By Lincoln Shryack

Welcome to the first weekend of Regionals! Nine total regions will be contested across the globe over the next three weeks to determine which five athletes per region (Meridian Regional will have four qualifiers, Latin America will get one) are fit enough to move on to August’s Crossfit Games. Everybody who’s anybody will be testing themselves over the next month in a grueling series of six events to try to punch their tickets to Madison, Wisconsin, for the Games in early August.

Of course, we’re always focused on the cream of the crop, so we’re going to be highlighting the top male and female athletes to watch for each upcoming weekend. The three regionals up first will be: East (Albany, New York), South (Salt Lake City, Utah), and Europe (Berlin, Germany).

Patrick Vellner, 27, East Regional

The third-Fittest Man on Earth over the last two years, Patrick Vellner of Canada is the marquee name at this weekend’s East Regional in Albany, New York, where the 27-year-old finished runner-up in 2017 to Fittest Man on Earth Mathew Fraser. With Fraser competing in the Central Regional this year, Vellner looks to be the top dog in Albany as he tries to take his first Regional title.

2018 has already been a great year for the Canadian, as Vellner recorded his best-ever finish in the Open by placing fifth overall. He also beat 2017 fourth-place Games finisher Noah Ohlsen soundly in their head-to-head 18.2 matchup on March 1, an excellent W for Vellner as he tested his early-season fitness.

Perhaps the toughest competition for Vellner in a slightly watered-down region will be New York’s own Tim Paulson. Paulson finally qualified for the Games last year on his fifth try, placing 19th overall in his first appearance on the big stage. The 28-year-old Paulson isn’t likely to be quite on Vellner’s level this weekend, but after a career-best ninth-place finish in the Open this season and with the added boost of competing close to home for this Regional, Paulson just might have what it takes to score an upset.