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venue was the Parc Colomer Sports Centre. From talking to those who competed, it is clear that the show was well organised from start to finish. On arrival at the railway station in Santa Susanna, there was a board welcoming all competitors and visitors. All competitors were directed to an IFBB booth and checked in. The official hotel was right next door and was set up to provide for the bodybuilder’s every need. The colouring of all competitors was provided by Jan Tana with their spray cubicle system that gives the best and most natural deep dark tan ever. Competitors these days will never know what it was like applying fifteen coats of Duo-Tan and not bathing for a week, as in days gone by.
The week-end also hosted the Women’s World Bodybuilding, Fitness & Body Fitness Championships and, of course, the Men’s World Fitness Championships — not an event that will ever catch on in the UK, I think. These all took place before the Men’s Pro Show. For this pro event there was a good UK contingent of six competitors with four making the top fifteen. Our main interest was in the performances of Big H and Troy Brown; both CNP sponsored athletes who can be seen training in the Forest Gym. Troy has been working under Harold’s supervision for the last three years that have seen him rise from being an average 80 kg MW to being a serious world-class pro.
All competitors were introduced individually and came on to do a 90 sec posing routine with just standard music from the music man. Then there were the compulsories — the combined Symmetry and Muscularity rounds to draw out the top fifteen. The call-outs brought on the expected front runners like Paco Bautista, Marcus Ruhl, Ronnie Rockel, and Armin Sholtz plus a selection of others like Lee Powell, Martin Kjellstrom and Tommi Thorvildsen. Even as the call-outs started, it was clear that this was going to be between Paco Bautista and Marcus Ruhl. Both are freaks but neither is a picture of classic symmetry. Bringing everybody out in groups for lots of comparisons took quite a time and it could not have been easy to sort out a top fifteen. Of the British contingent, all looked to be in with a shout. Lee Powell was looking impressive and Hunni Glanville got everything just right — no attempts to look like Ronnie Coleman; he came in at the right weight, in condition and able to show off his superb shape. Mike Sheridan seemed to be not quite at his best and he needs to watch his waist. Big H was in condition but flat — not at his best — and still needs some more mass on his upper body. Simon Cohen was also in condition but needs much extra leg work to balance his upper body. With a top fifteen finally chosen, these men came out for their posing routines with their own music and then more comparisons. The judges had to choose just six. When the judges announced that they were satisfied everyone trooped off stage and many walked straight through to the changing rooms, feeling that they had done their best but their day was now over. This included Troy who was wiping off his skin toner and oil when he was called by Lee Powell to get back on stage — “You’re in the top six!” He was modestly gob-smacked, needing confirmation as he was helped to hurriedly re-apply the shiny stuff. More comparisons and a pose down to establish the order. Marcus Ruhl is huge and HUGE! He was not 100% hard and he had no striations across his glutes — most everybody else had. But his muscle size is so extreme that a little bit of excess fat was never going to hide his monster development. Paco Bautista was spot on and ready for the Olympia on 29th September. He also has huge muscles and his legs are in a class of their own— world-wide. They are almost beyond description they are so massive, vascular and ripped and his hams are twice the size of any other bodybuilder on Earth. The tie-ins to his glutes are a lesson in anatomical freakery. Paco took first place on his condition. Ronnie Rockel was a convincing 3rd with the complete opposite physique type. His was the complete package of size, shape and condition but he needs to work on his posing routine. Nevertheless, according to the score sheets he was well ahead of the next German monster Armin Sholz. Was this because Ronnie is better known to the judges? I think I would have struggled to separate them. Big Swede Martin Kjellstrom took a well deserved 5th — another big man. Good to see Sweden getting back into the ranks of top pros. Then Troy Brown was 6th. Troy is a rookie on the pro circuit and he was over-looked at the start of the call-outs but when the judges did start comparisons, they realised how good he was and gave him the scores that brought him out again to compare with the top men. The pictures tell the truth. Troy was well-deserving of his 6th place and I think this augers well for his future as a Pro. Well done Troy. A great result. And well-done to all the UK competitors — you did British Bodybuilding proud.
Eric Guy was the official photographer and must have thousands of shots plus extra photo shoots done away from the venue. Will try to get a deal with him and up load a few of the best.
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