Sunday's final WOD was savage: three rounds of 30 wall-ball shots and 30 squat snatches.
Early in the first round of the first men's heat, it was clear the workout would be a challenge that would send many athletes home from the games with a solid kick in the ass.
The powerful Josh Everett was in the first heat, and other competitors were watching him closely to get a feel for the WOD. Everett is the best Olympic lifter in the Games, but 75 lb. is a met-con weight that had him struggling for breath, wincing and grabbing his back.
Vic Zachary from Bayou City CrossFit was in the same heat and said the WOD was brutal.
"On everything else today you were able to rest... but with this your legs were already burnt and you just keep going," Zachary said. "Your snatch and your wall ball, it was just legs, legs, legs."
Zachary tried to do his snatches in sets of fives by the middle of the second round. He also only had about five wall-ball reps disallowed, which was a sharp contrast from the Affiliate Cup, where many athletes struggled to reach the 10-foot target.
Nevertheless, six male competitors were marked DNF in the first heat, and seven women failed to complete the WOD.
Michelle Benedict just managed to beat the buzzer and finish the WOD.
"My grip gave out at the end," she said. "It was literally mind-boggling. I had no grip left."
Benedict said the wall ball was harder than the snatches, mostly because you had to be accurate in hitting high target for a lot or reps.
"The snatches were 'just get through them.'"
Lauren Plumey experienced the dreaded DNF for the first time and was disappointed in herself.
"The wall ball (was harder)," she said, "Because you had to be so precise. That's why I went slower because I missed 10."
She continued: "I thought it was definitely fair. We have to be accurate. That's one of the elements of fitness. It's an accuracy test, and it's a met-con."
Plumey also ran into a sore back courtesy of the snatches.
"My back was killing me because my form was awful," she said. "When I saw the weight for the snatch I was disappointed because I like snatching. But I know they did this light because I they didn't want anyone to hurt themself."
At the end of the night, Jason Khalipa, Tommy Hackenbruck and Blair Morrison had the top times. The overall leader is Hackenbruck, followed by Moe Kelsey and Mikko Salo.
For the women it was Carey Keppler, Sarah Dunsmore and Rebecca Voigt who crushed the WOD, with Tanya Wagner, Annie Thorisdottir and Dunsmore making up the top three overall.
The top 16 competitors now advance to the final day of competition.
66 comments on this entry.
1. Alfie wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:11 PM
Congratulations Tommy!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
2. Dan wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:14 PM
Steve FTW.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
3. Bob wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:18 PM
Go Mikko Go!!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
4. Beth wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:18 PM
Great job Carey, Crystal, Jeremy and Lance!! So proud of each of you! Go CrossFit Central!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
5. Chris L wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:19 PM
Go Willis!!!!! Killing it!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
6. Andrew Smith wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:19 PM
WELL DONE STEVE WILLIS!!! REPPING AUSTRALIA BRILLIANTLY!!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
7. Nate wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:20 PM
Way to go Lindsey, stay strong!!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
8. Christopher Dunkin wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:21 PM
Great work, Tommy.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
9. Tom V wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:21 PM
Come on STEVE!
Massive props to all Australasian Qualifiers for making it through to the 5th Event of the day!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
10. annette logsdon wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:22 PM
Blair Morrison you were awesome!!!! Go for it!!!! Good Luck on sunday
Reply to this comment
Permalink
11. MattR wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:22 PM
I think we will be seeing the internet based Last Chance Qualifier again next year. The Men's 1st and 4th place athletes, Tommy and Peter, both did not qualify at their Regionals; but did through the Last Chance Qualifier.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
12. Steve wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:23 PM
Congratulations Tommy!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
13. Seattle Chris wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:24 PM
Pacific Northwest was the strongest presence at the games. Way to represent!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
14. Derek wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:25 PM
Congrats Bro!! Wish I was there to cheer you on...good luck tomorrow!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
15. Cari wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:26 PM
Great job to everyone from Crossfit Omaha!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
16. Ryan Hudson wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:27 PM
Believe it or not, I put the mens leader Tommy Hackenbruck through his first WOD just 6 months ago! He wants this more than anyone I've ever come across and the lead will be very difficult to take from him. We will all see much more from this newcomer we have all come to know by "Hack!"
Reply to this comment
Permalink
17. Christine wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:27 PM
Way to go CrossFit Central! Two girls to go onto tomorrow - Carey Kepler and Crystal McReynolds! And of course our Jeremy Thiel!!!!! Everyone did amazing! Lance you are our hero!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
18. Mike Cappi wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:29 PM
Yeah Tanya i knew you would have one of the best times for this last WOD! There's no doubt in my mind that you can hold your lead and bring this one home for APEX!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
19. Ryan Brown replied to comment from MattR...
July 11, 2009 9:29 PM
Good point, MattR. Add Spencer Hendel, who's in 6th place going to Sunday to that list as well.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
20. VP wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:29 PM
Great Work Crossfit Central! Best of luck on day 2!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
21. Cameron wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:30 PM
Way to go, Moe!
