“This is my first Open, so I’m very excited. I love to compete, set goals and push myself, so this is perfect for me.”
Photo courtesy of Joachimde Sèves
Kristine Holte, 26, from Norway, may be seen as a relative novice to CrossFit having only started in May of last year. But as a natural competitor, Holte relishes the opportunity the Open offers.
“I look forward to competing, and to compare my results with the best in the world,” she says.
Holte was a member of the team that came in first at the “Fit as Fuck” competition in Copenhagen last September.
A gymnast from the age of 6, Holte is a multi-disciplined athlete having competed in heptathlon, javelin and pole vault, to name a few.
“I think that a little bit of everything is the key to be a good CrossFitter. I try to combine aspects of endurance, gymnastic and strength in all of my training. And I also focus on core and stability training. That’s very important in all movements in CrossFit,” Holte says.
“I love competition. Something happens inside my head when the clock starts. I get an enormous kick, extra power.”
Holte still competes in distance events in addition to CrossFit.
“I participated in a triathlon in August and a half marathon in September … I still run once or twice a week,” Holte says.
In preparation for the Open, Holte has concentrated on her weaknesses.
“I had to improve my strength … I have focused on my strength and technique in weightlifting and other complex movements,” she says. “I have also worked on the physiological aspect of CrossFit — do things you’re not very good at.”
Holte trains without a coach, but says the vibe at her affiliate, CrossFit Oslo, is uplifting.
“CrossFit Oslo is an awesome box with really good coaches and dedicated members."
Everybody cheers for each other and it has a really good atmosphere. They push me to perform my best,” Holte says.
Holte studies nutrition at the University of Olso, and is keen to fuel herself well for competition.
“I understand how important good nutrition is for optimal training and performance,” she explains. “I try to eat clean and healthy food, and make sure that my body gets the best possible fuel for optimal performance.”
As a strong contender in her field, Holte has high hopes for Europe.
“We have the world’s fittest woman, Annie Thorisdottir, so I think the European Region will do pretty well,” she says. “I expect Katrin Davidsdottir and Sam Briggs will do great, too.”
After the first three workouts, Holte is currently in 285th place worldwide. Holte knew going in that Olympic lifts were not her forte, and her 13.1 score reflected this, as she came in 511th worldwide.
“I got 29 reps on 45 kg, and with a one-rep max of 50 kg, that was pretty heavy. I did it twice, but got the exactly same score both times. Improving my snatch is one of my biggest goals, so I am pretty happy with the result,” Holte says.
Workout 13.2, however, was an opportunity to really show what she could do.
“I was so excited about 13.2, and hoped to get above 10 rounds,” she says. “I got almost 13 rounds, so it went really well and exceeded all my expectations.”
She came in fifth worldwide on 13.2.
One of her least favorite movements, Holte was expecting to see wall balls at some point during the competition, and was proven correct when 13.3 was announced. Still, Holte managed 247 reps on her first attempt.
Now, she’s hoping for some of her strengths to come up.
“I’m hoping for some pull-ups, toes-to-bars and other bodyweight movements.”
She adds: “This is my first Open, so I’m very excited. I love to compete, set goals and push myself, so this is perfect for me.”
