Crossfit masters athletes battle it out in Rotorua

Rotorua's Shane Love, competing for team Rage Against the Age, performs and overhead lunge during the New Zealand Masters Fours Crossfit competition. Photo / Stephen Parker

As Crossfit grows in popularity as a way to get fit and active, so does it's legitimacy as a competitive sport.

On Friday and Saturday, Rotorua's Crossfit Ruark hosted the New Zealand Masters Fours, the first event of its kind held for masters athletes (aged 35-plus).

CrossFit is designed to test a wide range of fitness aspects, including high-intensity interval training, Olympic weightlifting, plyometrics, power lifting, gymnastics and strongman, and the New Zealand Masters Fours were no different as athletes were put to work in six different events.

Organiser Keanu Flavell said 16 four-person teams competed in the event, which included divisions for beginners, intermediate and Rx (elite).

"It was a definite success, all the athletes have given us positive feedback. It comes down to athlete experience and if they're happy then as an organising body you are too.

"It's quite a new concept, having a masters only competition. Crossfit statistics show that just under 50 per cent of athletes are aged between 25 and 35, so we're trying to formulate something that will allow those athletes to continue competing in the future."

The workouts were programmed by Rob Watt, who has competed at the Crossfit Games Regionals.

"We had weightlifting, swimming, a beep test, an obstacle course - a wide range of things. Crossfit competitions are really inspirational and I think for the athletes it's a good confidence booster and gives them a goal to work towards each year.

"It was incredible to watch masters athletes stepping out of their comfort zone in the first competition for them specifically. Having them step up to compete on the competition floor is probably the biggest achievement. It was a fun weekend and I can't thank them enough for coming.

"Having it in Rotorua was key, because it's so central. We had teams from Auckland, Wellington, Gisborne, Palmerston North, Hamilton, Tauranga, all over the place. I think the biggest risk, in terms of organising a competition, is whether athletes will actually turn up. We proved this weekend that there's definitely a market for that," Flavell said.

New Zealand Masters Fours results

Beginners
1st: FITCOMM (Fitmumz One Tree Hill)
2nd: K-FIT 2 (Kawerau Fitness)

Intermediate
1st: HAPI TIMEZ (CrossFit MANA)
2nd: The Old and the Beautiful (CrossFit MANA)
3rd: RAGE AGAINST THE AGE (Rotorua)

Rx
1st: 4010 Ole'Whakas (CrossFit 4010)
2nd: WODEVA (CrossFit MANA)
3rd: My drinking partners have a CrossFit problem (Rotovegas Boxing & Fitness)