3^rd Place: Maria Lehtonen was easily the most muscular girl in the lightweight class. In fact, it was amazing that she was even able to make the 135lb weight class limit necessary to qualify her as a lightweight. While Lehtonen’s muscularity is mindboggling, her symmetry and conditioning nicely balance her overwhelming physique. The only thing lacking on this night was that paper thin skin that all bodybuilders seek!

2^nd Place: Dr. Dena Westerfield was the most conditioned athlete in the class, maybe the entire show? Her presentation was both polished and professional and her hair, makeup, and grooming were impeccable. According to the judges, her 2^nd place was just a case of being slightly outmuscled.

1^st Place: 26-year old Sarah Dunlap was a last minute entry who shocked the lineup with a combination of mass, symmetry, beauty, and conditioning—a hard package to beat! After winning both the NPC Jr Nationals and NPC Nationals in 2002, Sarah stopped competing in order to finish college. Now, it appears, she’s got her life organized and she’s back with a vengeance.

HEAVYWEIGHTS:

3^rd Place: After winning her pro card at last year’s NPC Masters Nationals, Kim Buck spent the year honing her body in hope of winning her class at this year’s Jan Tana. With a terrific combination of size and symmetry, Buck looked like a shoe-in to take the class. But, that wouldn’t be today. The appearance of some kind of infection on Buck’s shoulder greatly retracted from the aesthetics of her physique and she was relegated to 3^rd.

2^nd Place: Maryse Manios’s fire red hair was the most notable element of this European bodybuilder’s physique. Her incredible muscularity and impeccable conditioning only added to the mystique! I’d like to see Maryse about 10lbs lighter in her next competition and I bet you she’ll be dangerous.

1^st Place: This award went to the 2006 NPC Team Universe Overall Champion Stephanie Kessler. Kessler outposed and outcondioned both Kim and Maryse and this proved to be the deciding factor in the ultimate outcome. If Kessler continues to improve at the rate she’s going, she’ll continue to move the ranks

OVERALL:

Sarah Dunlap dominated the heavyweight winner Stephanie Kessler and went on to win the overall in convincing fashion. Look for Dunlap to make her mark on the Ms Olympia Stage come the end of September.

FULL PHOTO GALLERY