2008 NPC Nationals

November 21-22, 2008 - by gene x hwang

Atlanta, GA , USA - Another Nationals is now in the books and a new crop of pros will hopefully be competing soon including some veterans who've truly earned that reward.

2008 was Sheila Bleck's and the tremendous poser brought the best package she's ever put together to win the overall National Championship as a heavyweight and deservedly so. Bleck has always possesed incredible structure with a striking x-frame and this year everything was in place.  She swept the scoring taking all 1's and beat out Nekole Hamrick who took second in the heavies. The heavyweights was a tough class and very deep with a lot of different types of physiques and conditioning presented on stage.

Monique Jones will be a definite contender every time she competes with her shape and she took third ahead of Amber Defrancesco.  Defrancesco just needs to come in a shade tighter and she's a certain top placer.  In fifth was Jennifer Gutierrez who looked the best she ever has to crack the top five at Nationals and Mary Hobbs also brought her best physique to stage and placed sixth.  Florida's Tammy Jones is another athlete with an incredible x-frame and a wide back.  She needed to come in more darkly tanned during prejudging but otherwise will stand out in any National lineup.

Eighth went to Andrea Thiel who was massive with thick legs, and an impressive upper body.  She competed in the past but had taken time off so if she keeps getting back on stage, definitely keep an eye out on her. Joella Bernard was in the top ten as well with a very nicely conditioned physique while Krista Myers rounded out the top ten.  In 11th was Christina Rhodes who looked fantastic and it was surprising to see her placed outside the top ten which she definitely deserved to be in.  She was followed by Casey Daugherty who wasn't able to make the light heavies so had to compete in a class up.  The other athlete a lot of people were keeping their eyes on was Aleesha Young.  Young wasn't as sharp as she needed to be but this was just her second show, and the Nationals at that - expect to see a much harder version the next time she steps on stage to compliment the national level muscularity that she already possesses.

This year was a big one for Elena Seiple who won her class convincingly.  Always competitive, the light heavies was again full of amazing athletes.  Second went to Rose Kasillas who really brought in a nice physique and was very tight.  Yahaira Vives, Monique Hayes and Karen Choate were the others in the top five respectively.  Others that were vying for the top five or class but didn't make it included Anita Nikolich who's shape is always amazing and has some of the best hamstrings in the show (6th), Cindy Johnson (7th), and Amy Neal who was again competing in her home town (8th). Lilli Ewing was in the top ten in 9th and Kate Cooper was 10th.  Cooper has come in incredibly conditioned in the past and had got punished for that incredible conditioning and this year the same happened with Bonnie Pappas who was in 11th.  Perhaps the best conditioned athlete in all of the classes, Pappas was shredded and looked amazing.  If she fills out her physique a bit there's no way the judges can not put her in an early callout.  Pappas has worked with Hannie Van Aken who was on hand with her at the show.  We asked Van Aken if she might consider stepping on stage again and she said "maybe" - we would love to see that.

The middleweights was a close battle between Diana Tinnelle and Tracy Mason with Tinnelle coming out on top.  Her stage presence and sassiness will add a lot of energy to the pro stage.  Mason looked amazing coming in tight and looking full and big.  Suha Quasem also looked very big but was a shade smoother so she placed fourth while Julia Korfage seems to improve every show and placed third.  The surprise may have been that Claire Rohrbacker-O'Connell was in fifth and not higher.  She looked amazing at weigh ins and is always conditioned.  Janet Kaufman is always solid and she brought that consistency to Atlanta.  Local athlete Rachel McMillan was also on with a very impressively conditioned physique and of course her nice shape.

The closest competition of the night was in the lightweights where Tammy Patnode and Rita Rae were tied on points at 8 and Rae won out on the tie breaker taking the class and the pro status.  Lisa James looked amazing too coming in hard and looking big on stage, just like Barbara Fletcher, as both proved that a well sculpted physique looks huge on stage no matter what the height of a competitor.  Lori Steele was ripped and hard too and took fifth in a very impressive top five.

Check out our message boards to discuss and follow the weekend live, post your thoughts and chat with the athletes!

Results

Bodybuilding Overall:  Sheila Bleck* Lightweights (scoresheet): 1) Rita Rae* 2) Tammy Patnode 3) Lisa James 4) Barbara Fletcher 5) Lori Steele 6) Maria Carolina-Davis 7) Margaret Negrete 8) Tera Guzman 9) Ellen Woodley 10) Olga Barthlett 11) Glenda Bozett 12) Veronica Tsai-Trefzer 13) Linda Estavillo Middleweights (scoresheet): 1) Diana Tinnelle* 2) Tracy Mason 3) Julia Korfhage 4) Suha Quasem 5) Claire Rohrbacker-O'Connell 6) Janet Kaufman 7) Rachael McMillan 8) Akila Pervis 9) Sara Mathison 10) Yasha A 11) Patrica Houston 12) Gail Bowles 13) Janelle Gallo 14) Lissa Middleton 15) Dee Lazard 16 tie) Kim Grimes 16 tie) Jodie Bruce Light Heavyweights (scoresheet): 1) Elena Seiple* 2) Rose Kasillas 3) Yahaira Agosto Vives 4) Monique Hayes 5) Karen Choate 6) Anita Nikolich 7) Cindy Johnson 8) Amy Neal 9) Lilli Ewing 10) Kate Cooper 11) Bonnie Pappas 12) Myra Adams 13) Kris Clark 14) Lisette Acevedo 15) Yvette Smith 16 tie) Jessica Work 16 tie) Calesa McMahon 16 tie) Kelly Dobbins 16 tie) Migdalia Fernandez Heavyweights (scoresheet): 1) Sheila Bleck* 2) Nekole Hamrick 3) Monique Jones 4) Amber Defrancesco 5) Jennifer Gutierrez 6) Mary Hobbs 7) Tammy Jones 8) Andrea Thiel 9) Joella Bernard 10) Krista Myers 11) Christina Rhodes 12) Casey Daugherty 13) Caroline Byrd 14) Aleesha Young 15) Debra Baker 16 tie) Gretchen Crass 16 tie) Julie Peavey 16 tie) Lainie Sleppin 16 tie) Shelly Fields 16 tie) Christy Donat * eligible for IFBB Pro Card

Figure Overall:   CLASS A: 1) Jenny Migliacci 2) Mandy Henderson 3) Jamie Perea 4) Debra Lavette 5) Nicole Coleman CLASS B: 1) Jennifer Dejoya 2) Candice Houston 3) Soleivi Herrandez 4) Cheryl Brown 5) Tina Cross Arabia CLASS C: 1) Candice Keene 2) Joanne Murphy 3) Debra Dunn 4) Khristy Poteat 5) Allyce Jerome CLASS D: 1) Amy O’Neil 2) MarieAnn Newman 3) Tiffany Rabon 4) Danielle Kifer 5) Kimmie Brooks CLASS E: 1) Katina Maisterlllis 2) Tara Zito 3) Stephanie Macdonald 4) Patricia Nguyen 5) Holly Powell CLASS F: 1) Erin Stern 2) Jeanne Nimmer 3) Gennifer Strobo 4) Jodie Minear 5) Monique Minton * eligible for IFBB Pro Card