Team
While Invictus’ team roster has changed dramatically from last year, they CJ Martin has reloaded the team and it looks like they are ready. With the addition of Maddy Myers, Invictus’ first pair destroyed the chipper leaving more time for the remaining two pairs to complete the power cleans. Invictus did not slow up and finished in 14:47, two minutes faster than the fastest time in the Pacific region and 1:35 faster than Diablo CrossFit Anejo.
Just like the South Regional, the defending team champs, NorCal CrossFit, did not field a team this year. However, NorCal is fielding a different team coming out of its Redwood City affiliate. NorCal CrossFit Redwood City ended up taking 4th in Event 1. In total, 10 teams finished the chipper, more than the Pacific and South regionals.
Event 1 Results
1. Invictus 14:47
2. Diablo CrossFit Anejo 16:22
3. CrossFit Davis 17:14
4. NorCal CrossFit Redwood City 17:22
5. Team Invictus Unconquerable 17:48
Events 2 and 3 featured the team version of the snatch ladder. With the same weights as the individual competition, no team has been unable to get all three athletes completely through the ladder. That is, until Diablo CrossFit Anejo’s men attempted Event 2. All three men completed the ladder with ease. The didn’t just complete the ladder but they smoked the 10-minute time cap with a time of 7:38.
Team CDR fell one athlete short of completing the ladder for second place along with CrossFit CSA. Invictus’ men took 6th place with 8,750-pounds lifted.
On the women’s side, the addition of Maddy Myers on Team Invictus definitely helped. Just like the men on Diablo CrossFit Anejo, Invictus’ women also completed the entire snatch ladder with all three women. No one women’s team had completed the ladder.
CrossFit Davis’ women took second place on Event 3 keeping them in the top 5 heading into Day 2. The top 6 teams after Day 1 all finished in the top 10 in each of the three events. However, Team CrownTown sits in 9th place but is only 23 points out of 5th place. Day 2 looks like it will be a very interesting day.
Event 2 Results
1. Diablo CrossFit Anejo 9,525-pounds
T2. Team CDR 9,260-pounds
T2. CrossFit CSA 9,260-pounds
4. CFCM 9,020-pounds
5. Team CrownTown 8,770-pounds
Event 3 Results
1. Invictus 6,675-pounds
2. CrossFit Davis 6,335-pounds
3. CF Anywhere TIEDYE NATION 6,170-pounds
4. CFCM 5,995-pounds
5. CrossFit 808 5,985-pounds
Day 1 Results
1. Invictus 275
2. Diablo CrossFit Anejo 262
3. CFCM 241
4. CrossFit Davis 240
5. Team CDR 227
***
6. CrossFit 808 218
7. NorCal CrossFit Redwood City
8. EndGame Athletics 209
Women
The California regional featured some of the strongest female athletes in the sport of CrossFit. Alessandra Pichelli, Jamie Hagiya, Sarah Estrella Hopping, Colleen Fotsch, Brooke Ence, Lauren Fisher and Molly Vollmer showed just how strong the women of California truly are. While no one could catch Kara Webb’s blistering 5:29 on Event 2, 10 women completed all 30 snatches under the 11-minute time cap.
Alessandra Pichelli led the California women with a time of 6:40, 12 seconds ahead of Sarah Estrella Hopping. Hopping set the early target with a time of 6:52 in the first heat. Brooke Ence, Lauren Fisher and Chyna Cho all had solid performances setting themselves up for Event 2.
Event 1 Results
1. Alessandra Pichelli 6:40
2. Jamie Hagiya 6:46
3. Sarah Estrella Hopping 6:52
4. Colleen Fotsch 7:00
5. Brooke Ence 7:41
Event 2 started with an unfortunate withdrawal. Kristine Andali, new to the California regional from Canada East, injured her shoulder during Event 1. On Andali’s Instagram account, she said that she heard a pop on her first attempt at the 175-pound barbell. It popped again on her second attempt. After consulting with a medical professional Andali decided to withdraw from the competition. Andali took 12th in Event 1.
