Masters of the Mid Atlantic

July 21, 2013

Candice Case

In the Mid Atlantic Region, there is a diverse group made up of former Games competitors, accomplished athletes and newcomers to the sport.
 

The Masters Divisions were set at the end of the 2013 Reebok CrossFit Games Open. The top 20 from each of the five age divisions received invitations to compete in the fourth year of the Masters competition.

In the Mid Atlantic Region, there is a diverse group made up of former Games competitors, accomplished athletes and newcomers to the sport.

Masters Women 40-44

This is the new age division for the 2013 competition, and it has already proven to be a seriously competitive one. The Mid Atlantic is sending two women with previous Regionals and Games experience.

Marcie Wells of CrossFit Wilmington earned a solid first-place ranking in the region from her Open performance. She was first place in every Open Workout except 13.4, and she took second place in that one. 

Wells also qualified as an individual for Regionals (15th). Having competed at the 2012 Regionals as an individual, Wells chose to compete this year on Team CrossFit Wilmington and was pivotal in earning them a spot on the podium and a ticket to California. Wells is heading to the Games in fourth place worldwide and is looking forward to this experience.

“CrossFit lets you push your inner spirit more than you thought possible,” she says. “With the addition of the 40-44 age group, I immediately set my goal – after jumping up and down of course.  I said to myself, ‘Here you go, Marcie. You asked for this age group and now is your chance to truly go for it and qualify for the CrossFit Games.’ Unbelievably, that goal and dream came to life. As for competing next week, I couldn’t be more excited about being a part of the biggest CrossFit event of the year. I’m extremely thankful and wish everyone good luck!”

College Hill CrossFit’s Tracy Shuford is going to the Games with a 17th place worldwide ranking and Games experience under her weightlifting belt. Shuford was part of CrossFit Greensboro’s team at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. At this year’s Regionals, she qualified individually, but opted to go team and support the box she now co-owns.

“I am excited that this new division will give me a chance to be measured against my peers. While I would love the chance to train routinely two, three or five times if you’re Froning, a day, the reality is that I have a career and also co-own a box so that just can’t happen,” Shuford says. “Also, my recovery is different. I feel this new Masters Division will have me surrounded by women just like myself. The level of athleticism is going to be phenomenal. I will be on the same field as Becky Conzelman and Amanda Allen.”

Masters Men 45-49

The top three men in the Mid Atlantic are going to California this year.

Lee Sanford of CrossFit Firebreather Fitness in Scott Depot, W.V., is heading into the Games in 10th place.

Games veteran Jerry Hill of CrossFit Old Town is ranked 13th worldwide. He dominated the Masters 45-49 Division in 2012 and took home a fifth-place finish at last year’s Games. Hill is a motivated athlete, training six days a week with multiple workouts a day. He discovered CrossFit eight years ago and is known for doing workouts at a Philadelphia underpass before opening CrossFit Old Town in 2007.

CrossFit Trident’s Victor Hoyos finished the Open in 16th place worldwide. Hoyos is a tough competitor.  He earned an eighth-place ranking from the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games, despite a series of injuries and working full time in the United States Army Special Forces.

Masters Women 45-49

Kim Holway from CrossFit Reston began CrossFit four years ago by following workouts posted on the main site. Holway was recuperating from surgeries and missed the 2012 competition season. She finished the 2013 Open in the top spot regionally and heads to California as 12th in the world.

Masters Men 50-54

CrossFit Versatile’s Will Powell is new to CrossFit competition. A self-described “competitive drug-free bodybuilder” saw the Games on ESPN and decided to give it a try. He goes into his first Games experience in third place from the Open.

Masters Women 55-59

Both women in this division are no strangers to Games competition.

Lidia Beer of CrossFit Wilmington is returning to the Games for a third time. She finished seventh in 2011 and fourth in 2012. This year, Beer has earned a second place worldwide ranking from the Open.  While she never considered herself an athlete, Beer has completed numerous 10K races and 13 marathons. With her running experience and three CrossFit Games qualifications on her resume, she truly reflects that age is nothing but a number.

CrossFit Charlottesville’s Martha Redinger has a background in college sports and has been doing CrossFit for several years. Redinger competed at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games and returned home with a 13th-place finish. In the 2013 Open, she earned top four or higher in all workouts. Redinger will arrive at the StubHub Center in 17th place overall.

Masters Men 60+

Bruce Sutta, 60, of CrossFit MNC in Monroe, N.C., has been CrossFitting for several years. This will be his first Games competition. He currently holds 11th place in the world for this division.

Masters Women 60+

CrossFit Frederick’s Sharon Lapkoff took a sixth-place rank worldwide in the Open. Lapkoff competed at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games in the 55-59 Division and placed sixth. Not afraid of a challenge, Lapkoff had never performed chest-to-bar pull-ups prior to the Games last year. On the final day of competition, she did 17 of them.

Robin Kline of Crofton CrossFit is close behind Lapkoff in the rankings. She is returning to the Games this year in seventh place overall. Kline is coached by her daughter, Paige, and has no athletic background.  In fact, the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games were her first formal competition and she proudly finished in fifth place.