Four down, one to go.

 

And look who is on top.

 

On the tails of Open WOD 15.4, Mat Fraser, 2014’s “2nd Fittest Man in the World” currently sits on top of the Leaderboard, beating the Champ (Froning), himself, by five points overall.

 

Every year, since 2012, Froning has won the Open. With only one more week to go, there could be a new Open leader amongst the Individual Men’s Division Worldwide if 15.5 works in Fraser’s favor. “I almost feel like I’ve poked the bear, and Rich is going to come back stronger,” Fraser said to Pat Sherwood when asked about his current first-place lead. However, when asked by Sherwood, “Are you fitter than last year?”

 

Fraser said: “Point blank: Yes I am.”

 

During this time last year, Fraser was sitting in 8th place overall following 14.4, and finished 7th overall prior to his first CrossFit Games appearance where he took the second place podium spot. While it is still early on in the season, is Fraser giving the Champ a run for his spot? “I’d be lying to say I’m happy to be in second,” Froning said Tuesday on the CrossFit Games update show. “The wallball workout didn’t go according to plan, and (that) effects the overall leaderboard. Everyone’s done so well so far, and everyone’s grouped so close together. There’s so many points in just two to three spots. Our ultimate goal is to get to the Games (as a team),” Froning said. As previously mentioned, Froning has stated that, this year, he plans to ‘go team’ with his affiliate CrossFit Mayhem.

 

While Froning may not be planning to be at the ‘big show’ as an individual this year, if Fraser takes the Open, what does that say about his potential going into Games season?

 

Since the Champ has “won” the Open, his Regional, and the Games for the past three years, Fraser has some big shoes to fill if 15.5 works out in his favor.  However, with Fraser’s back-to-back champion titles at the highly competitive East Coast Championships the past two years, and his emergence seemingly out of nowhere to claim the “2nd Fittest Man” spot at the 2014 Games, it’s not highly unlikely.

 

On the flip side, there IS still one week left, and if anyone knows Froning, they know he is a 4th quarter kind of guy. Known for his consistency, not necessarily first-place status, on the majority of workouts at the CrossFit Games, Froning has a history of consistently staying near the top until the very end. For instance, after a ‘bad’ workout on the Triple-3 in Carson last year, putting him in 37th place, and even a few challenges on day 2 (27th place on the Spring Sled-2, and 15th on the Sprint Carry), Froning kept his cool throughout the weekend, and his three first place finishes on the final day was where the Games was won. 

 

That being said, what if Froning does pull through on 15.5 and re-claims his Open-leader title? Even though he is planning to go to the Games as a ‘team’, what does that say about Fraser should Fraser become the next in line as “The Fittest Man on Earth”? Would Fraser truly be the Fittest Man? Or would his title be tainted, if Froning wins the Open? If this is the case, and Froning’s name is on the top of the leaderboard next week, he is still the champ after all, right?

It’s a tricky (and sticky) call.

 

As an eternal optimist, I beg to believe there is room for a new champ in town, and that there’s NO DOUBTING these two boys work hard. Froning may be the naturally-born CrossFit champ, but perhaps Fraser is the “fittest man” who could finally give Froning a little push to assert his title.

In a community and sport known for its support of one another, I say there’s room big enough for the two of them.

 

 What are your thoughts as Froning and Fraser prepare to go into the final 

 

WOD with their place on the Leaderboard so close? 

 

 Share your comments here!