What follows is a microcosm of the
Emerald Cup experience as shared by a number of different people.
Tanji Johnson - IFBB Fitness Pro
Tanji Johnson and the Emerald Cup seem to go hand-in-hand. Tanji is part of the fabric that makes the show what it is. Over the years, she's risen to iconic status in the fitness industry, building and growing her success. New for her this year, the
Tanji Johnson Classic slated for June 20 in Olympia, WA.
"Two favorite moments.
"Friday it was watching the Fitness routines and appreciating every single athlete and their journey to the fitness stage! It always makes me happy to see fitness well represented and very alive. Very inspiring that night was to see the look on my dear friend and client Deb Salzman as she took second in fitness that night. Deb turned 50 this year and has one of the best attitudes about life and how to pursue one's dreams.
"Saturday my favorite moment was watching as my men's physique teammates did fantastic! I was proud to see that their posing and physiques were right on and how much all their practicing paid off. Highlights were having four out of the six guys going for the overall repping
Save Fitness and then to see Hunter Sievert walk away with the overall after placing second in his class last year. It's wonderful watching someone overcome a disappointment and keep moving forward.
"I always love my Emerald Cup experiences. It's a nice reminder of our wonderful family in the northwest!"
Follow Tanji on
Facebook
Janelle Fuston - Bikini Competitor
When you're a 5-10 woman with a chiseled bikini body, you
tend to stand out in a crowd. Apparently the judges agreed as 26-year-old
Janelle Fuston grabbed top honors in her Bikini H category.
"My favorite experience during Emerald Cup would have to be briefly
before and during the competitors meeting on Saturday morning. I arrived to the
Meydenbauer Center about 10 minutes early where I waited along with a number of
other competitors just outside of the doors to be let in. A girl I hadn't met
yet officially in person, but had talked with via instagram, happened to see me
and stopped and put her things down next to me where we properly introduced ourselves,
talked, and then waited to go in together.
"We ended up sitting next to each
other and talking about our preps up until this morning, our feelings on the day's
events ahead, and about our previous show, the NW Vancouver Naturals; which
happened to be both of our very first shows and now Emerald Cup would be our second.
"We seemed very much on the same page and it made me feel
good just to have someone to share the beginning stages of what today had in
store for us. Talking with her and feeling like I wasn't alone was what kick
started such a memorable experience.
"Taking first place in my division was
absolutely unreal and I will always keep that moment with me, but making a
connection and sharing similar struggles and experiences with a new friend was
by far my favorite moment this time around."
Siobhan West - Bikini Competitor
Siobhan West is just 19. If this were a western, she'd be "The Bikini
Kid." To put this in perspective, IFBB women's historian Steve Wennerstrom
- he of the encyclopedic knowledge of all things female muscle - came to the Emerald Cup sporting his British Columbia bodybuilding jacket, a piece of clothing nearly as old as Siobhan.
"My favorite moment would definitely be the initial moment I
stepped on stage and heard all my friends and family obnoxiously screaming my
name and probably pissing a lot of people off."
Keep an eye on this stunningly beautiful young woman. Next up
on her agenda: An audition tape to the WWE to be their next WWE Diva.
Follow her on
Instagram. You'll be glad you did.
Erin Murray - Powerlifter
Erin Murray, 157 pounds of female power, competed in the
Saturday Double Viking event. During the course of the event, she managed to
nail a personal record in the deadlift.
"I think the highlight of the event as a whole has to be the
female turnout! It was incredible seeing so many lady lifters. Usually I'm one
of less than 10 girls, but seeing as many women as men was awesome. And
personally, I've been wanting that 400-lbs. deadlift for a while, so that was
an awesome personal moment."
Go to
YouTube to see Wendy Lindquist's interview with Erin.
Lou Krivda - KrivsStudio
"I'd have to say meeting up with a woman (Lisa Dehlin)
attending the show who doesn't compete, but was still impressive enough for me
to do a shoot with for
KrivsStudio. Those unexpected finds are the most
gratifying for me."
Lauren Irick - Bikini Competitor
What did Lauren Irick do at Emerald Cup? How about walking
away with Bikini A honors while up against a large and tough field of
competitors.
"Oh gosh... Honestly the whole thing was one big highlight.
"I
wanted to go watch the Emerald Cup and Expo a year before I even started
competing. Last year, I was midway through my first prep and made it a goal to
compete. Just arriving at check in only was crazy because it was actually
happening.
"It feels surreal that I have been talking about this weekend for
over a year and now it has come and gone. Seeing fellow competitors that I've
gotten to know over the last year and see their development, or meeting people
from social media for the first time. Simply stepping on stage was an amazing
accomplishment for me and to take first has not fully sunk in yet."
Twitter: @irilauren
Heather Morales - Bikini Competitor
"My most memorable moment from Emerald Cup 15 was being able to step
across the stage for my first competition with my
Save Fitness sisters. It made
the experience so much more enjoyable knowing two of my best friends were
standing right next to me."
