Although most of the line-up would probably have had lower expectations than her, Helle Trevino wasn't the only lady at the Rising Phoenix who didn't get the result she was dreaming of. No doubt most if not all the FBBs loved the experience of being top of the event bill, but many of them have had considerably better competitive days.
But there's no reason why they shouldn't be celebrated. FMS does, after all, love our female muscle, and despite the fact they finished at or near the bottom of the judges' scorecards, muscle - and lots of it - is what these women brought to the stage.
JAY FUCHS (12th)
A fan favourite, some noted she seemed to be "in great shape" before the show and she was touted as "a serious candidate for the top 5" on her Rising Phoenix debut. Sadly, things didn't pan out quite so well for Jay, but as always she was a stunning sight, and her choice of evening wear for the after party was a surefire pulse raiser.
Ultimately she was happy to have been part of the show, and thanked Wings of Strength "for this moment" on her Instagram a few days after the show. Time is quality, she noted, comparing her 2016 self favourably to last year's model. She'll be back, and she'll be back bigger and better and loving her muscles more than ever!
Thank you Jay!
AMANDA AIVALIOTIS
It looked as though Amanda's muscles were in grave danger of busting right out through her skin - a full 10 days before the show!!! The much anticipated (by me anyway) Aivaliotis on stage most muscular she must have kept back for her evening show routine (pics of which aren't on the sites I'm plundering for free - yet). Sigh!
A tanned and beaming Amanda thanked Wings of Strength "for an incredible show" after the event. She was certainly one of the ladies who was happiest "just" to be there, and clearly loved every minute of her weekend, despite ending up out of the placings altogether. That Spartan Greek blood won't, she says, let her quit sculpting her fine and freaky physique though, and while FMS looks forward all those freaky most musculars to come, her back double biceps on the RP stage will do very nicely for now.
Love your meaty glutes Amanda!
RITA BELLO (10th)
It might seem a bit churlish to be saying that a top 10 competitor didn't have her greatest of days, but I have my reasons. Having finished 8th last year, there was more than a hint of disappointment in Rita's post-show comments. It's always an honor to be here, in the most important show for pro female bodybuilders in the world. Proud to be between all those giant bodybuilders, very hard competition. As always, I did my best. As always, the best condition in the competition. Ouch!!!
Even the backstage photographer Rob Pick managed to catch Rita looking... let's say "somewhat stern" - here. I'm betting he backed right off once he'd clocked that glare!
Cheer up freaky Rita!
SILVIA MATTA (14th)
In direct contrast, gorgeous Silvia Matta was all suggestive eyes and pout for Mr Pick when he approached her with his lens, and as her evening routine (found those pictures now!) reached a climax (brace yourself for a bad joke and a clause as suggestive as Silvia's big brown eyes) it looks very much as though she did as well!
Seemed she had fun during the prejudging too. As Silvia was one of the late invitees, it's not surprising that she didn't have the best conditioning at the show, nor indeed the best conditioning we've ever seen her have, but absolutely (though it may or may not be a completely unenhanced one) she had the best pout in the line-up!
Silvia, I love how you love showing off your muscles!
LAURA CAROLAN
Now I've said that some of these women didn't have the best of weekends, but Canadian super freak Laura Carolan really didn't. Sadly, she was hit with a stomach virus in the week leading up to the show but despite being unable to keep food down, she battled through and made it to the stage for the prejudging, though by the time it came to the evening show, she had nothing left and never performed her routine.
Well, it's Monday after what was supposed to be an exciting weekend, she said on her Facebook on, er, Monday. Unfortunately, when the body doesn't co-operate, it is beyond your control! The biggest thing I missed out on was socializing with my peers/iron sisters afterwards. What a great bunch of ladies in the FBB division! Thanks to Kristal and Jake Wood and Brian Tosco Belo for ensuring my health was taken care of, and for keeping our beloved sport alive! Words can't express my gratitude, hope to be able to come back next year with my health intact!
Still looked pretty freaky to me, considering. Those glutes have had freakier days, but they are always quite a sight. And funnily enough, though she was outside the top 15 on the judges' scorecards, she didn't actually finish dead last. Get well, Laura!
LORA OTTENAD (15th)
It's wonderful that at 53 (though you couldn't imagine a 53-year-old who looks less like her age), Lora Ottenad got to have her moment on the biggest stage in female bodybuilding. If only because she has given so much pleasure to so many of us over the years, especially in the legendary clip - you know what I'm going to say already, don't you? - of her in bed, hard as stone and naked and sweaty and dominating her man, her insane glutes flexing as she thrusts into him again and again and again...
Yep, Lora deserves whatever rewards she can still get from her sport, and judging by the look on the face of the young lady to Lora's right (our left) in the backstage shot above, she's still got something back there which can grab and hold the attention!
Lora, thank you for all the hard times!
ISABELLE TURELL (13th)
Isabelle was one of the poster muscle goddesses for the event, and like Jay Fuchs, was touted by a good many fans as a top 5 contender. In the kind of shape she was in earlier in the season in Puerto Rico and Omaha that would have been a fair call, but sadly for her (and her fans), this was not her best shape by any means.
But having said that, when you are such a gorgeous hunk of womanhood, you don't have to be at your absolute best to have me (and I dare say many many others) swooning all over the place. So wide at the top and so thin in the middle. Whatever condition she's in, she never loses that fantastic, stuff-of-fantasy, V. And of course, she always has one of the best moves of any show, and she didn't disappoint during her routine nor during the posedown. The hair, the tan, the ABS! And she can do that!
Oh, Isabelle! I feel another swoon coming on...
ALANA SHIPP
Well this was a new feeling for Alana. For the very first time in her career (as an amateur or a pro) she was outside the top placings, and not just a bit out either.
I'm not even going to attempt to explain why the judges saw it this way, I simply can't, and I'm not the only one who's utterly mystified. What the hell happened with Alana Shipp? one muscle forum member demanded to know when the results were posted. How can that (I won't say whose picture he put up to illustrate his point - this post is all love) beat that (picture of Alana, above, bottom right)???!!!
She was quiet all year, and unlike 2015, didn't do a warm-up show before the Rising Phoenix. Now, if she is to get back to the Greatest Female Muscle Show on Earth, she'll need to qualify, and as a mother living in Israel, that is a trickier task for her than most on practicalities alone. But her contest history suggests she can, I just hope she will and that we'll be seeing her again soon. Alana, you're a Goddess!
As all the women we've featured here today are. And they weren't the only deities to be seen at the event either. Two of the largest of the large were raising tentpoles in Scottsdale, one working the WoS stall, flogging the merchandise...
The other working the room (well, doing a meet & greet anyway) and a shoot or two...
It's good to see them both keeping "in" with Wings of Strength (Iris, take note!) but great as they both look, I'd much rather see them showing off on stage next year!