New Gym, Same Result: Paul Tremblay

March 20, 2013

Kate Rose

"All I kept telling myself last year at the Games was, 'I'll be back.'"

Paul Tremblay opened his new gym, CrossFit NCR, less than 48 hours before the Open began.

Nonetheless, Tremblay is aiming to return to the CrossFit Games.

“The ultimate goal is to represent Canada at the Games,” he says. “This is going to be my first year competing as an Individual. I went to the Games last year with my affiliate at the time and I'm hoping that it’s going to be the first of many.”

Last year, Tremblay’s ticket was punched as part of the Usine CrossFit Ottawa squad. This year, Tremblay and Reza Mashkoori opened CrossFit NCR the day before 13.1 was announced.

“The vibe was insane for 13.1. We didn’t think we’d get such a wicked crowd after only of couple of days of being operational,” Tremblay says.

There are 29 athletes competing on the NCR team.

Though he has taken on his own affiliate, Tremblay is sticking with his former coach, Dominic Adam. He managed his own programming until September 2012, but felt he needed help with his gymnastic movements.

“Dominic’s programming has mostly been to help with gymnastic movements and engine,” he explains. “When he programs an hour on the rower, I don’t really have a choice. And I love it.”

Tremblay loves to compete. Immediately after finishing 13.2, he was off to participate in the Red Bull Crashed Ice races. But his mind is set: the Games come first.

“I don’t train for Red Bull. I train for the Games and anything else on the side is just gravy. It’s something I do because I was able to qualify and do fairly well at. I’m not on the pro tour or anything, although I did qualify top-32,” Tremblay says.

“Every time I walk up to the starting gate, all I can think about was ‘3-2-1 … Go!’ I do this everyday. I live to compete.”

This competitive mindset affects Tremblay’s approach to the Open.

“One and done. No redoes,” Tremblay says. 

Thus far, his drive has been evident on the Leaderboard. On 13.1, he managed 179 reps, earning him the fourth-place spot in Canada East. In 13.2, he came second, behind Albert-Dominic Larouche, with 345 reps. He’s tied with Larouche for the top spot in Canada East after the first two Open workouts.

“All I kept telling myself last year at the Games was, ‘I’ll be back.’ I want to go back as an individual, so that’s how I’m attacking every (workout),” he says.