TEAMS

Photo by: CrossFit HQ

Event 6

 

For total time, women will complete, then men will complete:

50 GHD sit-ups, each

50 muscle-ups, total

50 hang power cleans, total (205 / 135 lb.)

 

Females will go first. Males may begin once females have moved to the finish mat.

 

Time cap: 25 minutes

Athlete order: FFF then MMM

 

The top five teams on the scoreboard showed why they deserved to be there as they took the top five spots on Event 6. 

 

This event starts with a bottleneck, as each athlete on the team must complete 50 GHD sit-ups before continuing on to the next movement. The faster the athlete moved through those sit-ups the faster they could move on to the muscle-ups. The first athlete’s job was a lonely one as they were first to the rings and started the 50 muscle-ups by themselves. It was hard not to feel the pressure; every time the athlete took a break their team’s forward momentum came to a screeching halt. Some athletes pushed themselves to failure and got costly no reps as fatigue left them unable to lock out at the top of the movement. These athletes were afforded a slight respite, however, as their other two teammates moved past the sit-ups and joined them at the rings. Most teams seemed to put their best muscle-up athletes first and conclude the line up with the strongest athlete on hang power cleans to help clean up. 

 

While the teams in heat 1 and 2 are out of contention at this point they still gave their all in this event. CrossFit Quebec and CrossFit Urbain exchanged leads throughout this workout, coming down to a race through the hang power cleans. CrossFit Urbain actually won that race by two reps but confusion over having to step across both bars to get to the finish line cost them eleven seconds and the win in heat 1. CrossFit Free’s ladies raced through the muscle-ups in heat 2, paving the way for their men and leading them to a strong time of 19:56.7. That time was not strong enough to hold up to heat 4 as the current leaders extended their lead and the teams on the bubble were unable to push their way off. Lusine CrossFit Taschereau’s ladies put forth an amazing fight on the muscle-ups as they tried to keep up with the other teams but that fight cost them a lot of time, energy, and no reps. CrossFit New England Courage needed to place above any of the teams ahead of them on the leaderboard to regain the top five but they were unable to do so and remain trapped in sixth place, the gap between them and the CrossFit Games widening. 

 

As the final heat started Pro1 Montreal’s first female athlete flew through the GHD sit-ups to start on the rings and they would have all three athletes get to the rings first. However, CrossFit New England would be first to the power cleans and they attacked the barbell – their female athletes the first to the mat. Fiternity and CrossFit Milford raced to be second across the mat – Fiternity pushing so hard that one of the athletes actually pushed their teammate over the barbell causing a hard fall for one of Fiternity’s women. They were right back up and across the finish pad and then it was time for the men to work. 

 

While the audience may have been focused on the muscle-up battle between Fiternity and New England, Milford’s men stole the show – and the win. Milford was the first team to get to the power cleans and made quick work of them – their bigger men not even needing to move their feet under the bar. They took first with 18:21 and Milford, the team that could never seem to make it to the Games, now sits first overall. Fiternity earned a much needed second with 18:52.4, helping them secure their position in the top five. Pro1 Montreal and CrossFit New England both slowed down quite a bit after their fast paced starts but were still able to take fourth and fifth respectively. Crossfit Plateau 2 was sneaky, cruising through the hang power cleans and taking third when no one was looking. 

Results

 

1. CrossFit Milford (18:21)

2. Fiternity (18:52.4)

3. CrossFit Plateau 2 (19:16)

4. Pro1 Montreal (19:24)

5. CrossFit New England (19:38.6)

 

Event 7

 

For time, each athlete moves through stations of:

30-calorie row 

  Deadlift hold while trailing teammate rows (315 / 205 lb.)

30 strict handstand push-ups

  Handstand hold while trailing teammate performs HSPU

30 toes-to-bars

  Static hang while trailing teammate performs toes-to-bars

50-foot overhead axle lunge (155 / 105 lb.)

 

Time cap: 20 minutes

Athlete order: Any

 

Event 7 was not about the athlete who crossed the finish line first but the team that stayed the strongest and most consistent across this relay-style workout. Across the regions only two teams have managed to complete this daunting workout. The real challenge was getting through the 30 strict handstand push-ups without holding up the team members coming from the row. CrossFit Plateau 2 knew that they needed a strong showing in the final event to secure their trip to the games and they came flying out the gate, sending their men through first. For the other top five teams it was a battle for the podium spots – the point spread between the top teams making it anyone’s game. 

