IFBB Women's Pro World (Bodybuilding)
By Jabber


Because of the structure of the event, Kenny Kassel (the Fitness MC) and
Dave Liberman (the Bodybuilding MC) kept having to trade places this
evening.  Kind of like dueling MC's.  This event brought forth a plethora of
familiar faces AND some heretofore unfamiliar faces to the table.  If I have
any, I'll interject any small weekend stories of these fbb's here as I count
them down.

14 Bodybuilding Women, as I'd mentioned before I got the official blank
scorecard from the promoter, Rick Romeo, for ease in taking notes and making
sure spelling's correct.  Of interest, there were 15 names, the one no show
was Viviana Violante from Italy.  She would've given our big front-runner
(along with a couple of the other "bigger" women) a run for their money...
if she showed up.

Non-top 10 placers:

Among the non-top 10 placers were, in numerical order, Donna Logue, who in
the past looked a bit out-of-balance physiquewise.  At this show, she was
just gently outclassed by some of the finest bodies in the world.  Also we
had the immensely thick Maria Calo.  Interestingly, I "thought" she was
introduced at the prejudging as Maria Calo-Ross, but at the finals as simply
Maria Calo.  Talk about your quickie divorces - LOL!  Seriously I may have
been mistaken, and I didn't get a chance to talk to her much at this show,
but I didn't see a "Mr. Ross" anywhere for what that's worth.

Also outside the top 10 we had cute as a postcard (my kind of postcard)
Martha Sanchez from Guadalajara, Mexico.  She was well-balanced but not in
the proper contest condition to do well in this show.  Oh well.  Lastly we
have Yurie Iijima (first time I've spelled her name right :-) ), who I see
as making gentle strides at getting better as the years pass, but she always
places pretty low at the Jan Tana's for example.  Now sporting formidable
arms and upper back, her midsection appeared too soft for this show,
however.

Between 6th and 10th place:

Between 6th and 10th place (I don't know their exact placings) were the
following, again in numerical order:  Lynea Brehm, from Victoria, Canada.
Some felt she should've finished in the top 5, I tend to agree.  She made an
extremely strong showing (plus she looked very strong, too) at this show,
better than I'd seen her before.  Sporting brown relatively short curly
hair, she was thick and developed from head to toe; posed to music a bit too
soft for my liking, however.  Forget the pics you've previously seen of Ms.
Brehm in WPW, she's worlds better now and hopefully placings will reflect
this.  I believe Yaxeni told me she got 7th.  

Mary Ellen Jerumbo, from El Paso, TX, was as usual, quite thick;
unfortunately her short structure seems to limit herself at shows.  She did
a Motown-flavored routine that she was hoping went over well the Motor-city
suburb crowd; it seemed to.

This next competitor got me off my butt during prejudging to stand up and
take a few full-length pics (including her calves), none other than Yaxeni
Oriquen (had you any doubts? :-) ).  Originally from Venezuela, she now
hails from Miami, FL, and among other bodyparts had an exceptionally thick
back.  She appeared better than I've seen her at the Ms. I, her only
shortcoming is slightly softer abs than I've seen her with before (but they
still were damn good).  When she posed them, her legs (always overshadowed
by her massive upperbody) were quite good at this show, including her
calves.  I'd suggested she need pose her calves and thighs a bit more, show
the judges she's proud of her thighs and calves too (which she should be).
But sheesh the size of her upper body, she could give Ms. Size, Laura
Binetti, a run for her money, indeed.  How big?  Well, contest weight, about
173 lbs. (at 5'9") and in the off-season in the 180's.  That's Tazzie Colomb
territory, sizewise, indeed.

There was no way I could boo (and have anyone understand why I was booing)
to signify displeasure at Yaxeni not being in the top 5 this time around.  I
was tempted, even with this polite Michigan audience.  Yaxeni told me she
just missed the top 5, getting 6th place.

A newcomer, in my mind, in the 6 to 10 placings, was from Toronto, Tracy
Sackman.  Thicknesswise, she was something else, if I do say so myself.  The
short-haired blonde is known for being leg heavy, meaning having positively
outstanding development in her legs.  While her upper body was nothing to
sneeze at, she probably posed her legs more (and in inventive ways) than
I've ever seen in a posing routine, to good effect.

