 |
Click pic for Pics, Videos and Reports of the ANB Asia Pacific Champs. |
Videos
| right: and finally, Ali's Overall Figure Win Video! |  |
|
 |
 |
 |
| High energy routine and bikini rounds from Sexy Sportsmodels |
Ali G Grabs GrandMaster
Figure Compulsory and Routines |
Kiwis @ ANB Videos part 1 Watch rest of kiwi team |
Pics and Review; Kiwi perspective of the ANB
 Lisa with some of kiwi team Ali, Jacqui, Julie, Donette |
By now you've read the results and seen the pics from the show but I haven't talked about the actual show itself, so I thought I'd better do so as it was a very impressive one. Right from the word go when the President, Rob Powell, addressed the athletes at the briefing you could feel that both he and the organisation - ANB - really believed in team spirit. He spoke to the athletes rather than at them and encouraged everyone to support each other and make each person feel proud of their achievement by just being there. Sure, he touched on some protocol of the show but the main focus of the briefing was of comraderie which I found refreshing. |
| There was around 107 athletes. 66 women and 41 men.
The show began at 10.45 and finished by 2.30pm. The evening show
felt long - then again most evening shows are long! but this was
all over by 10.30pm. I thought for the number of athletes
involved the judges were very efficient in their judging and didn't
do too many comparisons. There was minor difference in
judging order ie doing their compulsory poses first and then
structural but their poses are the same as other
organisations. |
|
 Ali, Overall Fig, with ANB Qld organiser Steve Jones |
Continuing with the personal
approach by the President, Rob would tell athletes on stage
where to stand, to stay on their
mark and generally gave them support as they stood on stage.
I thought this was a great idea as many of the athletes are nervous
and some not sure what to do or where to face. He didn't
actually give them posing tips as such but just to reassure them to get their head up and to
stand in the best light. The compere, Rob Zemicki, also showed huge enthusiasm and gave encoragement to the athletes ...and also revving up the audience to show support for those on stage. |
| The classes are much
the same as you get in NZ with the exception of a very interesting
sportsmodel class. In this class the girls do a
dance routine and a model walk in a bikini. There's no actual
posing like bodybuilders so as the 19 girls did their routine, all
sorts of eye opening styles were presented to us from a
choreographed dance routine, boxing, step routine, lots of dress
ups (loved cat woman) to more risque stripper type gyrations.
At the night show the audience appreciated seeing all the girls on
stage in their bikinis and it made this class fun to watch.
Eventually this class was won by Claudine Newton who had a fit
looking body and a routine which showed off her body without being
over the top about it. |
|
 |
 above: catwoman left: Claudine, 1st sportsmodel. |
One of many high energy routines |
| Watch! Go Figure's Youtube video of Aussie Arnold Lookalike 22 year old Luke Belcher below |
|
 |
|
At the finals, no athlete went home empty handed. For athletes who didn't place they'd get a medallion to remember the event by and a goodie bag with some sponsors product. The winners however, got some impressive statues while the placegetters would also get trophies. The overall winners also got a cash prize. Below left: Overall Trophies. Right; First place trophies |
|
 |
 |
| In summary, the ANB
presented a very professional and yet personal show
which focused on the athlete. The event was fun, efficient and
promoted the values of natural bodybuilding competition. I'm
considering to go back over to check out the Nationals in
October. Will keep you posted! Thanks to Steve Jones, ANB contest organiser for letting me take Happy Snaps to share with the kiwi viewers. Lisa Menzies Go Figure 5 June 09 |
|
Lisa's Happy Snaps!
 |
 |
 |
| Got a great spot in the photographers' pit. Me with Steve Jones, ANB Qld and contest organiser who was super cool and helpful. Then Ra popped into cheer the kiwi girls on too. | ||
 |
 |
 |
| The team waiting at briefing. Tracey and Julie. Kiwis in exile Bevan McDonald and Scott Reynolds. Scott was ANB Overall National Champ in 08. | ||
 |
 |
|
| Above: me with Obi, the world's most ripped fitness model. Right: Ali with her Overall Trophy | ||
Grandmaster Figure
 |
 Donna Bailey 2nd, Ali 1st |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Above:Cathy's Sen Fig
class Right: Cathy and Jacquie Below: Jacquie's Tall Fig class |
 |
 |
| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Sports Model Class Above: Niki Taylor Right: Donnette in routine |
 |
| Women's Physique u52kg |
||
 |
 |
 |
| Above: Julie, Winner,
Denise Below: Tracy in o52kg  |
 |
|
 |
 |
 Left: Sheryl Masters Physique |
Battle for Overall Figure
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Hooray
she did it! Ali takes overall title |
|
Overall Physique Women, Man and Sportsmodel
 |
 |
|
| Leanne Palmer
and Luke Belcher were Overall physique
winners. Luke's the spitting image for young Arnie, even how he poses! Sportsmodel winner on right, Claudine Newton, won from 19 contestants. |
||
|
The Results! The big
news is that Ali Gascoine won her grandmaster
figure class beating her main rival Donna Bailey and then going on
to take out the Overall Figure Title. During the night the
judges seemed to favour a smoother figure conditioning which made
us (and Ali) thought that Ali might've come in too lean and she
wouldn't have a chance of winning her class. But thankfully
the judges liked Ali's look. She didn't even pump up for her
class or overall as her veins were already popping out and she
didn't want to look too much like physique. Ali was
overwhelmed and ecstatic with her win, especially since it was over
her main competition. But she' ready for their next battle at the
ANB Nationals in Oct where she'll be up against her again. Our supermodels Niki Taylor and Donnette Healey were up against 17 young aussie babes and they received medallions for their efforts. I thought this Sportsmodel class was pretty exciting, especially the way they ran the bikini class. They all came separate doing their model walks and turns across the stage and then at the end they all followed each other around the stage. Hard to describe, I videoed it so will put that up on site in due course for you to see. Lisa, Go Figure |
