Photoshoot Recap: NPC Nationals 2013
Young Star: Courtney Cross poses during her debut shoot at the NPC Nationals.
The 2013 NPC Nationals last weekend was another huge event worthy of the last pro qualifier of the season. It was a record-setting show for the Studio as well, as we’ve got ten brand new faces to introduce to the site out of 11 shoots in all, pretty good considering it was windy and rainy for most of the time in Ft. Lauderdale this year.
Toni Wheeler is the lone reprise from this show, in her second shoot this year after North Americans. The former fitness turned physique competitor finished 11th in her class. The weather gave us a break and we’ve got the bubbly, bulked-up Toni outside in the sun this time.
Now it’s on to the new girls, beginning with Kendall Lou Schmidt, a longtime personal trainer and fitness instructor from Sacramento, California. The 5-foot-8, 135-pound former varsity water polo athlete is presently a bikini competitor but could be switching to figure. She has a degree in biological science from UC-Davis and is a contestant in this year’s Bodyspace spokesmodel search. Here’s her video.
Next is Courtney Cross, a figure competitor in her second national level show after the USAs. The 27-year-old didn’t place in her class and might be headed for the physique division. Courtney had so much fun during the shoot that she gave us another half hour or so of video wearing a bikini later on. A little overtime flexing, you gotta love that.
Linda Crossley is a freshly-minted IFBB figure girl from Lou’s hometown of Cleveland. The 34-year-old won her card at the USAs. Check out a video commemorating her win.
Fresh Faces: Jackie Faine is one of a host of new models coming soon.
Back to the physique division with Katelyn Hasley, who competed and placed sixth in her class. The weather was good enough to shoot on the beach for this one. Katelyn is a fitness coach from the Bay Area and was physique winner at the San Francisco Championships last year.
Bikini standout Melissa Allen didn’t place in class D but is a rising star from Tampa, Florida. Kelly, our editor, also happens to be her coach.
Next we have Chicago’s Jackie Faine, who we met at this year’s Jr. Nationals but didn’t have time to shoot with—until now. After finishing fourth in her class over the summer, Jackie didn’t place in Florida, which makes you wonder what the heck the judges were seeing. Nonetheless, we’ve got plenty of good stuff to come including some armwrestling footage (more on that later). For more on Jackie, check out our interview from a few months back.
Figure girl Alli Stauss was getting her vibe on and moving to the music in this, her debut shoot by the pool. Allie finished fifth at the recent North Americans but slipped to 13th at Nationals in Florida, further evidence that the trend was softer this time. Overall, this wasn’t a good show for the slightly more muscular figure girls.
On the other hand, Amanda Leigh came up top five in her physique class and we were the only site to get a hold of this new talent. Some artistic stuff in this shoot for sure.
Finally, we have Falon Stacey, a 5-foot-8, 155-pound three sport athlete. This shoot is packed with content. Falon did some armwrestling against Jackie Faine and some other photographers, and there’s lift and carry and training action as well. Falon does pull ups and works out with 20lb dumbbells before posing, showing how this former bikini competitor is moving all the way up to physique. A video interview with the blonde powerhouse is part of this shoot capping off another Nationals weekend.
Stay tuned for more pics, clips and info from these shoots and more.
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You can take a breath now Dean.