events

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EVENTS
The Olympia is a showcase for the best bodybuilding,
fitness and figure athletes in the world.
But it’s so much more than that. The following is a can’t-fail list of
what to see and do during bodybuilding’s biggest weekend.
By Dave Lee
Deputy Editor
MROLYMPIA.COM
227
FLEX 10 Can’t-Miss Events
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VPX naga world
grappling
championships
WHEN: Saturday, September 26, 10 AM
WHERE: Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: The best martial arts grapplers in the world.
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE: Lots of limbs getting bent the wrong way.
Muscles and fighting — the two go hand in hand like a slice and a beer. That’s why you want to be
mat side for the Olympia World Grappling Championships presented by NAGA, the North American
Grappling Association. The largest no-gi and gi grappling event — with more than 300 divisions
for children, teens and adults, which are divided by age, weight, gender and skill — will award one
thousand (yes, 1,000!) Octagon bronze, silver and gold medals, and more than 100 championship
belts for expert divisions for men, women, teens and children. Ding!
10
THE FLEX
BOOTH
7
WHEN: Friday, September 25, 10 AM-5 PM;
Saturday, September 26, 10 AM-5 PM
WHERE: Las Vegas Convention Center,
South Hall
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: Hot booth babes,
IFBB pros, the women of the 2009 FLEX
Swimsuit Issue, the FLEX Strongman
Challenge and the 2009 FLEX Bikini Model
Search Online winners. Plus, cool stuff
for free.
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE: Average Joes
embarrassing themselves for your viewing
pleasure — and hot booth babes!
inzer olympia powerlifting
super show
WHEN: Saturday, September 26, 3 PM
WHERE: Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: World-class powerlifters lifting the equivalent
of a jumbo jet — for reps!
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE: Blood flowing from noses and eyes (yes, eyes!) from the superhuman effort.
How much can you bench? This is the only place this annoying question is applicable, and the
answer is sure to make you go, “whaaa?” Quick and fast paced, the Olympia Powerlifting Super
Show, presented by Inzer, offers an exciting twist on the three traditional powerlifts: the bench
press, deadlift and squat. World-class powerlifters outdo each other by going head-to-head with
crippling, bar-bending weight. Still think you’re the big man in the gym after watching this?
8
Ed Hardy’s
FLEX Bikini
Model Search
After Party
WHEN: Saturday, September 26, 11 PM-whenever we get
shut down
WHERE: Check flexonline.com for details about the
biggest party in Las Vegas during Olympia Weekend.
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: Bikini models; IFBB Pro League
athletes; lots of hot chicks in tight, revealing outfits;
drinking; dancing; and general party mayhem.
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE: It’s hard to say when you’re
seeing double, but with a dance floor full of models, that’s
a good thing.
It wouldn’t be Vegas if you didn’t party like a rock star, and we’ll
hook you up to the hottest ticket in town: the FLEX Bikini Model
Search After Party, presented by Ed Hardy. Even bikini models
need to unwind after a long day; you’ll be right there to meet
their every need. Add top IFBB pros, and voilà, instant party of
the year. Whatever you desire, whether it is getting your groove
on or chilling at the bar, you’ll have a VIP time at our exclusive
event. Be sure to stop by the Ed Hardy booth for their all-day
blowout sale, Friday and Saturday at the Olympia Expo.
228
FLEX | OCT. ’09
PHOTOS: (LEFT PAGE, TOP AND BOTTOM) MIKE MADER; (MIDDLE) COURTESY OF NAGA;
(RIGHT PAGE, TOP AND RIGHT TWO) MIKE MADER; (BOTTOM LEFT) PAVEL YTHJALL
Wanna deadlift a car? Or relive your frat days
by hoisting a monster keg? If you think you’re
man enough — or woman enough — step over
to the FLEX booth and prove it by taking the
FLEX Strongman Challenge and getting a
chance to appear in FLEX magazine. In
between, you can gaze longingly at extra-hot
booth babes handing out tons of freebies, rub
elbows with IFBB Pro League athletes and
take pictures with the women of the 2009
FLEX Swimsuit Issue and the 2009 FLEX Bikini
Model Search Online winners. Do we know
how to treat you right?