 

In the earlier heats CrossFit Southie and CrossFit United started fast – the first teams to get an athlete across the finish line but it was slow-starting Ocean States Finest that separated themselves from the rest of the heat – their athletes marching across the floor towards the end of the event. Slow and steady seems to be the way to go; the teams that were first to get an athlete across the floor would not take the event. CrossFit New England was another team that came out fast, getting two athletes across the finish line by 11:44 – before Pro1 Montreal had one athlete across. However, once Pro1 Montreal started across the floor there was no stopping them; they had three athletes across the floor by 16:11 and would have the last athlete marching across the floor when time ran out. A first place in this event with a score of CAP +2 would lead Pro1 Montreal to a first place overall victory in the East. When they asked how they approached the event and the weekend, Pro1 Montreal said, “We knew what to expect.”  

 

The shoulder thrashing in final weekend made itself apparent as numerous athletes just couldn’t hold on to axle on the walking lunges. CrossFit Milford had its struggles as their first athlete had trouble getting the bar overhead and the third athlete across the arena had to redo the final lunges three times before she could get across the finish line. CrossFit New England started out very strong but they would have similar issues as their fifth athlete dropped the bar right before the finish line and was unable to pick it back up before time ran out. While each team had their struggles, they finished the event tied for second place. Milford, a team that has struggled for years to get to the Games, finished the weekend in second place overall and will finally be heading for Carson, California. CrossFit New England, a powerhouse in the North East Region, will remain so in the new East region – heading to the Games in third place overall. CrossFit Plateau 2, in the precarious fifth position going in to Event 7, did exactly what they needed to do, finishing fourth in the event and finishing the weekend with what they could only describe as a feeling of relief. Fiternity, a team that came in as a favorite, will be going to the Games but some holes have been exposed as they placed 18th place in Event 3. They got fifth in Event 7 and fourth overall. 

 

CrossFit Plateau 2 said of their journey thus far, “You struggle a lot and hurt a lot to get there.” 

Results

 

1. Pro1 Montreal (CAP + 2)

2. CrossFit Milford (CAP + 7)

2. CrossFit New England (CAP + 7)

4. CrossFit Plateau 2 (CAP +8)

5. Fiternity (CAP + 35)

 

CrossFit Games Qualifiers 

 

1. Pro1 Montreal (617 pts)

2. CrossFit Milford (616 pts)

3. CrossFit New England (605 pts)

4. Fiternity (555 pts)

5. CrossFit Plateau 2 (549 pts)

 

INDIVIDUAL MEN 

Photo by: CrossFit HQ
 

Event 6

 

5 rounds for time of:

25-calorie row

16 chest-to-bar pull-ups

9 strict deficit handstand push-ups

 

Time cap: 16 minutes

 

If there were any doubters of Mathew Fraser’s prowess going into day 3, they no longer exist after Event 6. Unbroken through the chest-to-bar pull-ups and splitting each set of handstand push ups into five and four, Fraser not only took the event but set a new event record – his second record of the week. The scoreboard was scrambled after this event as some athletes did what they needed to do to get back into the top five and excellent performances from athletes out of contention took away much needed points from the athletes at the top of the leaderboard. 

 

After five previous events the strain on the athletes’ shoulders was evident as they struggled through the nine strict deficit handstand push-ups. The 4.5-inch deficit was clearly a make or break point for these athletes. Alex Caron and Pete Shaw took first in the earlier heats but Caron’s impressive finish of 14:43.6 would only be enough for a 19th overall finish. Pete Shaw started out with a blazing time but the final round of handstand push-ups hurt him as he was forced to go to singles. In heat 3, Simon Pasquet would start the heat in first, moving quickly through the first round, but he was unable to maintain his pace. The handstand push-ups would cause him to fall to seventh in the heat. The same cannot be said for Paul Tremblay and Nicholas DelGrande as both competitors stayed consistent throughout the event. Tearing his hand slowed Tremblay down a bit as he was forced to break up his final set of chest-to-bar pull-ups but he still took first in the heat with 11:50.1, followed quickly by DelGrande with a time of 12.02.9. These fast times would give them third and fourth in the event overall and add to the chaos on the leaderboard.   

 

In the final heat, Alex Vigneault took the early lead with Mat Fraser on his heels. In the second round Fraser caught Vigneault with his seamless transition from the pull-ups to the handstand push-ups. Dan Tyminski and Craig Kenney stuck with the leaders through the first four rounds but Fraser began to separate himself with his unbroken pull-ups and quick sets of five and four reps on his handstand push-ups. In the final round no reps abounded on the handstand push-ups as athletes’ shoulders began to shut down. Even Fraser got no repped on his first attempt on his last round on handstand push-ups but he remained unflustered and finished the event in the record-breaking time of 11:16.7. Daniel Tyminksi was right where he needed to be as he finished behind Fraser at 11:37.3, taking second place in the event and the much needed 95 points that accompany it. While Craig Kenney got stuck on his last set of handstand push-ups, Cody Mooney was able to get across the line before him, taking fifth place and trying to further solidify his position in the top five. Tyminski’s performance caused a big shift on the leaderboard, putting him in third place and putting Spencer Hendel on the bubble in sixth. There is only one point separating fifth from sixth so the performances of Austin Malleolo, Cody Mooney, Daniel Tyminksi, and Spencer Hendel in the final event will determine who heads to the Games. 

