The Asia CrossFit Championship, formerly known as the China Invitational, took place this weekend in Shanghai. In an event full of action and incredibly exciting moments, we have rounded up the highlights for you to enjoy!
@supercleary #acc2019 #ACC #accmoments #asiacrossfitchampionship #chinainvitational #全力遊戲 #crossfitgames #CrossFit #Sanctionals Programmed by @hamplan @reebok @cluster.ltd @concept2china @competitioncorner @wodproof @bearkomplex @wodproof @theclinic.international @precor @assaultairbikeASIA CROSSFIT CHAMPIONSHIP – SATURDAY
The event started off with a demanding workout featuring 4 rounds of:
- Run 400m
- 10 Sandbag Cleans
- Male 150lb / Female 100lb
- Time cap: 15 minutes
Favourites Brent Fikowski and Kristin Holte both won the two events of the first day of competition in Shanghai.
Fikowski had a bit of a push on the first event from Ant Haynes, with both athletes trading the lead back and forth until the final leg. In the end, the Canadian took the win.
Behind Fikowski at the end of the first day was Kristof Horvath, followed by Josh Woodhull.
Holte dominated the women’s competition, with the Norwegian beating the whole field clean after the first day. She was followed by Eik Gylfadottir and Alethea Boon.
Team Mayhem Freedom led the team event, winning workouts featuring treadmill running, the log carry, wallballs and handstands. Behind them were ALTR Project and Team Invictus Grown Strong.
SUNDAY
Wrapping off day two, Kristin Holte was also confirmed leader of the event, winning all four events of the Asia CrossFit Championships so far. No woman managed to finish the fourth event within the time limit.
With Iceland’s Eik Gylfadottir finishing second at each event, pressure was applied to Holte to not relax into the last day of competition if she wanted to keep her spot at the top.
On the men’s field, Australia’s Zeke Grove won the fourth event of the competition, beating the whole field in an unquestionable manner – just check this out.
• @asiacrossfitchampionship #SanctionalsNevertheless, the leader board stayed the same after the end of the second day, with Fikowski still sitting first.
Team Mayhem Freedom continued with their winning streak, but were closely followed by Team Invictus Grown Strong, who finished the day seeded second, and Project X, seeded third.
One incredible performance on Sunday came from South Korea’s Doomok Lim, who unfortunately sliced his hand open with a knife the day before the event and had to had stiches. Unable to use his left hand, he still competed in the C2 Triathlon with just one hand, finishing the 2km Ski Erg and the 4km Row.
MONDAY – THE FINAL DAY
New Zealand’s Alethea Boon took away Holte’s winning streak at the fifth event of the competition, showing incredible form at the legless rope climbs and handstand walks.
It was a close finish on the sixth event, with American Dana Paran taking the win three seconds ahead of Britton Katie Wreghitt, who was followed two seconds afterwards by Kristin Holte.
Dana Paran came back to the regular competition after having competed as an adaptive athlete at the online qualifying stage of Wodapalooza in Miami.
With four first-place finishes however, Kristin Holte won the Assian CrossFit Championships and, with that, an invitation to the CrossFit Games this year.
On the men’s field, Iakov Filimonov from Russia won the fifth event, followed by Britton Will Kane – who hit the red button one second later – and Shingo Moromasa from Japan, who finished three seconds after Kane.
The sixth event, which featured a 50 Calories Assault Bike and Double DB Overhead Walking Lunges (60) was indisputably won by Fikowski. The Canadian had spent nine days in Shanghai acclimatising to the city and the time zone change.
Having finished fourth at the 2018 CrossFit Games, Fikowski was still to secure a place at this year’s biggest competiton. Yet, with four event wins at the ACC, he went on to win overall and get his invitation to the 2019 CrossFit Games.
| punching that button to the @crossfitgames On the team side, CrossFit Mayhem Freedom were unbeatable throughout the competition, winning all six events and earning themselves an invitation back to the 2019 CrossFit Games. Team Invictus Grown Strong took the second place and Torian Black the third.
Talking to the South China Morning Post before the competition, Liang Kong, CrossFit’s country manager in China said: “The ACC (Asia CrossFit Championship) is not a competition. It is the Belt and Road for connecting China [and] this profound ancient continent, with the rest of the world … It is the initiative for making CrossFit a part of the Middle Kingdom’s movement pattern.”
CrossFit has been expanding rapidly in China, with 112 affiliates in the country according to CrossFit’s Official Affiliate Map.
Talking to the SCMP, Greg Glassman said: “I think it’s entirely possible that CrossFit’s simple aim of making people healthy is beneficial to all systems. Whether it’s Hong Kong or Macau or the rest of China.”
Now with two Sanctioned events, the second happening in December in Chengdu, the sport is likely to get even more attention in the country.