THE WOMEN This was my second year covering the Arnold Classic on video, so I expected it to be easier and better than the first time. It wasn't!! The biggest problem was that our hotel was half way between the Convention Centre for the Expo and the Veterans Memorial Auditorium for the Men's Prejudging and the 2 Evening Shows. With 9 separate bags of video equipment and a team of 4 people, plus a TV Company to work in with, this was not easy. We arrived Thursday night and went straight to the Athletes' Meeting where promoter Jim Lorimer spoke about the various competitions and the many athletes and competitors involved. All bodybuilding and fitness competitors were by invitation only and are selected from the currently available pros. (Jim subsequently received a surprise to him lifetime achievement award at the Saturday night Arnold Classic show). Friday morning the Expo kicked off at 10.00am and we immediately set up our central camera position ready for the prejudging of the two women's contests which were due to start at mid-day. MS INTERNATIONAL My first impression of the Ms International lineup was the stunning condition of YAXENI ORIQUEN, with abs clearly visible at all times whether tensed or relaxed. She looked sensational and performed a wonderful posing routine at the finals. IRIS KYLE also looked in very good condition although I felt she was slightly better when she won her class at the 2001 Olympia. But 3-times Ms. International winner VICKIE GATES was clearly down on her stunning condition of last year's event. It was not that Vickie was way off her best as she did placed 3rd in this fantastic heavyweight class. But her abs were not prominent and she seemed to lack sharpness overall compared to Yaxeni and Iris. That was the order in which they subsequently placed - Yaxeni, Iris, Vickie. Of note was the fantastic routine done by BETTY PARISO at the evening finals where she took off the styles of some of the top guys such as Ronnie and Mike Matarazzo etc. It was great fun and showed another side of Betty. The lightweight class was dominated by VALENTINA CHEPIGA. who was in much better, tighter condition than she was at the Olympia. I still felt she was slightly down on her all time best condition when she won the 2000 Olympia, but nevertheless superb. Eventual 2nd place getter DAYANA CADEAU exuded size, shape, sex appeal, charisma, and symmetry, but her abs were off this year and so she was clearly second to Valentina. The battle for third place was between virtual newcomers FANNY BARRIOS and CATHY PRIEST. Fanny came off best in this encounter, to place third with Cathy Priest fourth. It will be interesting to see how these two women shape up in the years to come. In the overall posedown at the show Yaxeni was a clear winner from Valentina. Yaxeni said in her speech she had waited a long time for this victory and as far as I can recall this was her first major pro victory. She will be the one to beat at the Ms Olympia this year. FITNESS INTERNATIONAL The Fitness Competition Prejudging came next. The girls do a symmetry round first, and then have to present a 90 second routine which must incorporate several compulsory moves. It's amazing how they can all do this, and yet present completely different routines. The competitors also wear a compulsory black catsuit. Thus the judges cannot be distracted by a clever costume. SUSIE CURRY was a stand out, and easily took first place much to the disappointment of 2nd place getter JENNY WORTH. It's hard to imagine who could beat Susie if she maintains her present form. See our results section for a complete set of results from the Fitness International and all other sections of this event. ARNOLD CLASSIC This was the big one that the majority of fans come to see, with no disrespect to the 2 women's contests and the Expo. After the reigning Mr Olympia Ronnie Coleman winning the 2001 Arnold last year, what could top this for 2002? With an incredible JAY CUTLER competing in his first AC we were about to find out. Plus the extremely popular LEE PRIEST competing in the event once again along with sensational newcomer AHMAD HAIDAR. It was soon obvious that it was going to be a head to head battle between Cutler and last year's runner up Cormier. With a superb Lee Priest thrown in for good measure. The audience was in for a real treat. Right from the first call out it was obvious to the judges also that the main battle was Cutler versus Cormier with a secondary battle between Jackson and Priest. Kevin Levrone seemed to be right off the pace this time and this was a surprise. Jay had an edge in muscularity and abs while Chris matched him in legs and back. But overall it was the total package of “Mr Olympia in waiting” Jay Cutler that again relegated the superb physique of Chris Cormier into second place. I was pleased to see a more innovative posing presentation from Cutler that took a shot at his Olympia nemesis Coleman in a fun way. But in his victory interview with Arnold Jay refused to be drawn into conjecture about his coming battle with Ronnie at this years Olympia. I do hope that Jay will become more media savvy in the future as he does not milk an interview the way Shawn Ray does or the way some of the other pros do. The battle for 3rd and 4th turned out to be one between ever reliable and cut Dexter "Blade" Jackson and Blond Myth Lee Priest, the wonder from down under. If this event had been held a week after the San Francisco GP won brilliantly by Priest, rather that the other way around, then it might have been a battle between the blond bombers Cutler and Priest for the Hummer! Who knows what may happen at the Olympia between Lee and Jay where I predict they will be very close. However on this occasion I felt it was a toss up between Dexter and Lee, and Dexter got the decision this time due to his slightly better back and legs plus his overall tightness. 5th was a rare placing for Kevin Levrone but he was very flat and rather small, especially in the legs. He was way off the brilliant shape I last saw him in just a few months ago as he won the English GP for the 3rd time. But his posing was superb and few can equal him in this department. In 6th place was the super muscular new sensation from Lebanon, Ahmad Haidar. He was unlucky to lose the most muscular trophy to Jay Cutler as Ahmad had the best condition of anyone in the whole event. He is the Zane of the 21st century with his superb abs and hard, symmetrically sculptured muscularity. He had a very good routine and a stage presence that demands respect. He deserved to place above Kevin on this occasion. 7th went to a most disappointed Dennis James. He seemed to have missed his peak being a few pounds above his best competition weight. But he posed superbly as he always does and has a huge crowd following. If Dennis gets it all together at the Olympia this year he will give the top 3 a real shake-up come October. Final thoughts. I hope that Jay will in future go on the overseas pro GP circuit as I have not seen him compete in the English or Australian GPs as yet, just to name 2 top events. He will benefit from the extra contest appearances and develop that competition hardness, experience and stage craft such as is displayed by Kevin or Chris who have won so many GPs in recent years. In Kevin's case he has been cleaning up at GPs for about 10 years now. It is time Jay started to take the GP money! It was a first for GMV to be able to tape the complete prejudging of the Arnold Classic, shot from right behind the judges row. Don't miss it as the prejudging is where you get the longest and best look at all the physiques, side by side and solo. It was enormously expensive for us to produce and present this event on video. Only if you all support it with your video purchases, we will endeavour to do it again next year. This is without doubt the hardest, the furthest away, and the most expensive (in terms of travel) event we cover for the year. EXPO The Expo was huge and very crowded or should I say super popular. The Arnold has an extra day of Expo compared to the Olympia which is a good thing in my opinion. Arnold appeared on stage and joked with long time friend and compere Anja Schreiner for about 5 minutes on the Sunday. Entertainment was presented non stop on this stage and included an event for the World's Strongest Men as they attempted to clean and press a replica Apollon Axle specially made for this year's Expo by Tom Lincir of IVANKO BARBELL COMPANY. Stars we interviewed included Jay Cutler, King Kamali, Garrett Downing, Quincy Taylor, Yaxeni Oriquen and many more. Our Expo video is presently being edited as is the Australian GP. Next month I will have my Aussie GP report ready and also the FIBO report. I leave for FIBO in Essen, Germany in a few days time. |
