The start of August brought more than 70 competitors to Santa Rosa for the “California Naturals,” an annual event celebrating the world of natural bodybuilding, where sculpted physiques are created using only fitness and nutrition — no performance-enhancing drugs allowed.
The competition has been held annually in Sonoma County since 2005, also taking place in Petaluma, Windsor and Rohnert Park over the years.
Local bodybuilding coach Chris Jantz, who operates Brink Bodybuilding in Petaluma, estimated that 85% of the competitors at this year’s event — held Aug. 1-2 at Piner High School — hailed from Northern California.
The competition was sanctioned by the International Natural Bodybuilding Association and Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association, organizations that provide amateur athletes a pathway to professional competition.
“It creates a lane for those that are interested in bodybuilding, but want to do it in a natural, healthy way,” Jantz said.
The INBA and PNBA routinely drug-test athletes at their competitions to ensure no performance enhancers are used.
Jantz family
Chris Jantz of Petaluma receives his Natural Bodybuilding Hall of Fame honor in Las Vegas. (Jantz family)
Jantz, who has coached bodybuilders for more than 40 years, brought eight of his “Team Brink” athletes to the competition. He said competitors put in about a year of training before an event.
“By the time we get to show day, they’re mentally ready, they’re physically ready, things are organized,” he said.
Competitors were judged on muscle separation, symmetry, conditioning and stage presence across several divisions.
Team Brink earned multiple first-place finishes and several overall titles in Santa Rosa.
“We usually do well, but this show was on another level,” Jantz said. “It would be hard to top the results we had this weekend.”
Among the standout performances was 20-year-old Eliot Brooker, who won the junior bodybuilding title before capturing overall victories in the Open Classic Physique and Open Bodybuilding divisions. Brooker earned professional status in both categories and received the show’s Best Poser award.
Team Brink’s Sarah Azevedo earned professional status after winning both the Novice and Open Bikini Diva divisions, while Biviany Hernandez claimed the Overall Wellness title, earned her pro card and received the “Most Symmetrical” award.
Ryan Nolan also earned professional status by winning the Open Sports Model division while also winning the Junior Masters Sports Model and Junior Masters classic physique divisions.
Other Team Brink athletes earning first-place finishes included Jerry Keo in Novice Bodybuilding, Mimi Patterson in Ultra Masters women’s physique and John Hogan in both the Masters and Grand Masters divisions.
Jantz also stepped on stage, competing in the professional Wolfpack division for athletes older than 50. He won the PNBA Pro Grand Masters title and received the Most Muscular award.
“For me, the greatest reward wasn’t winning,” Jantz said. “It was watching these athletes accomplish goals they’ve worked toward for more than a year. Seeing their confidence grow and celebrating those moments together is why I love coaching.”
Jantz also highlighted the performance of first-time competitor Patterson, 67, who decided to pursue bodybuilding after meeting him at the gym.
“She overcame a lot of mental struggles, and just getting on the stage was huge for her, but she did amazing,” he said.
For Jantz, who was inducted into the Natural Bodybuilding Hall of Fame in 2024, the competition is more than trophies.
“Bodybuilding is the vehicle,” he said. “But it’s really about building confidence, resilience and healthier lives. That’s the mission.”
