FigureRX Preview: 2007 National Figure Championships

July 8th, 2007
By Stephen Bierer

In 2006, the National Figure Championships represented a bit of an about face for the amateur figure season. After two shows where harder and more ripped physiques were rewarded, the judging seemed to soften up a bit, to the surprise of many competitors and spectators. It’s not that the judging was necessarily off; it’s just that mainstream marketability seemed to play a greater role and some competitors were punished for being overly hard. So it is with great apprehension that we attempt to preview the 2007 competition, in many cases without really knowing who will be hitting the stage, and without knowing the criteria that will be used. Our opinions will combine the best knowledge available to us based on last year’s show and the results so far this season.

The last minute change in host hotels, from the Holiday Inn to Embassy Suites, has led to a little bit of confusion but we have no doubt that Steve Weinberger will run a tight ship as he has in years past. The Tribeca Performing Arts Center is a comfortable venue for spectators, although the uneven lighting on stage can make a difference in the placings based on where the athletes are assigned to stand. It is likely that the number of competitors will again hit record levels this year, based on previous turnout at the juniors.

Figure Class F is absolutely stacked with talent, not just because there have been no pro cards for this group since last July, but this show will also mark the 2007 debut for some of the top contenders. We would not be surprised to see the top four finishers here go pro before the end of the year. Last year, FigureRX favorite Amy Fry placed second and took home a pro card, and the key to grabbing a card this year may mean following her formula, which was a combination of good muscle shape, beauty, and tight abs and quads without excessive hardness overall. In fact, Amy personifies what they look for in the IFBB and is already placing very well at the professional level. Easy enough to do, right?

It’s unprecedented to see two class winners from the 2007 juniors hitting the stage in New York, and Jessica Wright has to be mentioned first simply because of her class win in Chicago. Her 12th place finish here last year suggests, however, that she will get her card eventually but this might not be the show. Melissa Griffin, a 7th place finisher last year, is carrying a higher level of muscularity in 2007 and won the class in Charleston. But we’re putting our money on two competitors, the first being backstage “Miss Congeniality” Misty Green who will be making her 2007 debut after a 4th place finish here last year. In fact, with last year’s 3rd place finisher getting a pro card at the USA’s, Misty is the top finisher from lastyear without her card. She has all the tools and although we haven’t seen her this year, we have no doubt that with her drive and determination that she has made improvements on what was already a close to ideal physique.

Misty Green	Teresa Anthony in 2006	Teresa Anthony in 2007

The second competitor who is undoubtedly the most improved since last year’s 13th place finish is Teresa Anthony, who has a couple of top five finishes under her belt this year. Not only has she put on quality muscle all over, she has also dramatically improved her stage presentation. Among the FigureRX athletes, look for 21-year old Ali Huston to crack the top five in only her second national level show, and for local athlete Jamie Reed to move up dramatically from last year’s finish as well. Beyond that it’s a question of who intends to compete among the other top contenders. Nancy Georges and FigureRX’s Danielle Rouleau will be sitting this one out to prepare for the USA’s. Alicia Marie is taking time off due to her MTV filming schedule and will return for North Americans, while Floridian Amy Bates had planned to do the Arnold Amateur but changed her plans. Team “Performance Ready” athlete and dirt bike racer Jessica Steffens has potential especially if she can improve her leg conditioning, and look for Chicagoan Stephanie Philosophos to bounce back from her placing at Junior Nationals.

Ali Huston	Jamie Reed	Stephanie Philosophos

With Paola Almerico having won her pro card and moved on in Charleston, Figure Class E is now all about transplanted Californian Nola Trimble, who placed 5th last year. She skipped the Chicago show to fine tune her physique and if she comes in as good as she did in Charleston and gets a more favorable look from the judges we expect great things. Stacy Clary will also be looking to move up from 6th after streamlining in the past year, and modifying her stance somewhat by holding her arms closer to her body which will help her here. Oddly enough, Dorothy Trojanowicz competed in Class E at Nationals last year but moved to Class D in Chicago, and she has a chance in either class. Finally, newcomer Veronica Miller, who exhibits excellent muscularity and a beautiful presentation, may surprise everyone and take a pro card before most have even had an opportunity to learn her name.

