Lea Waide - Dancing To The Top
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Most of the top women in fitness have had to be highly accomplished, lifetime gymnasts. A top pro like Susie Curray does tumbling so fast it is almost impossible to photographer her routine and Kelly Ryan was trained by world-famous Olympic coach Bela Karoli.

A primary reason why NPC fitness competitors are abandoning fitness for figure in such numbers - in spite of the fact that many of them are not suited to the standards of figure competition - is the feeling they can't possibly do the gymnastics they feel is necessary. In most cases, they seem to have been right. But it is encouraging that the judges awarded Lea Waide - who is strong and athletic but whose primary performance skill is dance rather than gymnastics - first place in the heavyweight class.

Is this a trend, or just an isolated phenomenon? If a trend, somebody should tell the competitors and the rest of the judges. If not a trend, no need to tell anyone since it means there will be no competitors in fitness and hence no need of judges.