February 2010 - NABBA New Zealand Newsletter

1. Intro
The Annual Congress for NABBA New Zealand was held on the 30th January 2010. The NABBA Executive is comprised of our Area Representatives from throughout New Zealand.

2. Presidents Report
Please find the 2009 President’s Report attached.

3. The 2010 Calendar (as at 14-02-2010)
All Regions will continue to run their Regional Championships in 2010, as per the Calendar.

Please note that Christchurch will only have one show this year, May 1st.

Bodybuilders should also keep in mind that Regions, that are close in travelling time, have shows set around the same time. We structure the shows this way to create almost a ‘show circuit’ to allow for bodybuilders to compete two to three times, on hopefully a more economical and consecutive basis. This also helps in developing some of the smaller or developing Regions.

There is nothing like competition to keep you motivated in your training and on target with your goals. The more you compete the more you can gain that invaluable stage experience.

4. 2009 New Zealand National Championships
Once again we had good athlete numbers on stage, and a good standard of competition across the classes, and all titles were well deserved. CONGRATULATIONS to all athletes that competed at the Nationals, a great effort by everyone involved. The 2009 National Champions:

The show flowed really well, a great atmosphere, with positive feedback from athletes. The Sponsor booths were a good to see, creating a lot of interest amongst athletes and the audience. Athletes enjoyed all the giveaways. On behalf of NABBA NZ a thank you goes out to all those that worked ‘behind the scenes’ helping make the National Championships a success. Also to the Sponsors of the Championships, obviously your support is always greatly appreciated.

The combining of ‘like’ classes on stage (eg. Masters 40+, Masters 50+, Masters 60+) was successful, giving the stage a full line-up of bodybuilders. Plus this structure also sped up the Judging Rounds, keeping athletes and officials and the audience, alike, happy with the efficiency.
There was good representation from all regions throughout New Zealand.

The 2010 Nationals will be held in Auckland.

5. Class Reviews
Figure and Athletic: The Height/Weight Rule for Figure and Athletic Classes are now well understood.

Mixed Pairs: The introduction of the judging of routines last year seems to have encouraged athletes to step up their performances, with better competition seen during the year.

Shape: Athletes in this class must remember not to use bodybuilding poses in their routines. Presentation is very important. Athletes must wear posing bikinis (that is, not hot pants, or bike pants etc)
Shape will continue to be held again this year at the Asia Pacific Championships (Philippines) providing International Competition.

Fitness-Model: As of this year, Fitness Model athletes will only be able to compete in the one class. Previously they were also able to compete in a bodybuilding class at the same show. Changing requirements backstage were a major condition for this rule to be deleted.

6. 2010 Entries
Athletes should make sure they are using the current NABBA Entry Forms (ie. 2010)
A reminder to athletes that ENTRIES CLOSE ONE WEEK BEFORE COMPETITION you are entering. Please make sure you get your entry from to NABBA HQ or the Show Organizers.

7. Rule Changes

Athletes to note that you must take more time and consider what class you are entering. New Rules will restrict changing class on the day of the competition.

8. Judges Report
With only one Judges Course in 2009, held in Christchurch, we would like to plan for three courses in 2010.

If you have integrity, can be professional and conduct yourself in the manner befitting this responsible job, please contact NABBA HQ, or make contact with your local Area Representative.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Judges for a job well done.

Some may be aware of the unfortunate chainsaw accident, one of our long serving judges, Gavin Maxwell, sustained just before Christmas. He was very lucky, and we wish him all the best for a speedy recovery.

9. Regional Reports (2009 Calendar Year)
This is an abridged version of the Regional Reports tabled at the Annual Congress. A reminder to all bodybuilders to support the efforts of your Area Representatives. They work hard, volunteering their time and efforts to providing opportunities for athletes to compete. Without exception, all NABBA shows are renowned for their friendliness. Enjoyment of your sport is a great motivator to compete.

North Harbour (2008)
This is always a popular show, with good athlete numbers, and will probably need to look for a bigger venue.

Auckland
The Westlake Boys High venue provided a trial run as a venue for the Nationals in 2010, and seems to be a suitable venue.

Counties Manukau
The change of venue from Otara to Papakura and the Hawkins Centre, was a good move, and now provides the Counties Event with a good fixed venue.

Waikato
Shelly and Garth had this show ‘rocking’ and provided great entertainment.

Bay of Plenty
Marty ran his first show, and what a success!. Great to be back in beautiful Whakatane.

Hawke's Bay
Andrew and Greg had another full house, another great show. A bigger venue may be necessary.

Manawatu
A resurgence of Manawatu athletes helped our show along, and has been great to have that ‘team’ thing going again, and they seem to be a group keen on travelling to different regions. A very positive year all round. Happy with the Boys High Venue, was a good move.

Wellington
Was great move taking the show to Lower Hutt, allowing for a better opportunity for community involvement and support. Maeve and Neville are getting well into the swing of things. The new initiative with their Regional Newsletter, was a great idea and has been well received.

