Behind the Scenes: Part 3

Join Sevan Matossian as he captures athletes, judges, spectators and staff at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games, providing a look at what goes on before, during and after the events. In Part 3, Matossian catches up with the athletes before the final workout on Friday, July 29: Rope/Clean.

“I can’t wait for that rope climb,” says Rich Froning Jr., who famously struggled with climbs in 2010.

Games vet Christy Phillips is happy the climbs come early in the competition this time around.

“You can … showcase your rope-climbing abilities compared to last year when you’re tired and caught off guard—when I was tired and caught off guard,” she says.

The winner of the event for the women, Annie Thorisdottir shares her strategy after the workout. She discusses almost losing her lead when she stopped to chalk her hands.

“Chalk is the thing that I use when I want to get a rest but I shouldn’t get a rest. It’s kind of like an excuse for a rest,” she says. “Through that workout I shouldn’t have taken any rest.”

Froning redeems his performance from last year by winning the workout on the men’s side.

“Now I’m having a blast,” he says.

With record Games attendance, the audience definitely plays an important role in athlete performance during challenging events like the Rope/Clean.

“They’re such an adrenaline rush. There’s so much love coming out of the crowd. It’s a big help for sure,” Annie Sakamoto says.

35min 09sec

HD file size: 1.25 GB
SD wmv file size: 436 MB
SD mov file size: 368 MB

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Additional reading: Individual Event 3 Results, published July 29, 2011.