Ramping up for the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games, athletes of the North West Region are ready to prove that the “Sport of Fitness” is anything but soft and the competition this year will be as fierce as years past.
Many in the North West Region are chomping at the bit to earn a coveted trip back to the big dance in Carson, Calif. Cheryl Brost, the region’s top individual performer, placing 7th in last year’s CrossFit Games, has her sights set on earning a spot on the podium. Over the last year she has focused on a strength and power bias in her training and has been pounding the mental side of her game by incorporating swim training times per week. Brost, who trains at Eugene CrossFit, plans to test her training at the upcoming 2012 Oregon Winter Games.
Brost will have her work cut out for her as she will likely have to face perennial Washington powerhouse, Ashleigh Moe of CrossFit Skagit. Moe will also be vying for a third CrossFit Games appearance and is looking to improve upon a 33rd place finish in last year’s event. Never one to back down from a fight, she has been put up some impressive results at recent local events to include a 1st place finish at Mt. Rainier’s Strongest Man & Woman competition and a 3rd place finish at the CrossFit Amped Gorilla Games.
On the men’s side of the house, firefighter and main site devotee, Jesse Disch looks to join the women in that quest for a third shot at CrossFit Games glory, hoping to improve upon his 29th place finish in 2011. In addition to continuing to follow .com programming, Disch has logged in extra work on his Olympic weightlifting. On the local scene, he has continued to tear things up, notching 1st place finishes at Kirkland CrossFit Police & Fire Games and Mt. Rainier’s Strongest Man & Woman competitions, and a 2nd place finish at the CrossFit Amped Gorilla Games.
The Women’s 50-54 year-old Master’s category is likely to provide some of the greatest excitement. The 2011 champion in the 45-49-year-old division, Susan Habbe will be moving up to the 50-54-year-old category. In this category she will be facing off against 2010 Masters champion, Laurie Carver of Northwest CrossFit. Look for the North West to possibly go 1st and 2nd in this division.
For the first time since 2008, the Affiliate Cup crown was taken home by a team not from the Pacific Northwest. CrossFit Fort Vancouver’s quest to become back-to-back champions fell just a bit short in the final heat with a 4th place overall finish. Adam Neiffer, owner of CrossFit Fort Vancouver and Affiliate Cup team member reports that since the 2011 Games, the team has layered in added strength and power training on top of “classic CrossFit.com programming.” He also revealed that the team has honed in on agility and coordination through hours of competitive Ping-Pong at the box. Look for a hungry CrossFit Fort Vancouver team to lead the charge in this year’s Affiliate Cup competition.
With just six weeks remaining until the start of The Open, this year’s competition is sure to be a dog fight the entire way. With many athletes and teams vying for return trips to the Home Depot Center, and many others gunning to chart their own path to CrossFit Games history. For those of you looking to earn your first shot, here’s a rundown of last year’s CrossFit Games qualifiers from the North West Region:
Men’s Division
Ben Stoneberg – 20th place
Jesse Disch – 29th place
Noah Pester – 39th place
Men’s Masters 45-49
Chad Karlewicz – 12th place
Patrick Sprague – 19th place
Richard Cote – 20th place
Men’s Masters 50-54
Larry Silber – 2nd place
Joe Robidou – 7th place
Men’s Masters 55-59
Rick Sinclair – 5th place
Michael Thille – 13th place
Men’s Masters 60-64
Ted Rupp – 5th place
Charles Neill – 19th place
Women’s Division
Cheryl Brost – 7th place
Ashleigh Moe – 33rd place
Samantha Petersen – 39th place
Women’s Masters 45-59
Susan Habbe – 1st place
Janice Spray – 4th place
Women’s Masters 50-54
Laurie Carver – 4th place
Lisa Long – 9th place
Women’s Masters 55-59
Kathy Miller – 9th place
Women’s Masters 60-64
Pam Harkins – 9th place
Affiliate Cup
CrossFit Fort Vancouver – 4th place
Central Oregon CrossFit – 24th place
Jet City CrossFit – 26th place
Kirkland CrossFit – 31st place
