World Natural Sports Organization (WNSO) presented their annual Fitness Canada and Musclemania shows this past weekend in Toronto. 36 female athletes entered this premier fitness event. One winner, Sylvia Tremblay walked away with a brand new Suzuki Motorcycle. This victory marked her third championship in the series (having won in 1999 and 2001 as well). Runners up were Allison Ethier and Rhonda Finlayson.We were on hand to capture some impromptu shots of the lovely athletes between rehearsals and the actual shows. The level of competition was intense this year, but all of the ladies had a great time and showed a genuine sisterly-affection for one another. Among some of the talented competitors were Hamilton native, Stephanie Marcand, an 18 year old experienced pro. She's been competing since she was just 15 years old! Linda Cusmano, a veteran pro from Vancouver, BC, came back from serious injuries to show what true competitive spirit is all about. You can see Linda in our nine galleries on this site.
Liana Santarossa, (also featured on this site) presented a strong routine with a Latin-flair and an incredibly physical dance sequence. Another prominent competitor, Mindi Obrien, placed in the top five with a knock-out routine and a great physique to boot! Perhaps the most scholarly beauty of the bunch, Linda Okwor, an MBA student and fitness professional, showed off her natural dancing skills in the opening number in which all the competitors were on stage together. We shot with Linda the day following the show, and her first gallery will be available shortly on this site! On a final note, the show had everything from the experienced pros to the first-time novices. One such competitor, a beautiful spit-fire named Emily, showed off her sizzling gymnastics background with a fun routine. Her genetics make her a natural and will hopefully lead her to great success in the near future.