We’ll come out and say it: The Pacific Regional has the best announcing in CrossFit. The color commentators are knowledgable — especially when it comes to athlete backgrounds and history — as well as legitimately entertaining. And they aren’t afraid to bring some of their own emotions into the equation, putting into words what fans around the globe are mentally screaming as athletes fight for tough reps or heavy lifts.
It’s a pretty great crew all around, but in our opinion, the glue holding it together is Kayla Banfield.
Herself an avid CrossFitter, Banfield is a several-year veteran of Regional announcing — that’s eternity in this sport — and has some legit journalistic chops. She seems to do tons of athlete research and interviews beforehand, and there’s rarely a competitor in the field she doesn’t know something about (that’s probably also thanks to a thorough research team behind her, at least in part).
Banfield also walks the walk and has been CrossFitting for four years.
And she’s not afraid to test out the movements she’ll be commenting on. Here she is working on handstand walks (a self-described weakness) and strict muscle-ups.
Feel that accent tugging on your heartstrings, CrossFit fans? Love a woman who backs up her sporting observations with real experience? Well, slow your romantic role a bit. Banfield is dating James Newbury, an accomplished CrossFit competitor who’s competing as an individual after finishing 5th in Australia out of the Open.
We’re following all the Super Regional competitions this weekend, but with Banfield leading the Pacific team, it’s not surprising if we end up spending a little more time on that one.
Featured image from Kayla Banfield’s Instagram post, embedded above.
