KENT CLASSIC

by John Plummer

Photography by Christopher Bailey

You can view and buy images of this event here: https://www.ukbffphotos.com/2018/KENT-CLASSIC Or competitors can buy all their stage shots as a package here: https://www.ukbffphotos.com/2018/KENT-CLASSIC

The annual August bank holiday trip to Kent marks the start of the countdown to the business end of the IFBB season. You can feel things begin to get serious as the big dates loom.

The Arnold Classic Europe is now less than a month away and our top IFBB Elite Pros are preparing for the World Championships in Italy for men and China for women.

But for competitors at the Kent Classic, it was all about an invitation to the British Championships, which take place in Nottingham in less than two months time.

The event, superby promoted by Sarah Bridges and emceed by Kerry Kayes, brought 110 competitors to the stage in Dartford.

On a sad note, there was a minute's silence for Koulla Kakoulli, a masters bodyfitness competitor and former champion at this event, who died this month.

Bodyfitness top 3 (from left) 3 Amy Beckett 1 Aimee Blanchard 2 Shanice Northrop. Pic by Christopher Bailey.

BODYBUILDING

For a junior who was on stage for the first time, Liesanici Lurie was little short of sensational. He was very muscular, balanced and in great condition – his striated full glutes gave his back poses real impact.

Ryan Mackins was the pick of four big guys in the over-90 kg class. Ryan showed great width and a decent set of legs to get the better of the solidly built Ivan Sabachev. It was good to see the top three having so much fun in the posedown.

Under-90 kg champion Jason Gardner had an eye-catching thigh sweep, good glutes and impressive conditioning and shape.

Under-80 kg winner Karel Nelson Moreno Borges had a lot of muscle on his frame and some big arms. Runner-up Maiwand Feizi had an outstanding back.

The over 40s was a tough class to judge. Runner-up Bernard Alexander had a youthful, appealing X shape but the winner, Dean O'Connor, was packed with hard freaky muscle.

Nick Papa will have to find room for yet another winner's trophy after taking the over-50s. Nick still carries a lot of muscle and was in good shape.

Raphael Adetayo wasn't the biggest guy in the intermediate over 85 kg category but he has a quality physique that flowed beautifully. It was close between him and runner-up Gage Girton, whose physique also scores highly on aesthetics.

Intermediate under 85 kg winner Gary Ingram showed a good muscular shape with plenty of cuts in his sizeable quads.

Ian McGuinness' sliced quads helped him seal victory in a large and strong classic bodybuilding line-up.

Classic physique saw two outstanding competitors, Waldermar Biernacki and Danny Wilson, go head-to-head, with Waldemar's cleaner lines prevailing over Danny's mega-sharp conditioning.

MEN'S PHYSIQUE

Aaron Clarke, who won muscular men's physique, really looked the part: wide delts, big chest, good taper, and healthy good looks – he ticked all the boxes.

The micro-waist of Elliot Welch helped him dominate the short height men's physique class.

The middle height class belonged to Jackie Wilson, who had a slender but highly aesthetic upper body framed by a lovely taper.

Alper Ibryam's clean lines and healthy look helped him win the tall class.

Junior champion Chester Birch had excellent conditioning and tan, and a full chest.

Jay Gandecha was the judges' choice in a strong rookie line-up. His superior conditioning just gave him the edge over the fabulous structure of Myles Ajay.

FEMALE CLASSES

Rarely, if ever, has a rookie bikini fitness line-been as deep in quality as this one. Some very good debutants didn't make the top three and might have fared better in the open categories.

The winner, Safa Awajan, had a lovely structure with nicely sculpted glutes and quads. Safa was pushed all the way by Alice Richardson, who had excellent proportions.

Stunning Sereena Cable, who was third, had breathtaking shape – awesome potential.

Katie Da Silva, the junior bikini fitness winner, brought the wow factor. Katie's shape and balance were spot on – a great example of what the class is all about.

A month ago Tawana Cushnie dipped her toes into the contest scene at the Ultimate Beginners. Now she is the Kent Classic under 169 cm bikini fitness champion and heading to the British championships. Everything was tight and toned as she brought a stunning package to the stage. Runner-up Fola Odewumi, who previously competed in wellness, had a more muscular physique, especially in the legs, and looks another bright prospect.

Hannah Wares was the standout in the up to to 164 cm height class, thanks to her lovely shape and ideal level of bikini fitness conditioning.

