Articles The Wennerstrom Report Lisa Cross and Christine Envall Rise To The Occasion And Qualify For The Rising Phoenix World Championship
LISA CROSS: ONE FIT BRIT IN OMAHA PRO VICTORY
In the first of four qualifiers for the inaugural Rising Phoenix World Championship, the Omaha Pro and Toronto Super Show served as the initial contests of 2015 for aspiring pro women bodybuilders who wish to stake their claims to be invited to an event that will likely replace the Ms. Olympia. Promoters Jack and Ann Titone staged the Omaha Pro on May 30th at the Centurylink Omaha Convention Center and Arena. The event was sponsored by Wings of Strength, Rock Solid Nutrition and Muscle Pharm.
Omaha, Nebraska. May 30th.
From Plymouth, England, Lisa Cross can be considered a rags to riches story in that she has only competed twice at the IFBB pro level and in those two events it was a proverbial feast or famine result. More specifically, she rode the roller coaster of placements from last to first.
As an amateur winning the British overall bodybuilding title in 2010, the 5-6 Cross placed fourth at both the Arnold Amateur Europe, and the IFBB World Amateur Championships in 2011. Then in 2013 she was a runner-up at the Arnold Amateur Europe before turning pro in 2014 where she made her pro debut at the Wings of Strength PBW Tampa Pro. That pro indoctrination was a harsh gut punch as she found herself placing 16th in an event won by Sheila Bleck.
So with the coming of 2015, Cross made a concerted effort to swing the pendulum in the opposite direction putting major emphasis on a much higher level of conditioning on a frame that already carried the necessary muscular qualities of a pro. She merely needed to make it visible. The effort she made while spending training time in Colorado under the watchful eye of Alina Popa at Armbrust Pro Gym was about to pay off. Historically, Cross helped quench a dry spell for British women's bodybuilding and the victory stand at the pro level. In fact, the last Brit to win a pro bodybuilding event was Joanna Thomas at the Jan Tana Classic in 2001 and Andrulla Blanchette winning the lightweight class of the Ms. Olympia in 2000. Lisa Cross can be considered a success story after having battled anorexia as a teenager, and now, 20 years later, at this Omaha event she has reached the pinnacle of the IFBB pro division earning an automatic qualification to the inaugural Wings of Strength Rising Phoenix World Championship in August to go with a check for $3,000 as the winning purse.
For many female bodybuilding contest prognosticators, this contest belonged to Monique Jones, or MoJo, or MoeMuscle, or well, you get the picture. It was like she was preordained to take home the Omaha title. But, that's why they stage a contest. Competitors have to flex to earn their placings. For Monique Jones, she comes with a pretty impressive pedigree, and it never hurts to have a strong contest resume. A former overall winner at the 2010 IFBB North American Championships. She has been to three previous Ms. Olympias and placed in the top ten each time. In 2013 she won the Wings of Strength Chicago Pro, and last year she placed third at the Tampa Pro. That said, she also brings with her an imposing figure of womanhood. At 5-9 and hovering around the 180-pound mark, Jones displays shadow-casting musculature.....and when she is in top shape, a top finish at any event can be rightly assumed. Here however, she missed her mark, but still managed to secure the runner-up placement... a reality so many other competitors would love to possess. Although she missed grabbing the automatic qualifying spot at this event, the points she earned, are nonetheless, still valuable assuming she decides to compete in another qualifier before the August 22nd date of the Rising Phoenix World Championship. For her second-place finish, Jones pocketed $2,000.
Along with Americans Monique Jones and Margie Martin, Australia's Christine Envall was the third of three competitors in this contest who had previous Ms. Olympia experience. Standing six inches shorter than Monique Jones, Envall, at 5-3, became a judges' nightmare when sizing up the comparative physiques for who would be the runner-ups to Lisa Cross. As the veteran competitor in this field, the 43-year old Envall began competing in 1991 - 24 years ago - meaning that she has been a competitive bodybuilder for over half her life! Last year was Envall's most successful season as an IFBB pro placing sixth in Toronto, and third at both the Omaha Pro and Chicago Pro before finishing up with an 11th-place spot at the Ms. Olympia. With a physique that is balanced with thick, highly cultivated musculature from head to toe, Envall has a higher placing in her future within a field of competitors who are closer to her stature. Envall's prize money for third-place came to $1,000.
