2000 EFBB British Championships - An Overview.  This is a retrospective  report as we have been a little late in editing and releasing these videos from late last year.  But it has been well worth the wait with 6 fantastic videos produced from this premier event.  It is the national Championships for the IFBB (known as EFBB) in Britain.  A HUGE event as it includes men and women, plus women's fitness, men's intermediate (Under 80 Kg and Over 80 Kg) 1st timers and senior classes.  Now a few highlights:

126 competitors - 110 men and 16 women; 

MIKE KING as the 1st Middleweight class winner to win the overall title, and achieve his pro card; 

ANITA HIBBERD winning the women's overall title, plus receiving her pro card; 

Massive guest poser, top English Professional PETER BROWN; 

Legendary posing routine by BRUCE LEADER, winner of the Best Presentation Award; 

The event (using the GMV footage) was shown on British TV.  These days this is quite an achievement; 

Our longest ever pump room and prejudging videos from UK, thanks to our fantastic and long suffering camera people.

Here are the relevant links to the videos: Women's Prejudging and Show GMV-404
Women's Pump Room GMV-431,
Men's Prejudging Tape # 1 GMV-405,
Men's Prejudging Tape # 2 GMV-407,
Special Offer for the 2 Men's Prejudging Tapes GMV-407d;
The Men's Pump Room GMV-408 and
The Men's Show GMV-406.

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MASTER'S OLYMPIA

Congratulations to the amazing Vince "The Black Price" Taylor on his 5th Masters' Olympia title.  Flavio Baccianini was missing this time as the regular 2nd place getter.  Instead we saw the sensational DON YOUNGBLOOD leaping into second place, only a couple of points behind Vince.  I wonder whether Vince will keep his promise to also compete in the Mr. Olympia this October.  Vince told me he won't just be competing to make up the numbers, but aiming for a top 6 placing.  But the final decision on whether he can compete rests with Wayne DeMilia.  At this stage I have not heard Wayne's decision on this.

If Vince competes that will make a total of 23 qualified competitors - the largest field in years.

It will be a treat for the fans and we will be there recording all the action "behind the scenes" and in the pump room in particular.  Some of our all time best selling pump room videos are from the last 2 Olympias, with the Arnold Classic Pump Room not far behind.  For more details on the complete Masters' Olympia results, click here.

One more comment on the Masters' Olympia.  it was good to see my old friend John Hnatyschak place 3rd in his first Masters' Olympia.  John features in a workout segment in our next new release, due out in about a week, and titled "Controversial Muscle at the 2000 Olympia".

In 1984 John won his IFBB Mr. Universe title in Las Vegas with Australia's Graeme Lancefield in second place.  John is currently a police officer in New Jersey.

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CITY OF LOS ANGELES TO HONOUR MOVIE MUSCLEMEN!!!

The City of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation is proud to present the Muscle Beach Bodybuilding Championship. The show will pay
tribute to Southern California’s movie musclemen of the Italian sword and sandal genre.  Appearing together for the first time ever will be Mark
Forest, Ed Fury, Mickey Hargitay, Brad Harris, Richard Harrison, Reg Lewis, Peter Lupus and Gordon Mitchell!

Date: Labour Day, Monday, September 3rd
Time: Prejudging: 10:00am  Show: 2:00pm
Place: Venice Beach Recreation Center
1800 Ocean Front Walk
Venice, California
Cost: Free to the Public

2001 is the 50th year celebration of continuous outdoor bodybuilding and fitness shows presented free to the public at Venice Beach.  As part of the festivities, the City of Los Angeles is presenting a lifetime achievement award to the movie musclemen from the 60s.

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2001 JAN TANA CONTEST

For results click here.  Congratulations to Aussie Christine Envall on her 6th place in per pro debut.  Also congratulations to British competitor JOANNA THOMAS on winning the lightweight, and BETTY PARISO the overall title.

Kelly Ryan was a wonderful Winner of the Fitness Class.

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HEIKE JUNG

I recently heard that HEIKE JUNG of Germany placed 3rd in the Middleweight class of the IFBB European Championships.  2nd was the fantastic Finn, Marja Leena Lehtonen of huge arms fame.

Jung is featured in our video GMV-256, where we have her in a gym workout just as she hit the top in Germany, a couple of years ago.  She is now pushing for top honours.

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JULIETTE BERGMANN

In my last HARD NEWS, I mentioned JULIETTE BERGMANN was making her comeback in the Ms. Olympia lightweight class this October.  She has had a remarkable career winning the 1985 Lightweight European title as Juliette Meyer.  She also won the 1985 World Amateur Championships, the 1986 IFBB World championships, and in 1987 made her workout video for us - V-014. 

She competed in 4 Ms. Olympia's with her highest placing being 6th.  She also won a World  Pairs title with Tony Pearson.  She was renowned for her immaculate symmetry - still unsurpassed today.

We plan to bring you a special feature on Juliette in her 2001 condition.  She promised us she will be in her all-time best condition for her comeback competition.