Due to the widely varied field of contestants who were bringing an even broader array of physiques to the contest, the questions as to how judges would approach this competition begged for answers.  And as usual the final tallies produced some satisfying results, while others were puzzling. In other words, it was a typical Ms. O.

   With the prejudging taking place at the Las Vegas Convention Center in conjunction with the big Olympia Expo, the first callout set the stage for what would be a clash amongst a quintet who not everyone envisioned as the automatic top five.  With Dayana Cadeau, Betty Viana-Adkins, Iris Kyle, Lisa Aukland, and Yaxeni Oriquen making up the first group, the callout left many wondering how last year's fifth-placer Heather Armbrust could have been left waiting. In fact, minute-by-minute, Armbrust's spot in the lineup was becoming as much of a story as the very high standard of physical condition a large portion of the field was putting on display.

   With the second callout bringing Cathy Lefrancois, Mah-Ann Mendoza, Betty Pariso, and Jeannie Paparone forward, it was now a matter of detecting exactly what judges had seen that was not yet obvious to a large audience on hand to watch the competition.

   After a third callout failed to ring Armbrust's bell, her fate was sealed as having any chance for a top-ten finish.

   Making her first appearance in the fourth callout, it was clear the long overdue call had more to do with something specific than the impressive physique she was showing.  And indeed it was. The judging panel was responding to what was described as "distracting bumps on each glutial muscle".  In other words, the "Kyle Factor" that had struck Iris Kyle at the Ms. International - taking her from a potential victory to an eventual seventh-place finish at that event - was costing Armbrust a potential top-five finish at this Olympia.  Her slide would take her to a distressing 14^th-place spot.

   Meanwhile, another intriguing story was developing out of the first callout as Betty Viana-Adkins was showing off a startling structure she has possessed since her first days as a pro.  Although not as highly defined as her counterparts, Viana-Adkins was a vision of beautiful muscular shapes and proportions.  In reality, it should have been no great surprise that she was making her presence felt considering this was her fifth visit to the Ms. O stage and had finished as high as fourth in 2003. The fact is, as many observers have always recognized, Viana-Adkins has more than enough in the way of physical tools to challenge for top placings - and she's already been there. In fact, Viana-Adkins won the 2002 Southwest USA Pro Cup in her pro debut, added a victory at the 2003 Night of Champions, and has been a runner-up at the 2004 Southwest USA Pro Cup, the 2005 Ms. International (as a heavyweight), and most recently at the 2007 Atlantic City Pro Championships behind Lisa Aukland.  Now more than ever, her rivals are more than aware she is nipping at their heels.  She would do considerably more than nip at this event.

    And although Viana-Adkins took advantage of her spot as contestant number one in the lineup, all eyes quickly turned to contestant number nine - Iris Kyle - in anticipation of exactly what type of physical response the defending champion would have to her ‘slap on the wrist' at the Ms. International.  The answer came swiftly and with little argument. She was devastating from head-to-toe. Leaving nothing to chance, Kyle's entire physique was dialed in to striking detail and muscular definition.  From her otherworldly calves, to rippling traps, and a back pose that was so detailed the compulsories never left enough time to examine it completely, her physique was inarguably a cut (no pun intended) above the rest.

   But Kyle's impressive hardness was not the only element that made her a unanimous choice of the judges. The reality was that Lisa Aukland also showed equally astonishing muscular detail in her effort to put pressure on Kyle.  And where calves are concerned, Aukland can stand with anyone in the sport. Kyle put her challengers away with a structural blessing that will keep her on top until someone comes along with the same "ins and outs" that are so prominent by way of shoulder to waistline differentials, thigh sweeps that feature deep muscle separation her quads, and diamond-shaped calves which balance her physique so well. There are those who have the capacity to chase down Kyle at some point in the future, but it will take a mighty effort to unseat this multiple-Olympia winner, and at 34, she may just be getting started!

   Perhaps the biggest story, aside from Kyle's strong showing, and Armbrust's fall from grace, was the monumental battle waged between eventual third, fourth, and fifth place finishers Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia, Lisa Aukland, and Dayana Cadeau. This trio made for a judging nightmare as each was so dramatically different than the other. That dynamic made for the ‘perfect judging storm' and thus the close scores between them.  Without the opportunity of viewing an official score sheet this titanic chase might never be noticed or realized.

   As Kyle flexed her way to the top spot pocketing $30,000 in prize money for her fourth (or fifth if you count the heavyweight win in 2001) Ms. Olympia crown, and Betty Viana-Akins ecstatically accepting her runner-up prize money totaling $18,000, the next three spots were agonizingly close.  How close?  With the final tallies in, a disappointed Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia scored 71 points in third. Lisa Aukland was just a point behind at 72 in fourth.  And Dayana Cadeau checked in with 74 points to claim fifth.  The difference in each place was $3,000.  Oriquen-Garcia earned $10,000, Aukland accepted $7,000, and Cadeau (who was last year's runner-up) pocketed $4,000.

   While the above trio battled for positions in the top five, the sixth and final placing that garneded prize money was also a spirited struggle between Canadian Cathy Lefrancois entering this event in the best shape of her life, and veterans Betty Pariso and Mah-Ann Mendoza. In the end it was Lefrancois' overall level of superb muscular condition and definition in tandem with a beautifully choreographed posing routine that made her the choice to claim the final paycheck of $2,000.  Pariso ended up in the seventh spot, and Mendoza dropped to the eighth position. 

    Beyond the debuts of Paparone and Sedia in ninth and tenth, Canadian Nicole Ball slipped to 11^th after making her Olympia debut last year when she placed eighth.

   Following Ball in 12^th was Brenda Raganot competing in her sixth Ms. Olympia since winning the overall NPC National title in 1998.

   Debbie Bramwell muscled her way to 13^th, followed by Heather Armbrust in 14^th, Rosemary Jennings 15^th, Sherry Smith 16^th, and Klaudia Larson 17^th.

                                                     _______________________

  Of notable interest within this field was a broad range of contestants with regard to their competitive histories.  Five contestants made their Ms. Olympia debuts this year including Americans Debbie Bramwell, Jeannie Paparone, Jennifer Sedia, Sherry Smith, and Sweden's Klaudia Larson.  Hometown favorite Jeannie Paparone made the biggest impact in the placements among the rookies claiming the ninth-place spot, and was closely followed by Texan Jennifer Sedia in tenth.

   At the other end of the spectrum Iris Kyle was entering her 10^th Ms. Olympia, and was only topped by Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia who was making her 11th trip to the Ms. O, and she has not missed an Olympia event since she qualified for her first one in 1998. Even more notable is the fact that Oriquen-Garcia was entering her 38^th pro show at this Ms. Olympia, and any competitor who has put themselves through a high-level contest preparation knows just how monumentally impressive that achievement can be ranked.

   Along with Kyle and Oriquen-Garcia, Dayana Cadeau has also pulled impressive duty at the Ms. Olympia, as the colorful Canadian - by way of Haiti - entered her ninth Ms. O this year - and her eight straight where she has placed in the top five.