Contest Preview - 2008 IFBB New York Pro Figure

The New York Pro Figure Championships will be held at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center in lower Manhattan on September 5th and 6th, in conjunction with one of the largest amateur shows in the country, the NPC Team Universe. That puts this contest in the unique position of almost being overshadowed by an NPC show that offers up 12 figure pro cards, more than twice as many available at any other national level show. The IFBB figure pro show is being staged in the middle of the busiest time of the year, with the Europa in the rear view mirror, the nearby Atlantic City Pro the following week, and the Olympia only a month away. Turnover among figure competitors is high, with only three athletes who were here in 2007 choosing to compete in 2008. Last year promoters found themselves on the defensive with air conditioning problems in the building and a last-minute change in host hotels, but have rectified those issues by moving the contest from the summer to early fall.

Participation levels at the New York Pro are up slightly this year (25 competitors at press time, more than the 21 last year) - which is a trend across the board in the industry. There is no professional male bodybuilding contest to take the spotlight away from the star female athletes, like at the Europa and Atlantic City. And there are several Olympia-qualified champions in this lineup, at least one major comeback, and several highly anticipated professional debuts!  We'll also see a major international flavor at this event, with ten athletes who earned their IFBB cards outside of the United States.

In some ways Arkansas mom Michelle Flake was on the cutting edge of the transition from last year's figure judging criteria, because she represents this year's officially preferred standards yet she won both the Sacramento Pro and Kentucky Muscle Pro in November of 2007. Michelle has only won every show that she has entered since placing 17th at the 2006 Olympia, and this is a warm-up for her return to the Olympia stage next month. Enough within the sport of figure has changed since she last competed in November, so she is by no means a sure thing, but we would be surprised if Michelle placed outside the top three in New York.