SANFORD ”“ On Saturday, Sanford’s Cobb Stadium will be home to some of Maine’s finest and most in-shape athletes.
More than 60 competitors are expected to compete in Maine’s Fittest Games for the right to be named Maine’s Fittest Athlete.
The competitors will compete in five Cross-fit style events, designed to challenge the athletes’ strength and endurance.
“It’s going to be similar to the World’s Strongest Man, but it will also test their overall fitness,” said Mike Gordon, one of the events’ organizers.
Gordon, 31 and who is a trainer at CrossFit 207 in Sanford, organized the event with 207 head trainer Kyle Sikes.
They put together four known events in which the athletes will compete, with the finalists competing in a secret fifth event.
For example, in the first event, competitors will run one mile at maximum effort, and as soon as they cross the finish line, they will go to event two where they will have three minutes to establish a one-repetition maximum in the Olympic snatch lift.
“We want the athletes to push themselves,” Gordon said.
In event three, athletes will compete in a deadlift ladder where they will have four minutes to try and complete 30 repetitions at each weight of 135, 185, 245 and 335 pounds.
In event four, they will swing a 53-pound kettle bell 75 times, then do 30 toe-to-bar raises.
The events are based on CrossFit exercises. CrossFit has become popular in the past few years as an alternative to traditional gyms. CrossFit members focus on high-intensity, short workouts that simulate every-day situations, rather than the classic weight-lifting or jogging routines to stay fit.
“It’s meant to be challenging and grueling,” said Sikes, who is no stranger to this type of competition.
Earlier this year, Sikes, 23, competed in the Reebok Class Games, in which 70,000 competitors across the world participated. He placed 57th.
He will not compete in Saturday’s event since he will be too busy organizing it, but he designed most of the events and said he feels they will be challenging.
“It’s an event that will definitely test the athletes,” he said.
Gordon and Sikes decided to have the games in Sanford this year in an effort to promote CrossFit competitions in the state.
Next year the event will be in a different location in Maine and will continue to change each year, Sikes said.
“There are competitions for Maine athletes to compete in, but they have to travel,” Sikes said. “There were similar competitions in Maine in 2008 and 2009, but we wanted to bring it back so Maine athletes could have a chance to compete in closer to home.”
The event is open to Maine CrossFit clubs and Maine athletes who want to test themselves.
The 60 competitors surpassed both Gordon and Sikes’ expectations.
“We would’ve been happy with only 30 competitors,” said Gordon, who is also a Sanford police officer. “This is a great turnout. Our goal is to see it grow from here.”
Doors open at 8 a.m.
—Contact Al Edwards at 282-1535, Ext. 323.
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