During last Wednesday night’s Round-table Media Dinner at Best Western Plus Antel Hotel with the Bodyshots Philippines 2014 candidates (Photo credit: Dencio Natividad)

Your blogger (middle) with (l-r): Arcel Yambing, JC Schubert, Catherine Legaspi, Aira Inoue and Jinlyn Talacod.

During last Wednesday’s night roundtable media dinner with the forty (40) hopefuls of Bodyshots Philippines 2014 at the nicely-appointed Aqua Ballroom of Best Western Plus Antel Hotel, I got the chance to talk with majority of them (either as a group or one-on-one) and it really helped me size up their respective personalities and potentials to do well in the model search. At this point, allow me to share with you my final choices. I picked four possible winners in each category plus four male and female spoilers as well.

In the ladies’ category, Eds strikes me as the veteran who, despite being more identified with beauty contests, is a photographic model first and foremost. She should already have this in the bag. But for how long? Fresh young upstarts Arianne and Analita are showing off their skills like there’s no tomorrow. Methinks these three ladies will have catwalk and posing battles to the max. And Racquel Kabigting? Don’t count her out just yet. Height is might. And she just pull a fast draw if the shorter ones fail to deliver.

As for the gentlemen, we are spoilt for choice. It’s like a food spread with different flavors for different taste buds. There is athlete Christian who represents native Filipino cuisine, hunky Karan with the spicy Indian dishes, headturning Nathan Wilson and American comfort food plus down-to-earth Kapampangan Arcel Yambing with delicious Chinese fares. Whoever gets to be served piping hot could score big on the judges’ scoresheets.

Below are the ones who are likely to steal the thunder from among the favored ones in my opinion. These contenders are eager to make their presence felt in a major way in tomorrow night’s finals. Could it be statuesque Ricalyn, charming Jinlyn, bubbly Angel and mysterious Elle on one end? Or probably cool Fil-Aussie dude Christopher, Latvian Bicolano Clint, confidently-piercing looker Prince and sweet-faced cutie of a seafarer Archie on the other?

And just to spice things up a bit, here are two (2) seventeen year-old young wide-eyed dreamers who I personally feel could do well in beauty pageants. Two years from now, perhaps? With the right training and polishing, they could be stronger bets in the nationals. What’s more, they will still definitely grow an inch or two in the next year.

Whoever will end up taking the Bodyshots Philippines 2014 titles (1 Male, 1 Female) will have a busy and opportunity-harvesting year ahead. I just hope that they will continuously keep their feet on the ground and not be totally swayed by the perceived glitz and glamor of the modelling world.

Good luck, boys and girls! 😀

P.S. The finals of Bodyshots Philippines 2014 will be held at the Grand Ballroom of Solaire Resort & Casino on June 28 at 7:00PM.