On Thursday night, the Open announcement features an unlikely match up. The two-time CrossFit Games veteran, Brooke Wells, goes up against 2016’s Fittest Woman in Latin America.
When the pairing was announced, many thought Wells would run away in the head-to-head workout. However, it might be a little closer than you think.
Here are three reasons why it might be closer than you might think.
Elevation
The Open announcement is taking place in Mexico City. Mexico City’s elevation is 7,382 feet above sea level. For comparison’s sake, Denver, Colorado’s elevation is only around 5,300. Not known for her engine, Wells could struggle if the workout requires more motor than strength.
Close Performances
Second, there isn’t much separating Wells and Castro’s scores through the first three weeks of the Open. Take a look at the last eight Open performances (five from 2016 & three from 2017). Wells held the advantage in every workout, but only by a few reps for most of the workouts. The biggest differentials came on the 16.4 with the 55 deadlift chipper and 17.3 with the heavy squat snatches.
| Wells | Castro | |
| 16.1 | 304 reps | 286 reps |
| 16.2 | 430 reps | 427 reps |
| 16.3 | 127 reps | 125 reps |
| 16.4 | 291 reps | 246 reps |
| 16.5 | 9:13 | 9:28 |
| 17.1 | 11:10 | 11:29 |
| 17.2 | 215 reps | 211 reps |
| 17.3 | 20:57 | 23:15 |
Unknown Workout
With the exception of the Foucher/Brooks muscle-up match up in 2015, the Open announcement pairings have been relatively close. Without knowing the workout it’s hard to say that Wells has the advantage. In addition, with only 10 minutes to prepare for the workout, one mistake with strategy could be the difference between winning or losing the workout.
