Europa Battle of Champions 2012 - Kai Greene & Branch guest posing!

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This pro show to be held at Hartford in a week, at 29th-30th June. No competitor lists released yet but they will have only men's and women's open BB. Let's see who ll jump in ...

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The competitor lists have been made public - http://www.ifbbpro.com/events/2012-ifbb-europa-battle-of-champions/

Some notes; Essa Obiad comes back after a short break. Also interesting athletes moving from IFBB amateur ranks to IFBB pro league, for example Anne Freitas who won the title at IFBB 2009 world championships (if i remember right the year, was disqualified later though).

Anyway, the competitor lists:

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Some athlete updates prior to the show;

Juan Morel trainls legs on his way to Hartford Pro - vid on Flexonline.com - http://www.flexonlin...an-diesel-morel

Danish FBBer Helle Nielsen's photos 5 days out PLUS interview (in Danish though)

Mark Antonek trains and talks one week out from the show

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Some more athlete updates prior to the show and previews..

NPCnewsonline.com previews the show - http://npcnewsonline...-weekend/19144/

]Men's open BB Rookie standout Juan Morel competes for the second time as an IFBB Professional. Morel, the Overall winner from the 2011 NPC North Americans, placed fourth in his pro debut at the New York Pro in May. That lineup was deeper than what he’ll face in Connecticut, but there are several intriguing story lines this weekend – primarily which version of Essa Obiad will show up.

Obiad hit the ground running in 2010 by winning the Overall at the Arnold Amateur and following that up with a win at the Europa Super Show. Since then, though, it’s been all downhill for Obiad, as he failed to place in two of his four appearances in 2011.

Iran’s Baito Abbaspour enters clinging to the No. 3 spot in the Olympia Qualification Series thanks to two top-five finishes earlier this year at FIBO Power (4th) and the Mr. Europe Pro (3rd). With three points apiece, Morel and Grigori Atoyan both sit just outside the top five in a tie for seventh in the standings.

Women's BB It’s the third contest of the year in the division and the Olympia Qualification Series is wide open – particularly at this contest, where none of the competitors have accumulated any points in the OQS. Two competitors – Helle Nielsen and Monique Jones – competed in last year’s Olympia and enter as the frontrunners here.

Jones, a second-year pro, has two top-five placings on her resume – including her runner-up finish here a year ago. She placed 9th at last year’s Olympia.

Last year was the second Olympia for Nielson, but her first since 2003 when she cracked the top-five in her Olympia debut. A back injury forced her out of competition until last year, when she returned to win the FIBO Power before placing 14th at the Olympia.

RXmuscle // Dave Palumbo previews the show as well - http://www.rxmuscle.com/videos/c-interviews/5956-2012-ifbb-europa-battle-of-champions-hartford-mens-womens-bodybuilding-preview.html

MD shares a vid with Fred Smalls (includes some posing) one week out from the show - http://www.musculard...ford-stage.html

A few photos from the athlete meeting - http://pics.muscular...1&paparazzi=yes

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In women's prejudging..

...making her pro debut, the familiar face from the IFBB worlds, Anne Freitas, Tazzie Colomb, Monica Jones and Michelle Cummings were called out for the first and very last call out, so it is obvious these girls battle in TOP 4 at today's finals. Anne Freitas' package with crazy conditinoing impressed me the most and I would not be surprised if she walks out from her very first pro show with the biggest trophy. Crazy conditioning as his trademark Tazzie Colomb might take the 2nd spot and at least I would place the super x-framed Monica Jones 3rd. Scandinavian representant, Danish Helle Nielsen brought once again a good conditioning but in the line up filled with good x-frames, Helle's a tad blocky midsection brought her down and she was called in 3rd (last) call out. All in all, a good line up in FBB,!

The TOP girls in first call out, from the left: Tazzie Colomb - Anne Freitas - Michelle Cummings - Monica Jones

In 2nd group , from the left; Lisette Acevedo - Sarah Hayes - making her pro debut as well, Amber DeFrancesco - Russian Alevtina Goroshinskaya

Look at that leg separation!

