Spring is so much in the air that it almost feels like summer and the 2007 physique season has started off with a blast! To kick off the season we had the NPC Upper Midwest Championships in Fargo, North Dakota with a total of forty four athletes, four weeks later at the NPC Gopher State Classic we had sixty two registered athletes, a number that surpassed it's top count by 22 athletes!! I can't tell you how awesome it was to see the stage full of athletes again, these two shows are just the start of what is looking like the best season this area has seen in more than six years!! You are not going to want to just stand by and watch the shows anymore, you're going to want to be up on that stage and be the show!! The next local show will be the NPC Natural Classic, June 30 at the Hopkins High School Auditorium. This venue has just been confirmed so now I can get the entry forms out to all of you athletes who are training diligently for this event, look for them to be out early next week. I appreciate everyone's patience with getting materials for this show, it is a "transitional" show, meaning I will only be promoting this show this year, next year the NPC local natural show will be the NPC Heartland Natural Classic in the spring of 2008, promoted by Randy and Julie Leppala. I'm also very excited to announce that our website has been started and is in continual developement. There is information on all of the area upcoming shows with more detailed information on our states, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, as well as information on posing suits and we're looking to expand the site in many ways including athlete, trainer and gym recognition. Check out the newscast on the "Dream Team", the winner of the 2007 NPC Gopher State Classic Top Trainer award on the Gopher State Classic page. I will be including contact information for anyone wishing to sell or rent their figure or fitness suits as well, please contact me to get your information on the site, www.mnnpc.com. When looking through the calendar on the website please take a moment to note a few significant changes in our NPC contest schedule in 2007 & 2008. This year our NPC natural show will be June 30 and the NPC Minnesota will be in August 11. Randy and Julie Leppala are new promoters and will be hosting the NPC Heartland Natural Classic in the spring of 2008. Also in 2008, the NPC Gopher State Classic will be moving to June, prior to our summer NPC national shows in order to provide an opportunity, for those who are interested, to qualify for a national level contest. I want to remind everyone who is planning on competing in an NPC sanctioned event to get their NPC registration mailed in. The membership is a calendar year membership which means it expires at the end of the calendar year you purchased it in. If you purchase your membership now but don't compete until the fall you will still receive all of the NPC News magazines for this year. Too many people are still registering at the fall show and then don't get to enjoy the full benefit of the membership. I can provide you with a registration form via US mail or as an attachment if you submit a request via email to christine@mnnpc.com or contact me at 952-945-9090.
Winners from our two spring shows are: NPC Upper Midwest Championships on March 17, congratulations to the overall winners:
Women's Bodybuilding: Kelle Lease Men's Bodybuilding: Mike Gritti Figure Tall Class: Samantha Simet Fitness Tall Class: Dani Stramer
We have the following athletes training for national NPC competitions:
Sandra Avelli: Jr. Nationals Figure Anita Nelson: Jr. Nationals BB Denny Conway: Masters Nationals Kelly Patrick: Jr. Nationals, Mstrs Nationals Wmn's BB Jerome Dihn: USA's Robyn Ramos: Jr. Nationals Figure Ross Erickson: Team Universe Robben Salyers: Jr. Nationals Amy Gilgenbach: Jr. Nationals Figure Jim Smith: Jr. Nationals Suzy Groves: Masters Nationals Figure Nicole Wilkenfeld: Fig Nationals, USA's & N. Amer Leonard Hawkins: Jr. Nationals Keith Williams: Jr. Nationals & USA's Kelle Lease: Masters Nationals Matt Wheeler: Jr. Nationals Caron Mahn: Jr. Nationals Figure Sterling Wrase: Masters Nationals Chad Mattes: Jr. Nationals
I would like to wish all athletes training for any national and local shows the best of luck! If you are preparing for a national show, please let me know so I can share it with our NPC community. I apologize for any athlete recognition that I have forgotten or missed, I need to be informed from you before I can inform others. Please forward any athlete coverage or national contest preparation to me so I can share it with our community!