CrossFit: 'Murph' will test the best at Judgement Day

Kevin Manuel prepares to flip a 260kg "pig" during the 2015 World CrossFit Games in California. Photo/File

New Zealand's fittest athletes, including Hawke's Bay's Kevin Manuel, will take on the toughest CrossFit workout "Murph" at this weekend's Judgement Day event in Hastings.

Judgement Day event organiser Henry Heke said there's been plenty of "social media talk" since Murph was announced as one of the seven workouts of the day (WODs) which the top-tier athletes will compete against each other in.

Like many CrossFit workouts, Murph is named after armed forces personnel who have been killed in the line of duty. Murph is regarded as the toughest of all, with competitors running 1.6 kilometres and then performing 100 pull ups, 200 push ups and 300 squats before finishing with another 1.6km run. To make it even harder, athletes wear a 9kg body armour vest.

"It's got all the athletes both terrified and excited at the same time. I've brought the vests over from the United States especially for the event and I've tried them a couple of times myself and it's one mean workout," former New Zealand Universities rugby league representative Heke said.

Judgement Day is the largest CrossFit team event in New Zealand and as well as RX men's and women's categories, the event also has teams of two competing in scaled, intermediate and masters.

Former Havelock North premier rugby player Manuel, 32, has been a CrossFit competitor for the past eight years. He finished 17th in a 45-strong men's field at the 2015 World CrossFit Games in California.

This weekend Manuel, New Zealand's most successful athlete, will combine with last year's runner-up and fellow Havelock North competitor Jack Facer in the teams event. They are expected to face tough competition from Wellingtonian Michael Mikaere and Canterbury's Dalton Ewing.

In the RX women's division part of last year's winning pair, Emma Wright is returning with a new partner in fellow Wellingtonian Paige Bradley, while Havelock North's Erin Gladstone and Hayley Becker and Auckland's Krista Sandford-Hill and Morgan Schaeffer will also be vying for podium berths.

Heke said the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds provides the perfect venue for CrossFit, with the main arena hosting the barbell and gymnastic workouts and the outer area being used for workouts of the day, like Murph, which have running as part of their routine.

A swimming-based WOD will be held at Frimley Swimming Pools on Saturday morning. The women's RX Murph will be the feature event on Friday night at the showgrounds while the men "vest up" on Saturday evening.

Heke is also introducing Hāngi Battles to the weekend as he looks to entice more public interest in the event. Four teams will start preparing their hāngi on Friday afternoon before revealing a hāngi taste test to a team of judges including Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Inc chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana.

"We want to create the biggest sport, health and wellbeing event in New Zealand here in the Bay. We've introduced Hāngi Battles this year and in 2020 we are looking at a Health & Wellbeing symposium and BBQ Battles.

"It's not all about fitness, Cross Fitters love to socialise and have fun too and we want more and more of the public to come along and enjoy the event," Heke added.