The choices were as controversial for who they left out as much as for who was lucky enough to be chosen. Some of the actresses had appeared in 'other than starring' roles on the shows, and a couple of them only briefly while others, (Jill Hennessy) had gone on to far greater fame in other shows and their contributions to the L&O franchise have long been forgotten - if they were known at all.

Still, the 'suits' at TNT did a good job of making interesting matches - for the most part - and nobody can accuse them of not keeping their focus on their own networks "rights" to re-runs of not only L&O, but other shows in, or soon to be in, syndication.

[All heights rounded to the nearest inch!]
* * * * * *
ROUND ONE (Quarter-finals)
Mariska Hargitay (L&O; 5'8") vs Jill Hennessy (L&O; 5'8")
Both ladies were veterans with their own fair share of catfights over the past years. But it became quickly apparent that Jill was nowhere near Mariska's level of talent, dirtiness and strength. Brutally and effectively, the SVU 'cop' dominated Jill, pounding her all over the ring. Soon, Jill was gasping and out of breath as Mariska used her up badly.

Hardly any response was coming back from Jill, except an occasional moan or scream whenever Mariska had landed another punch, kick or elbow to some sensitive area of Jill's wiry anatomy.

Going down with Mariska on top of her, Jill struggled helplessly against the weight and power of the woman straddling her. Once Mariska wrapped her legs around Jill's waist, a short, shrill, scream almost immediately followed by the rapid "SMACK, SMACK, SMACK" of Jill's hand on the mat signaled the end of Jill's tournament hopes.

Mariska had made it crystal clear why she had been the top seeded woman in the pre-fight rankings.
* * * * * *
Alana de la Garza (L&O; 5'10") vs. Alicia Witt (CI; 5'8")
Always using her beauty to intimidate stronger opponents, trying a psychological manoeuvre to destroy their self-confidence, Alana's biggest disadvantage in fights was usually her thin frame and light weight. Facing athletic Alicia Witt, both proved to be a problem this time as well. The fight went to the ground early and Alicia's superior strength allowed her to dictate pace and style of the fight.

Rocking Alana with various pins and scissors, Alicia had the fight firmly under control. But when she tried another pin, the beautiful Alana was able to bridge her off and Alicia lost balance and fell onto her side. Quickly seizing a chance to change the fight, Alana pinned Alicia with all of the power left in her - and added a trash-talking tirade about Alicia's supposedly ugly face - which only made her all the more angry.

Furious, Alicia escaped from under Alana and shoved her down hard, giving her pretty face several thumping SLAPs. Protesting when Alicia pulled an arm around her face to smash her cleavage, Alana kicked hysterically when she felt the sudden oxygen debt of Alicia's smother.

Trying to move from a smother to a headscissors, the redhead had overrated the damage already imposed on Alana who, free for a second, kicked the red-haired beauty in the throat. Alicia gasped and was unable to prevent Alana taking a seat on her arms. Her thrashing legs almost succeeded in making Alana budge - but only almost.

Alana moved up and seated her ass on the redhead's face. Defeat before her eyes, Alicia depended only on her instincts. Trying to bite into the flesh before but not getting the right kind of position, Alicia saw the prospect of a tournament win she had dreamed of slip away further with every second. Alana turned her body around, trash-talked the buckling actress, and closed her arms at the sides of Alicia's face and moved her own cleavage over the face. Although not particularly chesty, Alana still managed to further weaken the proud redhead who shouted a few unintelligible curses before she let out a very good-to-hear, sobbing, cry of submission.

Smiling her flashing beautiful smile of innocence, Alana let go immediately. Alicia shoved her away angrily and disappeared immediately, disappointed with her performance against the thinner beauty. She knew she should have defeated her. But she was out in the first round nevertheless.
* * * * * *
Elisabeth Rohm (L&O; 5'8") vs Stephanie March (SVU; 5'10")
In the early moments of this fight, tall Stephanie (the tallest woman in the tourney) elegantly kept Elisabeth away from her, shoving the blonde away with her big hands, the action caused Liz to almost stumble backward over her feet. Steph went right for her. Pressing her into the ropes she yanked her around. Engulfing Liz from behind she head-locked her for further control. But Liz bumped her ass into Steph's groin several times, making the actress oof in surprise. Out of balance, Steph was easy prey for the on-storming Liz who slapped her face a few times before kicking her leg into the taller woman's soft belly.

Doubling over, Steph was yanked up by her hair and got a heavy dose of Liz's knee rocketed into her face from below. Holding her face in agony, Steph was helpless when Liz repeated the attack. Crumbling down, her face distorted in pain, Steph was kicked into the ribs by her standing rival. The blonde crashed her foot into the crumpled heap of March, first into her belly, then her crotch. Steph howled in desperation. Rolling the blonde over onto her belly, Liz applied a beautiful camel clutch while sitting on her back. Her leg firmly pressed into Steph's back, she placed her knee between Steph's legs and whirled her over in a crushing backbreaker. Like a pretzel, Steph's long and lean body was awkwardly twisted. The screams got louder.

When Liz removed her knee, Steph simply fell down to the side, unmoving. Heaving the heavier actress up Liz attempted to repeat the backbreaker but Steph screamed bloody mercy and bubbled a submission, her hair sweaty, her eyes teary. Massaging her agonized back, the blonde needed a few minutes to get up while Liz proudly looked down at the crumpled body of her destroyed rival. A cocky smile into the audience and the blonde left, quite confident that if she could put down the tough Steph, she could beat anyone in the tourney.
* * * * * *
Milena Govich (L&O; 5'8") vs. Angie Harmon (L&O; 5'9")
Standing nose-to-nose at the beginning, Milena's superior physique simply overpowered Angie's thin, light, body. But the raven beauty hoped to use her long experience and mental stamina to survive the punishment about to rain down on her.

Just seconds into the fight, however, Angie only had one hope left; that Milena could somehow fade late. But in the opening minute, Govich chased Angie around the ring, avoided being hit by her, and came out swinging. Technically effective Angie prevented an early takedown. But Milena cornered and blocked Angie. Pulling the beauty towards her Milena simply threw her foe to the ground before Angie knew what was happening to her. Behind the kneeling Angie, Milena grabbed under her opponent's arms and scissored her tiny waist from behind.

The strength draining out of her, Angie buckled and shook but couldn't escape. Milena opened her hold and jumped from behind Angie to on top of her; schoolgirl-pinning her. Milena smiled a mean smirk as she lowered her bra-clad cleavage onto Angie's flushed face. After two minutes of painful moans and struggles to get air, Angie submitted just seconds before she would have blacked out.
* * * * * *
ROUND TWO (Semi-finals)
Mariska Hargitay (L&O; 5'8") vs Alana de la Garza (L&O; 5'10")
Mariska had been prepared to fight Alicia Witt at this occasion, because she couldn't imagine how De La Garza would possibly be able to get by the reheaded vixen. But she did. Seeing the thin Alana meeting her in the ring, Mariska tried to avoid the prospect of an easy win, but as much she tried she was still dead sure she would defeat her opponent. Alana knew she had already beaten a woman supposedly tougher than her and saw all the pressure with the top seed.

At 44 years, Mariska was twelve years older than her beautiful rival. Well-kept and pretty, the signs of aging that hadn't touched Alana yet bothered her. She was intending to stage a dramatic win over her young rival to defend her 40-plus pride. Alana knew that the longer the fight lasted the less endurance and resistance would probably come from Mariska. She also knew that the woman her opponent had disposed of in round one was also older and didn't think that the aging Mariska could be giving her a problem for a long time.

Accordingly, it was Mariska who took the initiative in the first moments of the fight. Alana held her arms high and kept the tough Hargitay at bay. Mariska slowed down her pace when she realized Alana was trying to make her use up energy needed for later. Circling each other, almost afraid to make a first step, the pace slowed down to a halt.

The more muscular Mariska head-locked Alana and drove her down to the ground but Alana landed on top of her. Pushing her onto her back Alana sat on Mariska, then turned her around to wrap her legs around the midsection of her foe. Head-locked and scissored, Mariska clasped at her beautiful rival's legs but couldn't rip them apart. Mariska was on top of Alana now but the woman below had her in control. Her neck hurt from the constant pressure.

Mariska tried to wrestle her arms out of Alana's lock but couldn't. The younger fighter tried to move her scissors up further around her neck. Trying to stand up, Mariska still had the legs around her neck and couldn't get up to full height. The violent hold brought her back down.