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Men's prejudging seemed to be more equal. While Essa Obiad and Moe Bannout brought big, full n conditioned packages, being probably at his best Fred Smalls and rookie-year-competitor Juan Morel presented more pleasing and symmetrical look. What do u think?

From the left 1st call out guys: Fred Smalls - Moe Bannout - Juan Morel - Essa Obiad

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For more photos, please visit NPCnewsonline.com, RXmuscle.com galleries and MD.

Prejudging reviews by..

RXmuscle crew - http://www.rxmuscle.com/videos/c-interviews/5963-2012-ifbb-europa-battle-of-champions-hartford-mens-womens-bodybuilding-prejudging-wrapup.html

MD - http://www.musculardevelopment.com/contests/12-europa-battle-of-champions/4506-pre-judging-wrap-up.html

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And the results are..

Women's BB (click the name of the comeptitor for more individual photos)

Frietas, a first-year pro from Brazil, came out of nowhere to grab the win in her pro debut. A former Body Fitness competitor, Frietas grabbed the contest’s lone Olympia qualification.

Michelle Cummings (2nd) and Monique Jones (3rd) rounded out the top three.

1. Anne Luise Freitas

2. Michelle Cummings

3. Monique Jones

4. Tazzie Columb

5. Sarah Hayes

6. Amber DeFrancesco

7. Alevtina Goroshinskaya

8. Lisette Acevedo

9. Helle Nielsen

10. Bonnie Pappas

11. Natalia Batova

12. Janet Kaufman

Scorecard - http://www.ifbbpro.c..._scorecard2.gif

The winner Anne Freitas interviewed after her victory - http://www.rxmuscle.com/videos/rx-girl-videos/5967-anne-freitas-after-winning-2012-ifbb-battle-of-champions-hartford-womens-bodybuilding.html

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Men's BB

It was the second pro contest for Morel, who turned pro by winning the Overall at last year’s North Americans. Morel placed fourth in his debut at the NY Pro in March amid a deeper lineup – and one that featured two of the IFBB’s other young standouts in first year pros Steve Kuclo and Jon Delarosa. The trio placed 3-4-5 at that competition. With the win, Morel claims bragging rights for the time being as the first of the “Next Generation” to win an IFBB competition.

Lebanon’s Mohammad Bannout placed second while Essa Obiad placed third.

In order to view more individual photos, please click on the name of the competitor..

1. Juan Morel

2. Mohammad Ali Bannout

3. Essa Obaid

4. Fred Smalls

5. Renaldo Gairy

6. Jamal Ahmed Elmadawy

7. Jeff Long

8. Adorthus Cherry

9. Alexandre Nataf

10. Grigori Atoyan

11. Hennie Kotze

12. Mark Antonek

13. Randy Reittinger

Scorecard - http://www.ifbbpro.com/wp-content/uploads/image/2012/results/europaBOC/2012europaBOC_scorecard1.gif

The champ of the show and now also Olympia qualified Juan Morel..

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Contest reviews;

RXmuscle.com - http://www.rxmuscle.com/videos/c-interviews/5966-2012-ifbb-europa-battle-of-champions-hartford-mens-womens-bodybuilding-final-video-wrapup.html

MD - http://www.musculardevelopment.com/contests/12-europa-battle-of-champions/4508-ifbb-europa-hartford-2012-final-wrap-up-with-chick-farah-and-delarosa.html

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Kai Greene and Branch Warren guest posed at the show (videos to come soon). Here some photos by RXmuscle.com - http://forums.rxmusc...l=1#post1683249

See also the video from the seminar - http://www.flexonline.com/contest-coverage/hartford-europa-12/2012-hartford-europa-stage-pro-seminar

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http://www.musculardevelopment.com/contests/12-europa-battle-of-champions/4509-kai-a-branch-guest-pose-the-dlb-recap-from-the-europa.html