Second and Third Get the Big Prize in Kentucky and Sacramento

The next to the next to the last  weekend of IFBB pro competition in 2011 was a coast-to-coast affair, with Gen Strobo winning the Kentucky Muscle Pro Figure in the eastern battle and Amanda Latona taking the Sacramento Pro Bikini in the west. Neither was a surprising outcome. The figure show was Strobo’s to lose—she was the highest-ranked player—and Latona had a likewise situation, as she was coming off a win at the Titan’s Grand Prix on October 22 against a number of the same contestants. As both had already secured their invites to compete at the ’12 Olympia next September, the big winners at both shows had to be the second- and third-placed women, who are among the last to get in under the top-three qualifier rules.

FIGURE FIRST. Last seen taking second at the Fort Lauderdale Pro a few weeks back, Strobo also won the Europa Hartford event and the Toronto Pro this season. The judges in Kentucky gave her a unanimous thumbs-up, and in fact made unanimous decisions about everyone in the top five.

Twenty-one quality quarter-turners came to Louisville to get onstage at the last pro figures contest of 2011.  Chelsey Morgenstern (pictured) and Candice John earned the lucky runner-up and third-place spots, with Tracey MacDonald and Chikondi Mseka taking fourth and fifth, respectively. Find the complete results below.

BIKINI, LAST BUT NOT LEAST. Latona skipped the Olympia, then came out with guns blazing, lest anyone think she’d hung up her posing suit. Eleven stride ‘n’ snappers got onstage in Sacramento, proving once again that California is truly a land of opportunity. Newcomer Tawna  Eubanks and West Coast regular Natalie Pennington were but a point apart to finish second and third, respectively. Talia Terese took fourth, with Tiffany Marie Boydston rounding out the top five.

I have to admit, I’m surprised that USA overall winner Terese didn’t move all the way to the top three after what I thought was a pretty impressive debut at the Titans. Then again, I wasn’t at the Sac, so that’ll have to remain just one observer’s opinion, another competitor to keep an eye on when the pro circuit begins again in 2012.

Before that happens, though, there are two bikini shows to go in 2011, the Hydrolyze Ultra Pro in Davenport, Iowa, on November 12 and the Florida Pro Bikini in Miami on December 10. Thirteen women had signed up for the Iowa festivities as of November 4, but look for that number to grow before showtime on Saturday.

Photo: Chelsey Morgenstern qualified for the O in Kentucky.

Here are the results from the Kentucky and Sacramento contests:

’11 Kentucky Muscle Pro Figure

1) Gennifer Strobo*
2) Chelsey Morgenstern*
3) Candice John*
4) Tracey MacDonald
5 Chikondi Mseka
6) Candice Lewis
7) Kristen Nagrani
8) Tiffany Procopio
9) Charmayne Jackson
10) Mikaila Soto
11) Elisha Archibold
12) Catherine Andersen
13) Vicki Counts
14) Jaime Lee Cash
15) Cheri Lewis
16) Becky Clawson
16) Candice Houston
16) Catherine Holland
16) Jennifer Hernandez
16) Marlene Koekemoer
16) Natalie Calland

*Qualifies for the ’12 Figure Olympia.

’11 Sacramento Pro Bikini

1) Amanda Latona*
2) Tawna Eubanks*
3) Natalie Pennington*
4) Talia Terese
5) Tiffany Marie Boydston
6) Narmin Assria
7) Mary Jo Cooke-Elliot
8) Diana Fields
9) Brittany Gaylord
10) Mandy Henderson
11) Sandra Augustin

*Qualifies for the ’12 Bikini Olympia.