FBBUK at the NABBA Worlds

At the beginning of June, a 'Team GB' that are, unlike their counterparts in so many other sports, almost utterly ignored by the media, made their way to Montecatini Terme (not a million miles from Florence) in Tuscany, where they did themselves and the country proud at one version of their sport's World Championships. Again, completely ignored by the media, they returned to the UK, where they no doubt celebrated with family and friends, put their trophies on their mantelpieces, and carried on with their day jobs.

We are, of course, talking about the British competitors at the NABBA Worlds. FMS, as regular readers will know, does like his female NABBA competitors, the ladies who do it in thongs, amateurs one and all. So I hardly need an excuse, but if the mainstream media are going to ignore their achievements, then that in itself is reason enough to mention them here.

You'll recall that NABBA classes are slightly different. Instead of 'Bodybuilding', we have 'Physique'. And then NABBA has two 'Figure' classes, 'Trained Figure', which is more or less equivalent to NPC/IFBB Physique, and 'Toned Figure', which would be your NPC/IFBB 'Figure'... You'll get the idea!

Unfortunately, although Louise Baird competed for Britain last year, there was no British representative in the Physique (ie. Bodybuilding) class in 2013. In fact, there were only four contestants all told - a sad reflection on how female bodybuilding seems to be going. Perhaps next year we'll be represented in that class again.

But there were Brits to spare in the other classes. In the taller Trained Figure class, Becky Williamson finished 5th, and Jody Shuttleworth was 6th.

Becky Williamson (BextaGlutes on Twitter), has been competing since 2005. Like so many of the NABBA athletes, she's a mother and lives and trains in the North of England.


Becky Williamson (left), and Jody Shuttleworth

Jody has now competed for Britain at either the NABBA Worlds or NABBA Universe for five years in a row . Five years representing Britain at the highest level for an amateur in her sport and still virtually unknown to most of the country. It's a crime!

Cheryl Steele finished 5th, and FMS'  favourite driving instructor from Rochdale, Linda Gartside, came in 3rd in the shorter of the two Trained Figure classes.



You can also see Linda's routine from a different angle, as well as other footage from the NABBA Worlds and lots of other interesting stuff on Linda's excellent youtube channel. And if you want to know more about this amazing woman, check out her website or FMS' tribute to her.

And while Becky, Jody and the lovely Linda were displaying their glutes as they should be displayed in a bodybuilding contest, Team GB were cleaning up in the Toned Figure class, taking the top five places.


Catherine Hosker-Brothers (left), and Kelsey Yung

In fifth, Catherine Hosker-Brothers, from Lancashire, who had placed 2nd in 2012. In fourth, and the same position as she had achieved in 2012, was Kelsey Yung, the reigning UKBFF Bikini champ. Third place went to Sally Knights, the Bradford hairdresser who some readers may remember from a previous NABBA-themed post.



Second place went to Kay Goodwin, for whom bodybuilding is very much a family affair. She trains along with her husband (an ex-pro rugby league player), and her son, Lewis, who is also a bodybuilder. Hard to believe when you look at the shape she's in that this stunning woman is a 35-year-old mother.



When she's not covered in oil and fake tan and showing off her glutes on stage, Kay's probably training, and when she's not doing that Kay works in customer relations for a bank. My kind of account manager!



And she's yet another lady from the North of England - how much more proof do we need that Lancashire and Yorkshire are the places to be be for UK female muscle fans?! She's only been competing since 2010, and finishing runner-up in Tuscany was by far the best result of her career to date.



And so finally to Britain's newest NABBA World Champion, Adele Blake.



Adele is an ex-Royal Navy physical training instructor who left the service nine years ago and now works as a Nutrition Coach. She has always enjoyed the pursuit of fitness, weight training and martial arts, and says I aim to maintain a good strong physique not only to instil confidence in my clients but to feel good, healthy and happy!



Well, I think it's safe to say she has achieved that and more. She was Ms NABBA South-East Britain in 2010 (finally, a southerner!) and repeated the feat again this year before her triumph at the Worlds.



Congratulations to Adele, and all the female members of Team GB for flying the flag and doing themselves and their country proud on the world stage yet again. Now back to the day jobs... And the gym!

Enjoy!