Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, Bikini and Physique return to Canada this weekend for the Toronto Pro, where a whopping 134 total competitors are slated to compete in eight divisions come Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, Colorado will host it’s first-ever IFBB Pro Women’s Physique contest when the Mile High Championships come to Denver on Saturday.
TORONTO PRO SUPER SHOW
It’s the first event of the year where all of the IFBB Professional League’s eight divisions will be represented, and the first time Men’s Physique will be hosted north of the border.
In Men’s Bodybuilding, the contest is shaping up to be a rematch of last year’s event, when veteran Bill Wilmore and rookie Jon Delarosa finished 1-2 on the final score sheets. Wilmore, who won the first contest of his career in Toronto last year, will be making his first appearance of 2013. Delarosa, the 2011 NPC USA Heavyweight winner, heads to Toronto after placing fourth at last weekend’s highly competitive New York Pro.
If he can improve on what he brought when placing 10th at the Arnold Classic in March, Fouad Abiad could also be in the top-three mix.
Jose Raymond will look to make it two in a row this week after his unexpected win in New York a week ago. Raymond winning the contest wasn’t surprising. The fact that he was even on stage was though, as Raymond didn’t announce his participation in the event until the Friday night before the show. Two other top-six finishers from that contest – Mark Dugdale (3rd ) and Al Auguste (6th) – will also compete.
In Bikini, Ashley Kaltwasser will compete for the sixth time this year and the fifth time in the past six weeks. Kaltwasser has one win and three second-place finishes in her last four outings.
Ann Titone and Candice John both have IFBB Pro Figure wins on their resumes. The two placed second and third, respectively, at the Pittsburgh Pro earlier this month.
Only one spot separated Matt Acton (3rd) and Craig Capurso (4th) at last week’s New York Pro Men’s Physique division. Tyler Anderson – who has two top-three finishes already this season (Pro Grand Prix, 2nd; Powerhouse Classic, 3rd) – could also be in the mix.
Ryall-Graber Vasani won the Arnold Classic Brasil last month, and she’ll look to capture career win No. 2 in Toronto. Nicole Duncan and Fiona Harris both have top-five finishes already this season.
Toni West, the 2012 NPC Nationals Overall Winner, impressed in her Women’s Physique pro debut a week ago when placing third at the New York Pro.
Eighteen competitors will take the stage for the second Women’s Bodybuilding event of the year. Second-year pro Anne Frietas, the 2012 Europa Battle of Champions winner, enters as one of the early favorites.
MILE HIGH CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sara Hurrle and Karin Hobbs (formerly Kimura) came out of the gates fast in the Women’s Physique division last year, and both will be on hand hoping that success carries over to 2013 at the Mile High Women’s Physique Champions in Denver this Saturday. Hurrle became the first two-time winner in the division’s history with a pair of wins during the first half of 2013, at the St. Louis Pro and the Pro Grand Prix. In three Women’s Physique competitions, Hurrle has yet to place outside of the top two.
The only woman to beat her? Hobbs, at last year’s Governor’s Cup. Jillian Reville is the only other competitor in the lineup to have placed in the top three of a WPD contest, but a number of newcomers and seasoned veterans should make for a competitive contest.
COMPETITOR LISTS
TORONTO PRO SUPERSHOW
MEN’S BODYBUILDING
212 MEN’S BODYBUILDING
MEN’S PHYSIQUE
WOMEN’S BODYBUILDING
FITNESS
FIGURE
BIKINI
WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE
MILE HIGH CHAMPIONSHIPS
WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE
