Starting with a dynamic performance in the first event, a team from CrossFit Fort Vancouver won the CrossFit Games Northwest Regional championship and earned a spot in the CrossFit World Games.
The regional competition was held Friday through Sunday at the ShoWare Center in Kent. The top three teams among 30 that participated in the regional advance to the CrossFit Games world championships in July at Carson, Calif. CrossFit Fort Vancouver finished first in five of the seven events and second in the other two to win with a low score of nine points, 17 fewer than the second-place team.
CrossFit Fort Vancouver owner Adam Neiffer was the team captain. Other members were Jerome Perryman, Nathan Loren, Andrea Roozen, Erin Taylor and Jessica Core.
Described as a fitness competition, the CrossFit Games give teams from CrossFit gyms worldwide the chance to compete in a variety of events.
In the first event of the regionals, Core and Loren teamed up to post the best time so far this year across all regions. Core and Loren each completed 1000 meters on a rowing machine, followed by 50 repetitions thrusting a 45-pound barbell overhead, and 30 pull-ups. Their winning time was a combined 12 minutes, 9.6 seconds.
Four of the events involved all six team members. For the other three events, one woman and one man from each team completed the event. Each athlete was required to do all of the team events and one of the two-person events.
Neiffer said that among the highlights of the weekend was Perryman completing three 295-pound repetitions in the overhead squat, a top score for the weekend.
The specific exercises for each event were announced several months ahead of the regional competition, giving teams time to train for the specific challenges.
CrossFit Fort Vancouver, located at 223 E. Reserve St., Suite 101, has a history of competitive success. In 2010, a team from the gym won the affiliate team championship at the CrossFit World Games.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a super-supportive and motivated gym community at CrossFit Fort Vancouver,” Neiffer said, crediting the daily dedication of team members and others at the gym for the competitive success.
CrossFit Fort Vancouver qualified two teams for the Northwest regional through open competition this spring. The second CrossFit team — called the CrossFit Fort Vancouver Farm Team — placed 16th in the region. Members of that team were Jason Dement, Mike Matson, Bryan Weed, Andrea Brooks, Chelsea Denigan, and Tami Pelkey.
According to the CrossFit website, there are 13 CrossFit affiliated gyms in Clark County.
