Capulets vs Montagues, Hatfields vs McCoys, and now Smiths vs Panchiks. Wodapalooza 2016 is going to be the battleground that will ignite a bloody, gritty,
Jan 12, 2016 by Armen Hammer
Capulets vs Montagues, Hatfields vs McCoys, and now Smiths vs Panchiks. Wodapalooza 2016 is going to be the battleground that will ignite a bloody, gritty, double under and handstand filled battle of fitness, abs, and family-on-family action. The only question is who's going to win?
Ben Smith clearly doesn't mess around: he won the 2015 CrossFit Games and has consistently been a top performer at both Regionals and the Games since he was a teenager. He's known for his weightlifting, but is also very likely Kryptonian so you know he's well rounded too.
Ben's younger brother Alec is no slouch. He hasn't competed at the Games as an individual, but he's probably got the skills and he's definitely got the pedigree. Between his absurdly easy looking gymnastics and his equally impressive weightlifting, he's a good asset for the Smiths.
Dane's the unknown Smith. He's just recently recovered from a bunch of injuries and surgeries from his baseball days and is younger and smaller than the other two Smiths, but he's got the crazy pain train mindset it takes to be a good CrossFitter.
Scott Panchik, for better or worse, has always competed in the shadow of one Rich Froning. This has clearly pushed him to take his fitness to the next level, but it's also put him in a position to always be a groomsmen and never a groom at the Games. After finishing 6th in 2015 while competing with a torn plantar fascia, he's feeling healthy and ready to take 2016 by storm.
Spencer not only looks like his older brother, but he's got fitness like his older brother. He's been improving quickly and spending his time training with Scott and their brother Saxon has clearly done great things for him. Wodapalooza will be a good time to see how he fares at a larger competition and will also test him mentally as it takes him out of his cold and snowy comfort zone and puts him in the middle of Miami.
Saxon's got goals, and they're entirely doable. Between training with a powerhouse like Scott and sharing his work ethic and genes, it's a good start to what will likley be a long and successful competitive career.
The Smith Syndicate is slightly older, slightly more experienced, and has the Champ on their team. The Panchik Posse is skilled and fit, and Saxon has been on the podium in competitions against Games athletes. With that said though, I'm giving the edge to the Panchiks. It's a close call, and even though Ben and Alec are a pretty obvious choice, I think alliteration is the going to be the key to real teamwork and Scott, Saxon, and Spencer will take it.
But don't let me hog all the opinion giving. Vote below and let me know what you think!
