From
Hardbody.comThis weekend in Culver City, California the IFBB Pro Bikini women will be hitting the stage once again. Fourteen women are scheduled to compete in this event. Last year, this show served as the inaugural pro bikini competition and was won by Sonia Gonzales. Sonia will not be back to defend her Muscle Contest Title so who will reign supreme?
HARDBODY BREAKDOWN:
Natalie Abrhiem - Natalie turned pro by winning the A class at last year’s Team Universe event. She edged out Kelly Gonzalez for the win and the two will meet up once again but this time as pros. She’s continued to improve her physique and it will be a good test to see how she matches up in her pro debut
Leigh Brandt - Leigh Brandt will make the trip from Canada and has a great look. She continues to refine her physique and if she can bring a tight booty and confidence to the stage she could be a contender. She was 6th at the Sacramento Pro and I look for her to be a top five finisher this time around.
Abigail Burrows - Abbie turned pro at the 2010 NPC Nationals, her first national level show. She found success relatively quickly in the amateur ranks, will she find similar in the pro ranks? She has the potential and it will come down to her confidence on stage and how tight her booty is. Look for her to be a top contender in her debut if she “brings it” to the stage.
Laura Calderon - Laura Calderon has a lot of potential in this division, I only wish she’d bring a different suit to the stage. I’m not a fan of lace on the suits for competitions. It’s great for photo shoots but I don’t think it works for the stage. She was fourth at the Sacramento Pro in her pro debut. I look for her to be a top five contender once again.
MaryJo Cooke-Elliott – MaryJo is no stranger to the stage but this will be her debut in the bikini division. She did her first figure show in 2000 and turned pro in 2006 at the NPC Jr. Nationals. MaryJo took some time away from the stage due to some health issues but she’s back and ready to rock the bikini stage. It’s great to see her back.
Jennifer Dietrick - Jennifer has a great bikini booty however she’ll need to bring a little better stage presence to the show if she hopes to land in the top three. She cracked the top five at the Dallas Europa and finished 8th at the Sacramento Pro to close out the year. If her legs have come down a bit from last year you could see her in a top spot.
Kelly Gonzalez - Kelly turned pro at the Team Universe contest last year and finished 8th in her pro debut. She’s a tiny woman with a lot of spunk. If she brings a tight package with the same sass she’ll move up. Her booty held her back last year but she has the potential to be in the top five with a tight, round rump.
Amanda Latona - The one to beat at this show, in my opinion, is Amanda Latona. She was sixth at the Bikini International but has taken top honors in the past. She ended the 2010 season with a victory at the Sacramento Pro and I look for her to do so once again this weekend. That’s not to say it will be easy for her as there is a field of highly competitive pros in this show. She was third at this contest last year.
Anca Marcus - Anca qualified for the Olympia on this same stage last year. It was a different contest but same venue. She could be a top contender as the judges tend favor her physique. This is only her third show as a pro and will look to bounce back from her 16th place finish at the Olympia.
Christie Marquez – Christie has yet to find her groove in the pro division since turning pro at the 2009 Team Universe. The last time we saw her was the 2010 New York Pro where she finished 16th. She’ll need to be in better shape then she has in the past if she wants to be a contender in this line up. We’ll see how the time away from the stage has served her.
Lindsey Morrison - Lindsey has a great physique and if her booty is tight she can hang in a top spot. The biggest issue for Lindsey is her confidence and exuding that on stage. If she can bring that up and rock the stage with more swagga she could be in the mix. She was 7th in her pro debut at the Ft. Lauderdale Cup.
Jennifer Pimental - Jennifer took the top spot in her class at the 2010 NPC Nationals. She has a nice physique and could be a top five contender in her pro debut. We’ll see if she can bring her A game like she did in Atlanta last fall.
Vanessa Prebyl - Vanessa has been on a misson since turning pro at the 2010 NPC JR USAs. She is already qualified for this year’s Olympia with her third place finish at the Houston Pro. She finished her 2010 season with a fifth place finish at the Sacramento Pro. I look for her to be in the top five once again at this weekend’s event.
Christina Vargas - Vargas switched from Figure to Bikini and then back to Figure then back to Figure. She was 7th at the 2010 Tournament of Champions. If she brings a tight physique to the stage she can do well. She found her groove with her posing as she went and look for her to be in the mix if she continues what she brought last year.
Dina Al-Sabah – Dina will try to make her third time a charm at this weekend’s event. She competed in the Bikini International and last week’s St. Louis Pro where she finished 4th. Can she move into a top spot here? Certainly. I can see her being in the top callout and pose’n it out for the top three.
Zhanna Rotar – Zhanna usually fairs well in California shows and has the luxury of not having to fly to compete in this event. She still carries a lot of muscle on her from from her figure days and doesn’t look totally comfortable on stage. If she’s improved her posing and shed some muscle she’ll move up. We’ll see what she brings to the stage for her first show of the year
