MILITARY MUSCLE
Air Force outflexes in show of strength

Female Figure Tall winner and second overall Aircraftwoman Diane Beningfield.

ADF men’s bodybuilding champion for 2003 Corporal Scott Fairweather. Photos by LS Phillip ‘Rex’ Hunt.

Second place overall Corporal Tristan Gallagher.

Third place overall Corporal Lee Taylor. Photos by LS Phillip Hunt.

By CPO Marty Karow

AIR Force bodybuilders put on a display of military muscle to dominate the sixth annual ADF Natural Bodybuilding/Figure Titles at HMAS Cerberus on June 23 in front of a sell-out audience of nearly 300 people.

A record 28 competitors from all three services, some travelling from as far as Perth and Darwin competed, with the vocal and encouraging audience entertained by a fast-paced two-and-a-half hour show comprising of formal symmetry and compulsory posing rounds as well as imaginative individual posing routines to music.

Males compete in the bodybuilding competition and judges look for symmetrical muscularity, whereas the women compete in the figure competition and judges award points for shapeliness and elegance. Currently there is no female bodybuilding category.

Four competitors from the men’s short category opened procedings, with Corporal PTI Lee Taylor (RAAF Wagga) winning this very competitive division.

Next on stage was the men’s medium division, featuring LS Damien Liddell, PO Dave Illingworth, Leading Aircraftman Robert Busby (RAAF Tindal), PTE John Devoy, Corporal Tristan Gallagher (RAAF Amberley), SGT Brag Kirkels and AB Shane Healy.

It was quite obvious that the crowd and the competitors were having some real fun during the routines, with LAC Robert Busby winning the best routine and CPL PTI Tristan Gallagher winning the overall category.

Four women competitors were next to take the stage. LS Susan Melrose was the only competitor in the women’s short category. AB Zenith Dunstan was only just beaten by CPL Eve Kawana (Randwick) in the women’s medium category and Aircraftwoman Diane Beningfield (RAAF Amberley) was the only competitor in the women’s tall category.

The girls showed the results of dedication to training and diet as they all performed elegantly and displayed very shapely physiques.

The men’s tall division took the night to the halfway stage, with awesome line-up of seven competitors displaying well-chiselled bodies. CAPT Johnathon Styles, BDR Kyle Johnston, AB Padraic Shanahan, AB Matt Callahan, CPL Pavel Machalek, Corporal Scott Fairweather (RAAF Wagga) and PTE Brett Lawler collectively looked like an impressive group of ADF personnel as they were positively greeted by the boisterous audience.

When the music was turned down and all posing had ceased the judges awarded CPL Pavel Machalek with the best routine trophy and another RAAF PTI, CPL Scott Fairweather first in class.

The remaining two categories were the men’s senior (over 40) and a new category, the men’s grand senior for over 45s.

PO Kerwyn Ballico and CPO Marty Karow competed for the senior trophy and Warrant Officer Ray Cooper (RAAF Williams) was the only competitor in the grand senior division.

Although CPO Marty Karow shed an incredible 15kgs of weight for the competition, PO Kerwyn Ballico displayed awesome muscularity and a finely-cut physique to win the senior trophy.

WOFF Cooper displayed a physique that any 48-year-old would be proud of, showing that hard work, training and diet pays off.

Finally it was time for the overall trophies, with all winners from the men’s and women’s categories back on stage for the judging of competition champions.

Women’s overall third went to LS Susan Melrose, second place to ACW Diane Beningfield, while CPL Eve Kawana (Army) was named ADF Women’s Figure Champion.

For the men, fifth place went to WOFF Ray Cooper (Air Force), fourth to PO Kerwyn Ballico (Navy), and third place to CPL Lee Taylor (Air Force).

CPL Gallagher and CPL Fairweather stood side by side eagerly awaiting announcement of the overall winner.
Second place went to CPL Tristan Gallagher (Air Force), with CPL Scott Fairweather (Air Force) proudly accepting the mantle of ADF Men’s Bodybuilding Champion for 2003.

In the six-year history of this competition the 2003 event was the biggest and best ever staged. The camaraderie between the competitors on and off stage was very pleasing and the sell-out and supportive audience made for a terrific atmosphere.

An application to have the annual ADF Natural Bodybuilding and Figure Competition recognised by the ADF Sports Council will also be placed prior to next year’s event.

2003 ADF Natural Bodybuilding and Figure Titles results:

• Female Figure Medium and 1st overall – CPL Eve Kawana (Randwick)
• Female Figure Tall and 2nd overall – ACW Diane Beningfield (RAAF Amberley)
• Female Figure Short and 3rd overall – LS Susan Melrose (HMAS Albatross)
• Male Bodybuilding Tall and 1st overall – CPL Scott Fairweather (RAAF Wagga)
• Male Bodybuilding Medium and 2nd overall – CPL Tristan Gallagher (RAAF Amberley)
• Male Bodybuilding Short and 3rd overall – CPL Lee Taylor (RAAF Wagga)
• Male Bodybuilding Senior and 4th overall – PO Kerwyn Ballico (HMAS Albatross)
• Male Bodybuilding Grand Senior 5th overall – WOFF Ray Cooper (RAAF Williams)

.