What is the difference between the fitness and figure categories?

As the title says.

I had a look on the olympia site and I couldnt see much difference between the girls, where as there is an obvious differnce between theses two groups and the Ms Olympia group.

Jennifer Gates - Olympia Figure 2008


Jen Hendershott - Olympia Fitness 2008


Iris Kyle - Ms Olympia 2008


Thanks

Fitness and figure differ through the routines they do I think. Not sure if there's a different look required which is what could be confusing

The fitness girls naturally come in harder in the pro ranks and don't seem to get marked down for it either. Fitness was originally created as a step down from Women's Bodybuilding; then Figure was created for girls who didn't have a gymnastic background and again as the next step down in level of muscularity; then the new Bikini category is the next step down from that :-)
Hope this helps :-)

So out of the Fitness and Figure catergories which is seen as the more prestigious?

To complete the set here are the top 5 Olympia (Flex) bikini from this year:


I noticed in the rules on the website that "Overall beauty" is judged in the Bikini category.  Is it judged in the fitness and figure categories or is purely on the body and routines/poses?

I don't think either is more prestigious - I would say fitness is harder/more demanding because of the emphasis of the routine round :-)

In bikini, no, beauty as such not judged, but costume, tan, hair, make-up (overall presentation) is looked at when judging, but that's the same in any BB comp.

That Jennifer Gates is hoooooooooooot