Fawn Clark (Fitness Fawn) - Fitness Competitor
"Hands down watching fitness routines. It makes me so excited
and motivated! I love watching each athlete's unique style and talents in their
routines! I also had a lot of fun because I had so many
Save Fitness teammates
and friends competing!"
Cori Lou - Women's Physique
Cori Lou walked away with first place in a very competitive
Physique A division.
"Well, I guess my favorite moment was afterward. I quit
drinking two months ago and I was afraid I'd be really bored after a contest if
I couldn't drink. I never understood why everyone wasn't out carousing after a
show. But this time I just had some juice and nachos and it was fine, and I had
fun, and then I just felt like sleeping and not partying."
Joe Bayer - HD Physiques
"
HDPhysiques reports that the highlight of their weekend was
finally getting a second shoot with 2012 fan favorite,
Tarna Alderman."
Kassie Kemmis - IFBB Pro
Last year Kassie Kemmis stepped on the Emerald Cup stage to
compete. And not just once mind you, but Kassie hit the stage in three
different categories, managing to wow the crowd each time. A year later, another Emerald Cup, this time as an IFBB Pro
sitting in the audience.
"My highlight, other than watching my boyfriend compete, was
meeting Phil Heath, watching him guest pose, and listening to his motivational
speech!"
Marissa Hein - Tanner/Glazer, NPC Figure Competitor
When's the last time you spent a weekend with hundreds of buff, naked bodies - hands on - and even had them pay you for the experience?
"My highlight of the weekend was honestly being part of that
finishing process. Meeting and talking with competitors during tanning, touchups
and glazing and to hear their stories, their individual journey and being able
to ease nerves with encouragement and a fantastic tan is always fun.
"As a competitor myself, I enjoy being on the opposite side
of things and using my personal experiences to calm and comfort those who are
nervous and join in the excitement of their success. I know it sounds cliché,
but it really is my favorite part of tanning.
"The Emerald Cup is special because year after year we see
the same expeditors, and we all come together to help put on a fantastic show
for the competitors who have worked so hard. The countless people who work
backstage and in the shadows are an amazing bunch and every year we hug like
old friends. It's an exhausting weekend, roughly 40 hours of tanning in three
days, and I wouldn't want to do it any other place. The friendships and
connections made over the years of competing and tanning at the Emerald Cup are
priceless.
"Meeting, joking and having Jan Tana herself tell me I'm good
at what I do and being invited to work directly for her at some shows is an
amazing feeling because hard work pays off.
"I worked with
NWCC tanning, Northwest Competition Color.
Bill Willyard the owner is very respectable and a pleasure to work for."
Marissa interview with Wendy Lindquist on
YouTube
Wendy Lindquist - Powerlifter, Bodybuilder, Strength Athlete, Pole Fitness Champion
When you can't recall if you're competing in your 12th
Emerald Cup or 13th Emerald Cup, you know you're a mainstay.
Wendy Lindquist's Emerald Cup resume includes bodybuilding,
fitness and figure. This year, she decided to compete in powerlifting, entering
the Saturday Double Viking event. Along with competing, Wendy pulled double duty in her media
role, doing over two dozen interviews with various competitors and spectators.
"What was my highlight? Tough one. In truth, it was turning
around to see two dear friends had shown up unexpectedly to cheer me on. Also having
the opportunity to interview over 24 cool Emerald Cup attendees and hearing so
many interesting stories about how they got there. And winning benchpress!"
Shauna Lewis - NPC Figure Competitor
"I would have to say my favorite moment was being on stage! I
love the excitement and showcasing all the hard work we as athletes put into a
competition! I also loved just walking around and feeling the positive energy
that was there and meeting great athletes who encourage each other!"
Kristin Abhold - Physique Competitor
"My favorite EC moment was when the Physique A girls were getting ready to hit the stage. We were being glazed and glued and Becca from NWCC decided that a shoulder shimmy move was the signal that you needed your top glued on. It was the perfect joke to get us all a little more relaxed :) ."
Brooke Holloman - Owner/President Chrome Personal Training Centre, Inc
"My favorite moments this year were seeing all of my competitors from TEAM CHROME show off their hard work on the big stage amongst some of the nation's greatest amateur competitors. Always a great and proud moment for me as their coach!!"
Find Brooke on
Facebook and
CHROMEPTC and on the web
chromepersonaltraining.com
Holland Matheson - Figure Competitor
Holland captured second place in figure D. The combination of her smile, her physique and fitness-model look definitely made for a standout package.
"My favorite part of competing at 2015 Emerald Cup was receiving my second-place tiara and trophy with my family, friends, teammates, and coworkers cheering me on. I also loved being backstage and meeting some really incredible women. My fellow competitors were so beautiful and strong and I got to really connect with some of them."
Follow Holland on
Instagram
TashAyla Wolf
Whelan - Powerlifter
"Favorite
moment for my personal accomplishment was lifting a 375 pound deadlift. It was
a 50 pound pr for me from the 2014 Emerald Cup. Felt so good to accomplish that
weight. But I also really loved watching the team I helped get together for
this meet compete in their first powerlifting, having fun, hitting personal
bests, and being excited for themselves and other lifters."