6
meet
the olympians
WHEN: Thursday, September 24, 8 PM
WHERE: The Orleans Hotel & Casino, Mardi Gras Ballroom
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: The greatest bodybuilding, fitness and
figure athletes in the world, up close and personal.
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE: Dedicated fans offering you their firstborn
to cut in line.
Olympia Weekend is a lot of things, but, front and center, it’s about the athletes competing in
the biggest show in the sport and the fans who come out to support to them. Made with that
specific purpose in mind, Meet the Olympians is your ticket to catch up with the world’s best
bodybuilding, fitness and figure athletes in person. So, shake hands with Mr. Olympia Dexter
Jackson, grab a photo with Phil Heath or stand there — mouth agape — and “talk” with figure
pro Nicole Wilkins-Lee. Then, cherish the memory forever.
FLEX 10 Can’t-Miss Events
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3
amazon.com
flex bikini
model search
championships
MHP’s olympia
strongest man
challenge
WHEN: Friday, September 25,
1 PM-4 PM; Saturday,
September 26, 12 PM-4 PM
WHERE: Las Vegas
Convention Center, South Hall
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: Huge
guys throwing around really
heavy stuff.
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE:
New world records and the
crowning of a new strongest
man alive.
WHEN: Friday, September 25, 2 PM,
prejudging; Saturday, September 26,
1 PM, finals
WHERE: Las Vegas Convention
Center, South Hall
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: An obscene
number of drop-dead gorgeous girls
in bikinis strutting their stuff.
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE: Trust
us, you won’t be looking at anything
else for a couple of hours.
4
PAVEL YTHJALL
You want superhuman feats
of strength? Then look no further than MHP’s Olympia
Strongest Man Challenge,
presented by the American
Strongman Corporation. Featuring the top 10 American
strongmen, this two-day event
comprises such strongman
staples as Slater’s giant pro
log, giant tire deadlift, giant
dumbbell press, the Atlas
stone load and more. Sound
insane? Wait till you see it live.
olympia
press
conference
It happens every year. You never know
where it’ll come from, but you can count
on the trash talk flying at the Olympia
Press Conference. Cases in point: 2007
— Quincy Taylor calling Silvio Samuel an
“ankle biter” and describing Gustavo
Badell’s physique as “a block of cheese”;
2008 — Gustavo Badell saying that Samuel has a “good fitness body.” Who will
tear down whom this year? Catch the
Olympia Press Conference and see the
precontest fire ignite. Definitely not the
place for blossoming bromances.
230
FLEX | OCT. ’09
PHOTOS: raymond cassAr; (TOP) MAT SZWAJKOS
WHAT: Olympia
Press Conference
WHEN: Thursday,
September 24, 1 PM
WHERE: The Orleans
Hotel & Casino, Showroom
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: Lots of big
guys in tracksuits handing a
microphone back and forth, talking
about their contest prep, making jokes
and calling each other names.
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE:
Somebody else ripping poor Silvio
Samuel apart.
Can’t get enough hot bodies in tiny bikinis? Then head on over to the Las Vegas
Convention Center — but get there early
— for the second annual FLEX Bikini
Model Search Championships, presented by Amazon.com and brought to
you by Ed Hardy. Featuring the six winners of the FLEX Bikini Model Search
Online contest, along with a huge field
of open competitors, it’s sure to be on
every guy’s must-see list. We could go
on, but does anybody really need extra
motivation to see ultrahot girls in bikinis
and heels? Didn’t think so.
FLEX 10 Can’t-Miss Events
WHEN: Friday, September 25, 11 AM,
Ms. Olympia, Fitness Olympia and Figure
Olympia prejudging; Friday, September 25, 7 PM,
Ms. Olympia and Fitness Olympia finals, and
Mr. Olympia prejudging
WHERE: Ms. Olympia, Fitness Olympia and
Figure Olympia prejudging — Las Vegas
Convention Center, South Hall; Mr. Olympia
prejudging and Ms. Olympia and Fitness
Olympia finals — Orleans Arena
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: Dangerous curves
and lots of muscles.
