Inside Bodybuilding: 2008 IFBB Atlantic City Pro Women's Bodybuilding Results and Photos

Donald Trump may own much of the real estate in Atlantic City, but when it comes to bodybuilding contests, Lisa Aukland has her own private monopoly in this town.

On Saturday night at the Trump Marina Hotel & Casino, Aukland made it three in a row having

previously won this event in 2006 and 2007. And in the city where monopoly is evident everywhere you look, the IFBB Ms. Olympia-bound Aukland whisked past Marvin Gardens, Ventnor Avenue, and Baltic Place and landed squarely on the Boardwalk. She did pass go and she did collect the top prize money as the 2008 IFBB Atlantic City Pro Champion.

With just two weeks remaining before all serious bodybuilding fans make Las Vegas their mecca on the weekend of September 26-27, Lisa Aukland put herself in some pretty good company with her ‘three-of-kind' effort in New Jersey's version of Sin City.

Only the likes of Lenda Murray, Cory Everson, and Kim Chizevsky have tied as many as three consecutive IFBB Pro victories together in a career, and although the aforementioned accomplished their legendary feats at the IFBB Ms. Olympia, Aukland's 2008 IFBB Atlantic City trifecta is certainly nothing to be taken lightly. Anytime a bodybuilder at the pro level can put back-to-back-to-back victories together, there is most assuredly an impressively developed physique that can back up the titles. Aukland, of course, does.

In a field of 19 contestants from nine countries, it was Aukland who topped a group of highly diversified opponents - from a physical standpoint - in the race for the top five placings.

For the 5-4, 155-pound Aukland, the 2008 IFBB Atlantic City event was her 15th IFBB Pro

contest dating back to 2002 when she made her Pro debut at the IFBb Ms. International that year. Since then, she has steadily risen through the ranks to become one of the IFBB's finest competitors ever. With three previous trips to the IFBB Ms. Olympia and six entries in the IFBB Ms. International over the past seven years, Aukland's placings at those events have also been noteworthy. Taking into account a third-place finish at the 2008 IFBB Ms. International, to go with a fourth-place spot at the 2007 IFBB Ms. Olympia, Aukland can most certainly be considered a ‘player' when she arrives in Las Vegas - a city that loves ‘players'.....especially of Aukland's elite level.

Of her muscular condition at this contest Aukland stated that she really only came in at about 90%, all the while keeping in mind the IFBB Ms. Olympia was just two weeks away. But it is interesting to note that she appeared to tighten up (beyond what she showed at the pre-judging) for the evening show (something she had not consciously decided upon) to nail down the final decision. Either way, the physical impressiveness she brought to the stage at both the prejudging and final show were convincing, and intimates that she is more than ready to give the Ms. O her best shot on September 26th.

With a resume that includes 13 previous pro contests of her own, Mah-Ann Mendoza staked her

claim for the runner-up spot showing what has always been the hallmark of her physique - great muscular balance and proportions. At just 5-1 ½, and usually weighing around the 132-pound mark, Mendoza was very sharp for this event in an obvious all-out effort to qualify for the upcoming IFBB Ms. Olympia.

Somewhat underrated over the years, Mendoza turned pro in 2001 with an overall win at the NPC USA. Since then she has tacked up two pro victories - the 2004 IFBb Southwest USA Pro Cup (lightweight class winner), and more recently the 2007 IFBB Europa Super Show (lightweight and overall crowns). In addition she's also made it to three IFBB Ms. Olympia contests and two IFBB Ms. Internationals.

Here, she was in solid condition and nothing was obviously missing in her diminutive physique. In fact the detail in her inner thighs (an area where most competitors seldom excel) in any pose from the back was notably memorable - not to mention the deep separations in her hamstrings. She had left nothing to chance and the effort carried her to a fourth IFBB Ms. Olympia qualification. It worked.

Always a huge fan favorite due to her eye-catching structural blessings, Venezuelan Betty

Viana-Atkins captured the third IFBB Ms. Olympia qualifying spot. As an opinion that is carried by many of the sport's cognoscenti, Viana-Atkins is a sleeping giant whose vast potential has yet to fully blossom. With a beautifully built upper body that sits atop a miniscule waistline and makes for astounding lat spreads, Viana-Atkins complements that with a pair of thighs that become breathtaking with a perfect combination of both shapely muscular size and deep separation through the quad groups. Like a piece of marble art, Viana-Atkins' physique is best when simply standing in lineups.

From a judging standpoint, however, she still needs improvement in attaining better peaks on her biceps, and filling out her calves. After that, some further detailing in her overall muscle groups, via stricter dieting, will make her a serious challenger for any pro event.

Meanwhile the four-time Venezuelan champion has competed in four IFBB Ms. Olympia contests finishing as high as fourth in 2004, and was a winner at the 2002 IFBB Southwest USA Pro Cup, and 2003 IFBB Night of Champions. For those with short memories, Viana-Atkins also finished second to Lisa Aukland among the heavyweights at this contest last year. Her best years, and contest placements, could still be in front of her.

With little question, Finland's Marja Lehtonen has to be considered one of the sport's most underappreciated competitors at the pro level. Finishing fourth here, this 5-2, 125-pound muscular phenom continues to be a huge fan favorite. Densely packed with quality muscle, Lehtonen turned 40 this year and still exudes the energy of a competitor much younger.

A veteran bodybuilder, Lehtonen has been competing since 1990 and the former Finnish champion has competed eight times at the pro level and only finished outside the top four on one occasion - the 2005 IFBB Ms. Olympia. Otherwise, all her other finishes have been either seconds or thirds until her fourth place finish here. In other words, the judges she her, but she has been just short of making the big step to a major breakthrough. All that said, it is difficult not to be highly impressed with her remarkable biceps and insanely developed quads. If it can be said she lacks the more aesthetic overall structural lines of her taller contemporaries, then she can be held up as the poster girl for the ‘H' physique where many will gladly hold her in the highest regard.

Perhaps the biggest surprise, albeit a pleasant one, was Georgia's Kim Buck finishing in the fifth position ahead of a notably impressive group that included veteran and fellow Georgian Annie Rivieccio, and recently crowned NPC USA overall champion Isabelle Turell.

As one of the tallest pros at 5-8, the 170-pound Buck is a relative newcomer to the Pro ranks having earned IFBb Pro status by winning the heavyweight and overall crowns at the 2006 NPC Masters Nationals. Since then she has competed only four times including this Atlantic City event. Buck was a third-place finisher in the heavyweight class at the 2007 IFBB Jan Tana Classic, but her fifth-place spot here is her best effort to date in a field without weight classes. Buck is a favorite of fans who appreciate the long, lean ‘thoroughbred racehorse' look. Her musculature carries a strongly athletic look that has a broad appeal to more of a mainstream audience, but one which is still respected by hardcore bodybuilding fans. Considering those contestants she finished above in the final tallies, the Atlantic City judges also felt the same way.

2008 IFBB Atlantic City Pro Women's Bodybuilding

September 13th, 2008

Atlantic City, New Jersey

1. Lisa Aukland *

2. Mah Ann Mendoza *

3. Betty Adkins *

4. Marja Lehtonen

5. Kim Buck

6. Isabelle Turell

7. Annie Rivieccio

8. Charlotte Collins

9. Emery Miller