MOUNT VERNON — They were climbing the walls at CrossFit on Friday night, but it wasn’t all bad.
Members of the local CrossFit on Fairgrounds Road, were participating in the third and final leg of the 2025 CrossFit Open.
As the name implies, the competition is “Open” to organizations around the world, with the finals set for Albany, New York in August.
The local event saw participants engage in 10 events with a time cap of 20 minutes. Members weren’t actually “climbing the walls,” the stage was called the wall walk. Contestants would take a position on the floor much like a push-up and then walk up the wall behind them.
Included in the challenges were, rowing machines, 25 deadlifts, 25 XCleans where the lifter moves the barbell from the floor to the shoulders in one continuous motion. The Snatch required the lifter to take the barbell from the floor to an overhead position in one motion.
“In terms of the Open as a whole, which is what we completed this week, it’s just fun and sharing with other people across the world doing the same thing,” local CrossFit owner Nick Fiorilli explained.
“Whether you are a beginner or have been doing this for 15 years, everybody’s doing the same thing and can relate to how hard this is.”
Training ahead of the Open competition is a must, not necessarily a rule, but to be in shape enough to complete the exercise.
“This is what CrossFit embodies,” Fiorilli said. “You know this stuff is going to be hard, but it is as hard as you want to make it.
“It depends upon how much effort you want to bring to the gym, because life is hard, and the more you do in the workout, the easier things can be outside of the gym.”
Preparing to begin his timed workout, 68-year-old Ron Riel, who along with his wife Cathy are members and competing together.
“I’m the old timer here,” Riel said. “I work out to stay in shape so that I can do things I like outside of the gym.”
The Riels have at least one extra incentive to stay in shape.
“I have a 7-year-old granddaughter and I want to be able to keep up with her,” Ron said.
The workouts at CrossFit are personalized and supervised.
“When I am asked how much a membership is, I tell folks, ‘I don’t know you,’ much of it depends upon what you want to accomplish,” Fiorilli said. “Everyone’s goals and intentions are a little different.
“It is difficult but, it is a little easier when someone is there with you, pushing you and if not pushing you, encouraging you.”
Riel echoed the owner’s sentiments.
“It is a great atmosphere and everyone helps everyone else.”
Because this is a global event with 39 countries participating in 2024, total rankings are not yet available.
