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Created: 01 July 2013 01 July 2013

I’m writing this on June 29, exactly one week since the 2013 Physique Canada National Classic was held in the main theater at the beautiful Canadian Museum of Civilization, which is located in Gatineau, Quebec. This year’s National Classic was Physique Canada’s third national-level event and, as with all the previous events, it was drug tested under the strict rules of the organization’s doping-control program. Physique Canada is all about drug-free sport and competing on a level playing field.

The 2013 National Classic was a success and many interesting things happened there, but probably the most interesting thing concerned the new Tier 1 Elite stars who emerged victorious and are now at the pinnacle of the Canadian physique scene. What was also interesting is that only one of them had competed at the Tier 1 Elite level before. This article tells you about the new champs.

Stunning Edith Werbel was the winner in the women’s athletic physique class. Edith’s physique displayed the perfect combination of muscularity, shape, symmetry, and definition, which makes her the ideal role model for this discipline. The National Classic was Edith’s first Tier 1 Elite event, but considering the way she looked, she should remain a frontrunner for many years to come and could likely do well at the international level.

Karine Pilon has competed in every Physique Canada event so far, which means that the 2013 National Classic was her third time. But, until June 22, she’d never won; instead, the winner of the women’s muscular physique division at the two previous events was Michele Steeves. Michele competed in this competition, meaning she’s also competed every time, but she had to settle for second place to a greatly improved Karine. Karine was shocked with the decision, and the win was as emotional for her as the loss was to Michele. Yet the first person to congratulate her with a big hug was Michele, a gesture that showed that there were really two champions in the muscular physique category that night. As I’ve often said: Not every winner is a champion, and not every champion is a winner. Michele and Karine were both champions on June 22.

I’d seen Alexis Brien-Fontaine compete in another organization a couple of years ago and knew back then that he had more potential than almost anyone I’d seen compete in the last decade – he’s tall, thickly muscled, and with near-flawless shape and symmetry. In short, he’s blessed with perfect genetics for bodybuilding. Alexis proved my hunch about his potential to be correct with his Tier 1 Elite debut at the National Classic, where he won over Simon Proteau, who had improved his condition since the 2012 Physique Canada Canadian Championships. If Alexis keeps competing with Physique Canada (and there’s no reason to think he won’t), he could become a true superstar in the Canadian bodybuilding scene.

Physique Canada’s next event is the Toronto Classic on September 21, the first one in that city. This event will be different from previous ones in that it will have only Tier 2 and 3 divisions, no Tier 1 Elite division. It’s the first Physique Canada event to be run that way. The reason is to allow more competitors to qualify for Tier 1 Elite status in order to be ready for the Physique Canada Canadian Championships on October 21, which will obviously have a Tier 1 Elite division. The Canadian Championships event is the final one of the season and happens just before the prestigious WBPF World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships, which will be held November 13-17 in Budaors, Hungary. Physique Canada will be sending a team to compete internationally this year, selected from the roster of Tier 1 Elite superstars! Stay tuned for more coverage in the months to come.

Doug Schneider
SeriousAboutMuscle.com Founder and Publisher