The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THERE'S a change in venue and the number of novice bodybuilders competing, but the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (BBFF) anticipates the same level of excitement at the second annual Faye Rolle Classic.

The big event will also see the introduction of the sports spokesmodel for the ladies and men.

And it is scheduled for 7pm Saturday at the University of the Bahamas auditorium, switching from Loyola Hall, Gladstone Road, where the classic took place last year.

"We saw it fit to utilise this venue at this time because we want to give back and we think that, at the end of the day, we will be able to host many events," said Joel Stubbs, president of the BBFF.

The categories are men's fitness, women's bikini open, women's bikini wellness, women's figure, women's body fitness, men's bodybuilding, men's physique and the women and men sports spokesmodel.

"This event promises to be a very exciting one in that we have some 30-plus athletes lined up for the various categories and so we expect to have a grand time," Stubbs told The Tribune during a press conference at J-Line Fitness Bahamas over the weekend.

Nardo Dean, the project manager in the BBFF, said the classic will allow them to find the faces to help in the promotion of the sport as the spokesmodels.

"The new category, the men and women sports spokesmodel, is an IFBB designated category, but we have tweaked it a bit just to get it started here," said Dean.

"We want to open up the new category here to give an avenue to more athletes, who may not want to be a part of the posing routine on stage, but are avid sports fans who want to represent bodybuilding and fitness."

And in moving the classic to the UB auditorium, Dean said they have to attract more spectators, including students who are a part of the Mingoes sports programme where they utilise the Wellness Centre on campus.

"This time around, we have the likes of new talent in many of our categories," Stubbs said.

"Many new talents will be on stage so many persons coming will sit down and see new faces.

"These are individuals who have been in the gym, in the trenches in the toil, getting their physique to the next level. They are now coming out to showcase their talent."

Even though it's late in the season when most competitors are in off season mode, Stubbs said the show will allow competitors to continue their diet, training and physique for a longer time in the year. "They can diet a little longer and keep their physique a little longer," he said.

"It won't affect the talent or the potential of these athletes coming on stage because at this time of the game, they choose which shows they want to do.

"So for someone who didn't make the CAC team, can say they will get ready for the Faye Rolle Classic and so they would have extended themselves right on into this time to showcase their skills just before they shut it down for the rest of the year."

Over the past two years, the federation has seen an increase of competitors who have secured their professional cards and Stubbs said they intend to have at least one of them perform as a guest poser during the show.

The Faye Rolle Classic is held in honour of Rolle, one of the federation's premier bodybuilders who was having a fantastic career until she was sidelined with an injury. The federation is using the event to assist her in her recovery.

Tickets for the event are $20 for general admission and $30 for VIP.