It certainly has been more interesting to watch the results having someone I've worked out with in the top 5 most of the day!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
22. Shane F wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:31 PM
Great job Sarah, we in Durham are so proud of you!!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
23. amanda L (Sydney AUS) wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:34 PM
Congrats Steve! Awesome and inspirational... Go Hard for tomorrow!! Everyone at CFX is cheering and supporting you!!
Ditto Tom V's comments - all Aussies qualifiers through to the 5th WOD. Awesome efforts guys. Very very proud of you all !!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
24. DH wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:35 PM
Tommy Hackenbruck....is this the same one that played high school football at Mt. View, in Bend, OR? You were even a beast back then (if its you).
Reply to this comment
Permalink
25. Jack wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:39 PM
Go Sarah!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
26. SAC wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:39 PM
Way to go Crossfit Calgary.... 3 Men and 1 Women in the individual finals and the Affiliate Team too! We are so proud of you all...
Reply to this comment
Permalink
27. Emilie wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:42 PM
GO MOE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
28. MattR wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:43 PM
DH, Yes this is that same Tommy. He went on to play football at the University of Utah.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
29. Ryan Hudson replied to comment from DH...
July 11, 2009 9:45 PM
Yes this is the same Hack that played ball in Bend and went on to be starting middle linebacker for the undefeated University of Utah Utes a few years back. He is freakishly athletic, that's for sure . . .
Reply to this comment
Permalink
30. Warren wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:48 PM
Pete, way to go man! Incredible work today. 4th place overall!!!! I hope you're as proud of that as us back at CrossfitFury are! Rest hard tonight, buddy. Good luck tomorrow!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
31. JonathanT wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:51 PM
Yeah Moe! Way to represent Bellingham, all of us from Jogo are rooting for you!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
32. Denton wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:55 PM
Way to go Spencer!!!!! Great job today -- we're all behind you and best of luck tomorrow!!!!! DW
Reply to this comment
Permalink
33. Art wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:55 PM
Way to be, Moe! Keep on Keepin' On!!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
34. Wayne wrote...
July 11, 2009 9:56 PM
Chart showing Men's standings after Saturday's workouts:
http://www.quicksnapper.com/wvl/image/crossfit-games-2009-men-after-saturday-events
Jason Khalipa just killed the last 4 WODs, that's an impressive comeback after that first run.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
35. Wayne wrote...
July 11, 2009 10:01 PM
And, the final chart from me for the day, showing the Women's standings after today:
http://www.quicksnapper.com/wvl/image/crossfit-games-2009-women-after-saturday-events/
Tanya Wagner should win the award for most steady performance of the day, whereas Carey Kepler and Sarah Dunsmore were only stymied in the deadlift WOD.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
36. Jason wrote...
July 11, 2009 10:09 PM
Wayne, Nice charts...they really add a unique element to the results. Thanks!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
37. chad wrote...
July 11, 2009 10:13 PM
Great Job Moe!!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
38. burnt wrote...
July 11, 2009 10:25 PM
Sarah, you were incredible all day today!!! We'll be out there again cheering you on tomorrow. What an incredible performance today. WOW!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
39. Laura McBee wrote...
July 11, 2009 10:34 PM
Polly Bobseine was awesome to watch! Team Polly!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
40. Gina wrote...
July 11, 2009 10:40 PM
So how many make it to tomorrow? And when will they announce the WODS? I noticed on one of the early spread sheets I printed out (after the 3rd WOD) that it listed ;
Run - Deadlift - Sprint - Sledge- Couplet - WOD#6-WOD#7-WOD#8
Hummm.....3 WODS tomorrow....will they announce them tonight?
I have never used Twitter and I had 3 Twitters pages open at once trying to keep up with all the action. Thanks to Potomac CrossFit for your tweets, they were the best updates out there!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
41. shawn wrote...
July 11, 2009 10:40 PM
why did they make the movie "every second counts" if they are not even using time to score the events... the scoring should be changed back to total time it makes more sense for the athletes the fans and the sport.... as they say "3-2-1 GO"
Reply to this comment
Permalink
42. robyn wrote...
July 11, 2009 10:55 PM
Ok.. Huge shout out to all the aussies competing in the games!! Great work guys.. And a big congrats to Steve Willis for being 5th so far, you are a machine! You have a lot of support following you back home in Australia!!!
Secondly, I need help from the twitters ppl on here.. how the heck to i use it coz i am an internet spaz and cannot figure it out..
Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi, oi, oi!!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
43. Greg replied to comment from Wayne...
July 11, 2009 10:56 PM
Wow Jason sure did kill the last 4 WODs. I sure hope they score tomorrows workouts worth 3x the points to even things out. He had to compete against 75 athletes in the run. Think if the run happened last when there were less athletes to compete against. He'd be in first for sure.
Maybe next year they don't eliminate people just to make it easier to run???
Reply to this comment
Permalink
44. RoyG replied to comment from shawn...
July 11, 2009 10:57 PM
Shawn - "Every Second Counts" was based on the 2008 CrossFit Games, where the rankings were based on time.
