It’s the second–to-last weekend in Olympia Qualifying season … and it’s jam-packed with action. Nearly every division still has spots up for grabs in the Olympia Qualification Series Standings, and will take the stage on Friday and Saturday.
NORDIC PRO: LAHTI, FINLAND
Divisions: Men’s Bodybuilding, Figure
MEN’S BODYBUILDING
With six points, Smalls needs to place anywhere in the top five to qualify. Abbasbour, who sits in sixth place in the standings with five points, has to place in the top four while Winkllar needs to place second – otherwise his seven points won’t be enough to qualify him, as Smalls, Abbaspour and Hidetada Yamagishi all have runner-up finishes this year.
Yamagishi, who elected not to make the trip oversaeas, sits in third place with seven points. A nightmare scenario for Yamagishi, and the only one that could keep him out of the Olympia – Roelly Winklaar places second, Balto Abbasbour places third, and Fred Smalls places fourth. That would leave all three with eight points and would leave Yamagishi on the sidelines on Olympia Weekend.
THE LEADERS
1. Toney Freeman, USA, 11 points
2. Ben Pakulski, Canada, 10 points
3. Hidetada Yamagishi, Japan, 7 points
4. John Delarosa, USA, 6 points
4. Fred Smalls, USA, 6 points
6. Balto Abbaspour, Iran, 5 points,
8. Roelly Winklaar, Netherlands, 4 points
Go here to see the complete Olympia Qualification Series Standings and Qualifiers!
FIGURE
Not much to talk about here, as it is virtually an all-European lineup, save for Arizona’s Ann Pratt. None of the competitors have accumulated any points in the OQS Standings, which mean’s it’s win or stay home everyone in the lineup.
VALENTI GOLD CUP: SARASOTA, FLORIDA
Divisions: 212 Men’s Bodybuilding, Figure, Bikini, Fitness Men’s & Women’s Physique
212 MEN’S BODYBUILDING
Two story lines dominate here:
1) Two of the biggest names in the 212 division – Eduardo Correa and Seth Feroce – need to win in order to qualify for the 212 Showdown. Why? Because both elected to compete in the Open division to start the year … and it did not go well for either. Correa started the year placing fifth at the FLEX Pro and 10th at the Arnold Classic, while Feroce placed sixth at the Toronto Pro.
2) One of the best in the 212 division – Sami Al Haddad – might not be on stage in Las Vegas. Haddad, who impressed with a third-place finish at the New York Pro – elected not to compete again leading up to the 212 Showdown. With five points, he could be bumped out of the lineup if Raul Carrasco places in the top four.
THE LEADERS
1. Marco Rivera, USA, 11 points
2. Shaun-Joseph Tavernier, England, 7 points
2. Gaetano Cisternino, USA, 7 points
4. Derik Farnsworth, USA, 6 points
5. Sami Al Haddad, Bahrain, 5 points
5. Raul Carrasco Jiminez, Spain, 5 points
Go here to see the complete Olympia Qualification Series Standings and Qualifiers!
FIGURE
The most interesting division this weekend, considering there are two contests being held with OQS implications. It’s an Olympia tuneup for 2010 Figure champ Erin Stern, who competes for the first time since winning the Australia Grand Prix in March. If she’s on, everyone else will be battling for second – including three competitors within striking distance of a qualification in Andrea Cantone, Aleisha Hart and Tatianna Koshman.
Cantone (5 points) could solidify her spot with a top-three finish. Depending on how things go at the Tournament of Champions, the other two – Hart (4 points) and Koshman (3 points) will likely need to place in the top two.
THE LEADERS
1. Allison Frahn, USA, 8 points
2. Natalie Waples, Canada, 7 points
2. Larissa Reis, Brazil, 7 points
4. Cheryl Brown, USA, 5 points
4. Andrea Catone, USA, 5 points
6. Tamara Montoya, USA, 4 points
6. Aleisha Hart, Canada, 4 points
6. Kimberly Sheppard, USA, 4 points
6. Mallory Haldeman, USA, 4 points
10. Tatiana Koshman, USA, 3 points
Go here to see the complete Olympia Qualification Series Standings and Qualifiers!
