CrossFit Games

PRVN Fitness is Stacked and Ready to Take the CrossFit Season by Storm

March 9, 2021 by
Photo Credit: CrossFit LLC (https://www.instagram.com/crossfitgames/)
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The CrossFit season is about to start, and PRVN Fitness has stocked up on talented athletes in order to make some noise. The camp that started with four-time champion Tia-Clair Toomey now has an experienced roster featuring CrossFit Games veterans from both the male and female divisions. 

Remind me: Shane Orr released his PRVN Fitness program years ago, but it became a household name during the COVID-altered 2020 season. The Instagram account began posting workouts for followers to test in April, many of which had the label of “Tia-Clair Toomey’s Daily Programming.” Following the 2020 CrossFit Games and Toomey’s fourth straight title, the camp began increasing in size. The first addition was six-time Games competitor Brooke Wells, who finished fifth in 2020 and then amicably parted ways with longtime coach Ben Bergeron and his CompTrain program.

  • Wells burst onto the scene in 2015, winning the Central East Regional at the age of 19. She headed to the Games and finished 15th overall while impressing analysts and peers alike with a standout rookie performance. 
  • She has continued to raise expectations in the years since by being the only female athlete to complete the deadlift ladder in 2016, winning the Central Regional in 2018, and securing three top-10 finishes at the Games. Now that she is in Tennessee and on the PRVN roster, Wells faces even higher expectations. 

From Krypton to Tennessee: The second athlete added to the PRVN roster is a man known for his athletic abilities and ability to lift heavy weights. Alec Smith made it to the Games in 2017 and 2018 as an individual after impressive performances at the Atlantic Regional but pursued an Affiliate Cup championship during the 2019 season. The CrossFit Krypton team finished second to CrossFit Mayhem Freedom.

  • After one season away due to a much smaller field and no team competition, Smith is back in action with a new team. He also moved to Brentwood, TN and became the first male athlete on the PRVN team. Though he wasn’t the last to embrace Orr’s program.  

The comeback continues: Will Moorad, the man who programs for CrossFit Trivium in Brentwood, finished 14th at the CrossFit Games in 2014. He was poised to take on the world and become a household name, but a misdiagnosis forced him to miss five years. 

  • Moorad returned to the Games in 2019 and registered his first career top-10 finish. He was one of a multitude of athletes to miss the Games in 2020 due to the revised guidelines. Now 31 years old, Moorad is ready to fight for a spot at the Games once again.

The complete Tennessee team: When PRVN added Wells, Smith, and Moorad, there were immediate questions about the fourth member of the Brentwood squad. PRVN answered these questions by adding 26-year-old Streat Hoerner. 

  • Like his teammates, the Iowa native has CrossFit Games experience. He placed 14th in 2017 and returned to the Games in 2019. Hoerner did not make it past the first cut and saw his weekend come to an end with an 86th place finish. 

One more addition: While the majority of PRVN members reside in Tennessee, the newest athlete hails from Australia. The team announced on Feb. 21 that James Newbury was the newest person added to the fold. Next to Toomey and Wells, the 30-year-old has the most experience of the group. 

  • Newbury was a bubble athlete for four years, but he broke through in 2016 and qualified for the CrossFit Games. He headed to California and competed with a stacked field, ultimately finishing 24th.
  • The former semi-professional rugby player has made four appearances at the Games. He finished 26th and 18th in 2017 and 2018, respectively, but 2019 was a career year. Newbury survived the cuts and ended a wild weekend in fifth place. Now the two-time Pacific Regionals champion will search for a spot on the podium. 

Coaches are critical: PRVN Fitness has a stacked roster of athletes, but they are not the only new additions to the team. Orr has taken time to build up his coaching staff. Former CrossFit OC3 coach Nic Johnston was the first to join the fold. Colorado’s Dwight Upshaw, the head coach of CrossFit Sanitas, was the second. CrossFit Torian’s lead coach, Will Kearney, rounded out the group in late February.

Bottom line: There is a considerable amount of Games experience on the PRVN team, as well as a championship foundation. Orr and Toomey have already partnered for four championships. Adding several other talented athletes to the camp just raises expectations even more and creates excitement about the upcoming season.  

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