New IPL Figure Pro, Melanie Giroux!
Apparently two was the charm for IPL Figure competitor, Melanie Giroux at the 2017 2nd Annual IPL West Coast Pro/Am on Saturday September 30th in Rancho Cordova, CA.
After placing 2nd in Figure Open at the IPL California Championship back in May, Giroux was back with an improved look. But, it would not be easy.
Hot on Giroux’s heels was an impressive IPL newcomer, Valeria Cota. Giroux and Cota were neck and neck throughout Prejudging. However, in the end, Giroux pulled ahead for the win. By… One. Single. Point.
That being said, in order to achieve the coveted IPL Figure Pro Card, Giroux would also need to hit a minimum point total. At this contest that minimum was 126 points out of a max of 180. What was Giroux’s score? 129. With that, Melanie Giroux became the IPL’s newest Figure Pro.
IPL Pro Figure is incredibly competitive. With the likes of Pros such Yady Cedeno, Alisha Msprettydaisy Gray, Christy Byxbee, Kaylin Payne, and Pro Champion Mary Onyango, it will be interesting to see how Melanie matches up. Michael Brooks Photography.
IPL APEX Pro Figure Champion, Mary Onyango!
Mary Onyango was AWEOSME at 2017 IPL APEX II, the IPL’s Year-end Pinnacle Championship Event, in Sacramento CA on November 19th.
IPL Pro Mary Onyango is a force to be reckoned with. Ever since she splashed onto the IPL stage at the 2016 New York Pro/Am, where she earned her Pro Card in Figure and Athletic in stunning fashion, she has been on a meteoric rise to the top.
Mary Onyango’s first contest of the 2017 season was the North Atlantic & USA Pro. Here Mary faced Julia Hubbard in Pro Figure. Mary placed 1st, adding a second IPL Pro title to her collection. She would go on to earn a third at the USA’s, but we will get to that later…
APEX II marked the official rematch between Onyango and Hubbard.
In APEX PRO FIGURE, Mary Onyango would once again dominate, winning each of the six scored categories: Muscularity, Symmetry, Conditioning, Posing & Presentation, Suit, and Model Walk at Finals. Julia Hubbard would come the closest in two rounds: Posing & Presentation (MO = 36/JH = 35) and Model Walk (MO = 37/JH = 35).
Needless to say, Mary Onyango was victorious as she earned 1st place, her fourth IPL Pro title and went down in history as the very first APEX Pro Figure Champion. AND, shortly after APEX, Mary made the front cover of the Spring 2018 issue of NATURALMAG.
But, Mary Onyango was not done at APEX yet… Michael Brooks Photography.
New IPL Figure Pro, Doré DeBartolo-Robinson!
Next up on the IPL contest calendar was the 2017 IPL Tahiti Pro/Am on Saturday October 14th on the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia. And, without a doubt, Doré DeBartolo-Robinson was one of the most celebrated athletes of the show.
Doré would travel to the South Pacific, all the way from Midwest USA to take part in the Tahiti Pro/Am. And, with what she brought to the stage, she was certainly a fan favorite. There were moments when the cheers that Doré received from the packed Tahiti theater were deafening. This would go on throughout the night, as Doré entered several divisions and classes, Pro and Amateur.
Starting with Figure Open, Doré brought it. Needing a minimum score of 126 (out of 180) for the PQ, Doré earned 143 and became the IPL’s newest Figure Pro. This would be Doré’s 5th division IPL Pro Card. She was already qualified in Bodybuilding, Athletic, Sports Model, and Fitness Angels (yep). But, Doré was not done yet in Tahiti…
Side question… Is Doré DeBartolo-Robinson ready to face #1 IPL Figure Pro, Mary Onyango???
Michael Brooks Photography.
New IPL Figure Masters Pro, Julia Hubbard!
Julia Hubbard came to collect at the 2017 2nd Annual IPL New Jersey Pro on May 6th in Jersey City, NJ.
