CrossFit Games

IE1 Recap: Was the Swim or the Kayak More Important?

July 28, 2021 by
Credit: Athlete’s Eye Photography
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Once the details of Individual Event 1 were announced by Dave Castro at the athlete dinner on Monday night, the looming question for some was whether the swim or the kayak would hold more weight in terms of overall performance.

It was very hectic at the transition, but we were able to track the top ten male and female athletes coming out of the water following the swim, and then compared them to the overall finishing positions. 

Color-coded Key:

  • Green = same exact position following the swim as the athlete was in at the conclusion of the event (four men, one woman).
  • Yellow = athlete was in the top ten after the swim and at the end of the event, but not in the exact same position (four men, seven women).
  • Red = athlete was in the top ten after the swim but not the kayak (two men, two women).
  • Purple = athlete was not in the top ten after the swim, but was in the top ten after the kayak (two men, two women).

Notable Performances:

  • Alex Vigneault made a major move into third overall after being outside the top ten following the swim.
  • Emily Rolfe was the biggest mover for the women finishing 4th overall after being outside the top ten after the swim portion.
  • Jayson Hopper who many were curious about when it came to proficiency in the water finished a respectable 12th.
  • Kara Saunders who had been first and 6th in two previous CrossFit Games events with a paddle board, finished 20th in this event with the kayak.
  • Patrick Vellner, a pre-competition favorite for many, continues to struggle in water events at the Games; he placed 35th.

*Note that all standings are unofficial.

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