ON THE COVER: 2002 NPC Southern States Bodybuilding Champions Norma Nieves and Pablo Arevalo. Insert Photo: 2002 NPC Southern States Fitness and Figure Champions, from left to right: standing - Janet Koehler, Fitness; Jana Knezevic, Figure; Carlos Calderin, Fitness; kneeling - Mavis Alley-Tozzi, Over 30 Figure; and Jessica Cannan, Teen Fitness and Figure. (Photos by Doris Barrilleaux) (Cover Design by John Stevens)  October 2002 2002 NPC Southern States 2002 NPC Southern States Fitness-Figure Championships 2002 NPC Coast-To-Coast 2002 NPC Western North Carolina 2002 NPC Heart of Dixie 2002 NPC Junior, Masters and Teen North Carolina State More articles are available only in the printed magazine. Pick up a copy at your favorite gym, health club, fitness center or health food store; or to be sure of getting a copy each month, subscriptions are available. 2002 NPC Southern States ..... The 2002 NPC Southern States, a national qualifier, was held at the War Memorial Auditorium in Ft. Lauderdale on August 3 under the promotion of Peter W. Potter and USA Sports Promotions of Florida. ..... ..... A total of 116 athletes gathered to compete for the prestigious titles before a near-capacity prejudging audience and a sold-out evening event. ..... ..... Thirty-three-year-old Pablo Arevalo of Miami faced tough competition in the lightheavyweight class from 12 other athletes and finished with a 2 point decision (8 - 10) over Nathan Wonsley of Tampa for the class win. ..... ..... Pablo moved into the finals against the class winners and after the final comparisons and posedown received a majority of the votes for the overall title. ..... ..... Former powerlifting champion Norma Nieves, 32, of Puerto Rico, via Ft. Lauderdale, took the middleweight class by a unanimous decision and after the final comparisons and posedown between the class winners was declared the overall women’s champion. (Doris Barrilleaux Photo) 2002 NPC Southern States Champions Norma Nieves and Pablo Arevalo. 2002 NPC Southern States Fitness-Figure Championships ..... The 2002 NPC Maria Bellando Fitness and Figure Championships and Men’s Fitness Championships were held in conjunction with the NPC Southern States on August 2 at the War Memorial Auditorium in Ft. Lauderdale under the promotion of Maria Bellando, Peter W. Potter and USA Sports Promotions of Florida. ..... ..... The women’s fitness was divided into two height classes, short and tall. ..... ..... Twenty-nine-year-old Janet Koehler of Ft. Lauderdale took first place votes from all of the judges in rounds one (two-piece swimsuit) and three (one-piece swimsuit) and earned 13 points in round two (routine) for a final score of 23 points to capture the short class win. ..... ..... Janet moved into the final comparisons with the tall class winner and was the choice of the judges for the overall title. ..... ..... The Women’s Figure Division was divided into two height classes and had a total of 29 entrants, 14 in the short class and 15 in the tall. ..... ..... Jana Knezevic, 31, of Lantana dominated rounds one (two-piece swimsuit) and two (one-piece swimsuit) for a total score of 22 points to take the class win. ..... ..... The Men’s Fitness Division had a total of 7 entrants competing in four rounds of competition. ..... ..... Carlos Calderin, 31, of Coconut Creek, made his first contest appearance by scoring a unanimous decision in round one (shorts) with a score of 5-points; 42 points in round two, fitness routine; 10 points in the round 3, strength; and 50 points in round four, obstacle, for a total of 117 points to take the division title. (Doris Barrilleaux Photo) 2002 NPC Southern States Fitness and Figure Champions from left to right: Mavix Alley-Tozzo, Over 30 Figure; Janet Koehler, Fitness; Jana Knezevic, Figure; Carlos Calderin, Fitness; and Jessica Cannan, Teen Fitness and Figure. 2002 NPC Coast-To-Coast ..... The 2002 NPC Coast-To-Coast, a drug-tested event, was held on August 10 at the Special Events Center on the campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa under the promotion of John Schleicher. ..... ..... Thirty-year-old Damian Robards of Bellair took the heavyweight class by a unanimous decision and moved into the finals to take the overall title by a majority decision. ..... ..... Laurie Pelletier, 46, of New Port Richey was unopposed in the middleweight division and after the final comparisons and posedown took a 2-point (7 - 9) decision over the lightweight class winner Candy Lamberson for the overall title. ..... ..... The Figure Division was divided into two height classes and twenty-eight-year-old Laurie Wiggins of New Port Richey dominated rounds one (two-piece swimsuit) and two (one-piece swimsuit) with a unanimous decision in each round for the class win. ..... ..... Laurie then moved into the final comparisons and took a 6 to 9 decision to take the overall title. (Doris Barrilleaux Photos) Damian Robards heavyweight winner open overall champion Laurie Pelletier middleweight winner open overall champion Laurie Wiggins Figure Champion 2002 NPC Western North Carolina ..... The fifth annual NPC Western North Carolina Bodybuilding and Figure Championships were held on August 10 at the J. E. Broyhill Civic Center in Lenoir under the promotional efforts of Jim Propst. ..... ..... George Kromka, 43, of Hickory was unopposed in the lightheavyweight class and moved into the finals to take the overall title. ..... ..... Gloria Knight-McNeil, 42, of Bahama, took the heavyweight class with a unanimous decision and after the final comparisons and posedown was the choice of the judges for the overall title. ..... ..... The Figure Division had three entrants and Jeannie Skinner dominated rounds one and two of the competition with unanimous decisions in each round to take the title. (Photos by Pat Collard) George Kromka lightheavyweight winner open overall champion Gloria Knight-McNeil heavyweight winner open overall champion Jeannie Skinner Figure Champion 2002 NPC Heart of Dixie ..... The 22nd annual NPC Heart of Dixie was held on August 10 at the LaFayette Plaza Hotel in Mobile, AL under the promotion of Jason Greene. ..... ..... Juan Serrano, 37, of Violet, LA took the lightheavyweight class by a unanimous decision and moved into the finals and once again received all first place votes from the judges to capture the overall title. ..... ..... Betty McCrary, 41, of Ft. Walton Beach, FL, took a majority decision for the heavyweight class win and moved into the finals and took the overall with a unanimous decision. (Photo by Chip English) Juan Serrano and Betty McCrary Heart of Dixie Champions 2002 NPC Junior, Masters and Teen North Carolina State ..... Quincy Roberts and his Elite Fitness Center hosted the 2002 NPC North Carolina State Junior, Masters, Novice and Teen Bodybuilding and Figure Championships in Greensboro at the Carolina Theatre on August 10. ..... ..... Twenty-four-year-old Shaun Crump of Salisbury was making his second contest appearance by taking the middleweight class with a unanimous decision and moved into the finals to take the overall title. ..... ..... Karen Adkins, 35, of Youngsville, took the majority of the judges votes for the lightweight class win and after the final comparisons and posedown was declared the overall winner of the women’s Junior Division. ..... ..... The Women’s Masters Figure Division had three entrants and making her contest debut was Amanda Lockhart, 36, of Raleigh who took all first place votes in both rounds of competition to capture the overall title. (Photos by Jessie Suggs) Karen Adkins lightweight winner open overall champion Shaun Crump middleweight winner open overall champion Amanda Lockhart Figure Champion Click Images for Larger View Copyright © 1999 - 2001 Southern Muscle Plus, All Rights Reserved