BIKINI
Things won’t be decided for another week in St. Lous, but several can go a long way in solidifying spots in the Bikini Olympia – none more than Yeshaira Robles.
Robles, who was scheduled to compete at the Tampa Pro but missed out due to unexpected travel complications, sits in second with 10 points in the standings. That could be enough regardless, but any placing in the top five should seal the deal.
With five points, Marcela Tribin is currently on the outside looking in. She’ll need to place in the top three here to move into a tie for third – for which she’ll hold the tiebreaker edge over three other competitors due to her runner-up finish at the Tampa Pro.
Two other competitors in the lineup – Tianna Ta and Julianna Daniell – have already qualified.
THE LEADERS
1. Jennifer Chapman, USA, 13 points
2. Yeshaira Robles, USA, 10 points
3. Justine Munro, Canada, 8 points
3. Dayna Maleton, USA, 8 points
3. Taylor Methany, USA, 8 points
6. Marcela Tribin, Columbia, 5 points
Go here to see the complete Olympia Qualification Series Standings and Qualifiers!
FITNESS
Three – Camala Rodriguez, Myriam Capes and Ryall Graber Vasani – are already in, with Rodriguez and Capes entering as the heavy precontest favorites. If things go as predicted, that would leave Kizzy Vaines (4 points), Vanda Hadarean (4 points), Allison Ethier (3 points) and rookie Jacklyn Sutton-Abrams (1 point) jockeying for position in the 3-5 spots.
Vaines and Hadarean are likely in if they place anywhere in the top five, while Ethier needs to only hold off Sutton-Abrams to secure the fifth and final qualification.
THE LEADERS
1. Danielle Ruban, Canada, 7 points
2. Fiona Harris, Canada, 6 points
3. Kizzy Vaines, UK, 4 points
3. Vanda Hadarean, Canada, 4 points
5. Allison Ethier, Canada, 3 points
6. Sonja Bruce, USA, 1 point
6. Melissa Frederick, USA, 1 point
6. Jacklyn Sutton Abrams, USA, 1 point
Go here to see the complete Olympia Qualification Series Standings and Qualifiers!
TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA
Divisions: Figure
The most interesting of the three Figure events this weekend, with five competitors in the top six of the standings – and one qualified Olympian in Teresa Anthony – slated to compete.
Anthony, who placed 6th at the Figure International in her only contest this year, is the most seasoned competitor in the lineup and the precontest favorite. She enters looking for the the second win of her career, the first coming at last year’s Houston Pro.
Allison Frahn (8 points), Natalie Waples (7 points) and Larissa Reis (7 points) should all be able to solidify qualifications with top-five finishes. Mallory Halderman (4 points) and Kimberly Sheppard (4 points) will both need solid finishes here to keep up with the leaders and stay ahead of the pack in Florida. Promising rookie Francine Sablan, who won the Overall at the NPC USA Championships in July, makes her pro debut.
THE LEADERS
1. Allison Frahn, USA, 8 points
2. Natalie Waples, Canada, 7 points
2. Larissa Reis, Brazil, 7 points
4. Cheryl Brown, USA, 5 points
4. Andrea Catone, USA, 5 points
6. Tamara Montoya, USA, 4 points
6. Aleisha Hart, Canada, 4 points
6. Kimberly Sheppard, USA, 4 points
6. Mallory Haldeman, USA, 4 points
Go here to see the complete Olympia Qualification Series Standings and Qualifiers!
COMPETITOR LISTS
NORDIC PRO
MEN’S BODYBUILDING
FIGURE
VALENTI GOLD CUP
212 MEN’S BODYBUILDING
FIGURE
BIKINI
FITNESS
MEN’S PHYSIQUE
WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE
TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
