South West's Team Takeover

April 26, 2013

Gabriel Romero

Four of the top 10 men and two of the top 10 women are going team in the South West. Team is taking over.

In the aftermath of the Open, some of this year’s top performers aren’t interested in competing individually. Team seems to be a trend this year. At least the South West Region seems that way.

On the Leaderboard, the top 10 is chalked-full of team competitors. For the men, four of the top 10 are going team while two of the top 10 on the women’s side are headed to Regionals with their teams.

“I think it brings back all of the aspects of team sports that we loved growing up,” says Tommy Hackenbruck, who heads up Hack’s Pack Ute. “Accountability, camaraderie, sacrifice, communication and friendship are all things that matter more when you are part of a team. Our athletic backgrounds include football, baseball, soccer and basketball — all team sports. Our situation may be especially appealing because going team means you get to hang around five other top-level athletes who are also great people.”

Hack's Pack Ute

If the Open scores are any indication of what to expect this year it’s going to be quite a show for the reigning team champions. Every athlete finished in the top 20 and four finished in the top 10.

“One of our members was floating around the idea of going Individual, the rest of us were committed to staying on the team,” Hackenbruck says. “I asked everybody to train as if they were competing as individuals, and then make their final decision right before the Open.”

Hackenbruck has his team once again and they look even more solid than last year.

Adrian Conway led the effort finishing third in the South West, followed closely by Hackenbruck in fourth. Michael Cazayoux finished 13th rounding out the men’s side of the coin.

Taylor Richards-Lindsay finished third in the region, while Mary Lampas and Erin Bennion finished seventh and 18th, respectively.

“Affiliates are taking the cup more seriously each year, and they are realizing that, to be competitive, you need to have six top-notch competitors,” Hackenbruck says. “It's no longer possible to get by with any weaknesses or deficiencies in CrossFit skills. I have no idea what the competition will be like this year, but I hope it's extremely tough at every stage.”

Front Range CrossFit

For Front Range CrossFit, the goal is simply to win. With the top male finisher Chris “Dozer” Dozios at the helm, this team is going to be very strong. Along with Dozer, there is Caleb Sommer, who finished sixth in the region, David Foster and Jeremy Christofferson.

On the women’s side is Jasmine Dever. Dever finished in second place at the 2012 South West Regional and competed at the Games as an Individual for the past two years. With her four years of Games experience, she will certainly make an impact. Even with recent knee issues early in the Open, she says she’ll be 100 percent ready at the Regional.

Kristen Olson, Cori Gobeell and Carol Fabrizio, all top finishers, will join Dever, as well.

“Our goal this year is to win the team competition,” Front Range CrossFit owner Skip Miller says. “While we have people on this team like Dozer that did really well in the Open and could potentially do well as (a Master — he also finished first in the Men’s 40-44 Division), there is nothing like competing on a team. The environment is fun, you are competing with your friends so everyone is on the same page, and we are looking forward to competing against Hack’s Pack on their home turf.”

Other affiliates CrossFit The Club, The Ute All-Stars, Front Range Too and East Valley CrossFit are all sure to challenge for the podium this year.

The Team competition continues to get more and more competitive making for an entertaining Regional to come.