Already an IPL Figure Open Pro (earned at the 2016 IPL Southwest Grand Prix in Arizona), Hubbard had her sights set on the Masters as well. With her streamlined physique and top notch stage presentation, Hubbard easily nabbed enough points for the PQ and added yet another IPL Pro Card to her collection. AND, she was not done yet in New Jersey… Michael Brooks Photography.
New IPL Figure Pro, Betty Rise!
“Beastmode” Betty Rise brought a dominating package to the IPL stage at the 2017 3rd Annual IPL Midwest Championship on April 15th in Madison, WI.
Brilliant V-taper, great conditioning, full, round muscle bellies (including 3-D deltoids), and an A-level Model Walk at Finals put Rise in the winners spot. In order to land the IPL PQ, on top of placing 1st, Rise would need an elevated point total of at least 168 (out of a max 240). In the end, she earned 202 (one of the highest totals of the show) and became the IPL’s newest Figure Pro.
How exciting is it to imagine Betty Rise up against top IPL Figure Pros such as Kaylin Payne, Yady Cedeno, Vanessa Lynn Campos, Mary Onyango, and Midwest native Nina Olsen???? Michael Brooks Photography.
New IPL Figure Open & Figure Masters PRO, Alison Satran!
It was a VERY big day for IPL athlete, Alison Satran at the 2016 IPL 2nd Annual North Atlantic Championship on October 15th in Ridgefield, CT.
First, this contest would mark Alison’s PRO debit in Women’s Athletic. In this division Satran gave IPL PRO Mary Onyango a run for her money, winning two of the six scored categories…Conditioning and Posing/Presentation. However, when the dust settled, it was Onyango for the PRO win.
Next up was Masters and Open Figure. In these, Satran dominated. Needing 168 points (out of a max 240) for the PQ’s, Satran landed 187 in Masters and 183 in the Open, earning IPL PRO status in each.
Impressive??? TOTALLY.
And, get this, at 61 years young it appears that Alison Satran is just warming up! Oh, and she also has her IPL Bikini Masters PRO CARD, earned at the May 2016 IPL New Jersey Pro/Am. Michael Brooks Photography.
New IPL Figure PRO, Mary Onyango!
When Mary Onyango appeared on stage in the Figure Open division at the 2016 New York PRO/AM on Saturday, August 20th the earth paused, just for a movement.
Jaws dropped, eyes bugged, and not a word could be heard in the theater. As the shock and awe settled, the silence became murmurs and whispers as the audience and judging panel attempted to wrap their minds around what they were witnessing.
Soon the murmurs and whispers became cheers and roars as the full impact of Mary Onyango’s presence was unleashed. Photos cannot do justice to what Onyango brought to the IPL Figure stage on this night. She was that good.
Once again, the magic number of points needed to achieve IPL PRO QUALIFIED status was 168. Onyango blew that away as her score of 225 (out of a max 240) in Figure Open was even higher than the 221 that she achieved in Women’s Athletic Open.
The IPL has some incredibly competitive Figure PROS on our roster. IPL PRO Figure…meet your newest challenge, Mary Onyango. Michael Brooks Photography.
WHAT???!!! The INCREDIBLE Back Of Top IPL Figure PRO Kaylin Payne!
Just a few pix of Kaylin during her Final’s Walk at the 2016 IPL New Jersey PRO/AM in Jersey City, New Jersey on May 21st. Michael Brooks Photography.
New IPL Figure PRO, Misti Love Sowell!
A wonderful Ambassador to drug-free athletics, Mother of FIVE, Misti Sowell came to werk in Houston. The most wining competitor in the show, Sowell clenched firsts and matching IPL PRO CARDS in Figure Open, Figure Masters, and Evening Gown Open. That being said the closest call was in Figure Open with Misti scoring a total of 186 points, placing ahead of Ofon Solomon who scored 185 points. As close is these scores were, a win is a win and Misti Sowell did just that at the 2016 IPL 2nd Annual Southern Championship in Houston, TX on June 11. Michael Brooks Photography.
A special congrats and apology goes to Ofon Solomon who was mistakenly announced in 3rd place, when in reality she was actually 2nd, one point away from tying for first and two points way from winning the class.
