THE KING RETURNS!
By Garry Bartlett
Photos by Gary Bartlett
If you are reading this, then it is obvious that you know who Joe Spinello is! I have known Joe for almost twenty year’s and have come to respect the guy and his passion for bodybuilding tremendously. At an early age Joe knew his destiny and life’s work would center around the magnificent sport of bodybuilding. He won the Junior World Championships as a superbly built nineteen year old and was one of the youngest athletes to win the Canadian Nationals. Joe then went on to compete as one of Canada’s most popular pro builders. A lot of guys end their bodybuilding career once they win the Canadian championships. The ones who do go on to compete as a professional usually find the competitive waters too difficult to maneuver and usually disappear from the scene.
Joe has never been one to follow the pack but to lead, so it is no surprise to his friends that he turned his passion for bodybuilding into becoming one of the best contest promoters in Canada.
Joe got his feet wet by resurrecting the non-existent Mr. Montreal championships, which used to be a crown jewel in Quebec bodybuilding competitions. In the past several year’s along with the Montreal championships he has brought the Quebec Provincial Championships back to the point of being the most prestigious bodybuilding show in the province of Quebec. Each year he lays awake at night scouring his mind for ways of making his shows bigger and better for fans, athletes, and sponsors.
Last fall his expertise was put to great use as he promoted the first Canadian National Championships in Quebec since 1997. Anyone who witnessed this historic event gave it rave reviews leaving the theater shaking their heads satisfied that they had seen one of the best Canadian Championships to date!
Joe is not one to rest on past accomplishments and thrives on a challenge, the harder the task the more he is up for it!
This fall on Sept 1st labor day weekend Joe will face the biggest challenge of his long and successful career, he will be prompting for the first time in ten years “The Montreal Pro Classic”.
Canadian bodybuilding historians might remember Montreal promoter Manuel Moniz hosted several entertaining and successful Montreal pro competitions. In fact the last one he promoted in 1996 seen a historic battle between legendary Flex Wheeler and eight time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman. In fact it was Ronnie’s upset of Wheeler that set the wheels in motion for his eight consecutive Mr. Olympia wins and domination of Pro bodybuilding that lasts to this day.
Unfortunately, the show left Montreal and was moved to Toronto where former Canadian pro Nimrod King promoted a couple of decent pro competitions, which were taken over by former Montrealer Winston Roberts. Unfortunately, after several great promotions which seen popular Darrem Charles victorious, Winston had to cancel this year’s event. Scheduled for June 4 in Niagara Falls it shaping up to be a blockbuster, but due to dwindling sponsorship the financial risk was too great to continue
Thanks to the gutsy Spinello, Canadian pro bodybuilding fans will still get a chance to see the world’s best pros on the labor day weekend in the province of Quebec!
So what can we expect to see at the Montreal Pro Championships? Well there are surprises galore, first off, history will be made with the very first pro figure contest in the province of Quebec as the Montreal Pro Figure Championships will be held along with the men’s pro competition.
All eyes will be on legendary Paul Dillett, originally from Montreal as he will be returning home to lay claim to what he considers his Montreal Crown. It has been a number of years since we last saw the gentle giant compete and rumors are circulating that he is back in top condition and is itching to unleash the Kings revenge on the other unsuspecting competitors. Not only are there thousands of dollars of cash up for grabs but the King wants to earn a chance to step on the Olympia stage one more time! He knows that this is a golden opportunity to earn that spot. It is expected that several other top pros will make the journey to the Belle province in anticipation of gaining one of the three spots up for grabs. The Olympia is only three weeks away, and this will be the last chance to earn a spot. It is anybody’s guess who will show up!
Currently, the phone is ringing off the hook as Joe is getting calls from many of Canada’s top pros expressing interest in competing. Veteran Henderson Thorne is already aboard, and hometown favorite Simon Voyer is currently training like a mad man preparing to make his pro debut. Simon is Canada’s most recently crowned pro and an icon in Quebec bodybuilding. His fan support is huge and his entry into the competition literally guarantee’s a sellout, so my advice to you, is to get your tickets early. Things are just beginning to heat up as the Battle of Quebec is about to begin! Be sure of one thing: Joe will have many sleepless nights ahead thinking of how he can make this show even better than it is currently looking!
