Articles Latest News Tamee Marie is Gulf's Greatest at 2012 IFBB Greater Gulf States Pro Physique!
Like almost any inaugural event, the 'wait and see' game often comes into play, and for this first Greater Gulf States Pro Physique competition a cozy field of nine entrants made their way to the Landmark Hotel Ballroom in the equally cozy New Orleans suburb of Metairie.
For the nine contestants who ventured to the gateway of the Gulf of Mexico, there was the opportunity to add bragging rights to their contest resume as a winner of a pro Physique contest in the new division's first year. There was also $3,500 in prize money to be divided among the top three finishers. And with the heart of New Orleans just a heartbeat away, virtually all the competitors could be expected to 'Laissez les bons temps rouler'......Let the good times roll !
A Quick Prejudge
Understandably, with a field of nine women, the prejudging was over in the blink of an eye. Held on Friday evening judges made just two callouts. The first included Jennifer Robinson, Gloria Faulls, Karin Kimura and Tamee Marie. The second was the remainder of the group – Tracy Bodner, LaDrissa Bonivel, Mikaila Soto, Joele Smith, and Gina Trochiano.
With a wide variety of overall looks in the group, and a variance in height from 5-2 to 5-9, a guess at who would emerge as the winner was not what you would want to gamble on in Vegas. Still, similarities came to the surface as judges sorted out the placements. With Jennifer Robinson getting early looks from observers down front, along with Karin Kimura as the winner of the California Governor's Cup back on March 24th , and Physique newbie Tamee Marie, the trio made their presence felt in ways that kept them competitive to the final posing round.
HOT was the order of the day – indoors and out !
In the final tallies, it was Tamee Marie and her 5-9 frame that caught the judges' attention as a standout in this field. Growing up in southern California and now living in Elkhorn, Nebraska, Marie may be equally well-known for her competition suit-making prowess as she is filling one out. At 5-9, 
she joins Patricia Mello – winner of the Show of Champions - as the tallest of the pro Physique division winners. For Marie, her competitive efforts began as a Figure competitor in 2004 and she quickly won overall titles at the 2005 NPC Rocky Mountain Championships and NPC Carol Semple Classic the same year. Surprisingly, and due in large part to a height that is rarely seen on the Fitness stage, she earned her pro card at the 2010 NPC Team Universe as a Fitness competitor. Making her pro debut in 2010 and competing into 2011, Marie has competed in both the Fitness and Figure divisions with just two finishes edging into the top ten. So her switch to the Physique division looks like a seamless one as she wins her first pro contest in the new division.
The runner-up placing went to Idaho's Karin Kimura. Having competed in both bodybuilding and figure division's in a long career that charts back to 1990, Kimura became Idaho's hottest potato when she won the 2011 NPC Nationals overall Physique division followed by a victory in the California Governor's Cup in her pro debut as a 
Physique competitor. At this event Kimura attempted to bring a level of uniqueness to her stage presence with yoga moves to highlight various muscle groups. In past Figure contests Kimura has been listed from 5-4 to 5-5 ½ and everywhere in between. Take your pick. One thing is certain, at 45, she's put a dead stop on her aging process and her placings prove the point.
Third went to Jennifer Robinson, who many felt had an inside track at this event. So goes the reality of point scoring. From Tennessee the trip down to New Orleans was a short one for Robinson and she once again proved her structural qualities were sound as she made her best showing as a Physique pro after placing fifth at the Show of Champions and fourth at the St. Louis Pro. Her 5-3 structural frame should always keep her at a very competitive level.
Gloria Faulls also made her best showing in terms of placement after finishing a strong fifth at the huge New 
York Pro and then eighth at the Toronto Sup Show. From New Jersey, Faulls has a strong bodybuilding background that has actually helped keep in the top groupings. Her appearance in the first callout solidified her placing in the top five. Faulls earned her pro card in the Physique division after placing second in her class at the 2011 IFBB North American Championships.
Fellow Jersey girl Gina Trochiano rounded out the top five as she made her debut in the Physique division. A former Figure competitor whose first contest was the 2007 NPC King Kamali Classic 
where she placed third in her class, she quickly showed her overall structural and muscular qualities that led to winning her class at the 2009 NPC Team Universe. At 5-4, and competing in the 113-pound range as a figure contestant, Trochiano's claim to fame here was that she is the only contestant in this field who has Olympia experience finishing 14th at the 2010 Figure Olympia. With some fine tuning in tightening up her overall musculature, she can hang with the top women of this division.
Rounding out the top 9 was Joele Smith (6th), Tracy Bodner (7th), LaDrissa Bonivel (8th) , and Mikaila Soto (9th).
And would a Physique contest report be complete without mentioning Marina Lopez? Nope. She didn't make it down to the land of the Cajuns for the Greater Gulf State event, so her string of consective Physique contests ends at seven.
Lastly, the total number of entries at the first eight pro Physique contests this year is 117. Dividing that by the eight contests, the average number of entries per contest is 14 ½. Most of us would have expected that to be a higher number. That said, there are still a LOT of women 'on the fence' watching....waiting......