 

Of his bloody hand, Fraser said nonchalantly, “Tore off a callous – only one day left.”

 

Results

 

1. Mathew Fraser (11:16.7)

2. Daniel Tyminski (11:37.3)

3. Paul Tremblay (11:50.1)

4. Nicholas DelGrande (12:02)

5. Cody Mooney (12:40.6)

 

Event 7

 

For time:

15 muscle-ups

1 squat clean (205 / 135 lb.)

1 squat clean (225 / 145 lb.)

1 squat clean (245 / 155 lb.)

1 squat clean (255 / 165 lb.)

1 squat clean (265 / 175 lb.)

 

The Games veterans prevailed this Regional’s weekend as the top five men heading to Games are names known by all and loved by many. Mathew Fraser dominated the scoreboard, getting two firsts and never falling below fifth, a performance that will only further the rumors of Fraser as heir to the CrossFit throne. Alex Vigneaut should not, and after his performance in the East, will not be underestimated as a threat going into the 2015 Games. Daniel Tyminski, Spencer Hendel, and Austin Malleolo 3rd, 4th, and 5th overall respectively, will also be making their return trips to the Games after impressive weekend showings. 

 

Event 7 was a sprint from start to finish. If you hoped to place high, you couldn’t break on the muscle ups and you couldn’t miss any reps as you climbed the barbell ladder – oh, and you needed to run between reps. Two of the top times for the event came from heat 1 as Justin Tamane and Kurt Garceau flew through the workout with times of 1:21.1 and 1:22.2 respectively. In heat 3 Nicholas DelGrande ran between reps, showing off beautiful technique on the go. DelGrande’s time of 1:20.6 was good enough for second overall in the event and ninth place overall this weekend. 

 

The big surprises came in the final heat as third through fifth place remained up for grabs. Daniel Tyminski was first off the rings but Paul Tremblay bulldozed his way through the cleans, surprisingly graceful as he leapt over the bars he left in his wake. He got the first place time of 1:19.4. None other than Mat Fraser finished behind him at 1:22.3, with Tyminski, Hendel, Vigneault, and Malleolo on his heels. Daniel Tyminski had a rocky weekend placing as high as second and as low as fourteenth but first off the rings and with a solid sixth place finish in Event 7, Tyminski finished third overall for the weekend. Games veteran Spencer Hendel had been trying to get back to the Games unsuccessfully for the past two years as he kept falling one place off of the podium and Austin Malleolo found himself in a similar plight last year. Both veterans knew what they had to do to make their long awaited return to the games and in Event 7 they did it. For some to rise, others must fall. While the two veterans needed to perform well in this final event they also needed the rookie Cody Mooney to underperform, which also went according to plan. Mooney flew through the first part of the workout and pushed through the first cleans quickly but the final clean at 265 lbs. stopped him in his tracks. He failed three times on that final lift before he could cross the line, dropping to 34th place in the final event and dropping him from the top five.  

 

Tremblay said of Event 7, “It was a hell of an event. What a way to finish off the weekend.”

Results

 

1. Paul Tremblay (1:19.4)

2. Nicholas DelGrande (1:20.6)

3. Justin Tamane (1:21.1)

4. Kurt Garceau (1:22.2)

4. Mathew Fraser (1:22.3)

 

Games Qualifiers

 

1. Mathew Fraser (630 pts)

2. Alex Vigneault (556 pts)

3. Daniel Tyminski (511 pts)

4. Spencer Hendel (503 pts)

5. Austin Malleolo (500 pts)

 

INDIVIDUAL WOMEN 

Photo by: CrossFit HQ

Event 6

 

5 rounds for time of:

25-calorie row

16 chest-to-bar pull-ups

9 strict deficit handstand push-ups

 

Time cap: 16 minutes

 

The ladies of the East made a statement as they took on Event 6, an event only twelve women had completed until today. Today, in the East, eleven women completed this workout and the event record set by Fittest Woman in the World Camille Leblanc-Bazinet at 13:49.1 was destroyed by four of those women. 

