The 2023 TYR Wodapalooza (WZA) takes place from Jan. 13-15, 2023, in Miami, FL., and features a host of team workouts that pit three-athlete squads against each other. All of these events culminate in a finale called “Kitchen Sync,” a two-part workout that tests each team’s strength, speed, and mobility. WZA announced the full event — parts A and B — on Jan. 11, 2023. Here’s what to expect from part A:
2023 TYR Wodapalooza Team Event — “Kitchen Sync A”
There’s a lot going on for this one. At three separate times, two of the three athletes on each team will do one synchronized movement and one movement for reps. This gives each team a chance to highlight all three possible sets of pairs, potentially skipping over the one combination that might not suit each person best.
Athletes 1 & 2:
- 60 Synchronized Toes to Bar
- 50 Box Jump-Overs: 30 Inches for Men | 24 Inches for Women
Athletes 2 & 3:
- 60-meter Synchronized Dumbbell Overhead Walking Lunges: 80 Pounds for Men | 50 Pounds for Women
- 50 Dumbbell Bench Press: 80 Pounds for Men | 50 Pounds for Women
Athletes 1 & 3:
- 60 Synchronized Wall Balls: 30 Pounds for Men | 20 Pounds for Women
- 50-meter Handstand Walk: 50 Feet, 25 Feet, Unbroken 25-foot Section
Time Cap: 15 minutes
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Picks to Win | Men’s Team — GOWOD: Roman Khrennikov, Willy Georges, Jay Crouch
Three individual CrossFit Games athletes on one team had to get a mention in one of these previews. This squad will likely be in the hunt for a podium spot heading into this event, and each athlete has a unique skill set that can put them over the top here. Look for Willy Georges and Jay Crouch to kick things off, leaving the road clear for Roman Khrennikov to come in for the weightlifting-focused parts two and three.
Picks to Win | Women’s Team — The Girls: Christine Kolenbrander, Alexis Raptis, Fee Saghafi
Like the men’s team above, this women’s squad will likely be set for a podium spot late in the competition. It’s a balanced team in terms of each member’s skills — Christine Kolenbrander and Alexis Raptis have a good blend of gymnastics and weightlifting capacity, while Fee Saghafi has been building up her strength this offseason and might get to show that off with the heavy wall balls at the end. If they can pull off that portion of the workout, The Girls should have a strong showing in this finale.
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[Related: CrossFit Performance of the Week: Kelly Shirley Hits Two PRs in Two Days]
Dark Horses | Men’s Team — Smith Bros: Ben Smith, Alec Smith, Dane Smith
The Smith Bros placed second in the men’s team of three back at WZA in 2017. They’ve all gone on their own journeys since then, but the bond of brothership remains. It’s great to see them back out in Miami competing together again, and this workout seems to be right up their alley. Alec and Dane will likely get things started, leaving Ben to come in to crush some bench press in the middle couplet. Though this team likely won’t land on the podium, they could close strong and surge into the top 10.
Dark Horses | Women’s Team — Team FLEO: Kelsey Kiel, Winter Nicolette Rodriguez, Nicole Soto
The women from the eighth-place CrossFit Games squad Move Fast Lift Heavy — Winter Nicolette Rodriguez and Nicole Soto — made the brilliant move to team up with Kelsey Kiel from the 11th-place Games team OBA. Kiel offers some top-end power and a diverse range of skills that will help her keep up with the other two when needed. Teams need to capitalize on members’ strengths to succeed at this workout while avoiding each person’s weaknesses. For team FLEO, rotating two at a time should be a better option than any workout requiring three-person synchronization.
Featured Image: @christine.kole on Instagram
