Pump&Circum Stance

RUTH SILVERMAN’S PUMP&CIRCUM STANCE

Ms. O’s Fate Plus, fun in Santa Barbara

The first Ms. Olympia competition I ever at- natural evolution, the huge Columbus, tended was in 1986, at the Felt Forum of Madi- Cory in ’88. Ohio, weekend is adding 212-and- son Square Garden in New York, the greatest under men’s bodybuilding as well as city in the world. Rick Wayne had just hired me men’s and women’s physique. to be his executive editor at Flex, and I was tak- As for the Ms. Olympia, promoter ing a crash course in the wacky world of weight Robin Chang hasn’t made any an- training. I knew very little about bodybuilding, nouncements, but based on all those particularly the women’s sport, but I was eager years of observation, I’d imagine that to learn, and, hey, any the organizers are still considering excuse to go to New what to do and that the contest may York for Thanksgiving be held somewhere near the end of weekend, the contest’s the season, in conjunction with anoth- date and destination for er event. Recall that in 1999, after that several years back then. year’s promoter could not pull it off Cory Everson was as a standing show, the late Kenny at the height of her six- Kassel and the still very alive Bob year reign. She was at- Bonham stepped up and added the tractive; had nice, round, Ms. O to the late-season show they athletic-looking muscle were putting on in New Jersey. The and was the definition of next year the competition joined the symmetry and propor- Mr. and Fitness Os in Las Vegas. tion. The venue, now If ever there was a time to stay Neveux tuned, this is it. known as The Theater at Iris Kyle Lenda Madison Square Garden, in ’14. Murray in PS. Everyone who has followed women’s was packed with fans Roland Balik ’02. bodybuilding from early on has his or her idea and celebs. Andy Warhol was in the house, of when the sport crossed the line. When the and before I had time to absorb that, bodybuild- women got too big, too hard, too veiny, too ing royalty I hadn’t even known existed a few whatever you object to. When the judges went months earlier were shaking my hand. too far in their love of muscle. When the coaches, Flash-forward 28 years, and the days when a nutritionists and gurus pushed too hard. For me pro women’s bodybuilding competition would be it was the night Kim Chizevsky dethroned held on its own are long gone. The most recent Lenda Murray at the ’96 Ms. O, which was twist is that the 2015 IFBB Pro League schedule held in Chicago. Murray, the most commercially does not include the Ms. Olympia. beautiful Ms. Olympia since the first, Rachel When the schedules came out, athletes and McLish—and the only one to date who has hardcore fans took to social media with alarm. appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Save the Ms. Olympia! A petition to Pro League Balik Issue—had reigned for six years, succeeding head Jim Manion was started (find it at www.change.org) Everson’s run, but Chizevsky, with her ever-developing mus- that had garnered more than 2,100 signatures as of this writ- cularity, was pushing her hard. Everson had ing. Will it affect the outcome? I’m not betting the ranch on it. fought off a similar challenge from Sandy The facts are, women who train and want to compete have Riddell before she retired after her 1989 win. many size options now. Not that many want to get as big Cory had the better package overall, in my and as cut as the current standards for women bodybuilders opinion, but I also thought the decision was at dictate, and not that many people want to pay to see them or least partly because Riddell’s body was further sponsor their contests. (It is up for debate how many want to than the judges wanted to go. In ’96, Lenda pay to see medium- or bikini-sized women either, as attested was just too far off her best condition to fight by the presence of the Mr. Olympia judging during the Friday- off Chizevsky. night women’s-division finals. But I digress.) There were attempts to rein it in—Andrulla So women’s physique, or “bigger figger,” will become the Blanchette, Juliette Bergmann and a biggest-babe lineup at the Olympia, which was its destiny, couple of years with weight classes—before intended or not. Whether I agree with the call, it is certainly the Murray came back for two more wins. Then promoter’s business decision to make. With five women’s divi- history repeated itself as an ever-improving Iris sions and three men’s, something was gonna have to give, as Kyle finally pushed past her to the title. Ten it did at the Arnold last year, when the Ms. International was titles later—and with physique waiting in the

eliminated from the schedule. This year, in what seems like a wings—we seem to be at another crossroads. Silverman Kim Chizevsky in ’98. 142 FEBRUARY 2015 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com PUMP&CIRCUM STANCE The Lou Show: Scenes From the Ferrigno Legacy Pro

Awesome Aussies Barbie Heng Sarah LeBlanc, Jane Jamie and Ebony Quince. as spectacular Postill Santos in person as took the scored a she is in the physique personal contest photos. stage by best, storm. fourth.

Dominique November Furuta was 28, 2014 moved to tears when Photography by Ruth Silverman she made The old tradi- the first tion of holding callout. a pro show over Thanksgiving weekend got a reboot, Hulk- style, with the Ferrigno Legacy Marlene Championships, Koekemoer co-promoted by of South Lou and held Africa Speaking of Cory Everson, can you earned the at the elegant believe that her kids, Boris and Nina Granda Theatre “Came the Donia, here with head judge Steve Farthest” in Santa Bar- Weinberger, are all grown up? bara, California. award— It attracted and her solid lineups best in men’s body- Third- placing by building, men’s placer far, fifth. and women’s Loana Speaking physique and Paula Full confession: I’d bikini and Muttoni— of things have given runner- I never proved an her name up Candrea Judd- opportunity for rolls thought Adams the top spot I’d see, stars-in-the- off the in WPD. making to get tongue the here’s John noticed, like way her Tuman en WPD winner bodyparts famille— Jamie Postill, roll along with wife a Canadian the posing Noelle and who returned platform. beautiful to the stage baby this year after Rostam. a long absence. The exception: bikini champ Sarah LeBlanc notched her second win of the ’15 season.