DC Classic and NMBBF Championship set for November

Winners of the 2021 Dee Clayton Classic bodybuilding competition are seen in this collage created by Latte Built. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The yearly bodybuilding competition is back and better than ever as the 2022 Dee Clayton Classic returns, along with the Northern Marianas Bodybuilding and Physique Federation Championship on Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Saipan World Resort’s Taga Hall.

For the Dee Clayton Classic, the categories are bodybuilding, teen bodybuilding, classic physique, men’s physique, teen physique, women’s physique, figure, bikini, fitness, and model fitness pageant. 

This year’s competition is a notch higher as the concurrent Northern Marianas Bodybuilding Federation Championship, the top two competitors will be selected from the men’s bodybuilding, classic bodybuilding, and physique categories, and two each for the women’s figure, bikini, and physique categories, all of whom will represent the CNMI in the 2023 Honoria Pacific Games set for November.

Prejudging for the show is at 9am and the show starts at 5pm, with the doors open at 4pm.

The ticket price for the show is $30 and the door price is $40. 

Registration forms to join the competition are available at both locations of Latte Built Gym at Oleai and Kagman, and the last day to register is at the end of October. 

Dee Clayton, president of both the Dee Clayton Classic and the Northern Marianas Bodybuilding and Physique Federation said that, “because this competition is going to affect representation of athletes going to the South Pacific in November next year, we’re taking this seriously. We are really promoting athletes to come and participate in this event, because this event is not only for the community, but it’s also going to represent the Marianas.” 

She added that for the athletes who will come out on top this year and represent in the Solomon Islands next year, “they have ample time to prepare and to focus on their cutting and look forward for the event.”

As of now, there are 14 competitors vying for a title in either category, but the numbers will fluctuate from now until the event, depending on each competitor’s outlook and readiness. Clayton said she’s had “a lot of last-minute” registrants in the past. “We will see in the next week or so the final outcome on participation.”

When asked if the stakes are higher this year due to the anticipation of representing the Marianas next year, she said, “We don’t want to have stress over this thing. We want to have fun at the same time in training and look forward to representing the Marianas, but yes, of course, it’ll be a little bit more like a notch higher because this is to determine who’s going to represent.” 

She added that even if the top two are chosen for each category to make up the NMI bodybuilding team, the determining factors of their representation depend on whether the athletes are ready for international competition and whether they have the proper documentation to go, and “all of those criteria that they need to fulfill to in order for them to qualify.”

Contact (670)-235-2265 for more information on the competition or direct message Latte Built’s Instagram or Facebook page.

The 2023 Pacific Games will be held in Honoria, Solomon Islands from Nov. 19 to Dec. 2, 2023. This multi-sport event will feature 24 sports and 5,000 athletes and officials from 24 countries across the Pacific.

The sponsors for the Saipan event include Megabyte of Saipan, Tan Siu Lin Foundation, Marianas Visitors Authority, Gold’s Gym, Latte Built Gym, Saipan World Resort Taga Hall, Rozelle Printing, Top Notch, Power 99, Glushko’s Academy of Performing Arts, Foremost, Island Touch by Philip, and Coca Cola.

In last year’s Dee Clayton Classic competition, Latte Built’s Derek Cutting topped the overall bodybuilding competition; Stanley Iakopo won Best Abs; Jolo Berueco won the men’s physique tall category; Lorenzo Sanchez won the men’s classic physique category; Javin Okawa defended his men’s physique overall trophy; and Jovie Tuquero won the teen men’s physique.

In the women’s categories, Filomenaleonisa Iakopo won the women’s figure and Cielo Long won the bikini portion; in the fitness category, Vanessa Lorejo triumphed; Jamila Alegre was the lone entry in the women’s physique category and won; while the fitness pageant portion was topped by Amy Alano.