Nola Trimble	Stacy Clary	Veronica Miller

Last year, Figure Class D sent two great competitors to the pro ranks in Nina DiTommaso and Jelena Abbou, and it’s also the class most likely to send a prepared pro to the ranks in 2007. That individual is Krissy Chin, who exhibits exactly what the judges seem to want in muscularity, symmetry, conditioning and marketability. With her dual second place finishes at the Junior USA’s and Junior Nationals, it’s almost as if the powers that be have been saving her for the New York stage so that she can go pro in style.

Krissy Chin	Tracy Guarino	Tara Gooch

Talented and inspiring Floridian Nicole Weeks will be making her 2007 debut in New York, as will Tennessean Tracy Guarino as she prepares to compete three weekends in a row, at the Masters and at the USA’s. Tracy has been close a few times and we like her level of muscularity, so if she doesn’t strike gold here she has a great chance in Pittsburgh. Toni Harvanek may be a factor, along with a slew of competitors who impressed in Chicago but not quite enough to make this class predictable, like Tiffany Rabon, Amanda Ianelli and Amanda Darce. Tara Gooch showed up in Chicago looking terrific but was not rewarded, she will certainly improve on her showing and may even deserve a top five. But to put it simply, we would not be entirely surprised if any of these aforementioned competitors moved up to take a pro card behind Krissy Chin.

Figure Class C has become a difficult class to predict ever since Elizabeth Lamm (who will be competing in New York) was sent to the pro ranks, so we expect the unexpected here. We have our eyes on Heather Green and Erin Heath. Heather took 12th last year in New York but she now has more NPC experience and moved up to 4th at this year’s Junior USA’s. She looks superb and it’s just a matter of time for her. Erin was the runner-up in Charleston and she also sports a pro-style physique and dials in her conditioning very well. Another FigureRX favorite is 2006 Europa winner Reagan Brenner, if figure competitors were allowed to flex she would place higher as she has more muscle than shows at contest time. But as she gets more notice from the judging panel we expect her to move up.

Heather Green	Erin Heath	Reagan Brenner

Another Class C notable with top five potential is Ginger Redeker, who placed 6th here last year but was a little soft and took 7th in Chicago. If either Pamela Soper, a class winner at the NPC Pittsburgh and 4th place finisher at Junior Nationals, or bodybuilding crossover athlete Grace Rivera, competes in New York then they may be factors as well.

One of the lightest classes all year has been Figure Class B, and we are somewhat disappointed that Halcyon Duarte won’t be coming to the rescue in 2007. If she could compete this year in the same shape that she exhibited when winning the 2006 Ironman, a pro card might fall into her lap. But she gets a pass as she appears to be heavily focused on law school and wedding plans. Another promising newcomer, Coloradan Jacqui Skibba will be sitting this one out as well as she prepares for the USA’s. Amy Thompson has to be mentioned as a favorite simply because of her class win in Chicago, she has great presentation and overall shape but we’d like to see her more conditioned. Tara Chandler moved up to third in Chicago and has great ratios and solid muscularity. Other athletes include Gale Elie, Karen Mullarky (6th last year), and perennial top five contender Allison Jones.

Halcyon Duarte	Amy Thompson	Tara Chandler

We love Figure Class A, not just because of the high quality of its competitors but also because of its impending predictability. It is the second deepest class after Class F, however. Georgian Melissa Froio has danced all around a pro card in the past two years and she’s long overdue, so look for her to improve on last year’s 3rd place finish, and her 2nd place at this year’s Junior USA’s. Huong Arcinas is the other favorite, with an outstanding lower body and overall look. We expect both of these competitors to walk away with cards, but Jennifer DeJoya may also have something to say about that. She’s also a star waiting to be at the right place at the right time for a card. Kara Flowers won the overall at the Arnold Amateur but still hasn’t lived up to her potential on the national stage. Other top five contenders, should they arrive to compete, include Carin Hawkins, Tivisay Briceno and Jamie Perea.

Melissa Froio	Huong Arcinas	Jennifer DeJoya

We welcome any comments that you may have about this article at FigureRX@verizon.net.