CrossFit competitors make most of situation
American Mathew Fraser, Australian Tia-Clair Toomey look to extend ‘Fittest on Earth’ win streaks in hot and hilly Aromas
AROMAS >> Any other year, the wildly popular CrossFit Games would be waged in a large stadium filled to the brim with cheering fans. The coronavirus pandemic has robbed spectators of witnessing the world-wide spectacle this year, but CrossFit organizers are sure they’ve made the most of the situation.
The finals for the 2020 Reebok CrossFit Games return to the organization’s old stomping grounds in hot and hill-laden Aromas, located seven miles southeast of Watsonville.
The Games were held at the 27,000-seat Home Depot Center in Carson, later named StubHub Center, from 2010-16 before being hosted by Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin, the past three years.
“It’s an amazing opportunity,” said Justin Bergh, general manager of CrossFit Games. “There are lots of challenges to come. To have it at the birthplace of our sport is really special. The terrain is part of CrossFit lore. It’s hard to duplicate that (at stadiums) in L. A. or Madison.”
The CrossFit Games were held at The Ranch in Aromas from 2007- 09 before relocating to large venues to accommodate fans. The first three events of the 2016 Games were also held at The Ranch.
“In 2016, we thought we’d never come back,” Bergh said. “It’s just not feasible for a 20,000 spectator event.”
American Mathew Fraser, gunning for a record fifth straight Fittest Man on Earth title and Australian Tia- Clair Toomey, winner of the past three women’s titles, headline the list of CrossFit Games finalists competing Friday through Sunday.
The 10 finalists are staying in a secure location in Morgan Hill. Due to safety precautions during the COVID-19, no spectators will be allowed to attend the second stage of the Games.
Competition can be viewed on a range of broadcast and digital channels, including a live, two-hour broadcast on CBS on Saturday from 10 a. m. to noon. Every event of the final stage will stream live across Pluto TV, games. crossfit.com, and CrossFit’s Facebook and YouTube channels for free.
Stage Two of the Games features the top five men and top five women from Stage One. On the men’s side, Fraser is joined by three other Americans: Noah Ohlsen of Miami, Justin Medeiros of Vancouver, Washington, and Samuel Kwant of Burlington, Washington, as well as Canadian Jeffrey Adler.
Fraser, of Cookeville, Tennessee, enters this week with 656 points after winning three events: Damn Diane in 2:44, Nasty Nancy (17:50) and Awful Annie (8:46). He took fourth in the One RM Front Squat (425 pounds) and eighth in the 1,000- meter row (2:55.20). Ohlsen, the leader entering the final day last year, is second overall with 488 points and followed by Medeiros (480), Kwant (449) and Adler (420).
Medeiros, 21, played football and wrestled for Lodi High before relocating to train. His grandparents live in Morgan Hill.
“Mat Fraser is a king of kings,” Daniel Jahangard, co- owner of West Fitness Santa Cruz, a former CrossFit gym. “I want to see if he’ll be able to win it yet again.”
Other finalists on the women’s side who will be making the trip to The Ranch include Americans Brooke Wells of Nashville, Haley Adams of Lexington, North Carolina, and Kari Pearce of New York, along with t wo - time Games champ Katrin Davidsdottir of Iceland.
Toomey of Brisbane, Australia, leads with 615 points after winning three events: the One RM Front Squat (313 pounds), Damn Diane (2:28) and Awful Annie (8:01). She tied for sixth in the 1,000- meter row (3:21.30) and took 16th in the Handstand Hold (1:18).
Wells is second overall with 580 points and followed by Adams (497), Davidsdottir (490) and Pearce (451).
Bergh said past viewership for the event has been huge because fans can relate.
“They’re uncommon,” Bergh said of the finalists. “But ordinary people will do some version of what the finalists are doing. It’s so accessible. It’s impressive and inspirational but so approachable. The base of the pyramid is a massive global community of gifted, highly disciplined people.”
The finalists are competing for a portion of the $1.3 million prize money. The Fittest Man on Earth and Fittest Woman on Earth win $300,000.
Some of the events for the finals have been relea sed. T he Cornsack Sprint, a timed 320-meter uphill sprint while carrying a cornsack, CrossFit Total, which totals the weight lifted during one repetition maxes in the back squat, shoulder press and deadlift, and Trail Run take place Friday.
Aptos’ Patrick Leamer, co- owner of CrossFit Watsonville, has seen the hill where the Cornsack Sprint is waged. He even had an invitation to run it. “I passed,” he said, noting it’s much more daunting in person than it is on TV. “It’s steep and it keeps going and going.”
He added: “These athletes are phenomenal. It’s fun to watch because they’re clearly at the top of their game.”
“I love to look at the numbers and compare them with a couple years back,” Jahangard said of CrossFit Total, “and see just how strong they’ve become.”
Saturday, the Toes-ToBar/ Lunge and Snatch Speed Triple events will be held. Sprint Sled Sprint and Atalanta are slated for Sunday.
Stage One of the CrossFit Games began in athletes’ garages and local affiliates in 15 countries. The top 20 women and top 20 men from the Open leaderboard along with the 10 women’s and 10 men’s qualifiers from Sanctionals competed in a virtual competition Sept. 18-19.
Athletes competed in four event windows set to their local times. Each event was only performed one time. Restarts weren’t allowed.
More than $500,000 in prize money was paid to athletes placing in 20th through sixth place in Stage One.