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE: Tears of joy or
disappointment.
Friday morning kicks off official competition, so
sit back in open-mouthed awe at the high-flying
acrobatics, perfectly executed model turns, and
flexing and primping of the best fitness, figure
and female bodybuilding competitors in the
world. Later, hop over to Orleans Arena for round
one of the Mr. Olympia prejudging — featuring
the deepest, most talent-packed lineup in history — and the finals of the Ms. Olympia and
Fitness Olympia. And that’s just the first night!
2
olympia 202 showdown prejudging and
finals; mr. olympia & figure olympia finals
WHEN: Saturday, September 26, 10:30 AM, Olympia 202
Showdown prejudging; Saturday, September 26, 7 PM,
Olympia 202 Showdown, Figure Olympia and Mr. Olympia
finals
WHERE: Prejudging — Las Vegas Convention Center,
South Hall; finals — Orleans Arena
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: The greatest collection of talent
on one stage in the history of the sport.
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE: The ninth man to
successfully defend the Sandow, the first man to recapture
the Sandow or the latest man to hold the Sandow for the
first time.
The Olympia 202 Showdown. The “little guys” strive for rec-
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FLEX | OCt. ’09
ognition as the best 202-and-under bodybuilder in the world.
Jumping to more eye-pleasing attractions, the Figure Olympia champion will be crowned, as last year’s winner Jenn
Gates takes on a pack of hungry she-wolves (come on, they’ve
been dieting for 13 weeks!).
The Mr. Olympia finals. Who will it be? It’s the question of
the year. Will Dexter Jackson be sharp enough to slice the
competition in two and take his second Sandow? Will Phil
Heath make the most of his gifts and become the new king?
Or will Jay Cutler do the impossible and win back what was his
in 2006 and 2007? Dennis Wolf, Kai Greene and Victor Martinez are all dangerous threats capable of pulling off an upset.
Get the answer as bodybuilding’s number one show reaches
it’s exciting climax at the biggest event of the year. FLEX
PHOTOS: PAVEL YTHJALL
1
ms. olympia & fitness
olympia prejudging
and finals; mr. olympia
& figure olympia
prejudging
FLEX 10 Can’t-Miss Events
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25
Olympia Expo
Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall
10 AM
Olympia Muscle Pit
10 AM
NAGA World Grappling Gi & No-Gi
Seminar
10 AM-12 PM
MHP’s Olympia Strongest Man Challenge
(Demo and/or attendee participation)
11 AM
Women’s prejudging: Fitness Olympia,
Figure Olympia and Ms. Olympia
12 PM
NAGA Black Belt Grappling Seminar
1 PM-4 PM
MHP’s Olympia Strongest Man Challenge
(Pro competition)
2 PM
FLEX Bikini Model Search prejudging
3 PM
Battle of the Biceps – women
(Sign up at the Olympia Muscle Pit)
Orleans Arena
3 PM
Olympia backstage tour and photo
opportunity
7 PM
Fitness Olympia finals, Ms. Olympia
finals and Mr. Olympia prejudging
saturday SEPTEMBER 26
sunday SEPTEMBER 27
Orleans Hotel, Mardi Gras
Ballroom
11 AM
Olympia Superstar Seminar
Go to mrolympia.com for more
information.
1 PM
FLEX Bikini Model Search finals
3 PM
Battle of the Biceps – men
(Sign up at the Olympia Muscle Pit)
3 PM
Olympia Powerlifting Super Show
Orleans Arena
7 PM
Figure Olympia, 202 Showdown
and Mr. Olympia finals
Orleans Hotel, Mardi Gras
Ballroom
11 PM
Olympia Victory Gala
PAVEL YTHJALL
Olympia Expo
Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall
10 AM
NAGA World Grappling Championships
10 AM-12 PM
MHP’s Olympia Strongest Man Challenge
(Demo and/or attendee participation)
10 AM
Olympia Muscle Pit
10:30 AM
Olympia 202 Showdown prejudging
and individual posing
12:00 PM-4 PM
MHP’s Olympia Strongest Man Challenge
(Pro competition)
12:30 PM
Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards