Ricky vs Roman: CrossFit’s Subsequent Nice Rivalry Continues at TYR Wodapalooza as Garard Comes Out on High

The 2023 TYR Wodapalooza got here to a detailed for the person athletes on Friday, January 13. They took on three extra occasions–two with two components–they usually battled for the three podium spots. The race finally got here right down to Ricky Garard and Roman Khrennikov, who placed on an unimaginable present and continued CrossFit’s subsequent nice rivalry because the Australian nudged out his counterpart.

Occasion 4: We Have Carry Off – The opening occasion on Friday was a two-parter, however it was solely price 100 whole factors. The athletes began with three carry makes an attempt the place that they had 20 seconds to aim a one-rep max clear and jerk. They then transitioned to a parallette free-standing handstand maintain for max time. The carry accounted for 60% of the rating whereas the maintain was the remaining 40%.

• Guilherme Malheiros was the story of the clear and jerk. The Brazilian has a repute for spectacular lifts, and he didn’t disappoint.
• Malheiros shocked the announcers by efficiently lifting a record-setting 395 kilos. He was unable to show in a powerful time on the handstand maintain, however he nonetheless locked up some essential factors contemplating that he entered the occasion thirtieth total and left 18th.
• Strive as they could, not one of the different athletes might get inside attain of Malheiros’ weight. Although a number of turned in higher handstand holds. A becoming instance is Cole Greashaber, who solely completed 18th within the carry earlier than simply profitable the handstand maintain.  
• The early heats introduced the thunder throughout the clear and jerk, however the podium contenders simply carried out constantly. Garard, Patrick Vellner, and Khrennikov all maintained their stops atop the leaderboard after delivering sturdy lifts and constant instances on the handstand maintain.

Occasion 5: Double Shot With a Splash – This grueling occasion featured two rounds with three actions. The athletes began with 50 wall ball photographs (30 kilos) after which they accomplished an open-water swim. They capped off every spherical with 150 drag rope double unders.

• As soon as once more, Malheiros turned heads throughout the first warmth of the exercise. He was calm and picked up all through each rounds as he posted the highest time at 16:12.16. He wanted to remain above the 20-athlete cutline, and this time finally secured fifth place within the occasion and thirteenth place on the general leaderboard.
• The second and remaining warmth was all about Khrennikov and Garard. The 2 podium finishers from the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Video games continued their back-and-forth battle that has lasted a number of months throughout a number of competitions.
• Khrennikov completed the second set of wall ball photographs first, however a difficulty together with his goggles opened up the door for Garard to take the lead as soon as once more on the swim.
• The battle between Garard and Khrennikov got here right down to the ultimate set of double unders. Garard had the lead, however he stopped on his second set of fifty whereas Khrennikov saved going.
• A missed rep by Khrennikov opened up a chance for Garard, however the Russian finally crossed the end line a tenth of a second forward for his third occasion win.
• Whereas Khrennikov and Garard battled for first, Brent Fikowski did regular Fikowski issues. He calmly labored his approach via the occasion and completed third total to lock up one other 90 factors and preserve himself inside attain of a possible podium spot.  
• What about Vellner? The perennial TYR Wodapalooza champion needed to take a number of breaks throughout his remaining spherical of double unders. He completed the occasion twelfth total, however he dropped beneath Khrennikov on the general leaderboard.

Occasion 6: Miami Meat Market and Soiled Isabel – The ultimate particular person occasion shook out over two components. The primary–Miami Meat Market–featured three rounds of 25 chest-to-bar pull-ups and 15 dumbbell bench press, which went instantly into 30 energy on the Echo Bike.

The second a part of the ultimate occasion–Soiled Isabel–was nasty after the entire earlier occasions. The athletes had one minute to relaxation after the earlier occasion’s time cap, after which they needed to full 30 bar-facing burpees and 30 unbroken energy snatches at 125 kilos. Each time they set the bar down, they needed to full three extra bar-facing burpees.

• Khrennikov entered the Miami Meat Market with three occasion wins, which put him solely 30 factors behind Garard. He went out and captured his fourth occasion win whereas Garard completed second. Vellner and Melheiros rounded out the highest 4 and arrange an thrilling end.
• Soiled Isabel was nasty on paper, and it was even worse for the male athletes. They went deep into the ache cave whereas making an attempt to finish all of their bar-facing burpees and energy snatches.
• Dallin Pepper received the occasion after getting capped on the Miami Meat Market. This took away 100 potential factors from Khrennikov. Henrik Haapalainen then completed second and took 90 factors away.
• Vellner didn’t seize one other TYR Wodapalooza title, however he had one other sturdy efficiency. He capped off the two-day occasion with a third-place end, and he secured one other podium end whereas grabbing 80 factors of his personal.
• There was nonetheless yet another alternative for Khrennikov to cross Garard and probably level his method to the highest of the rostrum, however he was not ready to take action. His breaks after the penalty burpees had been longer, which helped Garard draw back for the ultimate time.
• Khrennikov nonetheless delivered a podium end in his first look in Miami. He completed second total and confirmed that he’ll proceed to be a reputation to look at sooner or later.

The highest-five athletes on the finish of the competitors:

• Ricky Garard – 689 factors
• Roman Khrennikov – 643 factors
• Patrick Vellner – 632 factors
• Brent Fikowski – 541 factors
• Cole Greashaber – 536 factors

One large factor: Is there a contest the place Fikowski doesn’t ship some large moments? The veteran competitor began TYR Wodapalooza with a Seventeenth-place end and adopted it up with a ninth. He gave the impression to be out of rivalry, however he instantly locked up 185 factors in Begin Quick, End Sturdy A and B.

• Fikowski continued to make strikes throughout the remaining day of the person competitors. He steadily labored his approach up the leaderboard with sturdy performances, headlined by the third-place end in Double Shot With a Splash. He then capped off Friday with two extra constant finishes, which helped him leapfrog Mathew.

The underside line: CrossFit has at all times had fascinating rivalries. Wealthy Froning vs. Scott Panchik throughout the 2014 Central East Regionals is on the high of the checklist. Then there was Ben Smith vs. Mat Fraser in 2015 and Fraser vs. Noah Ohlsen in 2019. There are a number of others, however these are some standout examples.

• Now we have now Garard vs. Khrennikov – a rivalry constructed out of mutual respect that breaks via language obstacles. The 2 males are fierce opponents, they usually each carry out extraordinarily properly whatever the problem. Having the ability to watch them battle sooner or later solely ensures that CrossFit competitions will nonetheless be unimaginable, particularly when in addition they need to take care of two-time CrossFit Video games champion Justin Medeiros.