In 2010, Kristan Clever won the CrossFit Games. Since then, Clever has battled some injuries and has gone the team route in recent years. However, Clever is back as an individual in 2016 and she showcased her gymnastic skills and raw strength as she completed more than nine full rounds taking first in the event. Clever now sits in 6th overall in a very tight leaderboard.
After showcasing their Olympic lifting prowess on Event 1, Colleen Fotsch, Sarah Hopping Estrella and Alessandra Pichelli struggled with the strict gymnastics work as they finished 19th, 19th and 31st, respectively. While all three are still within striking distance after Day 1, all three are sitting outside the top 5 qualifying spots.
Event 2 Results
1. Kristan Clever CAP+20
2. Jevon Hetland CAP+21
3. Chyna Cho CAP+38
4. Lauren Fisher CAP+45
5. Lisa Warren CAP+46
Day 1 Results
1. Jamie Hagiya 160
2. Lauren Fisher 160
3. Chyna Cho 155
4. Rebecca Voigt 146
5. Brooke Ence 143
***
6. Kristan Clever 141
7. Sarah Estrella Hopping 139
8. Lisa Warren 139
***
11. Alessandra Pichelli 126
Men
Just like the women, the California regional is littered with more top athletes than qualifying spots available. To advance out of this regional, it will require consistency each event. Most of the eyes are on Josh Bridges and Dan Bailey entering this weekend, but Rasmus Anderson stole the spotlight on the snatch ladder. Anderson set a blazing pace, well ahead of Jared Enderton’s event record set earlier in the day, and held on with two solid snatches at 265-pounds setting a new event record with a time of 6:40.
Ben Alderman, who is recovering from shoulder surgery in the offseason, appeared to have no problem completing the heavy snatches. Alderman went with singles until he got to the final barbell. Alderman went for an unbroken double and made it, taking 4th in the event, two seconds ahead of Andrew Kong.
Dan Bailey and Josh Bridges both finished the ladder and minimized any potential significant damage in an event not particularly suited for them. Bailey and Bridges finished in 8th and 10th, respectively.
Event 1 Results
1. Rasmus Anderson 6:40
2. Garret Fisher 7:24
3. Marcus Filly 7:44
4. Ben Alderman 8:13
5. Andrew Kong 8:15
When Event 2 was announced, Josh Bridges was expected to put up one of the best times in the world. Bridges did not disappoint with a very strong performance, but Christian Lucero stayed within striking distance. As they approached the final 11 kettlebell snatches, Lucero went unbroken and did not put the kettlebell down to switch hands like Bridges did. Lucero gained precious seconds which ended up being the difference as he sprinted ahead of Bridges in one of the closest finishes in the long, grueling Regional Nate workout.
Many of the same athletes who did well in Event 1 followed up with a good performance in Event 2. Ben Alderman secured another 4th place finish in Regional Nate moving him to first place overall. In a post-workout interview, Alderman did say that he is battling a recent knee injury, so keep an eye out for him on Event 4 with the pistols.
Rasmus Anderson dropped a little as he was only able to take 13th place on Event 2, but he was able to remain in 4th overall. After Day 1, the men’s California regional is one of the tightest races with only 9 points separating first place from sixth place. Day 2 looks like it will be an exciting day.
Event 2 Results
1. Christian Lucero 18:32
2. Josh Bridges 18:35
3. Henry Lopez 19:58
4. Ben Alderman CAP+8
5. Mason Flynn CAP+15
Day 1 Results
1. Ben Alderman 170
T2. Josh Bridges 162
T2. Garret Fisher 162
T4. Rasmus Andeson 161
T4. Christian Lucero 161
***
6. Marcus Filly 161
7. Dan Bailey 146
8. Henry Lopez 145
