BREAKING NEWS: Gina Aliotti to Skip 2010 Figure International

The 2010 Arnold list hasn't been released, and already there's guaranteed of a major shake-up in one of the divisions. Flex Online broke the news today that Gina Aliotti, 2008 Figure International Champion and one of the elite IFBB figure competitors, has decided to skip out on competing in the 2010 Figure International.

http://www.flexonline.com/ifbb_figure_gina_aliotti/news/1051

To say that is big news for IFBB Figure would be a heck of an understatement. With Gina taking a break from the stage, and Zivile (the reigning Figure International Champion) trading in her figure high heels for wrestling boots, not to mention that the other Figure International champions (Mary Lado and Jenny Lynn) have retired from competition, it's all but confirmed that a new Figure International champion will be crowned in March.

I'll make this one thing clear. DON'T look as this as a retirement, because it's not. The business is more than just competing in contests. For those that want to be successful, you have to take risks and implement your figure lifestyle to business, whether is be producing your own healthy cookbook, running your own gym, being a personal trainer, having a clothing line...you get the point. Gina, at 25, is doing many of those things, as well as maintaining her newly-improved website (which is the December Site of the Month for FitGems, by the way). Her days on stage are not over by a long shot. So for those that feared Gina, they can breath easily...for now. If and WHEN she returns to stage, whether it be late 2010 for the Olympia or later on down the line, you can be sure she will be an immediate threat in the competition she enters next.