1999 NPC USA (Bodybuilding-Lightweight)
By -jabber


Okay, in the short class, oops, I mean lightweight (well they're short, too
:-), we get to some not huge women, but very muscular ones who are willing
to flex!  Ah, the REASON I came here to Southern California (certainly
wasn't for their beaches - South Florida's are better, certainly wasn't for
their sky and smog and traffic - I could stay in Dallas for the traffic
part, thank you very much), let the show begin.

Lightweight Women:

Finishing outside the top 5 was 6th place Laurel Rhinehart.  In 5th, I let
out a boo.  A very muscular, well-conditioned, highly polished routine, not
to mention one of the most facially attractive faces at the show gathered
Ms. Stacey Seaver 5th???  Dang!  In some ways, I felt she was able to
challenge the 1st place female, and Ms. Seaver should've been a close 2nd.
As one gentleman pointed out to me, she was holding some water at the
prejudging.  That's a shame (I would've held it for her :-) ) because she
probably would've gotten 2nd if she showed up like she did for the finals.

In 4th was Trish Harnashin (never heard of her), in 3rd was Stephanie Starr,
sporting some great defined biceps, calves, and abs.  What she had to tie
these exceptional and crucial bodyparts together wasn't quite as good as the
winner of the class, but darn good just the same.  Watch for her in future
shows, her chest and back thickness has improved from a scant couple years
back.  In 2nd was Kathy Pichnarcik.  I was a bit surprised at this placing,
but she was quite muscular.

In 1st was who I pegged to get it: Tonia Villalobos (perhaps one of the best
last names in bodybuilding :-) ).  Although I wanted her to get it, and she
did, strangely I wished she would've been better.  I'd seen her better and
more defined at previous shows.  Her abs were just so-so, her arms, nice
size, but Ms. Starr and Ms. Seaver easily beat her on hardness.  What Ms.
Villalobos did better than anyone in her class (and in the posedown, IMO,
which she rightly shouldn't have gotten the overall), her symmetry and
muscle tie-ins were great.  Excellent shape and size - everything in perfect
proportion with everything else.  

If it wasn't for details - she could've gotten the overall.