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New Zealand
UPDATE MARCH 2010
We are 12 weeks out from the ANB Asia Pacific Champs and our New Zealand team numbers for this event has just reached a whopping 34.
The opportunity for New Zealand athletes to come compete against some of the best bodies in Australia, in a drug tested federation, has been a huge motivating factor for many of them.
I know that whether they are training together with others in their gyms for this event, or training on their own, they are all committed to doing their very best in May.
I'd like to introduce you to a couple of members of the NZ team and over the next couple of months I'll add a few more athletes with their profiles...
Niki Taylor
I am Niki, wife, mother, pharmacist and Bodybuilder! This year is the 20th anniversary of my first bodybuilding competition.
I have always played sport, from tennis to netball, rowing to marathon running and many others, in my last year of school I was introduced to the gym through rowing. I took up aerobics instructing and then was encouraged by the gym owner to compete in bodybuilding, and so I did.
Although having a break while I had my two children I was never far from the gym. I love the discipline of bodybuilding and every year brings a new challenge. I have competed for a number of different federations and won a number of titles in Physique, Figure, Bodyfitness and Mixed Pairs. This year I am happy to be going back to the Gold Coast to compete at the ANB Asia Pacific Comp.
Last year I competed in the sport model class, which was a very different experience but I will be back in figure class in 2010, where I feel I am better suited. It is geat to be able to compete in a well run, drug tested competition, which focuses on the athletes. A big thumbs up to ANB. So here's to the next 20 years, I don't think I will still be on stage then, but I am sure I will never be to far away from the GYM!
Rede Frisby
2007 2nd U70kg Novice South Island Bodybuilding Championships
2008 1st U70kg Novice South Island Bodybuilding Championships
2008 1st U70kg Novice New Zealand National Bodybuilding Championships
Have taken last year and a half off competing to improve on weaker areas
Co-Owner / Personal Trainer at INFINITY Training Systems, Invercargill
Take care,
Ali G.
UPDATE JANUARY 2010
It has been a while since I updated the NZ page here, but that's not to say nothing has been happening with ANB NZ - far from it!
2010 is an exciting year for ANB NZ. In May I am bringing over a team of kiwis to compete at the ANB Asia Pacific Champs on the Gold Coast.
As of today, we have 24 competitors confirmed as coming over to be part of the team, and another 32 very keen to be part of it and yet to confirm.
Also we have a good team of supporters/trainers and families coming over to support their athletes in what is, for many of them, their first international competition.
This is a big step up in numbers from what we had last year and I'm really excited to be involved with this very dedicated and enthusiastic team of athletes who are all looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead of them in 18 weeks time!
Most of the team that came over in 2009 are returning to compete again - which says a lot for the first experience they had - in fact some of them had already booked their flights months ago!
I'm very excited about the quality of this team also - there are a number of NZ bodybuilding champions who have made the decision to come over and compete in the ANB and welcome the drug-testing, as this is something that has been lacking in New Zealand for the past couple of years.
Last year our team was 'all female' but this year we have got the guys coming over to give the aussie guys a run for their money.
We've got athletes from all round NZ, from the top of the north island to almost the bottom of the south island, (sounds like an advert!) and will be competing in almost every class that is available.
If you are reading this update and you are keen to been part of this kiwi team don't hesitate in contacting me for more info
Take care,
Ali G.
Firstly I would like to thank the ANB for such a warm welcome to the team
from New Zealand that came over to compete at the ANB Asia
Pacific International on the 30th May 2009!
We were immediately welcomed into the competition from the first point
of contact with the ANB personnel and also the event organiser Steve Jones.
On our arrival at the competition registration we felt like we were
indeed a part of this fabulous event and we were introduced to many of
the ANB team - it was a very friendly atmosphere and we were amped for
the competition the next day!
Right from our arrival at the competition venue we treated with utmost
respect from the ANB team and when the President, Robert Powell,
addressed the athletes at the briefing you could feel that both he and
the organisation - ANB - really believed in team spirit.
He spoke to the athletes rather than at them and encouraged everyone to
support each other and make each person feel proud of their achievement
by just being there. He touched on some protocol of the show but the
main focus of the briefing was of comraderie.
We enjoyed the whole day and the evening show and it was a pleasure to
be at this event which ran on time and the amount of organisation that
went into it was obvious on the day.
A special thankyou to Steve and Antonietta Jones for the updates to all
of us thru emails - both leading up to the show and also after it.
Many of the team have commented to me that this was fabulous and it felt
great to be 'kept in the loop'.
I would also like to thank the sponsors that came on board to support
this natural bodybuilding competition we do appreciate your generosity,
and we all know that without the sponsors and also the personal input
from Steve and Antonietta, plus all those people who work behind the
scenes, there would simply be no show.
Team kiwi spent the next few days enjoying the warmth and hospitality of
the Gold Coast and some of us even managed to fit in a 'fun' photo shoot
with Sunshine Coast photographer, Greg Gardner on the beach at 7am in
the morning!!
I'm convinced the locals thought we were mad - thankfully there were not
too many people around to see us 6 girls wearing very little and racing
around in the surf!
As the newly named New Zealand representative for the ANB I am looking
forward to an exciting future of being part of the ANB team and
continuing to introduce natural kiwi athletes to this wonderful
federation and kicking some aussie butt!
Any kiwis out there who would like to find out more information about
competing in this drug tested federation, please contact myself or the
ANB via the contact page on this site.
Ali Gascoine
ali.gascoine@iconz.co.nz
021 117 6693
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