Doubling in size in its second year, the Rocky Mountain Crusher attracted hundreds of Alberta’s top CrossFit athletes to the Canmore Nordic Centre for a day of tough workouts, trail running, and lots of mud.
CrossFit Canmore staff kept the skeleton of last year’s race, but switched up much of the meat, turning the Crusher into a team event and introducing even harder, spectator-friendly workouts. Combined, athletes lifted 82,265 lbs and completed 50,225 movements throughout the day.
“We designed the workouts to be challenging, but fun,” said CrossFit Canmore’s Micaela Zagozewski. “We have challenging workouts for top level athletes, but scaled weights for all ability levels.”
The athletes faced five timed workouts, connected by three trail run segment. Weighted stretcher carries and 150 kettle ball swings challenged the athletes to start, who would move on to 40 synchronized burpees in the mud. Hand stand push-ups and air squat challenges were next, and the race finished with 30 axle bar thrusters and 30 pull ups.
The team of Ashley Lowe, Joey Lutz and Jeff Hilliard of CrossFit Lethbridge won the two men, one woman category, while CrossFit Calgary’s Chelsea Miller, Nicole Romanow and Derek Austin teamed up to win the two women, one man category.
Canmore had several athletes in this year’s event, including the team of Travis, Jarret and Taylor Mann, who finished 10th in the M/M/F division, just ahead of another local team of Brian Calder, Teresa Holmes and Jesse Stevenson, who were 11th.
In the F/F/M division, Canmore’s Sabrina Harper, Greg Thaczuk and Tannis Forrest finished seventh, while Maggie Mills, Kim Purdy and Leo Nylund finished ninth.
In the scaled division, Terry Morgan, Stefan Armstrong and Debra Ritchie combined their efforts to finish sixth, while Kimber Amping, Chris Russell and Steven Klinger finished 11th.
Zagozewski said this is the only race of its kind, as it offers excellent trail running in between the workouts. The combination attracted athletes from as far away as British Columbia and Saskatchewan, and several top regional athletes vying to move onto the top levels of the sport. The crowd isn’t one the Nordic Centre usually attracts, but Zagozewski said it is growing fast.
“Seeing the smiles on people’s faces was incredible. They got to experience the great trails at the Nordic Centre, and were on course for about an hour and twenty minutes. All the volunteers loved it and it was a super memorable experience,” Zagozewski said.
The race will return again next season, and Zagozewski said it will be even bigger – and tougher – in 2016.
“This is a new demographic of people and an introduction for them to the mountains. They are learning something new and excited to see what we have to offer.”
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