All eyes will be on the women of Europe in Week 2 of the CrossFit Games Regionals.
Fans are in for quite a show in the women’s competition at the 2014 Europe Regional.
All eyes will be on the past two Games champs, Sam Briggs and Annie Thorisdottir.
But equally intriguing will be the battle for a third spot—or the fight to dethrone the past champions.
The first event is a reminder of how close Briggs came to failing at the regional level one year ago. She finished the overhead squat event of 2013 with a PR at 175 lb., but only after failing her opening attempt, nearly compromising her qualification. This year’s opening event is a one-rep-max hang squat snatch, and could see some athletes finish with the dreaded DNF, possibly ending their season.
Russia’s Oxana Slivenko is a strong favorite in Event 1, and could lead all competitors worldwide. The 2008 Olympic weightlifting silver medalist should feel comfortable given she has landed a one-rep-max snatch of 254 lb. from the floor.
Italy’s Martina Barbaro made a statement during the Open, pushing Thorisdottir into third place.
Other names hoping to share some of the spotlight include Norway’s fourth-place Open finisher Kristin Holte, and the Icelandic duo Ragnheiður Sigmundsdottir and Bjork Odinsdottir.
The announcement of the regional events caused a stir among the athletes.
“I am really excited about regionals,” Holte said. “I have seen the (events), and I must say that they have really stepped up the game this year. But I like it. It’s challenging and I think it’s a cool mix of events.”
“I am not confident about a top-three finish—I don’t think you can be that in the Europe Region this year. It’s a really tough competition,” Holte added.
Sigmundsdottir echoed Holte’s determination to give it her all for a podium spot.
“I'm excited to compete at the regionals and I have seen the (events) and they look exciting,” Sigmundsdottir said. “It's obvious that the bar is being raised and athletes have to stay on their toes. The (events) will be very hard, but fun.”
Given the collective athleticism among the group, Sigmundsdottir said it’s “going to be a hard battle making it to the Games.”
And a few notable athletes will be absent.
Former Games competitor Thuridur Erla Helgadottir qualified in ninth place but decided to participate on a team this year. She said while the team competition appealed to her, her decision was influenced by the fact that there were no extra qualifying places for regions with past Games champions.
Sweden’s Emma Rosengren finished fifth in the Open, but dropped out due to a knee injury.
"It was one of the most difficult decisions in my life,” Rosengren said. “I love CrossFit, I love working out and pushing my body to the limit."
Watch the best coverage of the Europe Regional all weekend on Games.CrossFit.com.