Masters Want More

July 29, 2021

Brittney Saline

1,110 reps. That was the work set before the masters of the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games on Wednesday. And for some, that wasn't enough.
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1,110 reps. 

That was the work set before the masters of the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games on Wednesday. 

It’s a hell of a to-do list — and that’s not even counting the swim in Event 5 or Event 6, which only the youngest two masters divisions completed. 

Still, some athletes were left dissatisfied. 

“I would have liked it longer,” said Samantha Stevenson-Archer of the 500-m swim. The former Ironman competitor and collegiate swimmer finished the swim in 8:43.13 for her first event win in the Women’s 45-49 division. 

Earlier that day, eight-time CrossFit Games masters athlete and three-time 60+ champion David Hippensteel — competing this week in the inaugural 65+ division — expressed a similar sentiment. Event 4’s chipper was grueling, certainly, but he’d been hoping to get more gymnasty.

“They took the handstand walks out!” he protested afterward. “That was the equalizer.”

David Hippensteel (Photo by Charlotte Foerschler)
David Hippensteel (Photo by Charlotte Foerschler)

Of course, opinions vary across divisions.

Kyle Kasperbauer felt challenged just fine in the 35-39 division. 

“I’ve been in masters three previous years before this, and this is the hardest it’s ever been,” he said after winning Event 4. “The programming is definitely a level up.”

Event 4

As Kasperbauer said, Event 4 was “truly a chipper.”

Masters of all ages schlepped through a variation of calories on the bike erg, GHD sit-ups, dumbbell squats, and sandbag squats (the 35-59-year-olds also faced a series of handstand walks).

For many, the sandbags proved a formidable challenge. At 100 lb. for the women of the 45-49 division, that meant Annie Sakamoto — who weighs just 123 lb. — had to squat more than 80% of her body weight 42 times.

Not that she’s complaining. The Games veteran planned for the challenge, pacing the earlier movements just right so as to get to the bag feeling as fresh as possible. She finished at 15:17.47 for her second event win of the week.

“I know where my fatigue factors are and how I have to play my weaknesses and strengths, and I felt like I did that pretty well on this event,” she said. 

Sakamoto finished the day in second place, just 5 points behind overall leader Ali Crawford.

Annie Sakamoto takes on the handstand walk. (Photo by Charlotte Foerschler)
Annie Sakamoto takes on the handstand walk. (Photo by Charlotte Foerschler)

Event 5

At some point this week, every single athlete competing at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games will go for a dip. 

For the masters, that point was Wednesday: Event 5 was a 500-m swim for the 35-49-year-olds; the elder divisions swam a 300. And while several athletes across the divisions listed swimming among their weakest or least favorite movements, for a few, the event at Lake Monona was a welcome change of pace. 

“I was so excited,” said Colleen Lehane, a former collegiate swimmer competing in the 35-39 division. “Getting to swim at the CrossFit Games — I think that’s one of the reasons I wanted to make the Games.” 

A resident of Jacksonville, Florida, Lehane is used to navigating the crests and convolutions of the open ocean. In contrast, the slight chop of the Wisconsin freshwater posed little challenge, and she won the event by more than a minute. 

Still, the swim wasn’t entirely smooth sailing.

“The seaweed was gross,” she admitted.

Lake Monona - Event 5
Lake Monona - Event 5 (Ginnie Coleman Photography)

Event 6 

While most of the masters field got Wednesday evening off, the 35-44-year-olds kept working.

Event 6 called for a row for calories (30 for the men, 24 for the women), 15 clean and jerks at 155 and 105 lb., and a sled push to the finish.

It was the same work demanded of the 16-17-year-olds, and though the men’s 40-44 event winner — 42-year-old Tony Kurz — said “it feels like I’m six events in and it feels like I’m 42 years old,” he beat Boys 16-17 victor David Bradley by more than 23 seconds.

Overall Standings 

Men 35-39

  1. Kyle Kasperbauer (495 pts.)

  2. Adrian Conway (490 pts.)

  3. James Hobart (455 pts.)

Women 35-39

  1. Whitney Gelin (560 pts.)

  2. Lauren Gravatt (495 pts.)

  3. April Payne (445 pts.)

Men 40-44

  1. Maxime Guyon (465 pts.)

  2. David Johnston (445 pts.)

  3. Tony Kurz (440 pts.)

Women 40-44

  1. Kelly Friel (545 pts.)

  2. Rebecca Voigt Miller (480 pts.)

  3. Ana C. Caldas (445 pts.)

Men 45-49

  1. Mike Kern (425 pts.)

  2. Jason Grubb (410 pts.)

  3. Justin LaSala (370 pts.)

Women 45-49 

  1. Ali Crawford (390 pts.)

  2. Annie Sakamoto (385 pts.)

  3. Jennifer Dieter (360 pts.)

Men 50-54

  1. Brent Maier (430 pts.)

  2. Bernard Luzi (425 pts.)

  3. Kevin Koester (420 pts.)

Women 50-54

  1. Joyanne Cooper (435 pts.)

  2. Tia Vesser (435 pts.)

  3. Carrie Sandoval (400 pts.)

Men 55-59

  1. Vincent Diephuis (420 pts.)

  2. Ron Ortiz (375 pts.)

  3. Bruce Young (340 pts.)

Women 55-59

  1. Karen Lundgren (390 pts.)

  2. Laurie Meschishnick (380 pts.)

  3. Shanna Bunce (360 pts.)

Men 60-64

  1. Will Powell (395 pts.)

  2. Carl Giuffre (365 pts.)

  3. Tim LaFromboise (350 pts.)

Women 60-64

  1. Susan Clarke (465 pts.)

  2. Patricia McGill (450 pts.)

  3. Bianca Williams (445 pts.)

Men 65+

  1. George Koch (465 pts.)

  2. Ken Ogden (425 pts.)

  3. Thomas Ackerman (390 pts.)

Women 65+

  1. Patty Bauer (425 pts.)

  2. Lidia Beer (415 pts.)

  3. Marilyn Wuest (355 pts.)

Note: All scores and placements are unofficial at the time of publication and subject to change. 

Whitney Gelin (Photo by Charlotte Foerschler)
Whitney Gelin (Photo by Charlotte Foerschler)

Cover photo by Charlotte Foerschler