ON THE COVER: 2003 NPC Southern States Champions, from left to right: Stephanie Kessler and Robert Benavente, Bodybuilding; and Krista Smith, Figure. (Cover Photo by Iaje Photo) (Cover Design by John Stevens)  October 2003 2003 NPC Ancient City Classic 24th Annual NPC Southern States 2003 NPC Mississippi State 2003 NPC Alamba State 2003 NPC Junior-Masters North Carolina State 2003 NPC Western North Carolina 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. 2003 NPC Ancient City Classic ..... The Sixth Annual NPC Ancient City Classic was held at the Pedro Menendez High School Auditorium in St. Augustine on July 26 under the promotional efforts of Gene Schlossberg and the World Gym of St. Augustine. ..... ..... Thirty-one-year-old Lee Banks of Jacksonville faced tough competition against six athletes in the lightheavyweight class to emerge with the class win by a unanimous decision. ..... ..... Lee then moved into the finals and once again took a unanimous decision for the overall win. ..... ..... Charlonna Stewart, 51, of Jacksonville Beach was unopposed in the heavyweight class and after the final comparisons and pose down was the unanimous pick of the judges for the overall title. ..... ..... The Figure Division was divided into two classes and twenty-three-year-old Marcie Porter of Orlando took the tall class by scoring all first place votes in both rounds of competition for a total score of 10 points to capture the class win. ..... ..... Marcie then moved into the finals and once again took all first place votes for a unanimous decision for the overall win. (Photo by Iaje Photography) 2003 NPC Ancient City Champions, from left to right: Marcie Porter, Figure; Lee Banks and Charlona Stewart, Bodybuilding. 24th Annual NPC Southern States ..... The 24th Annual NPC Southern States was held at the War Memorial Auditorium in Ft. Lauderdale on August 2 under the promotional efforts of South Florida District Chairman Peter W. Potter and USA Sports Promotions of Florida. ..... ..... The Maria Bellando Fitness and Figure Championships were held on Friday, August 1, to lead off the packed weekend of competition. ..... ..... Twenty-nine-year-old Robert Benavente of Miami faced very tough competition in the heavyweight class that attracted a total of 16 athletes and took a one-point (9 - 10) decision over second placed Rafael Jaramillo, 31, of Jacksonville for the class win. ..... ..... Robert moved into the finals and was the pick of the judges for the overall win. ..... ..... Stephanie Kessler, 33, of Homestead faced tough competition in the middleweight class against 8 other top athletes to emerge with the majority decision of the judges for the class win. ..... ..... Stephanie moved into the final comparisons and pose down and was the pick of the judges for the overall title. ..... ..... The 2003 NPC Maria Bellando Southern States Women’s Fitness and Figure Championships and the Manuel Mair Men’s Fitness Championships, both national qualifying events, were held as part of the 2003 NPC Southern States weekend on August 1 at the War Memorial Auditorium in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. ..... ..... The Women’s Fitness Division was divided into two height classes and twenty-three-year old Erin Lanahan of Tallahassee, FL dominated the short class by taking all three rounds of competition for the class win. ..... ..... Erin then moved into the finals and was the choice of the judging panel for the overall win. ..... ..... The Men’s Fitness Division had a total of five athletes competing for the overall title. ..... ..... After the completion of the physique round, obstacle course, and strength event and an optional routine round, Nardo Dean, 35, of Nassau Bahamas was declared the winner. ..... ..... The Figure Division was divided into three height classes with a total of fifty competitors entered - - 22 competitors in Class A; 18 in Class B; and 10 in Class C. ..... ..... Thirty-two-year-old Krista Smith of Birmingham, AL dominated Class B by finishing both rounds of competition with a total of 27 points for the class win. ..... ..... Krista then moved into the finals and was the choice of the judges for the overall win. ( 2003 NPC Southern States Champions, from left to right: Stephanie Kessler and Robert Benavente, Bodybuilding; and Krista Smith, Figure. (Photo by Iaje Photography) 2003 NPC Southern States Maria Bellando Fitness and Figure Champions, from left to right: Kendall Canaan, Teen