March Madness, IFBB-style moved to the West Coast this weekend, with the inaugural California Governor’s Cup Pro Figure Women’s Physique and Men’s Physique Championships storming the state capital, Sacramento.
Figure first. With 18 game quarter-turners onstage at the Crest Theater, the Governor’s Cup was the largest figure bash of the season so far. The perfect setting for Heather Dees, the latest hot thing gliding up the pro-figure ladder, to get her first pro win in. Heather has continued to polish her presentation, and the judges made their choice unanimous here.
In second was Krissy Chin, who was looking fine in her own right, as she has been at every show lately, while Allison Frahn earned a best-ever pro placing in taking third.
With Jami DeBernard just a point behind Frahan in fourth and Carin Hawkins coming back to show ’em how it’s done in fifth, it was not an easy lineup. In fact, it was in lineup in which notable rookies learned how hard it was going to be in the pros. Wendy Fotino, the ’11 USA champ, fared best with a seventh-place landing, while ’11 National champ Julie Mayer-Hyman was 10th.
Now for women’s physique. This was also a tough lineup, with St. Louis sensation Sara Hurrle slightly ahead after the judging but losing to ’11 National champ Karin Kimura by a couple of points at evening’s end. Both women presented beautiful physiques, although Kimura carries more muscle, for sure. From the pictures I might have given the edge to Hurrle’s lines, but the panel reportedly preferred Kimura’s conditioning at the finals.
Susan Salazar, sixth at the Desert Muscle Classic, improved up to third in the lineup of nine.
The other competition at this event, the Governor’s Cup Men’s Physique marked the pro debut of that new sport. It also marked another first for the winner, Matt Christianer, who earned the very first pro card in men’s physique by taking the overall at the ’11 Junior USA almost a year ago.
Find complete results of all the Governor’s Cup Pro competitions below.
Photos: Karin Kimura (top) and Heather Dees.
’12 IFBB Governor’s Cup Pro Figure Championship
1) Heather Dees
2) Krissy Chin
3) Allison Frahn
4) Jami DeBernard
5) Carin Hawkins
6) Alea Suarez
7) Wendy Fotino
8) Jodie Minear
9) Simone Mack
10) Julie Mayer-Hyman
11) Michelle McDonald
12) Leah Berti
13) Melanie Burger
14) Cheri Lewis
15) Tracey MacDonald
16) Deborah Denio
17) Rachel Gichert
18) Viviana Casarubbia
’12 IFBB Governor’s Cup Pro Women’s Physique Championship
1) Karin Kimura
2) Sara Hurrle
3) Susan Salazar
4) Marina Lopez
5) Akane Nigro-Ismeal
6) Tracy Beckham
7) Valerie Gangi
8) Patricia Wood
9) Lisa Giesbrecht
’12 IFBB Governor’s Cup Pro Men’s Physique Championship
1) Matt Cristianer
2) Alex Carneiro
3) Miguel Aguilar
4) Bobby Ashhurst
5) Dean Fazzolari
6) Deniz Duygulu
7) Burton Hughes
8) Douglas Peaney
9) Matthew Action
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