2007 Fame West Review by J.P. Erickson

FAME West, under the direction of promoters Nancy Lockington and Ocean Bloom, played to a near sellout audience in Vancouver, BC on April 14, 2007. FAME West is part of a series of events run by the parent company, the World Natural Sports Organization (WNSO).

Perhaps the most striking difference between a WNSO event and most other physique organizations is their innovative approach to figure. Gone from the stage are endless quarter-turns, instead replaced by mandatory flexing, a routine and then culminating with a flurry of figure girls rushing to the edge of the stage and squaring off in a good old-fashioned pose down complete with flexing and friendly jostling. This is certainly a more entertaining approach to figure.

For first-time competitor Jasmine Bottcher, who competed in the fitness open and fitness model short categories, the event was an opportunity to display all the hard work that went into training and preparing for her time on stage. As she describes it, “The most exiting experience from the show was my very first moment of getting up on to the stage for the first time. Getting to see the before and after product of all my hard work, the satisfaction that this type of lifestyle provides and feeling like a winner for what I had achieved just getting up there.

“Now having competed myself, I realize just how much it takes to actually get up on stage and work through all the obstacles and the dedication and the hours of training day in and day out. Being a participant on stage is very different from being in the audience as an onlooker.”

In total, 45 women took to the stage to compete in a variety of categories, sometimes entering multiple divisions. Categories included bodybuilding, fitness, figure and a model search.

By far, the model search, consisting of fitness model, swimsuit model and muscle model sub-categories, drew the most competitors, including many who competed in multiple categories, such as fitness and the model search, as well as aspiring fitness models who competed solely in this division.

One of the highlights of the evening was an appearance by FAME golden girl Maggie Diubaldo. Maggie displayed a great physique - in particular, outstanding abs - during her time on stage.

In addition to being a fitness model and physique competitor, Maggie is a show promoter with her Maggie Diubaldo FAME Classic event in Toronto.

For more information on FAME events, visit the WNSO site at www.wnso.com.

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