OFXT&W JFXT LONNIE TEPER’S
’09 Junior California Championships
New Venue, Same Results Seibert Swell, Sunny Bright, Elena Electric
Jay Cutler and Jerome Ferguson salute Carmelo Lopez, Anthony Pomponio, Danny Seibert and Devon Schwan.
For the first time in a decade my contest, the NPC Bodybuilding.Com Junior Cal, was forced to find a new home. After 10 seasons at Pasadena City College’s Sexson Auditorium, severe restrictions regarding vendors and lobby space forced me to make the move, but it looks like the situation could have been a blessing in disguise. Competitors, sponsors and fans alike had nothing but compliments regarding the new venue, the Rosemead High School Auditorium. I hope to be back, same place, same weekend next year. Just waiting for the officials at the school to give me the thumbs-up. And the best news of all—the NPC Southern California district chairman, Jaguar Jon Lindsay, has given the okay for the event to become a national qualifier! If it all works out, the Junior Cal will become the West Coast Classic in 2010. Should know if it’s a go by the time you read this. But I digress—back to this season’s affair. As always, the show attracted a slew of outstanding competitors— with many great stories behind the stories. As I write this, Danny Seibert, the light-heavyweight and overall champ, was less than a week out from the Masters Nationals, along with Jami DeBernard, the figure C-class and masters 35-and-over tall-class champ. The overall winners in figure and bikini, Sunny Daye and Elena Andrade—Sunny also won the masters overall in figure—were prepping for the USA in Las Vegas on July 24 and 25. Ditto for Jenna Boyer, the figure B-class winner (who was sixth at the ’08 Nationals) and Tracy Gaither, the 45-and-over-division titlist—as well as others, I’m sure. Congrats to all the Junior Cal champions. Check out the complete results, plus photos, video interviews and more at www.IronMan Magazine.com and www.NPCJuniorCal.com. To earn his men’s overall title, Seibert bested heavyweight winner Devon Schwan, middleweight (and novice-middleweight and collegiate) champion Anthony Pomponio and lightweight conqueror Carmelo “the Vacuum” Lopez, who was coming off an overall victory at the West Coast Police & Fire Olympics six days earlier. Best vacuum since the days of Jumpin’ Johnny DeFendis. Lee Ann Edwards toppled the field in women’s bodybuilding, and Dan “the Hammer” Kammer edged Pomponio to win the nov-
June Munroe and Katie hail the 45-and-over figure winners (from left): Cris Wilkes, Gloria Lifsshutz, Tracey Gaither, Lorna Calvin and Jackie Ambrose.
From left: Alegra Kholey LeeAnn Edwards and Janette Leo.
Taylor Hansen.
Novice posedown (from left): Bob Yamasaki, Anthony Pomponio and Dan Hammer.
208 OCTOBER 2009 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com
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Jim Arrington.