The 3rd CrossFit Sanctional kicks off this weekend. Event 1 of the Australian CrossFit Championship begins Thursday morning. Athletes will start the competition on the beach with an ocean swim. Over the course of four days, individuals will compete in 11 scored events while teams will attack eight events.
The men’s favorite entering the weekend is three-time CrossFit Games veteran James Newbury. Newbury, however, will have some strong competition to earn a spot at the 2019 CrossFit Games. Zeke Grove and Dean Linder-Leighton, both Games veterans, are in the field along with former Regional athletes such as Bayden Brown, Luke McMahon and Matt McLeod.
On the women’s side the two favorites you would expect to see competing for the top spot are not here. Tia-Clair Toomey is living in the United States this year and just qualified for the Games last weekend at Wodapalooza. Kara (Webb) Saunders is also on the sidelines this year as she is pregnant and expecting her first child.
That leaves the women’s side wide open. Sam Briggs is the favorite to win the women’s competition, but since she won the Dubai CrossFit Championship last month, if Briggs wins the invite to the CrossFit Games will be awarded to 2nd place. That means athletes like Maddie Sturt, Hilary Steele and Laken Watt will be in the hunt for a ticket to Madison.
For those who are not in Australia and are unable to attend the event in person, there WILL NOT be a live stream available. Instead, the organizers of the event will share updates on Instagram, Facebook and the ACC website.
And stay tuned to The Barbell Spin for updates and to find out who will be joining the Mat Fraser, Patrick Vellner, Sam Briggs and Tia-Clair Toomey in Madison.
