SAO PAULO, Aug. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 4, 5 and 6 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), the 6th edition of the Torneio CrossFit Brasil will be taking place at the Jose Correa Gymnasium in Barueri. During the three days of the tournament, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 43 men and 39 women will be contending for the title of best-conditioned man and woman in the country, in the most important national competition of its kind. Athletes qualified after ensuring their places through eight regional eliminations, divided among cities in the states of Sao Paulo, Pernambuco, the Federal District, Parana and Rio de Janeiro. CrossFit Brasil is underwritten by Reebok, with sponsorships by Fortify Equipamentos and Progenex, support from the municipal government and the Secretary of Athletics of Barueri, Sejativo, VP Consultoria Nutricional, RockTape, PR Newswire, Fit Truck, Auraclara and Sao Paulo Ortopedia. Admission is available through donation of a kilo of non-perishable food per person per day of the competition.
In 2012, 2013 and 2014, the Champion of the Torneio CrossFit Brasil was Francisco Javier, known as Chiquinho, who represents the gym (training center) of CrossFit Jundiai. Once again, he is one of the strongest names at the competition, even though he has not classified this year for the CrossFit Games South Regional, the world event for this specialty. Even so, Brazil has been disqualified, with men represented by Artur Machado, a competitor of Furia CrossFit from Goiania, and by Tarcio Santos, a CrossFit Moema contender from Sao Paulo. This year, the Open, first classifying phase of the CrossFit Games, had more than 265,000 entrants. Among the Brazilian women, special mention goes to Antonelli Nicole, of CrossFit Brasil from Sao Paulo, who finished as the best Latin American woman ranking in 21st place in the Regionals, held in Dallas and who is defending the Torneio CrossFit Brasil title this year. Her main competitors in Barueri come from Brasilia: Marina Ramos, of BSB CrossFit, 2014 TCB champion, and Anita Pravatti, of CrossFit Selva, 2011 champion.
Created in 1995 in the United States and brought to Brazil by Joel Fridman, CrossFit has made itself popular due to its dynamic exercise routine, and already has more than twelve thousand gyms all over the world, more than 500 of them in Brazil. With its functional movements, it sets itself apart through the practice of exercises that are always varying, executed with high intensity. In the U.S., it is the main workout and conditioning program at police academies and in training for the armed forces. Highly popular in Brazil, there has been significant expansion in the number of training centers and practitioners, with some 300 new affiliates opening in the past twelve months.
"This year, we're repeating the 8 Regional Eliminations in all four corners of the country, upholding Torneio CrossFit Brasil's commitment to find the best athletes in the entire country. We've already passed the 30,000-mark for practitioners in official gyms in Brazil," notes event organizer, Thales Antoniolli. "The Eliminations saw a growth in the number of entrants of more than 30% compared to last year, and there's no mistaking that the competitors are getting younger. This shows how attractive this practice is to younger generations, and points to an even greater growth in coming years, so who knows, maybe we'll have a national representative at the CrossFit Games by 2018," Antoniolli concludes.
"The aim is to have a tournament with the best athletes in Brazil, not the largest number of athletes," explains Joel Fridman. Owner of the first official Box for this sport in Brazil, the coach of CrossFit Brasil discloses that for the first time, the event will have 3 days of competition, with trials in the swimming pool, which took many competitors by surprise. "To be a CrossFit athlete means being put to the test in all kinds of challenges under all conditions," Joel explains.
Athletes from 27 cities in 11 different states will compete in the 9 events for this edition, with prizes of R$ 20,000, as well as products by Reebok, Progenex and Fortify.
Becoming popular among celebrities
CrossFit has been gaining popularity due to the benefits of developing, through calisthenics, Olympic gymnastics and Olympic weight lifting the ten physical capacities, such as muscular and aerobic endurance, flexibility, balance and motor coordination, without ever specializing in any type of training. The physical and aesthetic benefits have attracted celebrities to training centers, such as Giovana Antonelli, Bruna Marquezine, Reynaldo Gianecchini, Bruno Gagliasso, Jose Loreto, Claudia Raia, Nicole Bahls and Lucas Lucco. Some of them have even become members of official gyms.
People of all ages and physical conditions can do this, and a list of authorized gyms is available at https://map.crossfit.com/.
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