Houston Pro Fitness—Sizzlin' Stuff

The precontest buzz regarding the Houston Pro contests in men’s bodybuilding, fitness and figure was that the women’s battles would be a lot more interesting than the main men’s event (see postscript below). With due respect to men’s winner Silvio Samuel, who was a precontest favorite, I have to agree, especially when it comes to the fitness show.

Reason number one that the Houston Pro Fitness lineup had folks talking was the long-promised return of vet Shannon Meteraud to the sport of high kicks and hand balancing. Number two was the return of Nicole Rollolazo, one of the sport’s most entertaining performers, after a layoff, and number three was the presence of another vet, Tracey Greenwood, one of the top five fitness athletes in the world. Would Shannon—or one of the numerous of new talents leaping and pushing up to get noticed among more-familiar faces—mount a serious challenge to Tracey’s easy-to-predict win?

The results had Greenwood in first, with Meteraud qualifying for her first Fitness Olympia since 2003, in second, and newcomer Erin Riley qualifying for her first ever, in third.

The score sheet shows a real division between the physique and routine numbers, which suggests the fans got treated to some smokin’ routines. Greenwood and Meteraud came in one-two in the two comparison rounds, as they did in the overall scores, while top honors in the routines went mostly to athletes who didn’t have a shot at a Fitness O invite this time. In the long routines the coveted best placings went to Traci Redding (14th overall), Rollolazo (seventh), Angie English, (ninth), Nicole Duncan (fifth) and Riley.

Shannon, who has kept her butt and other bodyparts in shape by competing in figure since the birth of her second daughter, in 2005, had that it’s-finally-time twinkle in her eye when she took fifth at the Pittsburgh Pro Figure, earlier in the season. A year earlier she’d discussed her intention of getting back to her original sport, when she could find the time. I am in awe that she did it.

*Postscript: The Houston Pro also included one of those newfangled 202-pounds-and-under events, which I’m in favor of because they shine the spotlight on some of the pro ranks’ more aesthetic bodies. How great to see an athlete with lines like Ray Arde’s earn some recognition and a couple of bucks. The grand prize doesn’t include an invite to the Mr. Olympia, but the top placers qualify for the big 202 Showdown, which will be held at the Olympia Expo on Saturday during the big weekend. (Find info on that at the Olympia Web site.)

Photos

Tracey Greenwood (top) and Erin Riley.

Here are the complete results:

’08 Houston Pro Fitness

1) Tracey Greenwood*
2) Shannon Meteraud*
3) Erin Riley*
4) Bethany Gainey
5) Nicole Duncan
6) Amy Haddad
7) Nicole Rollolazo
8) Heidi Fletcher
9) Angie English
10) Trish Warren
11) Laticia Jackson
12) Susan Groshek
13) Myriam Capes
14) Traci Redding
15) Amy Villa-Nelson
16) Maggie Blanchard
16) Jessica Rohm
18) Leslie Rae Newton
19) Shannon Dey
20) Jennifer Cassetty
21) Liza Hughes
21) Lisbeth Marquez
21) Lisa McCormick
21) Stacy Wig

*Qualifies for the Fitness Olympia.