2021 NPC Vancouver Open
Bikini Championships
(Vancouver, WA - April 3, 2021)
The significance of the first NPC show of the year in Washington State cannot be overstated. With cities and states coming out of 'lockdowns',
gym closures, etc. the fact that so many athletes persevered and got themselves to the stage is a credit to the dedication these men and
women as well as the promoters, have to the sport. It was indeed an honor and a privilege to be there and capture some of these moments.
This show saw a plethora of new competitors, many doing multiple classes...a great show for many to get their feet wet, lots of stage time
and with some good sized classes! The judges were particularly patient and meticulous whether it was first callout or third. And while the
format had been altered to compartmentalize each category from start to finish rather than the traditional prejudging/finals event, it
did make for a more efficient (and less stressful) day for the athletes and the audience...I wouldn't be surprised if many of these options
could be here to stay once things return to 'normal'.
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Breaking with 'tradition' somewhat, will split the reports into categories, this page featuring the Bikini Division. While there were a lot of 'newbies', etc. there
were others here clearly with a mission to advance in the sport. Most notably was Overall Bikini Champion Kimber Buehler. She's competed successfully in shows
around the region for a few years, but now definitely ready to take on bigger challenges. With the prestigious Emerald Cup right around the corner, she's given
notice to be a contender there! Expect more coverage from that event including followups with many top athletes (including Kimber) in the week and change leading
up to the Empire Classic, both Craig/Ribic Production events.
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Of note in her very first competition was runner-up to Kimber in Open Bikini 'A' Lauren Mengedoht. A sculpted look, she had a VERY
busy day winning both her Novice and True Novice classes as well as a 2nd place to Agathe Medina in 35+ Masters...Agathe is another
competitor to watch out for as she won three Masters Bikini Classes here!
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In the 'versatile' department was well conditioned Jasmine Averill
who had what it took not only to win her Open Bikini 'D' Class but proportionality that earned her Open Figure Overall and a class win in Open Wellness as well. More in
separate reports. Of interest looking forward to Emerald Cup was a particularly competitive (and promising) class...True Novice 'B'. All 6 are scheduled to
compete in their respective Open height classes for starters, just adds more anticipation having just competed in such a stellar event. There's a gallery page
below with comparisons. Tylar Stephenson, Samantha Laccanlale, Emily Stearns, Bounmy Savang, Alex Whitney and Jenae Hogan.
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A huge thanks to Promoter Wade Lowery, volunteers and the dedicated competitors who keep this sport growing.
The Pacific Northwest is a special place when it comes to the NPC community with everybody pitching in
to make each others' shows as successful as possible. It's a continued privilege to be able to
cover and publicize these shows for decades now. We'll have more on the show here in general as time permits.
You can also find more content on Instagram @david_twixpix. Thanks for NOT cropping watermarks if reposting photos
on social media. Official results and further information
can be found at vancouveropen.net.
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(Please notify me of any placing or name spelling errors, thanks.)
(click for full size)
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