THE THREE 2009 AWARD WINNERS WERE:

The 2009 MH Man winner:

Julian Growcott

2009 NIVEA FOR MEN Face of the Year:

Bradley Smith

2009 Women's Health Readers' Choice Award:

Jason Lavrick






Meet the finalists from the 2009 MH Man competition. Get tips and find out what it takes to get MH fit

A picture may tell a thousand words, but sometimes even that isn't quite the whole story. I should know. In my five years as a writer at MH, I've often been ribbed by friends about the cover of our magazine. Yet, as you, the reader, have probably worked out, once you open the mag, there's a lot more going on inside than the front cover may initially suggest.



I'm musing on that fact as I watch the 12 MH Man 2009 candidates, who are vying to appear on that very cover, relax over lunch after a gruelling two-day photoshoot. As a collection of blokes they are pretty intimidating. Their physiques are chiselled, their jaws firm. No surprises there. And yet a more diverse, down-to-earth bunch you'd be hard-pressed to find.


A 37-year-old ex-fireman is chatting to a 19-year-old surf lifeguard. A customs officer from Perth is trading training tips with a Melbourne-based primary school teacher, while a radiographer from Sydney's western suburbs and a personal trainer from Mosman are poking fun at each other like old mates. It could be a footy team's end-of-year bash and, just like the Sydney Swans, a "no dickheads" policy is clearly in effect.

It's certainly a relief to MH editor and judge Bruce Ritchie, who had very clear ideas about what he wanted when he launched the competition.

"The type of bloke we're looking for needs to be a normal, knockabout Aussie guy, who's achieved a serious level of fitness without training ridiculously hard," says Ritchie.

"A key part of the entry and judging criteria was for us to ascertain that these guys had found a nice balance in their work life, home life and attention to physical fitness. To a greater or lesser degree, all the guys did that."


The gauntlet for the MH Man Award was thrown down in our November 2008 issue, when together with competition sponsors NIVEA FOR MEN, we challenged you, the reader, to prove you had what it takes to appear on the cover of this issue. We made it clear: we wanted real men rather than models. Ordinary blokes who manage to strike a balance between work and play, family and mates, salad and salami. By the end of December 2008 we were overwhelmed by more than 400 quality entries.

After days of sifting through the piles of potential candidates, we finally managed to narrow the field to 12 contestants, who not only boasted rippling physiques, but also had the inspiring stories to match.

These 12 hopefuls learnt just what it takes to represent MH at Sun Studios in Sydney's Alexandria on day one of the shoot. With most of the group appearing in front of the camera for the first time, nerves jangled, limbs locked up and beads of sweat trickled from brows, as the candidates strived to achieve MH's unique balance of aspiration and approachability.

TIPS FROM THE 2009 MH MAN RUNNERS-UP

"Personality is key in the image we're looking for," says MH art director David Ashford. "He should look like a guy you want to have a drink with, rather than one who would steal your girlfriend."


An achievable body is also paramount, he adds. "We've moved away from unobtainable bodies. Eight-packs and bulging veins can really intimidate readers."

Similarly, anyone with crocodile smiles, fangs or missing teeth is better off applying elsewhere. "For MH you're trying to get that nice, easy, non-threatening smile," says photographer Justin Aveling, another of the MH Man judges. "They need to be prepared to drop their inhibitions and trust the photographer."

After the intensity of the first day, the candidates proved themselves to be fast learners, effortlessly backing up the next morning to nail their location shots at historic Kurnell beach at Cronulla in Sydney's south, despite 35°C heat and a 5am start. Their growing media savvy was further enhanced with a spectacular group shot that appeared in Sydney's Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

By the end of the two days, we'd taken more than 3000 shots, most of them potential cover images.

Says Ritchie: "I went into this with the fear in the back of my mind, 'What if we don't find anyone good enough?'. Instead, we got 12 guys who performed as well in front of the camera as many of the professional models we've used."


With thousands of shots in the can and 12 legitimate contenders to choose from, the judges faced the difficult task of deciding on the six finalists to attend our awards evening in Sydney in March this year and compete for the three categories up for grabs: the 2009 Men's Health Man Award, the NIVEA FOR MEN Face of the Year Award and the Women's Health Readers' Choice Award. Thousands of you logged onto the Men's Health website to give us your thoughts on our six finalists. After days of careful deliberation we realised that one name kept coming up. That name was Julian Growcott.




CHECK OUT HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2009 MH MAN AWARDS NIGHT

"It was close, but Julian had bigger ticks in all the key boxes for us," says Ritchie. "He's got a terrific attitude; a nice, relaxed, friendly Aussie look; and, importantly, a physique, which although impressive, is something our readers could aspire to as well."
But after Julian's victory, the two other awards were still for the taking. "Our award was particularly hard to judge," says James Meins, product manager at NIVEA FOR MEN.

"But we went for Brad, who is everything the NIVEA FOR MEN man is: healthy, fit and confidently well-groomed."

The 2009 Women's Health Readers' Choice Award, as voted by readers at yahoo7.com.au/womenshealth, went to Jason Lavrick, a telecommunications technician from Perth, who beat depression as a teenager through the help of his parents and a committed exercise regimen. "Oh, how the WH Readers' Choice Award divided our office," reveals WH editor Felicity Percival. "Our readers' favourite was Jason, thanks to his brooding good looks and a six-pack we'd all like to touch, please?"

Jason's story is typical of the depth and substance of our inaugural group of finalists. Sure, their physiques are impressive, but it's worth remembering that these really are normal blokes, just like you. Don't believe us? Take it from our winner. "There's nothing out of the ordinary about what I do," says Growcott. "I've got all the same demands on my time as anyone else and I think keeping fit and healthy is a way of coping with all those things. So I guess, why not me?"