Crossfit Games – Australian Regionals
I mentioned on Friday that Crossfit HPU had qualified high enough after the Crossfit Open to be issued an invitation to attend the Crossfit Regionals held over weekend in Woolingong, Australia.
Our team consisting of Joe, Mark, Andy, Kat, Lisa and Jamie took to the floor for the first time mid morning NZ time on Friday and as a “loyal” unit¹ I tuned in daily at 11am NZ time to cheer (for my team) and yell (at the camera men who insisted on following some bright yellow (and probably Australian) team around the floor).
Thankfully Joe isn’t exactly small, so I’d just look for him and then know what color shirts the team had on so when the camera man would briefly take his eyes off that dam bright yellow team, I could spot Crossfit HPU in the background (which incidentally is in Auckland, New Zealand NOT Newcastle)!
On the subject of on air coverage, the ABSOLUTE highlight of my weekend was when the HPU boys took everyone (bar us loyal units) by surprise to take the lead in Event 5 and the camera man had no choice but to ditch the bright yellow people and follow Crossfit HPU as they snatched a come from behind victory! Moments like those are priceless. 😉
Crossfit HPU was in Heat Two on the first day (eg the middle of the field) and made their way into Heat Three (the top tier) for day two and cemented their position going into the final day. The pace was blistering in those final heats so although they finished last in their heat for the chipper event, their 16:20 completion time was good enough for a 9th place overall finish, which incidentally was their final placing after the weekend. Top 10 baby!
I literally spent the entire weekend watching the Regional coverage. Obviously in the Australian Regionals, HPU were in the teams event, but I also followed the womens individual events as I had a friend competing and I like to watch all the other kiwi girls as well.
But not only was the Australian Regional event on last weekend, we had the European Regional (with Sam aka fittest woman on earth 2013 and Annie aka fittest woman on earth every other year). The Central East Regional with Rich (aka the fittest man on earth since forever) and Scott Panchik who seemed to be giving him a run for his money and rounding up my viewing for the weekend the Canada East Regional with my girl crush and her pink Rehbands, Camille (who incidentally won every event except the max distance handstand walk, the event everyone thought she had in the bag).
After hours (and hours) of Regional coverage over the weekend I came away with two new girl crushes;
Denae Brown;
The 30 something year old new Mum qualified in 2012 but couldn’t take up her invitation to Carson as she was pregnant. Now with a nearly one year old and a few months training (at home in her garage no less!) under her belt prior to the Open she finished in the top 10 of every event and took out the overall Regional title from last years winner Kara Webb by just one point.
Amanda Allen;
Amanda won the 2013 Masters Women 40-44 Division at the Crossfit Games after narrowly missing out on a spot as an individual competitor with a fifth place at the Australia Regional. This year although Amanda qualified (yet again) in the Masters Division, but she still had her eye on an individual invitation to the games so took on women (up to 20 years her junior)!
Going into the final day Amanda was sitting 4 points behind Pip Malone who was in third place on the leaderboard and after kiwi Ruth Anderson Horrell’s 1st place finish in event 6 there was just 3 points separating 3rd and 5th place with Pip, Amanda and Ruth all gunning for that third spot on the podium.
Event 7 (64 pull-ups and 7 overhead squats @ 61kgs) was going to be the most exciting (and fastest) event of the weekend and the entire crowd knew it, all three ladies knew they had to win ..
Fast forward to 1hour 21 to watch the final womens event OR click this link.
Amanda narrowly missed out, but as I watched her taking on the “young guns” over the weekend I was truly inspired. I found it hard going mixing it with the younger set in the scaled division at the Playoffs, but Amanda proved that it can be done and can be done well!
I guess that also means I can’t use the “I’m older” excuse anymore either ….
Till next time
