NorCal MastersFeb 3, 2016 by Armen Hammer
NorCal Masters Recap
NorCal Masters Recap
TJ's Gym was the host of one of the bigger Masters Fitness competitions in the country. The 2016 NorCal Masters was a two day event that tested athletes ove
TJ's Gym was the host of one of the bigger Masters Fitness competitions in the country. The 2016 NorCal Masters was a two day event that tested athletes over the age of 40 in all aspects of their fitness. The level of competition was high as several of the competitors who were in the building had experience at the CrossFit Games. The energy that was coming from those participating as well as everyone who was there cheering their favorite athlete on was contagious throughout the building as well as to anyone who watched the webcast live here on FloElite.com. Replays are available for anyone who missed the event or for anyone in attendance or watching that would like to see it again.
Tim Dymmel took the win in the division by setting the tone early in the first workout which began with a 3 rep max in the hang clean. Dymmel worked with 250 pounds. Dymmel would go to win 5 of the 7 preliminary workouts as well as being the only competitor in the Top 5 to finish the final workout and he was in 2nd place behind Cory Hall when the workout started. The final round was 6 rep snatches with 175 lbs. followed by 4 bar muscle-ups followed by 4 ring muscle-ups. The cycle repeats 6/3/3, 6/2/2, and 6/1/1. Hall finished in 2nd followed by Chris Exarhos in 3rd, Matt Pearson in 4th, and Andrew Graham rounding out the Top 5.
Kelly Edelmann from CrossFit Blizzard was dominant throughout the weekend, and although she didn't finish the final workout, the CrossFIt athlete did come the closest and even after being penalized for reps not completed was still the runaway winner. Shannon Winslade was the runner up followed by Maria Bruno. Connie Schmidt was 4th and in 5th place was Michelle Hunter.
Shawn Marsh had a great first day and was off to a great start on Day 2. Although he finished 16th in his heat during the 5th workout, a 11 minute timecap of back to back 500 meter runs and 500 meter rows twice, he was still in the lead going into the last workout and came the closest to finishing the workout, having to work with 155 pound snatches. Coming in 2nd was Hank Sprinkle who actually won the Chipper workout. 3rd place went to Matt Cia followed by 4th place finisher Rich Seadler. 5th place went to Martin H. (Editors, this is how he is listed on the competitor list.)
Christy Hurley of CrossFit Double Time didn't place higher than 5th in any of the Day 1 events but placings of 3rd, 2nd, and 1st put her in position to be the leader based on points going into the final workout. She won her division even after failing to complete the last workout. (Only five athletes were able to complete all four rounds in less than 7 minutes.) Even though Erika Benevides won the final workout, she would finish in second place on points. Third place went to Stacey Dunk, fourth was Monique Londeree, and fifth went to Kelly Greco.
This division came down to Freddy Camacho and Troy Miller and after the final workout was over, Camacho would take the win after only being penalized a couple of seconds for reps missed. Miller won three of the five events on Day 1. Jeff Baptista would podium on Sunday, taking 3rd followed by Jeff Reilly and Berkeley "Augie" Johnson in 4th and 5th respectively.
CrossFit Jigsaw's Diane Urban competed in the CrossFit Games last year but the police chief withdrew after a tragedy in her department occurred. The announcer shared that fact as she was dominating the final workout, finishing at 6:35 of the seven minute cap. For her division, the athletes did chest to bar pullups and ring dips instead of muscle-ups, which was the same for the women's 55+ division. Four of the Top Five in the final workout (Urban, April Watkins, Cindy Kelley, and Karen Smith all have CrossFIt Games experience. Kelley and Watkins would podium in 2nd and 3rd. Jacqueline Janet took 4th and Smith rounded out the Top 5.
One note about another competitor in this division. The first workout of Day 2 was 20 calories on the airdyne bike, 20 reps of deadlifts with 165 pounds for this division, 20 burpees, 20 overhead dumbbell press with 25 pound dumbbells, 40 situps, and then 20 more reps each of the presses, burpees, deadlifts, and 20 calories on the bike again. Kim Tom was able to do all 40 deadlifts in the round with 165 which was twice her bodyweight. Tom finished in 7th overall but the announcers recognized her feat during this workout.
Tim Lyons and Ross Bishop were going head to head in the final workout until Lyons got called for a no rep on his second round of muscle ups. At this point Bishop was able to move ahead and take the win. However based on points, Lyons would still be declared the winner of the division. Terry Dickman, Bill Johnston, and Donald Michie would finish 3rd, 4th, and 5th both in the final workout as well as in the overall placings.
These ladies actually competed in the final workout first along with the men in the 60+ division. Kim Camacho dominated the session which for them included 75 pound snatches, chest to bar pullups, and ring dips. Camacho finished in an incredible 4:52. Ana Larrus would also finish the workout before the timecap, finishing in 6:17 and clinching the runner up spot on the podium. This division was the only division to have multiple athletes finish the final workout. Denise Brown also podiumed by finishing 3rd in the final session. Overall, Kathy Miller and Stephanie Luck rounded out the Top 5.
Michael Costello and John Michelmore both qualified for the final workout but had to withdraw due to injury. That left Clarke Holland, Marshall Delk, and John Kane to battle it out for the 60+ title. When the final seconds ticked off the clock, Holland was the closest to completing the final challenge and would take the win both in the workout and overall. Although Michelmore didn't compete in the final, he fared well enough on points based on his top 5 finishes in every other event that he was still able to secure the runner up spot. Delk finished 3rd both in the workout and overall. Kane's 2nd place finish during the final event to leap frog Costello for fourth.