Alana was trying hard to keep the shaking, budging, rocking actress under her in firm control, but Mariska's long years of experience and her rock-hard body that knew how to avoid pain, take it, and dish it out, got the better of her. Landing hard on her back when Mariska was able to move her hands between her waist and the opponent's legs and in an action that made the feebleness and lightness of Alana's legs frighteningly obvious, she moved the legs further apart.

Throwing herself atop Mariska, Alana tried to keep herself as the dominant force in the fight. Mariska, under her, clasped her arms around her in the small of her back and whirled her over in a bearhug of sorts. Forcing top position with her bulging arm muscles, Mariska had Alana gasp a groggy groan of surprise and discontent.

Pinning down Alana's hands by the side of her head, Mariska pressed her foe down hard and prevented the buckling beauty from shaking her off. But the classy, as it seems, Alana was trying everything to win the fight. Seeing no chance to get her away, she spat right in Mariska's face. Instinctively, taken aback, Mariska's hands shot out to wipe away the wetness in her face, she gave Alana the chance she wanted.

Scissoring Mariska from below, she flexibly threw herself up to pull Mariska's face into her cleavage and shoved her then to the side and relished in her scissor. But Mariska was furious as hell. The humiliation from the spitting made all the advantage Alana had, at that point, useless.

Even in a scissored position Mariska succeeded in getting enough strength and luck. She stood up, the legs around her, while Alana was still on the ground with her upper body. Alana was not the kind of fighter known for a very fearful leg scissors. Her hold couldn't take the pressure, she was unable to keep it on Mariska any longer.

Her waist free, and the target of her frustration and anger already neatly placed on her back, Mariska grinded DLG into the mats, the squirming, writhing beauty simpering under her firm domination. Her legs on Alana's arms, Mariska had all the time in the world to move her chest over Alana's proud and classy face. Wiggling with it for a few seconds she scared Alana for a short while, before she actually let it sink down onto her.

Seeing the sweat pouring down her face, Mariska felt a sudden urge to further embarrass her foe. She put her boobs out of Garza's face and just went away hitting the poor girl with hard-hitting blows to those beautiful cheekbones. After a while there were tears streaming down Alana's face. It seemed the idea of her beauty endangered by bruises was more frightening to her than her head smothered by a pair of tits.

Mariska had guessed and targeted Alana's weakness. The slaps to her face gave her the long-awaited words of submission. Alana kept crying for a while before she ran off, reportedly, to spend a long time in front of a mirror, to check and repair the damage done to her. Mariska just shrugged at that narcissism that cost Alana the fight and declared in a post-fight interview that she was rightfully awarded the top seed honour because there was nobody who could go one-on-one with her without ending a sappy mess.
* * * * * *
Elisabeth Rohm (L&O; 5'8") vs Milena Govich (L&O; 5'8")
After her destruction of ADA Alex Cabot Elisabeth Rohm was cocky and all-smiles before the start of the second semifinal. She had seen Milena deal with Angie Harmon but she considered Harmon a wimp and didn't see any need for fearing the brunette.

The two ladies met head to head. Liz stood at 5'8" and 128 pounds. Just invisibly taller, the brunette Milena, at 5'9'', outweighed her blonde rival, weighing in at just over 140 pounds.

Right at the bell Liz lunged forward and pushed Milena into the ropes, trying to overpower her foe and blocking her way in the corner. But the Law and Order detective wouldn't have it. Lunging for Liz's big chest she pulled her towards her own upper body and rammed a leg into the actress's groin. Sacking down with a scream Liz had glassy eyes from the hit while Milena stood over her victim. Yanking her sideways by the hair Milena established herself on top of her rival. Sliding to the side, her strong legs firmly scissored Elisabeth's waist while the blonde beauty still wimpered from the crotch pain.

When Milena got up fast, Liz rolled over, too weak to rise. Clinging desperately with her hands at the ring ropes, her legs were mercilessly pulled away by Milena. On her back, the blonde gasped in agony and tried to grab at her opponent's ankles. The brunette held a firm grip of Liz's hair and shoved her deep into the mat by twisting one arm around and slammed her own into the small of the blonde's back. She stomped her foot into the outstretched ass in front of her. Milena kept one of Rohm's arms behind her back as if she was trying to arrest her and rolled her over to the side. She rammed her fist into the soft flesh of Liz's belly causing a loud protesting gulp. The poor blonde was now on her belly as Milena climbed onto her from behind. Bigger and broader than her foe, Milena made the blonde almost disappear under her weight. Milena yanked Liz up by strangling her from behind.

