The year: 1994. At a local IFBB sanctioned bodybuilding show in the Australian state of Victoria, a 21-year-old with a prodigiously developed physique takes the stage.
Three years have passed since her first appearance at the show, when she had finished third as an 18-year-old. Since then she has won local and state titles at IFBB and NABBA contests, and finished in the top six at the Australasian Championships.
This time she wins the title of "Ms Bendigo". Her name: Christine Envall.
July 5th 2014. Four women are still standing: Lisa Giesbrecht, Juanita Blaino, Rita Bello, and Christine. This is her third show in just over a month. She was 6th in Toronto at the end of May, and finished 3rd in Omaha the following week.
If her name is called next, she will only gain a single point from this show to add to her two from Omaha. She knows three points probably won't be enough to qualify. She will have to compete again, in Tampa in August, and attempt to add to her points tally.
Or wait another year.
But, if another name is called next, she is guaranteed 3rd. Another two points would make a total of four. And four points would be enough. Enough to get her to Vegas.
Christine hears Juanita Blaino's name called in fourth...
A little over-dramatic, perhaps, but sadly I wasn't there so I hope you'll forgive the poetic licence. The double... got the 3rd place I needed... I think should be enough for the O!!! said Christine, sounding a little unsure on her Facebook page after the show.
It was enough. No matter what happened in the final qualifying show of the year in Tampa, no one could push Christine out of the top 5 places. She was, as they say, "Olympia bound". For sure. Brain not comprehending yet!!! she added.
Her incredulity was understandable. Getting to the Olympia is a long road for most female bodybuilders, but Christine's road, which began in her hometown of Bendigo back in 1991, has been longer than most. It has included three NABBA World titles, and two distinct periods of competing as an IFBB pro with an ten-year break between them, punctuated by a one-night-only return to NABBA competition in 2005.
But despite being out of the limelight for the best part of a decade, she had certainly never been forgotten by the female muscle lovin' brethren. When FMS invited readers to select their all-time Fantasy Contest line-ups a couple of years ago, Christine comfortably made the top six. When she returned to the stage last year in Toronto, the pre-contest buzz on the forums was, predictably, all about Christine's return.
She was, after all, the original super freaky muscle woman. She was a "growth experiment fantasy made flesh". She was a huge, rippling female muscle wonder of the world. My own personal Christine highlights would include footage and images of her at the New York Muscle Club; the occasional (and given the sheer amount of muscle on her 5'3" frame and the gusto with which she displayed it, inevitable) posing suit malfunctions; the Awefilms clip where she "discovers" she can flex her pecs; and, best of all, the unbelievably arousing images of her bronzed, naked and ever so slightly coy.
By common consensus, then, it was good to have her back. Of course, there were comparisons with her younger self, comparisons that were not always complimentary (shorter hair, implants) but those who know about these things - those who know more than the likes of you and me, anyway - pointed to the refinements she had made to her physique and agreed Envall v.2013 was presenting the judges a much more pleasing overall look than she had left the scene with a decade earlier.
She did three shows in 2013, her best placing 7th in Chicago. She may not have been as excitingly super freaky as before - while she'd been away, all the girls had got bigger - but up close and personal with Annie Riveccio's camera for Muscle Angels, or even more so with her more intimate Instagram pics - Christine was still packing plenty of freaky size and freaky vascularity for the female muscle head to get excited about.
And, better yet, Christine hadn't come out of "retirement" just to embark on one final lap of the pro circuit. She was going to be back in 2014. 40 years old, promising myself my best years are NOT behind me. Don't sit around re-living your glory days... Get out there and start creating new ones, she told her Instagram followers.
She began with a 6th place in Toronto. No disaster that, but no Olympia qualifying points, either. Then, the following week in Omaha, she finished 3rd...
Finally, at her fifth attempt since her return to competition, she had equalled her best previous pro placing (at the South West Pro Cup in 2002), and she had Olympia points on the board. AND she had got to meet Iris Kyle backstage! What an awesome show! she commented later. It's not every day you get to meet Ms Olympia!
Which brings us to the events in Toronto which guaranteed that this Friday, at the age of 41, the legendary and much-loved Christine Envall will make her Olympia debut.
Less than 2 weeks till the Ms O! she wrote last week. Can't believe the workouts I've been having... Must be the extra motivation of the biggest show of my LIFE. It's an understatement to say I'm looking forward to stepping on the Olympia stage...
It's an understatement to say she has earned it.
Good luck to you, Christine!
And to whet your collective whistles at the prospect of the original super freak on stage in Vegas in a few days, Christine's routine from this year's Toronto Pro show.
Enjoy!
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