FBBUK @ACE 2016

The last of three visits to the Arnold Classic Europe celebrates the achievements of British ladies there, and there was more than is customary to celebrate.

So large was the UK contingent that we don't have time or space to see or mention them all, but we'll see as many as is possible in every division.


BIKINI

Junior

Whiteley Davies (left) - 6th (up to 163cm class)
Ieva Motiejunaite - 4th (over 163cm class)



Up to 172cm

The UK was particularly well-represented in the second tallest of the many Bikini classes, with British Bikini babes being awarded the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd places.

Anastasia Parikos (left) - 4th
Emma Howie - 3rd



Alla Meyer - 2nd



I don't follow Bikini but...



WOW!


FITNESS

Up to 163cm

Another bumper class for the UK - four women in the top ten including the winner...

Maggie Molyneaux (left) - 9th
Kate Errington - 6th



I hope you won't mind if we have another look at Kate.



Vicki Gale - 4th



Emma Paveley - 1st



It's been coming, and FMS has been tipping Ms Paveley to break through into the pro ranks for some time now. Finally, a first place to go along with all her other podium finishes, though unfortunately for Emma, she didn't win the Overall title.



Still, many congratulations to her.



And it's good to see her win has got some local press at least!

Over 163cm

Megan Hookins - 7th




BODYFITNESS

Up to 158cm

Nancy Jones - 5th



Up to 163cm

Samantha Forbes - 3rd



Up to 168cm

Melissa Nicola - 5th



Over 168cm

Connie Slyziute - 6th




Connie also got a 3rd place in the Junior Bodyfitness class.

There were many other British ladies in the various Bodyfitness classes who we don't have space to show you but we should mention nonetheless. Barbara Kiss took 7th in the up to 163cm class, with Rebecca Caydas and Clare Barks cruelly unplaced. Michelle Leach was 10th in the up to 168cm class, and Natasha McFarlane (8th) and Caroline Caine (10th) competed with Connie Slyziute over 168cm along with Hannah-Marie Berry and Lisa Kelly, both of whom did not place.

And meanwhile...

Masters

Michelle Leach cropped up again and took 10th place in this Open Masters class.



And NABBA veteran Sally Knights (left) and Julie Tomkins also competed.



But the best British result in all the Bodyfitness classes was that of Katalin Jasztrab.



Katalin finished Masters runner-up. She's a former Playboy model, would you believe?




PHYSIQUE

Sadly, we haven't been able to find a single picture of Ivana Mahrikova, formerly of Slovakia, now competing for the UK, who came in 9th in the taller Physique class.

Masters



A familiar face, and although it's on top of a slightly smaller and less disgustingly peeled body, yes, that's former UKBFF Female Bodybuilding champ Silvana Imbrogno, back on stage and flexing it open-handed for Britain in the Masters Physique class. Silvana got 4th, and what a treat it is to see her back again.





Congratulations to all the British women who did us proud in Barcelona!

Enjoy!

Back Is Beautiful: Champion Backs

A veritable meat fest today as Back Is Beautiful continues with the magnificent backs of a selection of champions, both professional and amateur, from 2013.

(left) Tana McGowan, CBBF Champion

(right) Olga Belyakova, IFBB World Amateur Champion

Belated congratulations to Tana, Canadian champion at the 7th attempt (she won the Masters 35+ title for the second consecutive year as well). And spare a thought for those women who sought to follow in Olga Belyakova's footsteps and become IFBB World Amateur Champion because currently the IFBB have decided to eliminate the bodybuilding class from that contest and all other IFBB amateur shows. Olga, sadly, may well be the last ever World Amateur Bodybuilding Champion.


Monique Jones, IFBB Chicago Pro Champion

One of the wonders of the female muscle world, Mmmonique displays her monumental back during a guest posing routine. I believe this is from a couple of years ago, and she hasn't stopped growing in the meantime - she's even bigger now! Swell's been having a recurring dream involving Mmmonique's back, some soft lighting, a bit of mood music and a bottle of massage oil. He's been going to the laundrette with his bed sheets a bit more often than normal, too.


Virginia Sanchez Macias, Arnold Amateur Europe Champion

Virginia in bulbous off-season shape on the left, and lean and sweaty in the gym on the right. Hard to imagine the power those muscles contain (and what she might use the power they contain to do to me!) Did I say "hard"? I meant "fun".


Victoria Dominguez, NPC Nationals Champion

As noted on FMS last November, Victoria (aka Mistress Treasure) became quite probably the naughtiest professional female bodybuilder by winning the NPC Nationals. The Muscled Dominatrix dominated her way to victory in the heavyweight category! she blogged after her win. Her back provides an almost perfect illustration of the wider the back, the tinier the waist seems. In 2014, she says she'll be not only dominating behind closed doors, but also looking to dominate the stage.


Silvana Imbrogno, UKBFF Champion

As reported on FMS in November, Aussie-born Silvana not only became the reigning British champion in 2013, but she also made bodybuilding history. At the UKBFF Midlands show Silvana became the first woman (we know of) to stand on stage and compete against men. By all accounts, she almost won the world's first unisex posedown. There must be at least a couple of top male amateur bodybuilders around the Midlands who have taken inspiration from Silvana's mass and conditioning.

(left) Jennifer Abshire, IFBB Toronto Pro Champion

(right) Shawna Pierce, NPC Masters Nationals Champion

Hot and Hard 100 #21 Jennifer Abshire reckons her legs are her best body part, but looking at her from the rear during her victory at the Toronto Pro last year, Swell is sorry, but he has to disagree. And I reckon that beautiful back of hers goes at least part of the way to explaining Mrs Megan Abshire's "surprise" win at that show, which was her first show as a pro and her first for three years. Shawna Pierce ,aka Shawna Strong, meanwhile, has had a slightly longer road to pro status but this FMS Woman of the Year 2013 has finally made it. Here we see her showing all the men and the rest of the women on the beach exactly who the boss is.


Tammy Jones, IFBB Tampa Pro Champion

Over ten years after her first competition (as a figure competitor), Tammy Jones won a highly competitive event according to one report, beating the likes of Rita Bello, Tina Chandler and Helle Nielsen to triumph in her first show as a pro. She's an inspiration to single mothers everywhere... Well, no, actually she isn't.
But she damn well SHOULD be!


Shannon Courtney, NPC USA Champion

Witness the thickness. Witness the MEAT on FMS Readers' 2nd Hottest Hard Woman in the World and genetic envy of budding female bodybuilders everywhere. Chocolate Muscle on Tumblr, for one, says, Shannon stresses me out!!! She has probably the best physique I’ve seen in a while, but at one point in time she almost decided to throw that away because she thought that IFBB was getting rid of FBB. That was until they came out with the IFBB 2014 schedule and there were not 4 (like last year), but 5 shows. Since then she has kept with bodybuilding. What stresses me out is that she almost got rid of it to compete at a smaller physique. Man, if I had her body... fuck competing if they cut FBB. I’d keep it just to keep it.



Iris Kyle, Ms International & Ms Olympia

And finally, it has taken years and years of work from some of the top minds in the world to find a dress fabric strong enough to contain the mighty mass of muscle that is Iris Kyle's back without ripping apart. And if you're familiar with what happened straight after this photo was taken, you'll know those fine minds are still at it.

Enjoy!