The blonde lashed out with her hands and was able to free herself from that hold. Milena allowed her to retreat into her own corner. Liz was frustrated because she hadn't been able to get her rival into any kind of danger. Tearing into each other, they both went for each other's proud manes while trying to establish power over the other. But Milena was stronger and sent Liz flying to the ground. Milena was all over her and clashed her arms around Liz's throat yet again. The brunette executed a perfect move when she flipped over herself to land on the ground all the while holding her foe's throat tightly. Milena pressed the pretty face into the mats. The blonde coughed for fresh air. Liz lashed out for a bit of hair or flesh but Milena wouldn't budge an inch. Her left tit was in Liz's face now.

The brunette was once again jumping on her foe's belly, kneeling on her with her arms tightly head-locking the poor blonde. Her cleavage was now dangling completely in Liz's face. Milena's stronger body held her foe down and Liz's fruitless slapping at her thighs and back didn't bother her much. She Grapevined her panicking victim's legs and asked for a submission with less oxygen reaching Elisabeth's face with every second. Liz crawled around with her legs but Milena controlled her every move and always assumed the same kind of top position.

Buried in Milena's boobs, Rohm refused to give up. Milena jumped up fast to stand tall and moved both her legs around the blonde's face and sat down with Liz's face engulfed in a tight scissors. One of her arms was kept in place by the brunette, her other one tried to scratch the brunette's leg, a pain that Milena chose to ignore as long as the fun of dominating her blonde rival continued. Liz whimpered and sobbed quietly, the flailing of her legs died down along the way. When Liz had stopped protesting but still had not submitted, Milena loosened the grip of her scissors just a bit to check whether Liz was able to seize a chance. But the blonde was merely visibly relieved, yet didn't take any action to break away.

Milena opened up her scissors completely and sat down on Liz's heaving chest. The blonde had tears in her eyes and looked more fearful than competitive. The brunette stood up and smashed her foot right in between Liz's legs. The blonde went wild. Crawling backwards into a corner, Milena still standing followed her and carefully watched her.

When Liz tried to use the ropes to move herself up to full height again, Milena took action again. She marched into Liz's corner and smashed her own body into the blonde mess in front of her. Liz just winced and sacked down a few inches. Milena stood over her and heaved Liz's shaking head into her cleavage. Rubbing her pretty face between her breasts, Milena kicked her knee into Liz's groin and let her go. The blonde slid down and lay stretched out at the feet of her tormentor.

Milena grabbed her under the arms and dragged her to the middle of the ring; rolled her onto her back and made her squat on her knees. Walking behind her, Milena kicked Liz's ass and she groggily fell down on her back again. Liz dimly was aware as Milena removed her top to lay it in her face for another smother.

Moaning into her chest, Liz struggled to regain her senses and force her body to react, protest, resist - something - but she found she had no energy. Milena grew bored and lifted her chest and took the time to slip back into her bra and adjust it. All the while, Liz remained a motionless, shattered, wreck.

Milena stood up and just before she slammed her foot into Liz's crotch again, the blonde finally called it quits and submitted. The big brunette just laughed and immediately left the ring, having thoroughly destroyed Elisabeth Rohm's strength, spirit, will and confidence.

In the audience, Mariska Hargitay got up, too; with a worried look on her face. How was she supposed to stop that machine?
* * * * * *
ROUND THREE (Final -'Best of three' - submission only)
Mariska Hargitay (L&O; 5'8") vs Milena Govich (L&O; 5'8")

In the final of the tournament the two top seeds would meet. Govich had marched through the first two rounds without spending a second on her back while Hargitay had demolished Hennessy and worn down De La Garza.

Hands on her hips, Milena was almost arrogant and thrilled to be this close to being the top girl in the Law and Order world. Respecting Mariska as an actress and as an experienced catfighter she was still intending to show her that youth would prevail and her time was up to retire.

Mariska had seen Milena deal with her two opponents and knew she would have to be at the very top of her game to keep up with her. Standing two inches smaller, and weighing just a few pounds less, Mariska was quite shapely for her age, but softer than Milena who flexed her arms and legs, demonstrating her twelve years younger body. But that was an advantage Alana had had, too, and she still ended up a victim.

