IFBB Weekend Preview: New York Pro & California Pro

A star-studded event comes to the Big Apple this weekend, as some of the IFBB’s elite will be on hand competing at the 2013 New York Pro. In all, a record 134 IFBB Pro League athletes will be competing in six divisions – Men’s Bodybuilding, 212 Men’s Bodybuilding, Figure, Bikini and Men’s and Women’s Physique.

On the West Coast, 28 competitors will take the stage at the California Pro Figure Championships in Culver City.

NEW YORK PRO

Where to begin? With the record-number of competitors? With the two competitors with multiple Olympia wins in Kevin English (202/212 Showdown, 2009-2011) and Nicole Wilkins (2009, 2011)? With the three Arnold Classic Champions in Victor Martinez (2007), Wilkins (2010-2012) and Candice Keene (2013)? Or with the three returning champions looking to defend their titles (Cedric McMillan, Keene, Juliana Malacarne)?

As always, let’s start with the big boys.

MEN’S BODYBUILDING

Marquee Matchup Victor Martinez vs Cedric McMillan

The Lowdown Two former NY Pro champs, each with something to prove. Martinez makes his return to the stage after 18 months away, hoping to re-establish himself as a top-five Olympia contender … which is exactly where he left off, right after placing fourth at the 2011 Olympia and Sheru Classic. McMillan is back in the Big Apple for the third time on the heels of his win at the Europa Orlando and a disastrous trip to Brazil for the Arnold Classic. McMillan seemingly has all the physical tools, but the same questions remain: Can he ever come in conditioned enough, and is he mentally equipped to deal with all of the challenges that come with competing at an elite level?

The Field Juan Morel and Jon Delarosa made their pro debuts by placing in the top five here last year, and both return looking to build on impressive rookie campaigns. Morel, the 2011 IFBB North Americans Overall winner, placed fourth in New York before winning the Europa Battle of Champions and shutting it down for the rest of the season. Delarosa, the 2011 NPC USA Heavyweight winner, finished one spot being Morel in New York a year ago. He placed second at the Toronto Pro two weeks later in his last competition of the year. The X-Factor? That would be Egypt’s Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, the 2012 Amatuer Olympia winner. Elssbiay is expected to hit the stage in the mid-to-high 280s, which would make him one of the biggest competitors on stage. If he’s conditioned enough, he should be the freakiest, and New York has a long history of rewarding the freaks.

212 MEN’S BODYBUILDING

Marquee Matchup Kevin English vs Sami Alhaddad

The Lowdown The most decorated competitor in the 212/202 division (English) versus one of it’s fastest rising (Alhaddad). We haven’t seen Kevin English since last year’s New York Pro, when he won his third 212/202 title in four years – in what many considered to be a photo-finish with then first-year pro Al Haddad. With three Olympia Showdown wins on his resume, English’s credentials are unmatched in the 212/202 division. But his last two wins – over Flex Lewis at the 2011 Olympia Showdown and at last year’s New York Pro over Alhaddad – have been far less convincing than his earlier ones, to say the least. Whether or not he can regain that form after taking a year off remains to be seen, and should be the deciding factor against Alhaddad, who is undoubtedly hungry for a win after three second-place finishes in 2012.

The Field Darron Glenn, Aaron Clark and Marco Rivera are three of the names who could make waves in the top three, but only one man in this lineup other than English enters with multiple 212 wins under his belt – Al Auguste. He has three, to be exact, with two coming last year (Desert Muscle Classic, Europa Show of Champions) and one in 2011 (Tampa PBW Championships). Glenn and Clark went toe-to-toe in the Overall posedown at last year’s NPC USA Championships, with Glenn (Light Heavyweight winner) coming out on top over Clark (Heavyweight winner).

FIGURE

Marquee Matchup Nicole Wilkins vs Candice Keene

The Lowdown There are big names all around in this contest, but there’s no matchup more elite than the battle for supremacy in the Figure division. With two Olympia titles and three Figure International wins, Wilkins – who returns to competition after electing to sit out the Figure International and take the longest offseason of her pro career – is far and away the more decorated of the two. But Keene, the defending champion, is coming off of a win over Wilkins’ long-time nemesis Erin Stern two months ago that could have shifted the balance of power in the division. Keene has never beaten Wilkins, and a win here would go a long way in establishing a new pecking order in the division. The matchup should come down to conditioning, as both competitors sit on opposite sides of that spectrum – Wilkins can at times come in too soft, while Keene has to find a balance between keeping her backside down and not coming in too hard in the upper body, particularly in her shoulders. Whoever manages to find the best balance will most likely end up as the new New York Pro champ.

The Field A number of competitors jockeying for position in the Olympia Qualification Series Standings but, unless one of the aforementioned two comes in off, the rest of the field will be left fighting for spots in the top five.

BIKINI

Marquee Matchup Yeshaira Robles vs Ashley Kaltwasser

The Lowdown Robles and Kaltwasser each enter having already won contests this month – Robles at the Pittsburgh Pro, Kaltwasser at the Powerhouse Classic. The win was the third of Robles’ career and the first for Kaltwasser – who has two runner-up finishes already this year, the most recent coming to Robles in Pittsburgh.

The Field A number of competitors with top-five finishes in the past, most notably Yarelis Gonzales and Ashley Cronley LeBlanc.

WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE

Marquee Matchup Juliana Malacarne versus Karina Nascimento

The Lowdown As whole, the Brazilians have dominated the second-year division, and Malacarne and Nascimento have been two of the best. Nascimento recently joined Patricia Mello – another Brazilian – as the only competitors in the division with three professional wins. Malacarne has competed only once – at last year’s New York Pro – but that was enough for most to proclaim her one of the best – if not the best – in the newly-formed division.

The Field Teresita Morales, Francis Mendez, Jill Rudison and Jillian Reville all have placed in the top five of previous contests. But with an influx of new competitors, any number of names could end up placing in the top five.

MEN’S PHYSIQUE

Marquee Matchup Anton Antipov vs Sadik Hadzovic

The Lowdown Anton Antipov and Sadik Hadzovic are the only two in the lineup with pro wins in the past, Antipov’s coming two weeks ago at the Powerhouse Classic and Hadzovic’s coming at last year’s Valenti Gold Cup. But the Men’s Physique division has proven to be anything but predictable, so don’t be surprised to see something unexpected come Saturday night.

CALIFORNIA PRO FIGURE

It’s the second-largest field in the history of the California Pro, as 28 competitors will hit the stage in Culver City this Saturday. It should be one of the most competitive top-fives in recent memory, as only one entrant – Francine Sablan – has won an IFBB Pro League Figure contest in the past. Sablan, the 2012 NPC USA Overall winner, won in her first professional appearance, at last year’s Tournament of Champions.

Camala Rodriguez has two professional wins on her resume, but both of those came in the Fitness division. She switched over to Figure at the end of last year, placing 3rd (Ft. Lauderdale Cup) and 6th (Figure International) in her first two outings in the new division. Rodriguez, Wendy Fortino, Allison Frahn, Monica Labriola, Laurie Schnelle, Dawn Fernandez and Victoria Adelus all have points in the Olympia Qualification Series Standings, so all will be hoping to add to those totals – if not qualify automatically with a win – this weekend.

Francine Sablan (L) and Camala Rodriguez (R)