First off I would like to Congrat Ra Paku who did an awesome job at the Natural Olympias in Perth, its the best condition Ive seen her in so Well Done Ra you looked awesome! Also well done to the Kiwis who have just done well over in Germany at the NABBA Universe.
Well better late than never but the last month has gone I dont know where and catching up on write ups on the computer was well over due. Our lead up to Muscle Mania came quickly and before we knew it the day was here. Our team consisted Alex Simays, Darrin Brown, Lisa Bellingham, Jenny Morris, myself Leanne Grindrod and there was a another kiwi there who went over by himself from BTS sorry forgotten his name. We really enjoyed last years show so was feeling quite nervous leading into this event, especially Alex who I am sure felt pressure from being last years Overall Winner to hopefully coming back for the title again.
The Show was being held in Williamstown. Melbourne this year, we rented an apartment for a week where five of us stayed. Williamstown is situated on the other side of the harbour inlet facing St Kilda, beautiful, old Victoria style town/village. It was great and worked out cheaper to do it this way than finding motels, the apartment had everything we needed just like home made life easier.
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At the start of the year we had an interested team of around 12 for the show but the Organiser kept changing the date and area it was being held so lack of info and dates cut the team size down, as people had other commitments. I was upping intensity leading into the show for my own training as much as I could to get my weight down so I suited figure shape a bit better for Muscle Mania.
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It was great to know I would have a good athlete like Lisa Bellingham with good muscle to stand up on stage with. After ProAm show my weight shot up to around 63kgs but got weight down around 58-59kgs for Muscle Mania, which still sounds heavy for a short figure but my conditioning came in how I wanted so wasnt looking bulky or too big.
On Saturday we were the first athletes to show and the only people there, organisers no where to be seen, a bit odd. A lovely old theatre/town hall. There was a notice board with welcome to athletes and mention that this will be the smallest show yet for Muscle Mania. Amount of class had been cut down, so no spilt in physique womens class and for figure, no senior figure so Jenny was placed in Open with Lisa and myself. Athletes slowly started to arrive and I caught up with some athletes who were there last year. There were aprox four mens class consisting of x2 masters, under 85kg and over 85kg class for them. There were three women in the Physique class, a fab looking Kym Knott coming back to claim her title.
Three of us in the Figure class, the mens under 86kg had the biggest line-up of around 6, young fellow from BTS got third in this line-up and did a super job. He has heaps of potential and a very nice look.
Alex was getting a bit nervous at the registration as Nick Jones was entering the show, if you dont know Nick he is a Australian Champ for NABBA, a bit strange seeing him at a Natural show and also to see how short he was, he he! Alex and Nick got on well and had a good chat about body building in general, this seemed to help claim Alex a little bit! Both Alex and Darren were a bit disappointed with there being only the two in the over 85kg, especially when you travel so far and lack of organising with numbers being there!
We had the usual athlete talk before the show started in which Stephen the organiser thanked the Kiwis for being there and wished me luck with my health and Muscle Mania being my last show that was really nice and the aussies respecting my accomplishments and end of the sport for me.
| Kym Knott looked as lean as ever and won the title again beating two others. Kym as always a hoot to hang out with and all us ladies has an awesome time at the night show back stage drinking champagne together and having a good laugh and toasting my last show. With only three of us in the figure class Lisa B made comment to Jenny how does it feel to stand onstage with an athlete like Leanne? Well that blew my socks off but it feels great when athletes respect each other like that and it was a pleasure and delight to be onstage with Lisa B, who I am sure made me look midget like in height. |
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Jenny Morris did really well being on stage with two Open/International experienced ladies, held her own, and well between Lisa B and myself it could have gone either way, so I can be thankful for my win. Lisa looked great and had come down since the Nationals so I thought in good condition. It was nice that Nick Jones wife Teri Roberts, Australian Figure champion commented on how good I looked made my day :o)
Jenny and myself tried helping the big boys Alex and Darren tan and pump up for their moment on stage, men really are different kettle of fish when it comes to competing! Here back stage was Jenny, Lisa and myself helping each other and doing silly talk and goofing around, having some fun then you have the boys, grunting and groaning to get siked ready for stage.
Darren and Alex gave it heaps up on stage and looked great, did NZ proud. The under85kg class had warmed up the stage for the audience so when the biggest boys came out the crowd loved it! Alex won the over85kg against Darren, the support and respect that these two have for each other shows on and off stage.
At the night show it was all on again, there was no Overall Figure and Physique for the women, just the winners from these class. Nick Jones won the under 85kg and went up against my man Alex. Here were two guys, different heights, similar build and density in muscle, one hard, conditioned and vascular, the other smooth but full. The crowd called out for Alex, it was great that the audience got behind a Kiwi. The judging went to Nick Jones as the overall winner, I shook my head and the crowd actually booed the decision.
Alex was disappointed with the obvious favourtism of Nick winning, many came up to me after the show to say they thought Alex had it in the bag and shame he came so far to be robbed. Alex enjoyed getting the chance to stand on stage with an experienced athlete like Nick but to also get the response that many thought he was the better athlete - still disappointed as he wanted it bad and his conditioning, as always, great!
It was back to the apartment where steak sandwichs were made, tanned scrubbed off, complaining about the organising and bad call on overalls, otherwise we ate like kings and had round bellies to prove it! I got my gums into a White Milky bar yogurt yum!
The week remaining we made the most of seeing as much as we could in Melbourne, ate Kangaroo, girls attacked my hair making it straight (thought you all might enjoy the pics), shopped like no tomorrow, drank so many coffees I lost count, and searched whole city for a good bran muffin for Alex! Jenny finally found one in middle of goodness knows where, it went down a treat, but we learnt that Aussies dont really like bran type muffins, they are really hard to find!
| And me I felt sad it was over and that I ended my career on a small show, I really enjoyed the day otherwise and hanging with Kym was awesome I hope I look like her at that age! It was nice to get know and hang with Lisa B a bit, she is nice and relaxed and we enjoyed your company for breakfast and the market on the Sunday Lisa :o) Alex and myself will help promote a new event in Melbourne ran by Hardcore Muscle Promotions www.hardcoremusclepromotions.com.au. held in July huge amount of prizes and this year they had Luke Wood as guest poser. |
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They approached us about this show at Muscle mania. Anything for an excuse to go over and shop I say. If you are keen to try and show in Australia then drop me a line as it is worth the experience the aussies really welcome the Kiwi competition.
Leanne Grindrod