 

The wear and tear on the hands from the row and the chest-to-bar pull-ups met with the shoulder fatigue from the 3-inch deficit strict handstand push-ups and proved too much for many of the women in the early heats. However, in heat 3 the women of the East rose to the occasion as five of them got across the finish line before the 16 minute time cap. The first across was Regional rookie, Chloe Gauvin-David who was also the first to beat the event record. Her amazing finish in the event would put the pressure on in the final heat and shake up the leaderboard in the process – taking second place overall in the event.  

 

If heat 3 spoke to the strength of the women of the East, heat 4 shouted it, as a battle developed between Dani Horan and Carol-Ann Reason-Thibault. These two athletes battled back and forth for four rounds but it was dark horse Kari Pearce who passed them both going into round five. Once she got into round five there was no stopping her. Pearce only broke once on the pull-ups and was the only female athlete to go unbroken on every set of handstand push-ups. In the final round, Michele Letendre would pass Horan and Reason-Thibault on the handstand push-ups to take second place in the heat and third overall in the event. Horan and Reason-Thibault would follow on her heels earning a fourth and fifth respectively. While the top three women on the leaderboard would only further establish their places in the standing, the disappointing performances of Kelley Munroe and Kaleena Ladaeirous would open up fourth and fifth place to Carol-Ann Reason-Thibault and, with a sixth place finish in Event 6, Kelley Jackson. 

 

Pearce just followed her strategy. “I knew on the pull-ups I broke them up nine and seven. That just worked so far for me as far as grip and pulling strength and everything goes,” she said. “And then the handstand push-ups I knew I could do unbroken cause that’s definitely one of my strengths, any handstand movement. I had a plan going into it and I’m glad it worked out.” 

 

Results

 

1. Kari Pearce (13:19)

2. Chloe Gauvin-David (13:30.4)

3. Michele Letendre (13:40.7)

4. Dani Horan (13:47.4)

5. Carol-Ann Reason-Thibault (13:49.6)

 

Event 7

 

For time:

15 muscle-ups

1 squat clean (205 / 135 lb.)

1 squat clean (225 / 145 lb.)

1 squat clean (245 / 155 lb.)

1 squat clean (255 / 165 lb.)

1 squat clean (265 / 175 lb.)

 

For the women, finishing at the top in Event 7 in the East meant going unbroken on fifteen muscle-ups, a feat few female athletes are capable of. In heat 2, Jessica Cote-Beaudoin was the first, getting through the muscle-ups and the clean ladder before the other athletes were able to get off the rings. Her quick time in the first heat was only beat by Rachel Goldenberg of heat 3. Goldenberg was so efficient on her muscle-ups that she was able to take a few seconds, regain her composure for her final lift and still get the fastest time in Event 7 with 1:36.7. In heat 4, the pressure was on as Kaleena Ladeairous and Kelly Munroe needed top scores to get back into the top five. Neither were able to do so. Ladeairous came out at a blazing pace on the muscle-ups but was unable to maintain it – getting no repped when her arms began to fatigue. By the time she got to the final lift, Ladeairous was simply unable to hold on to the bar and it took her several attempts to get the final lift and get across the finish line. Munroe got caught up by both the muscle-ups and the cleans. A 31st place finish cost her, leaving her out of the top ten in the final standings. 

 

The rest of the ladies that had been hanging around the top of the leaderboard stayed at the top. Carol Ann Reason-Thibault placed 4th in a workout that was predicted to be one of her worst, Dani Huran finished right behind her, and Kelley Jackson’s 6th in the event was high enough to keep her in 5th overall. Kari Pearce had a less enthusiastic result, placing 13th, but her first place finish in the previous event kept her securely in 3rd place at the end of the day. Unsurprisingly, Michele Letendre won the final heat and tied for second with Cole-Beaudoin in the event. Letendre’s consistent performances over the course of the weekend have proven that she is going to be a force to be reckoned with in Carson at the CrossFit Games.  

 

In an interview after the final event Michele Letendre dedicated her win to Jennifer Young, friend and fellow CrossFitter who passed away last week from cervical cancer. When asked about her plans to prepare for the Games, Letendre said, “I am going to train really hard, really, really hard.”

 

Results

 

1. Rachel Goldenberg (1:36.7)

2. Michele Letendre (1:38.1)

2. Jessica Cote-Beaudoin (1:38.1)

4. Carol-Ann Reason-Thibault (1:53)

5. Dani Horan (2:13)

 

Games Qualifiers

 

1. Michele Letendre (609 pts)

2. Dani Horan (572 pts)

3. Kari Pearce (501 pts)

4. Carol-Ann Reason-Thibault (490 pts)

5. Kelley Jackson (475 pts)

Related Articles: 
2015 Pacific Regional Recap: Day 3
2015 Atlantic Regional Recap: Day 3