Saturday was a huge day in the NPC this past weekend, as nine contests were held across the country. Check out the highlights from some of the marquee events!
RONNIE COLEMAN CLASSIC: MESQUITE, TEXAS
photos courtesy of Dan Ray
Over 400 competitors took the stage at the 16th version of the Ronnie Coleman classic this past weekend.
– In Men’s Bodybuilding Kevin Ofurum won the Heavyweight and Overall titles. Ofurum started competing in 2002 – in the lightweight class. Since then, he has competed on the national level six times – including a 3rd-place finish as a welterweight at the 2008 Nationals and a runner-up finish at the 2010 Jr. USAs as a light heavyweight.
– In figure, Jennifer Baker made her competitive debut by winning the overall title. The Class D winner, Baker spent the last six years serving in the US Army’s Airborne Division.
– Kelsie Bergin, another first-timer, made waves in her debut by winning Class D and the Overall in Bikini.
– The switch to Women’s Physique paid off for Jamie Schultz. Competing in the division for the first time, Schultz won the overall.
– Rubin Laz won the Overall in Men’s Physique.
– Cassie Bates won the Lightweight and Overall in Women’s Bodybuilding.
STEVE STONE NY METROPOLITANS: NEW YORK, NY
photos courtesy of JM Manion
In New York, national-level competitor Anthoneil Champaigne – who hadn’t competed since placing 3rd in the heavyweights at the 2010 Nationals – entered the Steve Stone Metropolitans as the heavy favorite to win the overall title. He won the heavyweights, but he couldn’t get past light-heavyweight winner George Peterson for the overall. Peterson last competed as a middleweight in 2008, when he placed 7th at this same contest. But with roughly 30 pounds of muscle added to his frame, Peterson fared much better this time around.
– Vanessa Rahn took a year off after a busy 2010 – during which she won her class at the Atlantic States and placed 9th at Jr. Nationals and 10th at Team Universe – and came back with a bang by winning Class C and the Overall in Figure.
– Lacey Deluca won the Overall in Bikini.
– In Men’s Physique, Sadik Hadzovic won the Class C and Overall titles.
– Middleweight winner Glenese Markes claimed the Overall in Women’s Bodybuilding.
– Sheena Ohlig won the Overall in Women’s Physique.
– Ashley Anton won the Overall in Fitness.
NATURAL OHIO CHAMPIONSHIPS: LAKEWOOD, OHIO
photos courtesy of Amir Mirandi
Appearances by current Mr. Olympia Phil Heath and four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler highlighted the day, but the competitors in the NPC divisions didn’t disappoint either. In all, 266 competitors took to the stage in front 1,800 fans for both prejudging and finals – with $4,000.00 of the proceeds and sponsorship donations going to The American Cancer Society.
– In Men’s bodybuilding, Joe Toth moved up one spot from a year ago to win the Middleweight division. Toth didn’t stop there, though – he took home the Overall title, too.
– A pair of top five finishers from last year’s Natural Ohio Championships took home overall titles – Michael Anderson and Stacy Radwany. Anderson, who placed fifth in his class a year ago, won the Tall class and Overall in Men’s Physique. Radwany, who placed fourth in the lightweights last year, won her class and the Overall in Women’s Bodybuilding.
– Monica Labriola won the Class A and Overall in Figure.
– Patrice Lee-Sayon won the Overall in Bikini.
– Shannon Eller, a former figure competitor, won the Overall in Women’s Physique.
GOPHER STATE CLASSIC: EDEN PRARIE, MINNESOTA
photos courtesy of Dan Mueller, Strength Media
IFBB Pro Christine Bongiovanni celebrated her 10-year anniversary as a promoter at the 2012 NPC Gopher State Classic with her largest show yet, as more than 150 competitors took took the stage.
– Chad Herr won the light heavyweight class and the men’s bodybuilding overall title.
– Class A winner Daniel Barber, 25, from South Myrtle Beach, CA took home the Men’s Physique Overall trophy in his first competition.
– Jen Louwagie, 35, from Marshall, MN took home the women’s physique overall, as well 1st place in the women’s physique masters class. Louwagie previously placed 1st in Figure D and took home the Figure Master’s Overall title at the 2011 Christine Bongiovanni North Star.
– Twenty-four-year-old Ariel Jauss, a student and personal trainer from Duluth, MN, won the Figure Overall title in her first competition.
Libbie Dahl, 26, won the bikini A class and the Bikini Overall title. Dahl works as a personal trainer in Eau Claire, WI.
VANCOUVER USA NATURALS: VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON
photos courtesy of Mark Mason
Now in it’s 27th year, the Vancouver USA Naturals keep getting bigger – 277 competitors big, to be exact. Over 1100 spectators came out to check out the talent, which included 2011 Nationals Men’s Bodybuilding Overall Champion Todd Jewell as a guest poser.
– Lionel Orji won the Lightweight and Overall in Men’s Bodybuilding.
– Hunnika Rodriquez won Class A and the Overall in Bikini.
– In Women’s Physique, Cindy Goodrich won the Short Class and Overall.
– Angelina Masino won Class D and the Overall in Figure.
– In Fitness, Amber Leon won the Tall Class and Overall.
– Janelle Pierce took home the Lightweight and Overall titles in Women’s Bodybuilding.
– In Men’s Physique, Medium Class winner Jeff Seid captured the Overall title.