FIRST FALL/SUBMISSION
They tore into each other like a thunderstorm; each grabbing for the other's hair and head and trying to shove the other into her corner. Stronger, Milena drove Mariska backwards. She slapped her on the cheek and headlocked her tightly. Hammering punches into Milena's belly, Mariska made Milena not revel too long in her optimism. Feeling already a little sore in her stomach, Milena gasped and finally let go off Mariska's head.

But the younger brunette followed right on. Her arms up for defense, she blocked Mariska's hand, twisted it down and tore her foe to the ground. Milena powered the older woman onto her back, her arms tied tightly to the ground with steel force, Milena attempted to quiet down her foe's legs, too. Not paying quite enough attention, Milena was caught off-guard when Mariska's knee came out of nowhere to rock hard into Govich's womanhood. Glazing in shock, frozen in her movements, Milena was shaken off by the furious Mariska and remained crutched on her belly, massaging her crotch.

Mariska jumped atop of her younger foe and bitch-slapped the proud actress several times, forcing her to bring her hands up to guard her face then Mariska slid down and violently went crazy all over Milena's crotch! Clawing her way to victory, the experienced woman enjoyed every single yelp of helplessness and pain Milena oozed. Not showing any mercy, Mariska just tortured and tortured her poor victim's groin.

Tears rolled down her cheeks, all happiness blown off her formerly triumphant face. Rocking back and forth on her back, Milena tried to massage her crotch but Mariska's strong hands refused to allow her any such relief. She yanked them away and went up on her victim's body. She tore off Milena's bra to expose her well-equipped, now bare chest.

Embarrassed, Milena clawed her fingers near Mariska's face but the older woman was on a roll. She caught Milena's hands in mid-air and clipped them to the side. Milena didn't try again. But the brunette refused to submit!

The naked flesh of Milena's breasts was first caressed, then massaged, then twisted, then clawed, then Mariska even tore a little wound into one of them. Surprised at her own fury, Mariska took hold of her helpless victim's nipples and used them to lift up the hysterical Milena. Screaming and kicking her arms around, Milena was shoved back to the floor by one of Hargitay's feet. As if she had just suddenly realized that there were more falls to come, the brunette actress submitted and crawled back to her corner where, aching with pain, she slowly got up.

She would need every second of the rest period she was allowed to take.

SECOND FALL/SUBMISSION
Virtually unhurt, Mariska was surprised at her own domination of the foe, but she also knew that despite the early advantage, it was easy for her opponent to get back and force her to a third fall in which her own stamina may suffer because of her age. Milena's pains gradually got less, and the ones which remained she tried to shut out concentrating fully on her final chance to win the tourney. All or nothing.

Mariska felt that risk was the right way to enter the second fall. So she immediately lunged forward to tackle the unexpecting Milena and had the beauty crashing down to the floor. Pinning her into the mats, Mariska looked, for a few seconds, as if she was able to grasp the tournament title in the opening moments.

But her energy waded and she was shook off by the stronger, younger woman. Pulling at each other's hair the girls rolled around in a lying bearhug, each one a second on top before the other rolled on top herself. Within time, the heavier, more muscular Milena forced her opponent on her back permanently.

This time, though, Milena made sure she had Mariska's legs Grapevined and shut out securely. Mariska's arm was trying to grab at Milena now-covered chest but her foe fought and powered her back to the ground, her arm muscles bulging to overcome Mariska's strong biceps but finally succeeding when Mariska couldn't hold the pressure any longer. Squatting with her thighs on Mariska's arms, while the other's legs were flailing uselessly into the air, not flexible enough to take Milena off her the way she intended.

Sliding up to her face she applied a painful Figure Four Leglock around Mariska's head and the gulping, bubbling, protesting actress was helpless all along the way. Sucking away the air, Milena's large, big, meaty thighs were capturing the older opponent in a grip so tight and so hurting that Mariska stopped kicking her legs around and accepted the permanent domination.

Despite her age, Milena was quite less experienced than Mariska and not patient enough to wait for a submission long enough. She opened the lock and let her out into freedom. Mariska took a few crawls to the side and tried to regain some much-needed energy. But Milena was over her before she could do anything.

