Week One in Review: Canada West

February 28, 2012

Vera Ilnyckyj

More than 68,000 athletes registered for the Open. 5,496 in Canada West.
 

Congratulations to all athletes who completed the first workout of the 2012 Open – seven minutes of burpees.

More than 68,000 athletes worldwide have registered for this year’s Open – that’s more than double the registrants from 2011. In the Canada West Region, a total of 5,496 athletes and 58 teams have signed up for the Open, ready to give it everything. Here’s the breakdown:

Men - 708
Women – 532
Master Men 45-49 – 1,314
Master Women 45-49 – 957
Master Men 50-54 – 686
Master Women 50-54 – 453
Master Men 55-59 – 331
Master Women 55-59 – 224
Master Men 60+ - 172
Master Women 60+ - 119

It’s early still, but already we’re seeing some surprises in Canada West.

​MEN

There are some new names showing up in the top men’s rankings. Currently in 1st place after completing 142 burpees is Garth Prouse, a 34 year old athlete from CrossFit Lions in Vancouver who posted a DNF in last year’s Open.

Other men to watch are:

Kaine Dick – this 27-year-old athlete from Badlands CrossFit in Medicine Hat finished 42nd in last year’s Open and is currently in 2nd place after completing 137 burpees.

Ray Krumme – currently tied for 3rd place, this 34-year-old relative newcomer to CrossFit trains on his own, basing his programming on CrossFit.com.

Brett Marshall – also in 3rd place, this 38-year-old athlete is from CrossFit Calgary.

Ian Maclean – this 34-year-old hails from CrossFit Brio in Saskatoon and is in 5th place after completing 133 burpees.

Dave Poettcker – after a disappointing 2011 Open where he didn’t complete the 6th workout, this 26 year old from CrossFit Vancouver currently sits in sixth place.

Also in sixth place is top five Regional finisher and 7th place finisher in last year’s Open, Tyson Takasaki (132 burpees). The favoured contender and last year’s top Open finisher Lucas Parker is currently sitting in 24th place (125 burpees) while Jeremy Meredith who finished second in 2011 sits in 53rd place (120 burpees).

Updates on athletes featured in recent articles include:

2011 CrossFit Games competitor Jason Cain is currently in 14th place, UFC fighter Jason MacDonald of CrossFit Red Deer North in 160th place and CrossFit Ramsay teammates Drew Armstrong and Ali Seifeddine in 33rd and 60th spots respectively.

WOMEN

After the first workout, Angie Pye, the 10th fittest woman in the world sits in 8th spot while Alicia Connors, 2010 Regional champion is tied for 9th place with two other women. In first place with 124 burpees is Sarah Hills, a 28 year old athlete from CrossFit Saskatoon. Chelsea Miller of CrossFit Calgary who finished third at least year’s Open and one of the women to watch this year, sits in second place after completing 123 burpees. She’s tied with three other women that we’ll be keeping our eyes on:

Becky Hogg – this 41 year old athlete finished 11th in 2011 and trains at Spark Sport Conditioning in Sherwood Park.

Kristi Jorgenson – this 39 year old athlete from CrossFit Brio in Saskatoon had a disappointing DNF in 2011.

Danielle Shelley – Also from Spark Sport Conditioning, this 28 year old athlete finished 16th in the 2011 Open.

Emily Beers who was noted in the Western Canada scouting report currently sits in 64th place and Heather Crippen featured in a recent article is in 33rd place currently.

TEAMS

Saskatoon is dominating the rankings after the first workout, with all three of the city’s CrossFit boxes in the top ten. It’s currently Saskatoon’s CrossFit Brio and CrossFit Saskatoon (Synergy Strength) in first and second place respectively, CrossFit Taranis from Victoria in third, CrossFit Lions from Vancouver and CrossFit Calgary tied for fourth and Western Canada’s newest Reebok box CrossFit 306 from Saskatoon in sixth spot, opened late last year by 2011’s Canada East Regional champion Jason Cain.

It’s shaping up to be an interesting and competitive Open. With the sheer amount of athletes it’s anybody’s competition at this point and your Western Canada media team will be following every move and reporting on all the exciting and inspiring stories that emerge over the next four weeks of the Open.