Didn’t this week go by quickly? It’s already time for Week 2 of regionals and with the Pacific Regional up, it means action begins even earlier for us in the United States. The teams take the floor at 7pm Eastern Thursday night!
So it’s time to give our predictions for the men and women of the Pacific Regional.
Men
1. Rob Forte
Rob Forte has had the Pacific Regional on lock down for the past five years and there is no reason to think that will change in 2017. Forte finished 3rd in the Australia region during the Open, but that was the Open. We will see Forte back to himself in just a few hours atop the leaderboard once again.
2. James Newbury
James Newbury stormed onto the scene last year taking 2nd at the Pacific Regional. With another year under his belt, Newbury should be able to qualify once again for the CrossFit Games. While he may not be able to dethrone Forte, Newbury should contend for an event win or two on his way to qualifying rather easily.
3. Ricky Garard
Ricky Garard was on the wrong end of last year’s amazing Khan Porter comeback. Garard ended up in 6th place, missing the CrossFit Games by two points. At last year’s regional, Garard’s worst finish was 13th on the Snatch Ladder (Event 1). Without a barbell this year, we expect Garard to take advantage and take advantage of the more engine based workouts.
4. Khan Porter
Last year’s comeback by Porter was one of the best finishes in CrossFit Regionals history. Porter’s worst finishes last year were Event 3 and 4. While both events were on the faster, more explosive scale, there aren’t any back-to-back events this year. We expect to see Porter remain consistent throughout the weekend and punching his ticket to another CrossFit Games. Let’s just hope it doesn’t require a heroic final event again.
5. Mitchell Sinnamon
After watching the first weekend of Regional competition, it appears that the programming is not doing much to shake up the leaderboard. Other than the East Men where three newcomers qualified, those who we expected to do well did. This is good news for the likes of Mitchell Cinnamon who has been there before. Look for him to squeak in to the final qualifying spot.
Women
1. Kara Webb
Kara Webb has dominated the Pacific/Australia Regional. While Webb has historically used the barbell to her advantage, her experience should be enough to once again lead the pack at Regionals.
2. Tia-Clair Toomey
Tia-Clair Toomey has finished 2nd at the CrossFit Games for the past two years, but while she has had the best finish at the Games of the Pacific athletes she has yet to break through at regionals. Toovey is the epitome of consistency so while she may not win an event this weekend, you can bet she will be top 5 for most, if not all, of the events. Look for Toomey to easily qualify for her third CrossFit Games.
3. Alethea Boon
It’s hard to believe we are predicting Alethea Boon to qualify for the CrossFit Games after she ruptured her Achilles tendon at the Games last year. But in just 10 months, Boon has rehabbed herself to be in contention already. With no bounding box jumps or heavy Olympic lifts, Boon should be just fine with the events.
4. Jessica Coughlan
Jessica Coughlan has been on the brink of qualifying for the CrossFit Games ever since 2012. Coughlan finished 6th in the Australian Regional in 2012, 2013 and 2014. She withdrew in 2015 and came back to finish 8th last year. Could this be the year she finally breaks through? We think so. Remove her 16th place finish in the Snatch Ladder from last year and she is in the hunt for a qualifying spot.
5. Courtney Haley
Courtney Haley went to the CrossFit Games as a member of CrossFit Rocks in 2015. Last year Haley competed as an individual and fell just short in 7th place. With another year of training to prepare to compete as an individual we can see Haley taking that next step and qualifying for the CrossFit Games. Her 2nd place finish on Event 7, thrusters and rope climbs last year show she has that powerful, quick burst ability to power through the fast workouts similar to events 2 and 6 this year.
