms Olympia in seven weeks’ time. The line-up included three competitors making their pro debuts: Sherry Smith, who won the heavyweight and overall at the North Americans last year; Debi Laszewski, who won the light-heavyweight at Nationals last November; and Debbie Bramwell, who won the Masters Nationals just three weeks ago and couldn’t wait to compete as a pro.

There was also another different kind of newcomer, Karen Zaremba, better known as a figure athlete, who had decided to try bodybuilding for the first time. In theory, any female pro can switch between bodybuilding, fitness and figure, regardless of how she won her pro card - Kim Chizevsky tried figure after winning four Ms Olympia titles and Cathy Lefrancois switched from bodybuilding to figure and back again. Karen, however, was the first competitor who won her pro card in figure to try competing as a pro bodybuilder, so a lot of people were waiting to see how she did here.

As well as the new faces, there were also several veteran competitors returning to the stage. Th-Resa Bostick turned pro by winning the overall at the USA in 1999 but only competed as a pro a few times before disappearing from the scene. Also making a much-anticipated comeback was Beth Roberts, who won the overall at Nationals in 2001 and won the heavyweights at the Jan Tana the following year on her pro debut, but hadn’t competed since 2003.
She had planned to compete at the Atlantic City in September and decided to do the Europa as well just three weeks before the show.

At the weigh-in on Thursday evening, everyone made weight as expected.
Debbie Bramwell was initially over 135 pounds (the cut-off for the light-heavyweight class) but eventually squeezed into the light-heavies. 47 year-old Mah-Ann Mendoza, who had placed fourth in the heavyweights in Sacramento earlier in the year, also made the lightweight class this time (she apparently did three hours of cardio a day). Debi Laszewski and Dena Westerfield, who were also both just under 135, looked like they were in great shape too. Among the heavyweights, Tazzie Colomb, another veteran who had returned to the competitive stage last year after a four-year hiatus, was in unreal shape at 162 pounds – lower than usual for her. Beth Roberts, who weighed in at 148 and said she was harder than she had ever been, also looked extremely lean.

The pre-judging was held, Arnold-style, at the expo on Friday morning. At the competitors’ meeting, Betty Pariso had promised “a lot of comparisons”
and said the judges would be making the competitors work hard at the pre-judging. In fact, they were on and off the stage pretty quickly.

In the lightweights, the two debutantes, Debi and Debbie, totally looked like they belonged on a pro stage, with easily enough thickness to hold their own against established pros like Angela Debatin. Mah-Ann, who had won the lightweights at this show back in 2004, was leaner than in Sacramento and although she was still not quite as hard as Debbie and Debi, she had the best structure and symmetry of the class. The first call out (in numerical
order) consisted of Angela, Debi, Dena, Mah-Ann and Debbie. After a round of comparisons, the judges put Mah-Ann in the middle, then Debbie, and then sent all five back in the line. It therefore seemed pretty clear that this was the top five, with Mah-Ann and Debbie Bramwell probably vying for first place. Karen Zaremba was also in great shape, but did not quite have the size to make the top five (she ended up eighth out of 11 lightweights).

In the heavyweights, Tazzie Colomb immediately stood out with her sheer size and ripped condition, especially in her legs.  She also seemed to have brought in her waist, improving her overall shape. Though not quite as huge as Tazzie, Beth Roberts was also ripped, with incredible detail in her legs and back. Th-Resa was huge and hard too – in fact she looked as if she had never been away from competing. Sherry Smith, who had weighed in at 163, also looked great on her pro debut. The first call out (again in numerical
order) was Th-Resa, Tazzie, Beth and Sherry. The judges then moved Tazzie into the middle with Th-Resa, making it look as if it was between the two veterans for the class.

The night show was held at the expo again the same evening.  With Debbie Bramwell, Debi Laszewski and Dena Westerfield among the top five in the lightweights, watching them pose down was almost like watching the light-heavyweight class at a national-level show during the past few years.
In fourth and fifth place were Angela and Dena, leaving the top three as Debbie, Debi and Mah-Ann. Debi was given third and Debbie second – both outstanding placings for their pro debuts. Mah-Ann Mendoza took the lightweight class, qualifying her for the Ms Olympia, where she will not have the pressure of having to make weight again but on the other hand will be up against much bigger girls.

In the heavyweights, Marika Johansson took fifth and Sherry Smith fourth – another solid placing for a pro rookie. The top three were all comeback
kids: Th-Resa, Tazzie and Beth. Beth took third place in her first show in four years and Th-Resa second in her first show in six years, giving Tazzie her first win 15 years after qualifying as a pro in 1992. Along with Debbie Bramwell, she was also given an award for best routine when the female bodybuilders were brought back onstage at the men’s show the following night.

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Results

Pro Bodybuilding Overall:  Mah Ann Mendoza* Lightweights 1) Mah Ann Mendoza* 2) Debbie Bramwell 3) Debi Laszewski 4) Dena Westerfield 5) Angela Debatin 6) Claudia Partenza 7) Giusy Caputo 8) Karen Zaremba 9) Emery Miller 10) Mary Jerumbo 11) Elizabeth Gomez Heavyweights 1) Tazzie Colomb* 2) Th-Resa Bostick 3) Beth Roberts 4) Sherry Smith 5) Marika Johansson 6) Maryse Manios 7) Figueroa Zoraina 8) Maria Calo 9) Jana Linke-Sippl 10) Aurella Grozajova 11) Desiree Dumpel * qualifies for Olympia

Pro Fitness 1) Adela Garcia 2) Tanji Johnson 3) Mindi O'Brien 4) Julie Lohre 5) Amy Haddad 6) Brenda Santiago 7) Amy Villa-Nelson 8) Kendra Elias 9) Angie English 10) Nicole Duncan 11) Michelle Mayberry 12) Amy Huber 13) Sandra Wickham 14) Susan Groshek 15) Stephanie Worsfold 16 tie) Oksana Grishina 16 tie) Bridgette Murray 16 tie) Sandie Ward 16 tie) Jennifer Becerra 16 tie) Myriam Capes 16 tie) Jennifer Cassetty 16 tie) Shannon Day 16 tie) Lori Kimes 16 tie) Lisa McCormick 16 tie) Tami Ough Widthdrew - Injury) Mandy Polk Pro Figure 1) Shannon Meteraud 2) Natalie Benson 3) Chandra Coffey 4) Lisa Morton 5) Kristal Richardson 6) Michelle Adams 7) Paola Almerico 8) Amy Peters 9) Andrea Dumon 10) Petra Mertl 11) Melissa Pearo 12) Darlina Brown 13) Jamie Senuk 14) Kate Shelby 15) Ines Jimenez 16) Kristine Chin 17) Liane Seiwald 18 tie) Aida Aragon-Tinkle 18 tie) Claire Parmley