Open 2021 - Week 1 Review
It is my pleasure to be the liaison to the CFP Team Open Committee. Every year the committee selects me to relay their message of the standings and outstanding performances by individuals and their teams every week of the Open. This year, after only one week, might be some of the best Open performances I have ever witnessed!
Firstly, CFP has nearly 60 athletes competing in the CrossFit Open. This is one of the highest participation percentages in the entire state of Michigan. For this the committee is incredibly proud. This speaks volume to the type of amazing people we have at CrossFit Petoskey.
Crowning Captain Bill Seguin and Seniors’ Moments in 2020 has led to nothing but trash talk and relentless training for over a year and a half. Their stellar physical performance and out-of-the-box attire ousted the playing field week after week. There was very little mystery which team would don their name on The Golden Plate.
Captains Jodi Miller (Team Social as _eff) and Becca Nelson (Hangin’ with the Power Queens) are harshly reminded of that loss during daily trips to the locker room as they glance at the framed, smiling poop-emojis and glittering “Seniors’ Moments” on the wall. Will they be motivated by their attempt to dismantle Captain Bill’s team? Will there be fraternizing across team boundaries to take down the defending champions? Or is it every man for himself? Only time will tell.
Seniors’ Moments took up last year’s winning formula. Draft old, err… experienced. And yes, every single athlete on the team has gotten older. But, to first round draft pick Jon Lyons, age is just a number and moisture-wicking Depends make for effective workout uniforms.
On another note, we do have a rookie captain this year in Rachael Antalis. The young buck took the opposite approach with her squad. Is this a freshmen mistake? Or is she on to something? With only 26 years of CrossFit Open experience across her 11 members, by the end of week 3, we will know the answer. Also, did she allow emotions to get in her way with drafting her mom and dad? This is no game for the faint of heart. Many first-years on Team Smoked Meat, Shredded Wheat, this is going to be exciting to watch!
While Seniors’ Moments is indeed aged, it’s Uli’s team, The Superspreaders that takes the cake for CrossFit Games experience. They are represented by over 68 years of Opens across their 11 members. Will their experience be an advantage and impress the committee or will it make them complacent, boring, uninventive, ‘too cool for school?’
21.1 was an odd beginning. A workout that tested one’s shoulder endurance, skill with the rope, and knee cap toughness has us all hoping for a barbell in 21.2. While it provided the interwebs with a plethora of entertaining fail videos, we don’t want our first-years to worry… thrusters are coming.
Alright, the moment you have all been waiting for. The points. Which team landed on top after Week 1?
The committee has reviewed the tape --the average scaled athlete scaled their legs up the wall about 3.5 ft. per wall walk. The average Rx athlete moved their feet around 7 ft. per wall walk. Team Smoked Meat, Shredded Wheat takes the highest climb in week 1 with 1,901 feet of wall walking. That’s like scaling four-fifths of Burj Khalifa… upside down. They take the performance crown in Week 1.
Spirit: This was a close one. Showing incredible support for their teams, Becca Nelson and Uli Rabeiro showed up to cheer on everyone in the gym even when they didn’t have plans of working out. This includes a great deal of Friday support and of course all of Saturday’s festivities. Tying first-place points go to Team Hangin’ with the Power Queens and Team Superspreaders.
Dress: At first glance, this went to Senior’s Moments. THE ONLY team (aside from The Superspreaders who claim to dress for the 2021 era) that didn’t go with an 80’s theme for “Pick an Era” week, dressed in kilts honoring St. Patrick’s Day and the Celtic Era. This is the kind of creativity that set them ahead of the pack 2020. Unbeknownst to the defending champions, Dave Castro decided wall walks were the name of the game. This led to various uniform malfunctions inappropriate before our family atmosphere, and left an unsatisfying odor in the gym. Due to this mishap, it is the Social as_eff team who takes the victory. Their coordination was spot on, and their neon so bright. Second place goes to The Hangin’ with the Power Queens squad since their lone man on the team, Brandon Weir actually wore a piece of clothing from the 1980’s which is older than the author of this review.
Earning a single point for Seniors' Moments, Joey Van, for creating a better wall walk standard than the CrossFit Headquarters team. Circumference of belly, divided by 2. This is the distance the tape should be from the wall.
After Week 1:
1st Place = Hangin’ with the Power Queens (13 Points)
T 2nd Place = Smoked Meat, Shredded Wheat (12 Points)
T 2nd Place = Social as _eff (12 Points)
4th Place = Senior’s Moments (11 Points)
5th Place = Super Spreaders (8 Points)
Notables:
Dawn Campbell 116th in the world (55-59) ***4th in Michigan
Sue Maiorana 130th in the world (55-59) ***5th in Michigan
Michelle Sysko 375th in the United States ***10th in Michigan
Jon Lyons 6th place in Michigan (50-54 scaled division)
Steve Smrekar 410th in the United States (35-39) ***4th in Michigan
Lisa Galloway 296th scaled in the United States (60+) ***9th in Michigan
Bill Winslow 269th in the United States (45-49) ***7th in Michigan
Uli Rabeiro 406th in the United States (50-54) ***8th in Michigan
Lauren Rothman 307th in the United States (16-17) ***11th in Michigan (and first place in the world for sad faces)
Danielle Fry 5th Place in Michigan (35-39 scaled division)
Probably first place Dentist in the World.
Alisa Winslow 259th in the United States (45-49) ***9th in Michigan
Remember, next week is “Sports Fan.”
KP, on behalf of the CFP Open Committee