Nelson / Blenheim / 'Top of the South'
A great move going to a new and bigger venue, and finally good to see more Christchurch athletes supporting the show.

Christchurch
A big challenge to run the Christchurch Classic in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Championships. Although numbers were small, the show went very well. As the previous venue was quite expensive, the South Island Championships went to Christchurch Girl’s High School and this was also a successful move.

10. 2009 Asia Pacific Championships
After two years held in the Philippines, New Zealand hosted the event in Christchurch, with teams coming from the Philippines and India. Although the competition was small in numbers, the NZ Team was very excited to be competing internationally in NZ. It was also the first time the Shape and Athletic class were available at this event, being the 3rd Asia Pacific Championships. Asia Pacific Winners:

2010 Asia Pacific
The 4th Asia Pacific Championships will be once again held in the Philippines, at the beautiful Boracay Island. For the past three years the event has been held in April, this year it is being held in August, which we believe will be much better timing for our NZ Athletes. The NZ Team is chosen on an invitational basis. This is a very good platform for our ‘up & coming’ athletes to try travelling abroad and competing internationally.

If you have an interest in giving this a try or are looking to explore the possibilities please contact NABBA HQ, or your Regional Rep. All Classes are available, which is great for the Shape Class as there have been limited opportunities for International Competition for these athletes. Also for athletic competitors, now that Athletic Class has been introduced to the event.

11. 2009 Pro-Am
This was a very small competition, but in no way undermined the high standard of the competitors. We had good competition in the Athletic Class, while Figure and Physique Men were much smaller in numbers. But as said the standard was high and the winners very well deserving:

2010 Pro-Am
As the Asia Pacific Championships have moved into the August time-slot, there will be no Pro-Am Championships in 2010. We will review the Pro-Am Championships, date, venue and viability of re-introducing the event at the 2011 Congress.

12. 2009 World and Universe Report
It was with huge disappointment that both the World and Universe Championships were cancelled in 2009, with this also following the 2008 Universe Championships in India being cancelled. This has been a huge disappointment to our aspiring athletes, as well as for us as a National body.

We have always had strong NZ Representative Teams, and believe it is important for athletes to have a pathway to aspire to, and to be able to compete at the highest level internationally. So with the international situation as it is and the cancellation of these events, we have been seeking out other avenues that will offer a more stable International Event Calendar for our athletes.

Option 1: NABBA NZ approached NABBA/WFF

Option 2: NABBA NZ approached NAC International

This matter has been thoroughly discussed by the NABBA Executives. We are firm and united and will maintain that NABBA New Zealand runs it own affairs.  We have an excellent International Program, developed over many years, and the NABBA Executive will make the decision as to what pathway would offer the best meaningful competition for all our existing and aspiring International athletes.

It was agreed  that the conditions on participation with NABBA/WFF were unrealistic and unreasonable. Plus they have no Athletic Class and their Figure Class has no height / weight rule.

NAC International were very welcoming and they have the same classes and criteria to that which we run in NABBA in NZ.

International Calendar for NZ Teams:

Please note for World and Universe Competitions you will need to be selected at a Qualifying event, as a requirement for selection. If you have questions regarding any of the above events please contact NABBA HQ.

13. NABBA Fees
As of the 2010 Calendar year;

Relative to what other sports charge, NABBA NZ feels it is still good value. It is simply an unfortunate reality that our fees must go up to cover the costs of running NABBA. Please ensure your entry is sent in at least one week before your competition to avoid the Late Penalty Entry Fee. We charge the fee as a deterrent. Getting your entry form in early reduces your time hanging around at Check-In. Plus it gives the show organizers a good indication of numbers for their show and organization prior to the competition.

14. Schedule / Show Times
Athlete Check In is 10am – 11am, with Judging Rounds starting at 12 noon at all Regional Competitions.
All Evening Shows will now start at 6pm, and will endeavour to finish by 9pm. With an earlier show finish time, Area Reps will be able to organize after show functions. There is a social side to our sport, it is always good to catch up with each other and meet different people in the various regions.

15. Thank You
A big thank you to the many Sponsors who supported our shows throughout New Zealand in 2009, your contribution plays a huge part in the success of Regional and National Bodybuilding, and NABBA, in New Zealand.

Thanks for the uncomplaining and tireless efforts of Jackie at NABBA HQ, Keith at Muscle Imaging, and Michael our new IT man.

To the many volunteers who help out at the different shows around the country, your support is invaluable. We receive feedback all the time of how friendly our shows are so thank you for your time and efforts, always appreciated!

16. Websites / Chat Rooms
There are a multitude of bodybuilding websites operating; the good, the bad, and the ugly. These can be very informative, but be cautious in what is fact and what is fiction. Sites that provide ‘chat rooms’, again can be another source of information, however chat rooms do tend to provide more ‘opinions’ than facts, and quite often conflicting opinions at that. When it comes to seeking factual information, common sense suggests going to a reputable source. If you need information on competing in NABBA, your class, your options, we welcome you to contact NABBA HQ or your local Area Rep.