I can't quite see how using just total time makes more sense. And furthermore, for the event that wasn't timed (Deadlift ladder), it makes no sense whatsoever.
There was a really interesting CrossFit Journal article detailing different ways of scoring the same events (time, points etc) and the different outcomes from a statistical point of view. There's no right or wrong way to score the events. Hopefully the method they are employing this time will result in a relatively "fair" distribution of athletes' overall fitness. We'll see.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
45. Chris Saliba (Coastal CrossFit QLD) wrote...
July 11, 2009 11:02 PM
Steve Willis; you can win this. You are doing the Aussies proud!!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
46. JT wrote...
July 11, 2009 11:07 PM
I would like to second the thanks to Wayne for the excellent bar graph charts. It's a fascinating way to view the data. Kudos!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
47. Greg wrote...
July 11, 2009 11:14 PM
And great job to all the competitors today! I see a repeat champ in OPT...Look out!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
48. Nick Karp wrote...
July 11, 2009 11:16 PM
Well done to Chris Hogan from Aus...tore calf muscle during first run and still battled on brilliantly....especially on couplet workout.
Nice work Steve as well..!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
49. Darren Coughlan wrote...
July 11, 2009 11:34 PM
Go Steve! You can win it mate!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
50. Jeff Duncan replied to comment from Ryan Hudson...
July 11, 2009 11:49 PM
Watching Hackenbruck destroy the second NW Regional WOD I was definitely surprised when he wasn't in the top 4 for the region. I'm glad to see that he made it through in the last chance qualifier.
When I was looking through the WOD's earlier today I was even thinking to myself that I wouldn't be surprised to see him near the top. Awesome work Tommy.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
51. M Cleeton wrote...
July 12, 2009 12:20 AM
WAY TO GO MOE! Everyone from Jogo/Crossfit Bellingham is pulling for you! Get some!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
52. Graeme B wrote...
July 12, 2009 12:26 AM
Great work Steve. A solid effort on what must have been a totally exhausting day.
Go show em the Commando stuff on Sunday.
Also congrats to the other down under qualifiers, Chris, Taz & Nadine; all making it to the last round.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
53. Shane Ireland wrote...
July 12, 2009 12:53 AM
Go Mikko!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
54. TC wrote...
July 12, 2009 2:03 AM
Well done Steve Willis! Fantastic! Worked with Steve a few years ago and used to raise a quizzical eyebrow at him lifting rocks for training...
I think I'll go lift rocks myself this afternoon before the WOD!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
55. Adrian Woods replied to comment from Wayne...
July 12, 2009 3:53 AM
Thanks for the really useful graph.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
56. nick in sydney m/37/6ft/183 wrote...
July 12, 2009 4:48 AM
it seems like we're all Aussies on this page
GO Australia, go Steve
Reply to this comment
Permalink
57. bill davies wrote...
July 12, 2009 5:49 AM
Way to go Spencer Hendel another one from last chance qualifiers
Reply to this comment
Permalink
58. Zhanna replied to comment from RoyG...
July 12, 2009 7:18 AM
RoyG, do you happen to remember which article that was? I don't remember coming across it.
Hey Wayne, thanks for the graphs--I too found them interesting.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
59. Dave wrote...
July 12, 2009 7:25 AM
Come on Steve! All the best for tomorrow! You can take this...
Reply to this comment
Permalink
60. Paul wrote...
July 12, 2009 7:50 AM
GO TEAM OREGON CROSSFIT!!!
GO ELENA!!!
GO TOMMY!!!
Damn I'm proud to be part of the O.C. box!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
61. Linda Hackenbruck wrote...
July 12, 2009 8:50 AM
Hey Tommy! Who works the hardest? Who is the best sport? Who has the most fun? I am so proud of you! MOM
Reply to this comment
Permalink
62. Jerry Hackenbruck wrote...
July 12, 2009 9:12 AM
Great effort Tommy! I can't believe the efforts being put into these physical challenges by all of the competitors. Hats off to Crossfit and everyone competing. It's third and long now ... you know what to do Tommy. Dad
Reply to this comment
Permalink
63. Julie Hackenbruck wrote...
July 12, 2009 9:20 AM
Not surprising at all. You want something and you go for it. Go Tommy!!!!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
64. Winchester wrote...
July 12, 2009 10:05 AM
Let's go Central -- time to step it uP!
Reply to this comment
Permalink
65. Vi wrote...
July 12, 2009 11:19 AM
Way to crush it Tommy. It was good to finally meet you and I'm stoked to have you as my neighbor.
Reply to this comment
Permalink
66. Adam Bennett wrote...
July 12, 2009 6:50 PM
Way to go Steve, awesome to see you matching it with the best over there!
Well done to the other Aussies competing as well, it's only a matter of time before Australia is dominating CrossFit as well... :)
Good luck for the final WOD, mate, no doubt you'll smash it!
Reply to this comment
Permalink