Betty Pariso to Represent Women Bodybuilders
Fitness and Figure Out at the NOC
Jenhen?s Fashion Show: More Things to Do in Columbus During Arnold Fitness Weekend

It’s Unofficially Official: Betty Pariso to Represent Women Bodybuilders

Betty Pariso’s campaign to become the athletes’ rep for women’s pro bodybuilding has paid off: Having garnered the signatures of roughly 70 percent of athletes in her sport, Pariso will get to sit in on her first IBB Pro Division meeting during Arnold Fitness Weekend in early March. Since the provisions for athletes to be represented were enacted before the advent of fitness and figure, the first order of business is likely a change in the rule book to provide for athetes’ reps in those sports as well.

So far no one has actually expressed an interest in either potential position, according to Pro Division head Wayne DeMilia, but this reporter has heard rumors of at least one well-known tumbling tumbleweed who’s having political stirrings, and it’s difficult to believe there won’t be others. In the meantime Pariso has sent the federation a wish list, including more prize money and more Olympia qualifications for women bodybuilders, with, say, the second- and third-place finishers in each class going to the big show if they pay their own expenses. Good luck with that one, ladies. And congrats to Betty and to Lisa Aukland and everyone else who helped Pariso get the requisite signatures without staging a scene at the Olympia press conference.

Fitness and Figure Out at the NOC: Women’s Bodybuilding Makes the Cut

Citing “the change in the economic climate in the nutritional industry,” Night of Champions promoters Wayne DeMilia and Charles Blake have canceled their Night of Fitness and Figure competitions, which were scheduled for May 21 in New York City, and moved the Night of Women’s Bodybuilding to Saturday, May 22. Roughly translated, that means that sponsorship bucks, likely from title sponsor Bodyonics Pinnacle, are down from what they were in 2003. It also means that for once a major promotion team in the industry, faced with a blow to the budget, did not cancel women’s bodybuilding.

DeMilia admits he considered it, but he also considered that the ’04 pro schedule includes other fitness and figure events in the Big Apple, specifically the New York Pro Fitness on March 27 and N.Y. Pro Figure on August 6’7, but none for the female flexers. Also that the fans who bought tickets to the Friday-night women’s program last year, clearly lovers of big-biceps babes, just might come to the Civic Center on Saturday to see the ladies hitting shots with the big fellas of the NOC XXVI (well, not exactly with them, but you get the idea). Pro competitor Denise Masino, who won the lightweight title at the ’03 NOC and appeared as a celebrity host at the men’s show, helped convinced him to keep the women’s event on the schedule, DeMilia said.

So, East Coast muscle fans, punch in your Palm Pilots for May 22 and head for the Civic Center. For information or tickets call (845) 638-9290 or write to [email protected][email protected].

Jenhen’s Fashion Show: More Things to Do in Columbus During Arnold Fitness Weekend

Looking for a way to pass the time in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday, March 7, a.k.a., the day after the Arnold Classic? In case you haven’t had your fill of fit females in workout gear and other sporting apparel, you should check out the Arnold Fitness Fashion Show, which will take place on the expo stage at 1 p.m. Promoter Jim Lorimer tapped Fitness International veteran and dynamo local diva Jenny Hendershott to organize the event, and when last seen, Hendershott was giving it her usual 150 percent. As of early February, she said, “We have over 50 models signed up and are working on getting 15 to 20 clothing companies involved.” That’s a lot of fit females favoring the latest fashions, so if you’re in town, you’ll want to come on down. Another event you won’t want to miss that’s getting a high percentage of Hendershott’s efforts is the Fitness I, where she’ll go cartwheel to cartwheel with Kelly Ryan in the routines. Despite what you may have read elsewhere, Hendershott’s girl-on-girl liplock ‘ la Madonna and Britney Spears’performed at the Olympia and Show of Strength last year’did not prompt officials to ban live props in pro fitness routines, she said. Still, she’s keeping it zipped regarding her plans for the Columbus competition. “I’m not predictable,” declared the dancing darling of central Ohio with a twinkle. Not hardly. For info on all the grand doings of Arnold Fitness Weekend go to www.arnoldclassic.com.