Figure; Erin Lanahan, Fitness; Krista Smith, Figure; and Nardo Dean, Men's Fitness. (Photo by Doris Barrilleaux) 2003 NPC Mississippi State ..... The 2003 NPC Mississippi State Bodybuilding Championships were held on July 26 at the Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson, MS under the promotion of Gordon Weir. ..... ..... Forty-year-old Mark Welch of Tupelo took the heavyweight class by a unanimous decision and moved into the finals to capture the majority of the judges votes for the overall win. ..... ..... Angela Rayburn, 30, of Columbia was unopposed in the heavyweight class and after the final comparisons and pose down was the pick of the judges for the overall title. (Photos by Brian Dasto - Quality Action Photography) Mark Welch heavyweight winner open overall champion Angela Rayburn heavyweight winner open overall champion 2003 NPC Alamba State ..... The 2003 NPC Alabama State Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure Championships were held at the Dothan Civic Center in Dothan under the promotion of Tim Goodwin. ..... ..... Twenty-seven-year-old David Hartzog of Troy scored a unanimous decision from the judges for the middleweight class win and moved into the finals to take the majority of first place votes from the judges for the overall win. ..... ..... Andrea Hirst, 39, of Northport was unopposed in the lightweight class and after the final comparisons and pose down was the pick of the judges for the overall win. ..... ..... Twenty-nine-year-old Angie Crane of Dothan scored all first place votes in all three rounds of competition to take the class win and the overall title in the Fitness Division. ..... ..... The Figure Division had a total of ten entrants and Kym Spiller, 30, of Northport took both rounds of competition with all first place votes from the judges for the overall win. (Photos by American Sports Videos) 2003 NPC Alabama State Bodybuilding Champions Andrea Hirst and David Harzog. Angie Crane Fitness Champion Kym Spiller Figure Champion 2003 NPC Junior-Masters North Carolina State ..... The 2003 NPC Junior and Masters North Carolina State was held at the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro on August 9 under the promotion of Quincy Roberts and his Elite Fitness Center of Greensboro. ..... ..... Twenty-six-year-old Greg Jones of Granite Quarry was making his second contest appearance and took the lightheavyweight class win and after the final comparisons and pose down between the class winners was declared the overall winner. ..... ..... C. J. Rieke, 30, of Winston-Salem took the lightweight class win and was the pick of the judges for the overall title. ..... ..... The Figure Division was divided into two height classes and Candace Howell, 20, of Brown Summit was making her first contest appearance and took the Class A (short) win and after the final comparisons was the pick of the judges for the overall win. (Photos by Richard Matherly) Greg Jones lightheavyweight winner open overall winner C. J. Rieke lightweight winner open overall winner 2003 NPC Western North Carolina ..... The 2003 NPC Western North Carolina Bodybuilding and Figure Championships were held at the P. E. Monroe Auditorium on the Lenoir Rhyne College campus in Hickory under the promotion of Jim Propst. ..... ..... Thirty-six-year-old Charles Kearns of Kernersville, NC took the lightweight class by a one-point (7 - 8) decision over second placed Kelvin Moore. ..... ..... Charles then entered into the final comparisons and pose down and was the pick of the judges for the overall win. ..... ..... Lee Saycocie, 25, of Kernersville, NC was making her first contest appearance and was unopposed in the lightweight class and after the final comparisons by the judges was declared the overall champion. ..... ..... The Figure Division was divided into two height classes with a total of 14 competitors - - 3 in Class A (short); and 11 in Class B (tall). ..... ..... Thirty-three-year-old M. L. Mueller of Raleigh, NC was making her first contest appearance and took the Class B win by scoring a two-round total of 16 points. ..... ..... M. L. then went into the final comparisons and was the choice of the judges for the overall win. (Photos by Patrick Collard) 2003 NPC Western North Carolina Champions, from left to right: Lee Saycocie and Charles Kearns, Bodybuilding; and M. L. Mueller, Figure. Click Images for Larger View Copyright © 1999 - 2001 Southern Muscle Plus, All Rights Reserved