Week Three in Review: Central East

March 12, 2012

Josh Bunch

Once again, Julie Foucher sits comfortably at the top of the Central East Leaderboard after a 12.3 finish of 531 reps.

One workout in time does not define fitness. Neither does one particular movement. Thankfully, the 2012 CrossFit Open isn’t one workout. It’s multiple trials of skill, stamina, endurance and strength. It’s a five-week fitness test and it’s only the beginning of the season.

As the Open rampages beyond its halfway point, athletes either solidified or shattered their expectations with an 18-minute AMRAP.

WOMEN

Jennifer Osborn is a creeper, Michelle Kinney is a scrapper, and Julie Foucher is so consistent, you can set your watch to her.

Once again, Foucher sits comfortably a top the Central East throne after a 12.3 finish of 531 reps. With worldwide Open finishes of 8th, 15th, and 3rd, Foucher is led only by 2010 Games Champion Kristan Clever overall.

Osborn barely broke the top 100 finishers in workout 12.1, but now she finds herself finishing as Central East’s 12.3 runner up with CrossFit Games athlete Michelle Kinney a close 3rd.

However, if current 2nd place seed Lindsey Smith continues her unbridled streak of Open success, Regionals may be nothing more than a battle for 3rd place when it comes time to play in May.

MEN

With three Open Workouts on record, the world is asking, “Who is Travis Page?” In two workouts, Page has managed to best Rich Froning during 12.1, and then stay on the champ’s heels with a score of 523 on 12.3, giving Froning the worldwide victory with an eight-rep margin. Astonishingly, Page’s 12.3 score was good enough for second worldwide making Froning, Page and Bailey a dangerous Central East trifecta.

While Page is well on its way, Nick Urankar, Nick Fory and Scott Panchick to name a few continue to consistently post scores demonstrating their play for something more than a trip to Regionals.

It still remains unlikely, however, that 12.3 Leaderboard climbers, such as Graham Holmberg and Marcus Hendren, aren’t going down without a fight.

TEAM

For the second week in a row, the 12-athlete team from CrossFit Faith leads the Open with a score of 2,358 on 12.3. It’s the action beneath No. 1 that is building to a head.

While CrossFit Faith has undoubtedly placed amazing performances on the books thus far, CrossFit Maximus and SCP CrossFit have placed consistent performances on record. More often than not, amazing efforts give way to consistent behavior, as proves SPC CrossFit’s current overall number one standing, and CrossFit Maximus runner-up position.

With a score of 2,281 during 12.3 Cincinnati Strength, and hopefuls, such as Rogue Gahanna, continue to sit tight almost as if they are waiting for their opportunity to strike.

Every week the Open motivates athletes to prove their worth on the workout floor. With two weeks left, a lot of gas is still in the tank.

*The scores and rankings are unofficial until Tuesdays at 5 p.m., PT.