The brunette stomped her naked foot into her tight stomach and proceeded to stand with her legs on Mariska's shoulder blades. The weight and strength inflicted on her further washed away Mariska's power reserves. Milena finally had the old woman where she wanted her: a wreck.

After a long tourney, Mariska's hopes faded that she could withstand a lot more of these attacks. Hoping for a better final fall she submitted when Milena had thrown herself on her again and just started to finger her bra.

THIRD FALL/SUBMISSION
Disappointed she couldn't continue right away, Milena heaved Mariska up and slid her down again, then went up herself and retreated to her corner, angered.

After Milena had left her a devastated mess in the second fall, the older actress felt a little uneasy and lacked the self-confidence with which she had entered the first two falls. Milena on the other hand was brimming with delight, ready to pound her opponent into oblivion. She had virtually forgotten her first round torture but still felt the occasional flash of pain that made her all the more angry.

Mariska and Milena each got a hold of each other's hands to try a test of strength, each girl squirming in her foe's grip, attempting to overpower her arm power. But again, Milena proved the stronger woman and then, quickly, seized the opportunity and caught Mariska's head in a lock, pulled her down and simultaneously blocked her other hand to do any damage while Mariska pummeled her belly to no avail, as the hits were becoming feeble.

Using her headlock, Milena powered Mariska around and took her down to the mats. Mariska clutched desperately at her foe's stomach but wasn't strong enough to get rid of that woman on top of her. Milena's abs absorbed everything she had to offer. Sensing Mariska's fading power, Milena let go a bit, quite used up as well, and Mariska, groaning at having to move Milena's full weight, climbed on top.

The older actress lay on her and tried her best to pin her down but Milena simply overpowered her upper body and almost gently rolled Mariska off her and to the side. Lying horizontally on her foe's body, her upper body kept down Mariska's left arm while her right one twisted and patted at Milena's tight ass but achieved nothing.

Mariska only got her body up a tiny bit but she couldn't shake off the heavier woman at all. Milena controlled both of her opponent's hands now and moved them to the mat like butter. She engulfed her head with her cleavage and left her no chance to escape. Rocking up her body, Mariska was able to bump up Milena's ass with her but the woman remained safely seated despite her attempts.

Milena wrapped her strong legs around the sweaty waist of her foe and all of Hargitay's shoving at them was to no avail. Slipping off, Milena's legs lost the hold and Marista steadily got the top position. She tried to pin her down, too, but one fierce, violent buckle had her toppling to the side. Behind her, twisting her arm back, Milena dominated Mariska like an electric bull.

Both girls squatted on their knees now but Milena was right on top of her. They both rolled over to the side and Milena got hold of one arm and scissored her from the side. Mariska seized all her power and broke free another time. She was on top, but almost resting and searching for hidden energy. Feeling exactly how weak the woman on top of her was and how much strength was left in her Milena smiled a deadly smile, more to herself but of course also registering with her opponent.

Mariska's arm was trying to pin down Milena's, but Milena continued her victorious smirk. Then she simply took Mariska's body and moved her off herself as if she was not a woman of more than 130 pounds. But the pressure in Mariska's body and muscles was gone. Closing her hands under Mariska's left arm she tore her away. Then Mariska was suddenly lying on one of Milena's legs and the younger woman shoved down her upper body into the mats.

Not a regular backbreaker by any means, the pain still registered with Mariska. Screaming in panic, even before Milena could put up her knee to get Mariska into the real pain, she tried to flee rather hysterically. But the younger actress came flying from behind, wrapped her arms around Mariska and pulled her down hard.

Picking up Mariska under her arms, Milena heaved her up to full height and put her into an excruciating bearhug. Mariska squirmed, struggled, wiggled and fought against the woman that seemed to get stronger with every second. Mariska tried to kick her knee into Milena, but the brunette lifted her up.

Dangling in her hold for a few seconds, Mariska gave up mentally. When she was let out of the hold and lay on the ground, she was too tired to resist any more. Before Milena could wrap her legs around her head in a standing headscissors, Mariska cried out her submission - and lost the match.

AFTERWARD:
Mariska groggily let herself slide down completely, exhausted mentally and physically. Exhilarated after her shocking first round demolition of Jill, her comeback against Alana and her surprising upset over Milena in the first fall, the tournament ended on a down note for the oldest woman in action. She’d outlasted all but one of her younger, fresher competitors.