Reps Ahead Pro 2 Showcase Results: Dallin Pepper and Alexis Raptis Claim Victory
On Saturday, March 30, the Reps Ahead Pro 2 Showcase — the second Reps Ahead event with professional athletes — went down in Jacksonville, FL, at CrossFit Tailwinds.
While this is the 10th overall Reps Ahead event since its inception, it is one of the first to feature CrossFit Games competitors. Check out the results below.
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Reps Ahead Pro 2 Showcase Results
In the main women’s competition, Alexis Raptis edged out friend and competitor Fee Saghafi by two reps, going the maximum seven rounds.
Dallin Pepper and James Sprague also went the distance, with Pepper hanging on to a lead that he built from round one. When it was all said and done, Pepper finished 12 reps ahead of Sprague.
Remind me: The Reps Ahead format is interval-based, pitting one athlete against another as they strive to reach a designated number of reps ahead of the opponent.
For this event, athletes tackled a sequence of:
- 36 double-unders
- 6 hang squat cleans (165/110 pounds)
- 6 bar muscle-ups
In true Reps Ahead style, the competition ended either after seven rounds (two minutes on, one minute of rest) or once an athlete reached a 40-rep lead.
Two “undercard” matches with local athletes preceded the two featuring the pros. The 40-rep margin was only reached in the first of these matches when Alex Richard defeated Lee Pinkham in round six.
Victory wasn’t determined in the remaining three matches until the seven rounds were over. In the second undercard match, Ryley Humrighouse defeated Malachi Bennett by two reps with a dramatic, down-to-the-wire finish.
The Main Card
Match three featured Saghafi and Raptis. Fierce competitors and close friends, the two Games vets paced off each other throughout the match, both breaking up the hang squat cleans into two sets from round one.
After two even rounds, Raptis gained one rep on Saghafi in three consecutive rounds. In round six, Raptis took advantage of a few double-under mishaps by Saghafi to increase her lead to six reps.
Raptis then had what seemed like a comfortable cushion going into the final round. Both athletes turned up the intensity to a new level. They sailed through the double-unders, went unbroken on the hang squat cleans, and stayed unbroken on the bar muscle-ups.
After two intervals through the workout sequence, Saghafi was able to gain a few quick reps by hustling to her jump rope, giving the fans an exciting finish. But Raptis had done enough previously to win the close battle by three reps.
In the final matchup of the event, Pepper was able to hang on to an early lead on the back of fast, efficient double-unders. At the end of the first round, as the athletes sat on benches in their respective “corners,” Sprague had some words (of encouragement?) for Pepper, who kept his game face on. Pepper then continued to increase his lead in each of the first six rounds.
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Sprague trailed by 14 reps going into the seventh and final round. He fought until the end, knowing he had to send it to give himself a chance. He gained two reps in the final round with valiant effort, but the victory went to Pepper, who finished 12 reps ahead.
What they’re saying: The pro athletes agreed that the event was a success and would do it again if given the opportunity.
- “I would absolutely do this again, and I hope we continue to see athletes jump in on this. It’s so different than what we normally do. It’s refreshing, and fun, and the stakes are high,” Pepper told commentator Brian Friend in his post-match interview.
- “I’ve never done an event like this, which always makes new experiences even more exciting,” Saghafi said.
Reps Ahead Strategies
The women spoke before the match, agreeing that, based on their similar level of fitness, the competition would most likely go all seven rounds. They both decided to push the pace yet stay under control until it was time to race on the final two-minute interval.
For the pro men’s side, both athletes used a noticeably different technique on the hang squat cleans than in all of the previous heats, electing to hinge forward rather than using the faster “bounce” technique.
Brute Strength coach Matt Torres provided some behind-the-scenes commentary with host Brian Friend, noting that Sprague was dealing with bruising on his legs that prevented him from bouncing the barbell. Pepper, being a friend and wanting a fair competition, agreed to use the same technique to level the playing field.
The Bottom Line
Reps Ahead founder and coordinator Phil Thomas chatted with Morning Chalk Up once the event concluded. He shared that he was pleased with how the Pro 2 Showcase went down, and he’s learning with each iteration. His main goal is to spread awareness of the event and educate fans on the format of this innovative competition.
“My main focus is for people to see and understand the format. The addition of Brian [Friend] and his team raised the level of polish; that was far better than anything we’ve done so far,” Thomas said. “My biggest takeaway from what I saw is that [Reps Ahead] has so much potential and is here to stay.”
Featured image: @repsahead / Instagram