2008 Fame West by JP Erickson

Flexing figure girls and chicks with sticks – only in Canada and only at FAME.

FAME West took place on April 5 in Vancouver, BC. One of the best moves made by the host WNSO organization was the inclusion of mandatory flexing for the figure categories. Watching the figure competitors go through their paces as they flex certainly beats seeing yet another flight of endless figure contestants doing quarter-turns as is the norm at most shows south of the border.

The 2008 version of FAME West featured another interesting twist for the competitors. During the class introductions, instead of having the competitors walk to the front of the stage, smile, wave and return to the back, the competitors hit a few poses much like they were doing a photoshoot.

This innovative touch came from top fitness model and Status Magazine editor Ocean Bloom.

“I was doing a competition workshop and I was thinking of this from the perspective of a photographer or audience member. I thought it would add a new element for the competitors as well as give the photographers more to work with when the girls were on stage.

“By having them pose on stage, there is a greater chance that images from the show will find their way into magazines and other media. When the girls just stand there doing nothing, it makes for boring photographs. As well, I thought it would add more excitement for the audience members.”

Although minor, this was definitely a nice improvement in the overall presentation of the show. Hopefully, other shows will pick up on this and incorporate it into their productions.

As with most FAME shows, this one provided an almost dizzying array of categories from bodybuilding to bikini model and most everything between. With many competitors choosing to compete in multiple categories, it provided the audience with an opportunity to see them in a variety of competition settings.

Although not up to the volume of competitors as the 2007 edition of FAME West, this year’s show definitely featured some quality physiques in most every category. Some of the most impressive competitors hailed from Vancouver Island, walking away with a large portion of the hardware at the end of the evening.

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