Neither the course nor the competitors held back.
After a successful week at Ferox Athletics, the WNL Premier Series journeyed to The Motive School of Movement for its second qualifier. With the legendary Brett Sims designing the course, the Premier Series yet again provided many moments of excitement and shock. Read on for our recap!
The Sweeps
Once again, numerous athletes took first place in both the Placement and Challenge Courses. Mia Law took home the win in the Kids Female Division, while John L Bachmeier quickly followed suit in the Mature Kids Male Division.
Other sweeps included Lilah Nathison (Elite Female), Colt Elder (Teen Male), Alex Ascone (Preteen Male), Danyelle McDonald (Teen Female) and Hannah Werner (Amateur Female).
The Strickland Family Ninjas Dominated
Another sweep was by Ember Strickland in the Mature Kids Female Division. She was shortly joined in the Premier Series Finals by her sister, Preteen Female athlete Serenity Strickland. Serenity finished the Placement Course faster than any of her opponents, then proceeded to clinch second place on the Challenge Course.
Steven (Amateur Male) and Stryker (Kids Male) Strickland both hit buzzers of their own on the Placement Course, but unfortunately landed just a few spots outside of the top four. They may not have qualified for Finals, but the Strickland family still showed up big.
The Course (and Rules) Strike Back
Some divisions consisted of four athletes or less, shifting the rules for qualifying for the Premier Series Finals. In these instances, athletes had to clear the first three obstacles in order to punch their ticket to the Finals.
This proved to be bitter in the Teen, Amateur and Elite Female Divisions, as four athletes unfortunately did not qualify for Finals. However, they are eligible for other qualifiers and are welcome to try again. We look forward to seeing them take down the course and get redemption!
Iurii Prokudin Steals The Show
Gauntlet 2022 Runner-Up Iurii Prokudin traveled all the way from Russia to compete in the Premier Series. The trip appeared to be worth it, as Prokudin placed second on the Placement Course and first on the Challenge Course, being the only Elite Male to clear Deja Vu.
However, it was on the previous obstacle, Cane Slider, where Iurii caught everyone’s attention. After using one of his retries, Prokudin landed the cane in the ring and slid down with one hand. He even slid down the cane as the obstacle moved him, but still managed to hang on.
The WNL Premier Series next heads to the Ninja Academy in Perth, Australia for its first of three international qualifiers. The top athletes from there will join with our top athletes from Motive in the Premier Series Finals, November 17-19 at Ferox Athletics.
Congratulations to all athletes who have qualified for Finals!
