This was posted by Sean Sullivan (12th place finisher) on another board... his assessment of the show
This is kind of late but I wanted to post something about my first experiance on the IFPA pro stage. First, I must give mad props to Jame's for putting on the BEST show I have ever attended. This is not just sunshine up up my friends censored.gif but is an honest assessment of the event. Things ran smoothly, for the most part on time (can't help walk-ins and late check-ins holding things up) and the stage, lighting and venue is the best I have seen. The pump room is small and crowded, but that is about the only criticisim and can find for the venue itself.
The staff did an excellent job handling all of us, and there were quite a few to be handled! With two pro events, the Fitness Modle and the normal figure and bodybuilding classes there was quite a bit going on. The expiditors were on top of everything and had the competitors lined up and read to go for each class. The head judge, Bob Gormely, has more experiance judging then anyone I know, and ran a smooth prejudging and kept things moving. The judges did there best with some tough classes and I think they deserve credit for a job well done.
I must also add that the goodie bags were about the biggest I have ever seen. I actually had less free stuff walking the Arnold expo then I did here, and I can't see how Jame's made any mony with all he gave out! The awords were Niels and that shows he spaired no expense as we all what the quality and price of Niels is. On top of that all the pro's recieved a gift bag from Gaspari that included Superpumped, perhaps the best pre-workout supplement on the market, so hats off to Gaspari nutrition on that, you now have a life time customer!
I wish I could comment on all the classes, but i missed much of the show so only a few observations. Starting with the ProFigure. I had the opportunity to spend some time with Katrina Roundtree and found her to be every bit a champion off stage as on. What an incredable physique! She was challenged hard by Melissa Gallagher and the incredably ripped Leyla Yurchick and the complete and wonderful Carla Pagle. Not to take away from any others in the class, it was tought and all were excellent, but I only really saw the end of the comparison and knew it was between these four. In the end Katrina was a deserving champion and I can't wait to see here again next year.
I missed most of the Fitness Model and Figure divisions, but the ladies I met back stage waiting for photo's were all great competitors. I also missed the most of the Novice and Masters classes at prejudging but at the night show one male Novice stood out, overall chaom Kevin Currin. This guy is a future pro and I have no doubt about that. I can't understand why he did not cross over as he would have done some damage in the open. I hope he decides to go for the pro card, because its close. In the women's the top three were excellent and were three totally different physiques. Kim Lachance was really hard, Candice Boyd symetrical and Julie Soar had muscle from head to toe! What a tough class but in the end, muscle rules as did Jule so congrats on another pro card! In the masters I have two observations, John Jackson is now the hardest I have ever seen him (and we go back to the early 90's) and ken Arsenault is a force to be reckoned with! In fact Ken has made such great improvements in two weeks that he is my odds of favorite at the GSO in NH next month! And both these guys can p | 
TEAM CUTLER 