Lastly but not leastly was Angela Debatin, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, really an
excellent-looking package with little experience seemingly.  This was her
pro debut, she had pulled-back hair, and a cute smile she rarely showed.
Nicely thick all over, I noticed that she could've held her poses a bit
longer.  Physically she reminded me of a much better condition Sandy Bell, a
massive amateur from Waco, TX, however, Sandy holds her poses much better.
I look forward to seeing Angela on stage soon again, hopefully at the Jan
Tana.

The top 5 placers:

In 5th place was Betty Pariso from Bedford, TX.  Polite Michigan DID boo a
bit as she should've been 4th.  She keeps getting more massive with each
show, she was dark, hard, and defined.  Her biceps, previously a problem for
some reason, were better for this show (but her huge shoulders do overshadow
them).  She retained a lot of the crazy mass she sports when I see her in
the audience of many Texas shows, while showing up contest-ready.  I can
assume this was disappointing for her.

In 4th place was Denise Masino from Ft. Myers, FL.  I always find it funny
when I talk to her husband Robert.  I asked him what he thought of how she
came in for this contest (I thought it was better than some she's entered of
late), he quickly announced, nope, he didn't like the way she came in.
Funny, he's married to one of the sexiest women on the planet yet he's
always so nonchalant about things - LOL.  Anyway, as usual she has an
excellent left rear bicep shot, is very wide, and actually very thick, thick
abs (if you look at the depth and breadth of her midsection), much to my
liking.  Plus she posed to what I consider a very sexy sounding song (go
ahead make fun of me here): Brittney Spear's "Baby One More Time" (you 
know, "hit me baby one more time...").

In 3rd place was the incredibly balanced Gayle Moher from Columbus, OH
(originally from England).  I found her posing routine almost a little too
artistic and soft for my tastes, but she has no bodyparts that strike you as
overly developed, because they mesh well.  If anything, her posture in her
relaxed stance is noteworthy.  This classy competitor, however did
something, possibly as a joke during the posedown (as she cracked a smile
when she did it), but I thought it was a poor idea.  She tried to match
single rear bicep shots with the mega-rear bicep shots of the eventual
winner.  Tsk, tsk, bad move.

In 2nd place was the continually improving Iris Kyle, from Huntington Beach,
CA.  She got her Pro card in a controversial Heavyweight decision at the
USA's in Las Vegas, but has since improved and gotten thicker.  She has
quite a polished pleasing posing routine (with some Lenda Murray-influenced
posed) and actually seems to know how to move and flow well (not all top
fbb's can I say that of).  But, to me, she still looks like a great Amateur
and not quite Pro material yet (well not top 5 pro at least).  The judges
saw otherwise.

In 1st was the crowd favorite, and mine too to win this show, Laura Binetti
from Toronto, Canada.  Quite frankly I don't think she was more impressive
than I've seen her before, other than possibly being in a bit better
balance.  But that's saying quite a lot as she indeed showed the best
development head to toe at the show.  And isn't that what bodybuilding is
all about, big huge heavy thick well-proportioned artistic muscles?  Well
then there was no other choice for 1st.  Very popular decision with the
crowd....  and me.

Guest posing this evening Diana Dennis.  I was "hoping" it would be Lenda
Murray (oh shucks), but indeed for her age (and for any age actually), Diana
Dennis has an incredible body that cannot be denied.  However, I found the
posing routine got a bit too artistic, as I found her outfit a bit on the
silly side, especially the hat, and the music a tad annoying.  Her moves
while on a "bench" were interesting, however.

Summary bonus:

Actual top 5:
5th - Betty Pariso
4th - Denise Masino
3rd - Gayle Moher
2nd - Iris Kyle
1st - Laura Binetti

Jabber top 5:
5th - Lynea Brehm
4th - Betty Pariso
3rd - Yaxeni Oriquen
2nd - Gayle Moher
1st - Laura Binetti

Such as life...  

Till the next review (some little show, Tan Jana or some such :-) (hmm, Tan
Jana, wasn't that the middle daughter on the Brady Bunch, played by Eve
Plumb?  LOL))...

-jabber