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- Joined
- Dec 24, 2005
- Messages
- 143
This year there were some high expectations re. the competitors. Unfortunately 5 or 6 of the guys that were advertised to appear didnt show which weakened the lineup considerably. Notabley missing was Sylvio Samuel and Toney Freeman and Mustaffa. I know a lot of people were very dissappointed including myself.
The Venue was very small and the trade expo was in a corridor only 8 feet wide and 30 feet long. Very dissapointing and hopefully this will be rectified for next year.
Dexter Jackson - 1st. Looked very good, never seen him in person before but looked as big and hard as any pics I have ever seen. He said he had a cold and it showed! He had no tan on at all, no oil, wasnt pumped up and didnt really hit his poses with much enthusiasm. He looked like he didnt want to be there, especially prejudging. That being said, he was the clear winner as long as the total lack of calves is overlooked. His v-taper in back poses was amazing though and front quads were quite cut which is rare for him.
Ronnie Rockel - Should have been 3rd or fourth. He had smooth back and glutes, but was very big and complete as far as symmetry went, just a bit too heavy or watery to place this high IMO.
Vince Taylor. Massive improvemnt from last year. Looked as good as Dex in some poses. Striated glutes which I think is new for him? Not sure. Anyway he looked absolutely incredible and did the best routine of the night minus the terminator bit which has had its day. Ageless and incredible.
4th Martin Kelstrom. WOW, shocked everyone in attendance with his balanced and trult shredded msucle. Very rare to see a 292lb guy so hard and shredded. No weaknesses either, really looked good, better than Rockel IMO.
THe other competitors on no particular order:
Hide. Looked great, just needs to get a touch more in certain areas. Very hard. Like a smaller Dugdale a bit.
Hong Wong - Great quads. What a bodybuilder should look like with a tiny waist and great v taper but was overshadowed in the lineup by more heaviily muscled monsters.
Luke Wood. Looked OK, V taper was off. He was hard and had usual great delts and quads. I like his look from 2 years ago when he was fuller. I think the judges agreed with me too as he placed low.
Neil Gardner. Competes for the fun of it. Was harder than last year but these guys are at another level. Good guy, loves the sport, who am I to put him down.
Joel Stubbs. WOW. Upper body is so big with such fresh looking and freaky muscle. WHole upper body was totally devastating which make his weak quads look even weaker. How can the judges place him when there is such a discrepancy? I truly felt for him. He dwarfed everyone, his size in his delts, pecs and back was top 10 of all time in terms of size and crispness, shocking to see in the flesh.
Mossimo Villi - Probably looks really good in his gym back in Italy but someone who is kind needs to help him big time, his stomach protruded worse than I have seen, He looked like a nice guy though, seemingly oblivious to the possibility of an alien exploding from his tummy. Maybe he had an upset?
John Hodgson. Most overlooked athlete. Shredded, hardest most symmetrical man onstage and not rewarded for it. Great look to him like Labrada with bigger calves. Really nice guy, let me take photos of him doing his compulsories the next day. Couldnt say enough about him, deserves a lot more in the future.
Overall the lineup was dissappointing compared to previous years. The top 3 were world class but the Aussies really let the side down with a very poor showing in athletes adn the overseas guys didnt show up as hoped and that made it worse. I would go again but maybe just go to the prejudging. Half as many people went to the night show as prejudging so others felt the same as me. Chris Cormier did a good job as MC, he is a great guy and good ambassador for the sport.
The Venue was very small and the trade expo was in a corridor only 8 feet wide and 30 feet long. Very dissapointing and hopefully this will be rectified for next year.
Dexter Jackson - 1st. Looked very good, never seen him in person before but looked as big and hard as any pics I have ever seen. He said he had a cold and it showed! He had no tan on at all, no oil, wasnt pumped up and didnt really hit his poses with much enthusiasm. He looked like he didnt want to be there, especially prejudging. That being said, he was the clear winner as long as the total lack of calves is overlooked. His v-taper in back poses was amazing though and front quads were quite cut which is rare for him.
Ronnie Rockel - Should have been 3rd or fourth. He had smooth back and glutes, but was very big and complete as far as symmetry went, just a bit too heavy or watery to place this high IMO.
Vince Taylor. Massive improvemnt from last year. Looked as good as Dex in some poses. Striated glutes which I think is new for him? Not sure. Anyway he looked absolutely incredible and did the best routine of the night minus the terminator bit which has had its day. Ageless and incredible.
4th Martin Kelstrom. WOW, shocked everyone in attendance with his balanced and trult shredded msucle. Very rare to see a 292lb guy so hard and shredded. No weaknesses either, really looked good, better than Rockel IMO.
THe other competitors on no particular order:
Hide. Looked great, just needs to get a touch more in certain areas. Very hard. Like a smaller Dugdale a bit.
Hong Wong - Great quads. What a bodybuilder should look like with a tiny waist and great v taper but was overshadowed in the lineup by more heaviily muscled monsters.
Luke Wood. Looked OK, V taper was off. He was hard and had usual great delts and quads. I like his look from 2 years ago when he was fuller. I think the judges agreed with me too as he placed low.
Neil Gardner. Competes for the fun of it. Was harder than last year but these guys are at another level. Good guy, loves the sport, who am I to put him down.
Joel Stubbs. WOW. Upper body is so big with such fresh looking and freaky muscle. WHole upper body was totally devastating which make his weak quads look even weaker. How can the judges place him when there is such a discrepancy? I truly felt for him. He dwarfed everyone, his size in his delts, pecs and back was top 10 of all time in terms of size and crispness, shocking to see in the flesh.
Mossimo Villi - Probably looks really good in his gym back in Italy but someone who is kind needs to help him big time, his stomach protruded worse than I have seen, He looked like a nice guy though, seemingly oblivious to the possibility of an alien exploding from his tummy. Maybe he had an upset?
John Hodgson. Most overlooked athlete. Shredded, hardest most symmetrical man onstage and not rewarded for it. Great look to him like Labrada with bigger calves. Really nice guy, let me take photos of him doing his compulsories the next day. Couldnt say enough about him, deserves a lot more in the future.
Overall the lineup was dissappointing compared to previous years. The top 3 were world class but the Aussies really let the side down with a very poor showing in athletes adn the overseas guys didnt show up as hoped and that made it worse. I would go again but maybe just go to the prejudging. Half as many people went to the night show as prejudging so others felt the same as me. Chris Cormier did a good job as MC, he is a great guy and good ambassador for the sport.
