Part 12 - 2011 Ottawa Championships, Finals

Donna & Marlene attempting
to do the typical figure pose

After the prejudging, we drop in on Melanie to have her put my hair back in place after a hectic day, then go home to try to relax for a couple of hours. Friends who weren't there during the day were calling to find out what happened. I'm not one to update my status line on Facebook at every opportunity, nor am I glued to my mobile.

I tell everyone asking that I have no idea what will happen in the evening. It depends on what the judges are looking for on this given day. I do know, however, that the direction of the sport seems to be leaning towards the shapely, healthy and fit look rather than the muscular, striated physique of a bodybuilder or the softer appearance of the bikini models.

Ellie Weber is the returning Ottawa Grandmaster Figure Champion. Her long, lean figure turned the judges' heads the previous year, so it's a question of what they want this time around. Elizabeth Lindsay has a great backside and superb posture. Sally Chamberland has thick slabs of muscle more representative of a bodybuilder, though you cannot deny that she possesses excellent balance and shape. She's the one I'm most worried about. As for myself, well I have a little of everything with nothing outstanding. I more or less fit the criteria but am teeny tiny. It's a difficult task for the judges to separate us.

Elizabeth Lindsay, Sue Champagne, Ellie Weber, Sally Chamberland

In the Figure Short Open class, the only other competitor, Amanda von Loenen, has a good shape and carries herself well. It's just a question of whether the judges are looking for a more rounded physique or will they go for definition.

We arrive back at the venue, De La Salle Auditorium, for the evening finals. My friends are there to cheer me on. I'm feeling quite comfortable backstage and tell Ed to go take his seat with his buddy, Reg, and not to worry about me. The judging is over and I've made some new friends backstage. It's going to be a more relaxed evening than it was during the day. The finals is the more exciting segment to attend as the winners are revealed. It's a full house tonight.

1st Sue Champagne,
2nd Amanda von Loenen

When the Figure Short Open division is ready to go on, I stand at side stage and await my video introduction. As it ends with "I'm 53 and I feel great" there's a boom from the audience. I come out 'feeling great'. The support from the audience gives me an unbelievable charge. My poses are graceful and confident. I join Amanda on the stage to await the results. In 2nd place, Amanda von Loenen. And the winner of the Figure Short Open division, Sue Champagne. After so many years away for competition and following a very rough figure debut in Hamilton, I DID IT...one more to go!

The Grandmaster competitors are pacing the backstage area. We're anxiously sizing each other up. It could go any way. It's in the hands of the judges. Because of my background, I'm certain to be the most harshly judged

We're on-stage now, the lights are on us, our images are projected on the big screen. The head judge takes us through our compulsory poses one more time to show the audience what they'd been dealing with earlier in the day. When we turn to show our backs, I can see us on the screen. Scary stuff! We're asked to step to the rear of the stage. The head judge hands the results to the MC for the evening, Angie Poirier of Magic 100.  She looks down at the sheet and begins announcing the results.

3rd Ellie Weber, 1st Sue Champagne,
2nd Sally Chamberland

"In 4th place, Elizabeth Lindsay. In 3rd place, Ellie Weber". My mind goes blank, I can hardly hear the announcements. All I know is that two of the competitors are standing at front stage and I'm left standing with Sally. "In 2nd place, Sally Chamberland". I couldn't quite make out what Angie said, but I watch as Sally steps forward. It hits me that I'm standing alone at the rear of the stage, but it's still not absorbing. "The winner of the Grandmaster Over 45 division, Sue Champagne". I stand frozen for a moment and suddenly it sinks in. My mouth opens in astonishment. I'd convinces myself before going on-stage that they would go for Sally's thicker muscles. I'd already decided that if the judges sent the sport in that direction, I'd quit for the same reason I quit in 1985.

I step forward and accept my award at centre stage. I'm absolutely beaming! I had visualized it and it came true. The crowd is loud and the cameras are flashing. I steal a peek at the judges' table and I detect expressions of satisfaction...they're in agreement with the choice. The individual judges don't know the results any sooner than the competitors do and are not permitted to discuss their scores until after the finals. Only the head judge and statistician are privy to the tabulations. Had I succeeded in giving them what they were looking for at the regional level? I don't know for sure but it feels great to win nonetheless.

We exit the stage and John Raposo is there to congratulate me. He's been supportive all day and we stand discussing what I should do next, forgetting that I need to be preparing for the Overall competition. At the end of the evening, the winners of each division are gathered on-stage to determine the Overall winner. I'd missed the call-out. I step to the side of the stage, pull the curtain back, peer out at the head judge and catch his attention. I have a what-happened-did-you-forget-me look on my face. He stops the show and takes the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to start the comparisons over as we do not have the Short winner with us." I take my place in the line-up and we're put through our compulsory poses together. All the while I'm realizing that I haven't a chance to win this one. Doesn't matter though, I still wanted to be included. I earned my place on that stage like everyone else.

Category winners competing for the overall title.

The 2011 Overall Ottawa Figure Champion, Sara Fennell. A well deserved win for Sara who had also won the Figure Medium Open division.

At the end of the evening, Ed rounded up as many of my friends as he could and brought them backstage to see me. When I saw them all standing there waiting for me, I burst into tears. I'm crying now as I write this, still feeling the joy. There to greet me were Ed and his buddy Reg, Mylene and her husband Ron, Donna, Sheilagh, Annie, Val and Marlene. My longtime friend, Ladonna, and her daughter Talia had already left. Also there to greet me was the previous year's Figure Short champion, Stephanie Meunier, who I'd competed with at the Ontario Naturals. I felt like a superstar posing for pictures with my two trophies!

From left to right:  Mylene Arsenault, Reg Van Leyen, Ed Binggeli, Val Nose, Sue Champagne,
Donna Dames, Annie Gregoire, Marlene Nose, Sheilagh McDermott

And that concludes the 2011 Ottawa Championships. The event featured 105 entries in bodybuilding, fitness, figure and bikini.

While others went to nearby bars and restaurants to celebrate, all I wanted to do was go home to shower and chill out with Ed. We ordered in club sandwiches and fries, cracked open a couple of beers and toasted to a fabulous day.

With a double win under my belt, I now qualify for the 2012 Ontario Championships in both divisions. I have a lot of work to do in order to stand out at the provincial level..........