If you want to see any of the happenings from the NorCal Masters that you may have missed, log on to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and search for the hashtag #NorCalMasters. If you were at the event, share your highlights on social media by using that same hashtag so others can share your experience.
Reporting by Roger Lockridge
Men 40-44 Division
Tim Dymmel took the win in the division by setting the tone early in the first workout which began with a 3 rep max in the hang clean. Dymmel worked with 250 pounds. Dymmel would go to win 5 of the 7 preliminary workouts as well as being the only competitor in the Top 5 to finish the final workout and he was in 2nd place behind Cory Hall when the workout started. The final round was 6 rep snatches with 175 lbs. followed by 4 bar muscle-ups followed by 4 ring muscle-ups. The cycle repeats 6/3/3, 6/2/2, and 6/1/1. Hall finished in 2nd followed by Chris Exarhos in 3rd, Matt Pearson in 4th, and Andrew Graham rounding out the Top 5.
Women 40-44 Division
Kelly Edelmann from CrossFit Blizzard was dominant throughout the weekend, and although she didn't finish the final workout, the CrossFIt athlete did come the closest and even after being penalized for reps not completed was still the runaway winner. Shannon Winslade was the runner up followed by Maria Bruno. Connie Schmidt was 4th and in 5th place was Michelle Hunter.
Men 45-49 Division
Shawn Marsh had a great first day and was off to a great start on Day 2. Although he finished 16th in his heat during the 5th workout, a 11 minute timecap of back to back 500 meter runs and 500 meter rows twice, he was still in the lead going into the last workout and came the closest to finishing the workout, having to work with 155 pound snatches. Coming in 2nd was Hank Sprinkle who actually won the Chipper workout. 3rd place went to Matt Cia followed by 4th place finisher Rich Seadler. 5th place went to Martin H. (Editors, this is how he is listed on the competitor list.)
Women 45-49 Division
Christy Hurley of CrossFit Double Time didn't place higher than 5th in any of the Day 1 events but placings of 3rd, 2nd, and 1st put her in position to be the leader based on points going into the final workout. She won her division even after failing to complete the last workout. (Only five athletes were able to complete all four rounds in less than 7 minutes.) Even though Erika Benevides won the final workout, she would finish in second place on points. Third place went to Stacey Dunk, fourth was Monique Londeree, and fifth went to Kelly Greco.
Men 50-54 Division
This division came down to Freddy Camacho and Troy Miller and after the final workout was over, Camacho would take the win after only being penalized a couple of seconds for reps missed. Miller won three of the five events on Day 1. Jeff Baptista would podium on Sunday, taking 3rd followed by Jeff Reilly and Berkeley "Augie" Johnson in 4th and 5th respectively.
Women's 50-54 Division
CrossFit Jigsaw's Diane Urban competed in the CrossFit Games last year but the police chief withdrew after a tragedy in her department occurred. The announcer shared that fact as she was dominating the final workout, finishing at 6:35 of the seven minute cap. For her division, the athletes did chest to bar pullups and ring dips instead of muscle-ups, which was the same for the women's 55+ division. Four of the Top Five in the final workout (Urban, April Watkins, Cindy Kelley, and Karen Smith all have CrossFIt Games experience. Kelley and Watkins would podium in 2nd and 3rd. Jacqueline Janet took 4th and Smith rounded out the Top 5.
One note about another competitor in this division. The first workout of Day 2 was 20 calories on the airdyne bike, 20 reps of deadlifts with 165 pounds for this division, 20 burpees, 20 overhead dumbbell press with 25 pound dumbbells, 40 situps, and then 20 more reps each of the presses, burpees, deadlifts, and 20 calories on the bike again. Kim Tom was able to do all 40 deadlifts in the round with 165 which was twice her bodyweight. Tom finished in 7th overall but the announcers recognized her feat during this workout.
Men 55-59 Division
Tim Lyons and Ross Bishop were going head to head in the final workout until Lyons got called for a no rep on his second round of muscle ups. At this point Bishop was able to move ahead and take the win. However based on points, Lyons would still be declared the winner of the division. Terry Dickman, Bill Johnston, and Donald Michie would finish 3rd, 4th, and 5th both in the final workout as well as in the overall placings.
Women 55+
These ladies actually competed in the final workout first along with the men in the 60+ division. Kim Camacho dominated the session which for them included 75 pound snatches, chest to bar pullups, and ring dips. Camacho finished in an incredible 4:52. Ana Larrus would also finish the workout before the timecap, finishing in 6:17 and clinching the runner up spot on the podium. This division was the only division to have multiple athletes finish the final workout. Denise Brown also podiumed by finishing 3rd in the final session. Overall, Kathy Miller and Stephanie Luck rounded out the Top 5.
Men 60+
Michael Costello and John Michelmore both qualified for the final workout but had to withdraw due to injury. That left Clarke Holland, Marshall Delk, and John Kane to battle it out for the 60+ title. When the final seconds ticked off the clock, Holland was the closest to completing the final challenge and would take the win both in the workout and overall. Although Michelmore didn't compete in the final, he fared well enough on points based on his top 5 finishes in every other event that he was still able to secure the runner up spot. Delk finished 3rd both in the workout and overall. Kane's 2nd place finish during the final event to leap frog Costello for fourth.
If you want to see any of the happenings from the NorCal Masters that you may have missed, log on to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and search for the hashtag #NorCalMasters. If you were at the event, share your highlights on social media by using that same hashtag so others can share your experience.
Reporting by Roger Lockridge