Pictures from the IFBB Tournament of Champions
http://contest.bodybuilding.com/gallery/contest/14221/Here is Hardbody Hinds' report on the IFBB TOC
The 2010 IFBB Tournament of Champions took place in Culver City, California over the weekend. Promoter, Jon Lindsay did another tremendous job with this contest which was held in conjunction with a NPC event. It was refreshing to see a large turnout (18) from the pro bikini competitors. The top three women qualified for next weekend’s first ever Bikini Olympia. Sonia Gonzales notched her third win in the bikini division. Her only loss was in Pittsburgh to Nathalia Melo. Rookies Brooke Mora and Anca Marcus both qualified in their first pro shows.
Below are the results of the show and my opinions on the competition.
1. Sonia Gonzales – Sonia has definitely improved her physique since the first show. She’s not the curviest competitor in the division but does present a nice overall package. I’d like to see her improve her presentation a bit for the Olympia but it was an improvement from Pittsburgh. She has to be considered a top five Olympia threat with three wins to her credit in the division.
2. Brooke Mora – Brooke made an impressive debut and stood out beyond just being one of the taller competitors. She has a great look and a very pleasing physique. I wouldn’t have argued if she was in the first place spot at the end of the night. She has a pretty long torso compared to the other women and it will be interesting to see how she stacks up in the Olympia. She should land in the top 10 and potentially the top 6.
3. Anca Marcus – Anca has a nice physique and as expected made an immediate impact in her pro debut. She snagged third place by just a couple of points over Zhanna and Dina. I’d like to see her slow her posing down just a bit but overall a nice job.
4. Zhanna Rotar – Zhanna was definitely improved from her first bikini competition earlier in the year. It’s nothing personal but I didn’t see her in the top five at this show. I think she has a little too much muscle still for the division and a little thick in the waist compared to the other women. Props to her for improving and getting the nod for a top five spot though.
5. Dina Al-Sabah – Dina continues to refine her physique for the bikini division and this was the best she’s looked since returning to the stage. I wouldn’t have argued with her being in the top three here and she was 2 points away from it. She does carry some muscle in her legs but I don’t see her being too much different from Amanda Latona in that department.
6. Jennifer Deitrick – Jennifer has a nice body and a killer bikini booty. The only thing I notice with Jennifer is when she presents it doesn’t look genuine. It comes across like it’s a fake smile and not one that is natural.
7. Christina Vargas – Christina looked more at home in the bikini division than Figure. She looked a little nervous in her bikini debut and could have presented in a more relaxed manner. If she improves her presentation and brings a little tighter booty I could see her moving up into a top five spot.
8. Vanessa Prebyl – Vanessa wasted no time getting into the thick of things in the pro ranks. She turned pro at the JR USAs and had an impressive debut. Maybe a little more roundness to her booty but overall she has a nice bikini look.
9. Jessica Clay – Jessica has a good bikini look and if she can bring a tighter booty to the stage could move up. When she first comes on stage she seems a bit nervous but by the end of her posing she seems more at ease. I’d like to see her bring a bit more confidence to the stage to help her stand out a little more.
10. Michelle Gullett – An attractive woman and when she smiles you’re drawn to her. I thought her bikini suit bottoms were a bit too big in the back and not flattering to her butt. She needs to come in a bit tighter in the booty area to move up in the placings.
11. Nicole Moneer-Guerrero – Nicole has improved her presentation with every show. She needed to come in a bit tigher in the glutes and hamstrings to move up.
12. Rachel Labender – Rachel has a cute look. I wasn’t crazy about her suit at the USAs and I had similar thoughts on her choice here. The top wasn’t flattering and the bottoms had a some distracting metal thingies. Yes, thingies. She needed to be a bit tighter from the back as well.
13. Kat Holmes – This was probably the best Kat has looked as a pro but her lower half still holds her back. She’s battling the genetics of being very hippy. Her suit looked a bit small and almost like a thong in some poses.
14. Cathy Miller – Cathy also wasted no time getting into the pro ranks after turning pro at the NPC USAs. She’s a pretty woman with a nice looks. She’s a little straight up and down in structure. If she can pose herself with the illusion of more curviness I could see her move up. I think a different suit cut to her bottom may help with that look from the back as well.
15. Michele D’Angona – One of the shorter competitors Michele has the challenge of not looking blocky in the waist. She needed to be tighter and present her angles better. Popping your hip to the judges will make you look bigger, she needed to pop her hip away from the judges to create an illusion of being smaller.
16. Jennifer Celeste – Taking over a year off since turning pro this was Jennifer’s debut. She missed the mark this time and came in off with her conditioning. She’s a pretty woman but needs to come in much tighter her next show if she hopes to move up.
17. Natalie Pennington – Natalie has an exotic look and is qualified for the Olympia with her second place finish in New Zealand. She’s pretty flat in the booty department and it wasn’t tight enough to move up into a higher spot. I think the white suit earlier in the year looked better on her.
18. Karen Mullarkey – Karen made the move to bikini from Figure for the first time and unfortunately it wasn’t the finished I’m sure she’d hoped for. I would have had her a few places higher but her back side wasn’t quite tight enough.