Wellness winner Kayleigh Clarke is tall, attractive and has a fantastic shape, with strong legs. She's difficult to ignore in a line-up and a dangerous opponent.

Pamela David's slender, shapely form won masters bikini fitness. Anita Szabo's lovely lines took masters bodyfitness ahead of the impressive Heylia Cooper, who had wicked legs.

Bodyfitness winner Aimee Blanchard was tall and exceptionally well conditioned. Runner-up Shanice Northrop is a real beauty with an equally striking shape that shows lots of potential.

Women's physique winner Catherine Donnelly has the foundations of a good physique, with plenty of shapely muscle that with a little more dieting could do extremely well.

RESULTS

Junior Bodybuuilding

1 Liesanici Lurie

Junior Bikini Fitness

1 Katie Da Silva

2 Ellie Swinglehurst

3 Judi Pastorello

also competed: Lauren Vanhinsbergh, Connie Askin and Katy Hogg

Junior Men's Physique

1 Chester Birch

2 Nathaniel Scales

3 Callum Vamplew

also competed: Tamas Madarasz and George Zait Florin

Rookie Bikini Fitness

1 Safa Awajan

2 Alice Richardson

3 Sereena Cable

also competed: Gerda Siauciulyte, Natasha Robertson, Adrienn Patai, Kate Usher and Stephanie Stubbington

Wellness

1 Kayleigh Clarke

2 Lily Anderson

3 Sophie Dakin

also competed: Sarah Ekanem

Rookie Men's Physique

1 Jay Gandecha

2 Myles Ajay

3 Tomas Tieber

also competed: Callum Melly, Carl Simpson and Gus Falloway

Masters Bodybuilding over 40

1 Dean O'Connor

2 Bernard Alexander

3 Jose Vitoriano

Masters Bodybuilding over 50

1 Nick Papa

2 David Whatley

3 Michael Collins

also competed: Dean Harris

Intermediate up to 85 kg

1 Gary Ingram

2 Kirk Ingham

Intermediate over 85 kg

1 Raphael Adetayo

2 Gage Girton

3 Jason Street

also competed: Aaron Widdows, Mohammed Boudjemma and Mohamed Fayez

Masters Bikini Fitness

1 Pamela David

2 Tracy Harley

3 Victoria Roughley

also competed: Sue Sabourin

Masters Bodyfitness

1 Anita Szabo

2 Heylia Cooper

3 Charley Wilkes

Classic Bodybuilding

1 Ian McGuinness

2 Maksim Anuskiewicz

3 Lee Negus

also competed: Viktorias Dargis, Darryl Marder, James Johnston, Nathan Rogers and Jeremy Felix

Bodyfitness

1 Aimee Blanchard

2 Shanice Northrop

3 Amy Beckett

Bodybuilding up to 80 kg

1 Karel Nelson Moreno Borges

2 Maiwand Feizi

3 Ash Souda

also competed: Daniel Mahoney, Arturas Pakalniskis and Jordan Millen

Bodybuilding up to 90 kg

1 Jason Gardner

2 Mariusz Cichon

Bodybuilding over 90 kg

1 Ryan Mackins

2 Ivan Sabachev

3 Kirils Dimitrijevs

also competed: Derwin Pineda

Women's Physique

1 Catherine Donnelly

Classic Physique

1 Waldermar Biernacki

2 Danny Wilson

Bikini Fitness under 164 cm

1 Hannah Wares

2 Georgina Bird

3 Maria Martini

Bikini Fitness under 169 cm

1 Tawana Cushnie

2 Fola Odewumi

3 Janki Panchal

Muscular Men's Physique

1 Aaron Clarke

2 James Walters

3 Andrei Adam

also competed: Deividas Katilavas, Nathan Feltham and Courtney Moseley

Men's Physique up to 173 cm

1 Elliot Welch

2 Elyas Noor

3 Dayo Adebowale

also competed: Alex Lowndes, Olalekan Ogbaria, Yinka Majolagbe and Massimo Passantino

Men's Physique up to 179 cm

1 Jackie Wilson

2 Ian Wallace

3 Tommy Johncock

Ionut Parpala

Men's Physique over 179 cm

1 Alper Ibryam

2 Paul Wiltshire

3 Simon Christou

also competed: Jack Binsley, Orhan Mehmet, Anthony Chase and Jamie Francis

KENT CLASSIC: REPORT AND RESULTS