Do You Want It Bad Enough? Super Regions Change The Game

Dec 18, 2014 by Lauryn Lax

Change is one of those things that is “bittersweet.”

Sometimes it’s sweet. And other times, bitter.

In 2015, the CrossFit Games’ season will see a host of changes as CrossFit Inc. raises the bar for entry into the ‘Olympics’ of the sport of fitness.

On the tails of the CrossFit Invitational in November, Dave Castro announced the upcoming consolidation of regions at the Regional events following the CrossFit Open. During this second phase on the ‘road to the games’, Regions will merge together, dropping the total number of Regional events from 17 in past years to 8 in 2015.

The new Regional format is as follows:

1. Canada West and North West Regions -West Regional

2. Canada East and North East Regions - East Regional

3. NorCal and SoCal Regions - California Regional

4. North Central and Central East Regions- Central Regional

5. South West, South Central and Latin America Regions - South Regional

6. Mid Atlantic and South East Regions - Atlantic Regional

7. Europe and Africa Regions - Meridian Regional

8. Australia and Asia Regions- Pacific Regional

Additionally, the threshold for entry into the Regional events is a bit steeper than the top-48 (men and women) and top-30 teams as we have known it for the past couple years.

This upcoming season, those who advance from the Open to Regionals will consist of:

• 20 men, 20 women and 15 teams will advance from regions in the U.S. and Canada.

• 30 men, 30 women and 20 teams will advance from Europe and Australia.

• 10 men, 10 women and 10 teams will advance from Latin America, Asia and Africa.

And, as if these changes were not enough, in order to heighten the level of entry onto the field at the CrossFit Games, only a total of 5 athletes from each Regional (5 men, 5 women, and 5 teams) will earn a ticket to Carson.

So who’s ready to let the Games begin?

Mixed feelings and opinions resound on what exactly all these changes mean for you, me, and the sport of CrossFit as we know it. Will we continue to see the same faces year in and year out at Regionals and the Games? Is there room for rookies and underground garage-gym rats to emerge on the scene? Will we have to wait for all the ‘good ones’ to retire or move on out in order to see fresh blood and sweat move in? Does this dishearten those who thought they may have a fighting chance at making the Regional cut, or put a fire in those athletes who really ‘want it’ to fight even harder to get it?

Really, the questions—and those answers—are up to each individual.

Those who choose to fully embrace the changes to come, and envision themselves ‘there’, if that is what they are working towards, will most certainly yield the fruits of their labor and toil—despite the negative feedback that it is nearly impossible to be an elite Games athlete now. There’s no question it’s tough…but impossible?

If anyone starts out with that attitude—then you are already two or three steps behind.

What would have happened even last year if Games’ rookies, such as Will Moorad, in the Central East, Jordan Cooke and Jeff Germond in the South Central, Alex Parker in Canada West, Sheila Barden in the North East, Mandi Janowitz in the South West, would have thought their chance was impossible?

They most likely would not have made a showing.

Change is scary, but change is exciting—and if anything, the upcoming changes will separate the ‘boys’ from the ‘men’ (or ‘girls’ from the ‘women’) when it comes to ‘who wants it bad enough’ and who is training hard (and smart) enough to be one of the top 20-30 competitors during the Open and top-five Regional competitors..

With Rich Froning and Jason Khalipa out of the running on the guys’ side, after announcing their retirement as individuals following the 2014 Games (both ‘going team’), the men’s competition alone will be heated and juicy to say the least—anyone’s for the taking.

On the women’s side, we all know Samantha Briggs (2013 ‘Champ’) and Lindsey Valenzuela (2013 “2nd Fittest Woman in the World”) have been busting their butts to get their feet back on the podium and inside the Stub Hub Center, after devastating upsets during the 2014 Regionals. Camille Leblanc Bazinet is equally hungry for round two at coming out on top at the Games, as is Annie Thorisdottir. And we can’t forger those who have said, ‘one day’, qualifying for Regionals or the Games, would come true. They are out there—training for what’s to come.

What about you ? Will you sink or swim in the fight to show the world what you’ve got if you’ve had your eyes set on, one day, making it to the Games.

While competition is most definitely steeper in 2015, impossible or possible is completely up to you—and you still have some time until Open WOD 15.1 kicks off on February 26, 2015.