The Pink Room Int'l Nail Academy: NAILYMPICS USA'11

Extracts from: http://blogs.nailsmag.com/CompetitionInsider/archive/2011/11/23/Nailympics-Recap.aspx

The Nailmypics that were held last Oct 23th and Oct 24th, saw competitors from all over the world coming together to compete under top-quality judging and in challenging events. Nail techs from Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, Australia, Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all over the U.S., brought the Nailmypics back to the U.S. with pride, since the event has not been held on American soil since 2006.

They have been going on continually in London these past years, but the turnout for the Nailympics in October and the quality of nails done left head judge Lysa Comfort filled with pride.

Here are some highlights from the competition as well as the complete results below.

Gel Open, Div. 3

1st: Joe Chua
2nd: Seo Sang-Mi
3rd: Allison Baker
Acrylic Tip Overlay, Div. 3
1st: Joe Chua
2nd: Seo Sang-Mi
3rd: Allison Baker
4th: Christina Gonzales
Acrylic Sculpture, Div. 3
1st: Seo Sang-Mi
2nd: Joe Chua
3rd: Allison Baker
4th: Tom Holcomb

Our Master Educator, Joe Chua, took home two 1st Prize and one 2nd Prize for this year's Nailympics in USA. YES!! YES!! YES!! Our master is serious "Wohoo~" Champion!!

So proud to be taught by him~

Master Joe had not been competing for awhile as every year, he would be busy training our students for the various international competitions. Luckily he managed to find time to take part in this mega-event during his trip to USA, held at the The Long Beach International Beauty Expo.

The Nailympics is THE nail competition of the nail industry...
It brings top-quality competitors & judges from all over the world.

Competitors were judged on many many more criteria, as it was a large scaled competition! Especially since Joe was in Division 3, which was for all the Professionals and big names in the industry. They were judged on every aspect of the nail~~ the smile line, nail shape, length, c-curve, overall finish... everything! That shows how serious and professional the judging was!

Joe was fiercely pitted against many World Champions in the nail industry this competition!

Top on the list was Principle Rachel's idol & nail industry legend:

Tom Holcomb (USA) -

Holcomb was a 10-time World Champion, 5-time Japan Master, and 2-time International Champion in both Munich and Dusseldorf. The winner of more than 200 competitions, Holcomb has always sought to sharpen his skills and raise the bar industry-wide.

Holcomb was a Top 25 Competitor seven times (2007–2008, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995). He was the NAILS cover artist numerous times (look at his work on the links below). He also won the North American Hairstyling Award in 1998 for Best Nail Makeover.

Tom Holcomb's fans & groupies gathering to watch him compete in the Acrylic Sculpture Division 3 Masters Category.

*Sadly, this amazing person, died peacefully in his sleep Friday, October 28, 2011. His creativity and skill was known worldwide, as was his kindness, humor and humbleness. He will be greatly missed, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.*

Next on the list is Principal Rachel's close friend:

Seo Sangmi (Korea) -

Seo Sangmi have been actively competing in nail competitions worldwide. And have been named one of the top 10 Competitor worldwide. She took part in the recent Nailypmics as well... and won the first three prizes for all the categories that she took part in. And took home the Winner of Winners award for Division 3.

The Winner of Winners is determined by the total number of points the competitors achieved from all the categories that they competed in. Sangmi took home the Winner of Winners award at the Nailympics London competition last September too! She have been named the Top Competitor for five times since 2004.

Guess most students would wish to be like her one day as she has the ability to take part in sooo many categories and come in top three!

Another competitor that took part in the same categories was...

Allison Baker (USA) -

Allison Baker took home one 1st place, one 2nd place, and three 3rd place medals at the Nailympics. She have been taking part in nail competitions for many years now. And like the other competitors, she have been taking home the top prizes for many categories that she took part in.

Joe Chua (Singapore) -

Joe took part in 3 categories of the Masters Division 3, namely :
Gel Open + Acrylic Tip Overlay + Acrylic Sculpture
It is a great chance to challenge one-self, as all the other competitors were so strong!!

He WON for all the 3 categories he participated!! ~~

CONGRATULATIONS

TO OUR MASTER JOE FOR BEATING ALL ODDS
& OUT-DO HIMSELF TO EMERGE THE WINNER!!

First place for GEL OPEN TECHNIQUE

ABOUT GEL TECHNIQUE:

Many students might not be aware, but our Pink Room (PRINA) Gel Extensions Techniques are designed & improvised by Rachel & Joe to be able to achieve the most prefect competition winning nail shape. This "secret recipe" was taught by Joe to many Pink Room Gals & successfully bag many of the Gel Extension Category's top prizes in numerous Int'l Nail Competitions!
(Click to read about some: http://pinkroomint.blogspot.com/2012/03/nail-competition-in-hong-kong-2011.html )

First place for ACRYLIC TIP OVERLAY

Second place for ACRYLIC SCULPTURE

ABOUT ACRYLIC TECHNIQUE:
Apart from the usual challenges, Joe had to "fight" with the climate and temperature, as the temperature was different from what we are used to in Singapore. As all nail technicians know, acrylic hardens at different speed in different temperature! It was challenging, but Joe managed to overcome that as well~~ and came in First and Second in two different categories.

More photos highlights during the USA Nailympics!