The Official Results
1- Lisa Cross, England 6
2- Monique Jones, USA 12
3- Christine Envall, Australia 20
4- Gillian Kovack, Canada 24
5- Angela Rayburn, USA 26
6- Judy Gaillard, USA 36
7- Margie Martin, USA 42
8- Paula Francis, USA 50
9- Irene Andersen, Sweden 52
10- Rene Campbell, England 60
11- Elizabeth Gomez, Mexico 66
AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE, Oi, Oi, Oi, CHRISTINE ENVALL WINS THE TORONTO SUPER SHOW
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. June 6th.
Australia's veteran competitor Christine Envall rose up from Down Under to win a long-awaited first pro victory in the IFBB ranks at the Toronto Super Show, and her victory added to a list of former Toronto winners dating back to 2011 when Slovenian Brigita Brezovac won the inaugural title. Since then the women's bodybuilding division has drawn an average of 11 contestants annually with a cozy field of seven entrants this year.
Held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, promoter Ron Hache staged another outstanding event that features all the women's divisions, and has always drawn many international competitors from around the world - This year would be no different. In the bodybuilding field of seven, two Canadians were joined by two Americans, two from the Czech Republic, and eventual winner Christine Envall from Australia.
For Christine Envall, her victory at this event is a great story on many levels. Calling her a veteran competitor is an understatement. She began entering contests in Australia in 1991 - 24 years ago - and was the lightweight (yes, lightweight) winner at the 1991 Outback Classic. By the late 90's she became a NABBA World champion on three occasions. Turning pro in the IFBB in 2001, Envall struggled to make her way into the top three of an event - of which she entered many. In fact, Envall placed 11th at the Toronto show in 2013, then 6th last year, before moving up to the winner's circle at this event. Last year, Envall finally did break into the top three, and after a pair of thirds at the Wings of Strength in Chicago and the Omaha Pro, she entered her first Ms. Olympia placing 11th. For Envall, her competitive career has been a graphic example of perseverance and resilience, but more importantly it has proven her sincere love of the sport and the undying desire to possess a muscular physique of dramatic proportions. Now at 43, and displaying 160 pounds on a solidly constructed 5-3 frame, the mighty Aussie is now qualified for an event that may offer a rebirth of women's bodybuilding at the highest level where only the name of the event has changed. Her prize money for winning the Toronto Super Show was $2,000.
Runner-up to Envall was Vera Mikulcova from Jihlava, Czech Republic. Carrying 176 pounds on her 5-8 frame, Mikulova was a stark contrast to Envall at 5-3 with long bodylines and a lean conditioning level. Physically, Mikulcova displayed exceptional biceps and shoulder development along with nice quads when posed from the side. That said, she missed the mark on presenting a more balanced look overall, and in the final analysis that flaw was her eventual downfall. Making her pro debut here, the 34-year old Mikulcova competed at the 2010 Arnold Amateur as a middleweight before moving up to the heavyweight class at the Arnold Amateur Europe in 2011. Mikulcova accepted a check for $1,000 as the runner-up finisher.
The Czech Republic checked in with another strong competitor as Jana Bendova flexed her way to the third-place finish in her pro debut. As the eldest competitor in this field, the 53-year old Bendova has had considerable experience internationally as an amateur winning the Bronze medal at the 2012 IFBB World Amateur Championships as a heavyweight, and fourth at the 2012 IFBB World Masters Championships in the Open division. In 2013 Bendova placed second in the Over-35 class at the IFBB World Masters Championships, and shared a runner-up finish at the 2014 IFBB European Mixed Pairs Championships. Bendova's third-place prize money came to $500.
The Official Results
1- Christine Envall, Australia 5
2- Vera Mikulcova, Czech Republic 11
3- Jana Bendova, Czech Republic 14
4- Gillian Kovack, Canada 22
5- Margie Martin, USA 23
6- Bonnie Switzer, USA 31
7- Amanda Aivaliotis, Canada 34
Past Toronto Super Show Winners
2011 - Brigita Brezovac, Slovenia
2012 - Lisa Giesbrecht, Canada
2013 - Jennifer Scarpetta, USA
2014 - Simone Oliveira, Brazil
2015 - Christine Envall, Australia
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