First Bikini Competition -Vancouver Natural USA 2011

          What an experience! I competed in the 5'6 and over Bikini division and placed 6th out of 12 competitors (only 11 on stage).  To be honest I really wanted to place in the top 5 so that I could qualify for nationals butI still have a second chance this weekend in the Big Sky competition.  :-)

          I decided to not eat the m&m's before I walked on stage for prejudging because I was not sure how my body would respond so I did not want to risk it.  I did however eat a few at lunch and I actually looked better for my evening show.  I guess it worked because my muscles felt full and tight.

         As far as how the show ran it was very stressful yet fun at the same time.  I met amazing women and had a blast hanging out with them back stage and watching them compete.  It was stressful because the company I used for my airbrush tan had a bad batch and it really hurt my scoring.  I looked really dry, blotchy, and washed-out on stage.  The tan really plays a big role in how you place because it exaggerates your body contour on against the stage lighting.  I had to get like 5 coats and it was sticky, flaky, and if I even looked at water it ran.  There were many other competitors who had the same problem and therefore a low moral backstage.


         It's a bummer when you work really hard and spend all that money and travel time to not place where you deserve because of a tanning mishap. Who knows though, I may or may not have placed any higher with the perfect tan but I do feel like the poorly applied airbrush tan potentially played a big role in how the judges scored.  For my future shows I will be applying my own tan.  Many girls who applied their own tan had amazing smooth, glowy, and dark tans. The girls who placed top 5 in my class all did their own tans and looked much better than the ladies who hired an airbrush team.  

       My first Bikini competition was a wonderful learning experience that taught me where I can improve so that I can come back even stronger.  The Vancouver Natural USA  is a huge and very competitive show.  Placing 6th in a show that big is good and I am very proud but I know I can do better.  I am still waiting for some pictures to come up. I will post some videos from the prejudging and the night show soon...I'd love to know what your thoughts are!

XOXO,

 Abby