Bodybuilding: Competition draws region's big guns

Photo/File

The centralised location of Wanganui has proved a major drawcard for the first major national bodybuilding organisation event held here, with over 70 entries for the Manawatu/Wanganui championships today.

The Manawatu branch of the National Amateur Bodybuilders' Association (NABBA) are having their provincial show in the Wanganui Collegiate School auditorium for the first time in the 24 years of the event.

One of the favourites is Wanganui's Darren Faulkner, the 2013 NABBA national champion of Masters competition and a mixed class winner at the Asia-Pacific championships with New Plymouth's Tamara Merriman.

"It's a huge one, there's 70-plus coming," said Faulkner, who will enter the Masters grade again but after today is planning to switch to Open Athletic events. "Some of them have been going for years and they've only managed to get 55 [entries]."

In all, there will be 23 Wanganui competitors representing the local gyms of ReVitalise Natural Health and Fitness, Inspire Health & Fitness Centre, City Gym and Club Fitness.

"They've done really, really well," said spokeswoman Marianne Poole.

"We've had a real explosion Dannevirke, Bay of Plenty, and Wellington. Taranaki are bringing people down."

Two big names to watch will be Wellington's Paul Mountfort and Whakatane's Max Stott.

Mountfort is the 2012 and 2013 Mr New Zealand Athletic champion, while Stott, the 2004 Mr Universe Masters champion, is coming out of retirement for this event.

The event will cover all classes of body types, fitness, shape, figure, athletic and physique.

Today, the judging round will be from 1-3pm, with the night show starting at 6pm. Entry to the public in the afternoon is $15 and the evening show is $20.

Wanganui entrants representing gyms are:

Joel Ashworth (Junior), Mark Benson (Athletic Open Short), Vicky Boswell (Physique Women Senior 40+), Isaac Chamberlain (Teenage Men), Sasha Crafar (Physique Women Novice Short), Jan Dixon (Physique Women Open Short), Darren Faulkner (Athletic Masters 40+), Courtney Harvey (Ms Fitness), Kirsty Harvey (Ms Fitness), Mark Kaipo (Athletic Novice Tall), Michael Little (Athletic Novice Short), Audrey O'Keefe (Figure Senior 40+), Michaela Sullenberger (Teenage Women), Taonga Takiari (Physique Men Novice Tall), Thomas Tataurangi (Physique Men Open Tall), Maureen Thomas (Figure Senior 50+), Brendan Udy (Physique Men Novice Tall).