Houston Regional Official Thread (March 28 & 29)

[thatoneuser]

Most of our sources are probably asleep from their long night, so we'll try to get you some updates as soon as possible. Of course, we need to respect those that do not wish to break NDA.

[VeryCoolAlan]

It was an amazing experience and can't wait for tonight for the semi finals

[LusitaniaAngel313]

I'm gonna bet for Kacy it was beginners luck and we see her fail a bit too quick and shocks the world to its core the other direction unlike last year.

[ninjago]

Mar 29, 2015 11:52:31 GMT -5 LusitaniaAngel313 said:

I'm gonna bet for Kacy it was beginners luck and we see her fail a bit too quick and shocks the world to its core the other direction unlike last year.

Hoping someone comes through and gives us the details.

[jsf]

Hi, everyone. Been a lurker for a while, but I went to last night's taping and felt this is a good time to post! It was a very long night; we left at 3:30 and there were still about 40 people to go. I saw everyone notable except Karsten, I think.

Here's what we have:

1. Steps
2. Tilting slider: Slide this glider-looking thing until your weight takes you down, swing onto a vertical bar. This was what separated the men from the boys, getting by far the most eliminations. All the women except one failed here. Sliding to the stop seemed like it was pretty jolting and one guy popped his shoulder out on it.
3. Spinning log: As the night went on, there were a lot of problems with water and moisture on it. One dude smashed his nuts pretty good.
4. Tilting cargo net thing: Jump up to a tilting cargo net, climb across, swing onto a bar a couple feet away and up. One guy got his foot tangled badly and needed help getting out, lest he get hurt.
5. Nunchukus. Nine of them, divided into threes.
6. Warped wall.

Of course, it stopped there. But for the finals, they'll move onto:

7. Salmon ladder.
8. Kind of a walking bar rather than a flying bar. It's more of a left-right rather than a straight forward.
9. Crazy cliffhanger. It's not exactly the same as Japan's, but the concept is the same. More of an up-down deal before the leap, too. Hoping the hold is more generous because if it's identical, it's going to knock out pretty much everyone.
10. Ring climb.

I ended up in the winners area, which was really interesting. I didn't get to see a whole lot (Matt and Akbar's position blocked half of it), but I did get to talk to a lot of them and hear them talking to each other. Lots of complaints about how wet the course had gotten after midnight. Jonathan Horton walked on and was kind of high maintenance in a funny way. Brent and Kacy were clearly very nervous. Kacy, in particular, was visibly feeling the pressure. She dealt with it pretty well but I don't expect her to make the top 30 (her lack of weight really hurt her on one obstacle and she couldn't get a good enough swing). Evan Dollard, I think, would end close to the cut line. The best time of the night belonged to a 21-year-old who looked like he was the lead singer of an INXS band. No real surprises otherwise. Fun night! Sam Sann grew his hair out (it's a good look) and was really playful. It's cool to see how much everyone respects him. A veteran who lost his foot while serving ran and we were all really rooting for him.

I got to see a lot of the cast and crew do their thing. Matt is kind of goofy and Akbar is really charismatic and personable. One of the runners is apparently a competitive arm wrestler and he challenged Akbar. Akbar promised he would lose his arm before he lost. I actually liked hearing them talk to us off camera rather than their commentary. Not impressed with the girl they have replacing Jenn this year. She didn't seem into it at all.

[ninjago]

Mar 29, 2015 13:36:13 GMT -5 jsf said:

Hi, everyone. Been a lurker for a while, but I went to last night's taping and felt this is a good time to post! It was a very long night; we left at 3:30 and there were still about 40 people to go. I saw everyone notable except Karsten, I think.

Here's what we have:

1. Steps
2. Tilting slider: Slide this glider-looking thing until your weight takes you down, swing onto a vertical bar. This was what separated the men from the boys, getting by far the most eliminations. All the women except one failed here. Sliding to the stop seemed like it was pretty jolting and one guy popped his shoulder out on it.
3. Spinning log: As the night went on, there were a lot of problems with water and moisture on it. One dude smashed his nuts pretty good.
4. Tilting cargo net thing: Jump up to a tilting cargo net, climb across, swing onto a bar a couple feet away and up. One guy got his foot tangled badly and needed help getting out, lest he get hurt.
5. Nunchukus. Nine of them, divided into threes.
6. Warped wall.

Of course, it stopped there. But for the finals, they'll move onto:

7. Salmon ladder.
8. Kind of a walking bar rather than a flying bar. It's more of a left-right rather than a straight forward.
9. Crazy cliffhanger. It's not exactly the same as Japan's, but the concept is the same. More of an up-down deal before the leap, too. Hoping the hold is more generous because if it's identical, it's going to knock out pretty much everyone.
10. Ring climb.

I ended up in the winners area, which was really interesting. I didn't get to see a whole lot (Matt and Akbar's position blocked half of it), but I did get to talk to a lot of them and hear them talking to each other. Lots of complaints about how wet the course had gotten after midnight. Jonathan Horton walked on and was kind of high maintenance in a funny way. Brent and Kacy were clearly very nervous. Kacy, in particular, was visibly feeling the pressure. She dealt with it pretty well but I don't expect her to make the top 30 (her lack of weight really hurt her on one obstacle and she couldn't get a good enough swing). Evan Dollard, I think, would end close to the cut line. The best time of the night belonged to a 21-year-old who looked like he was the lead singer of an INXS band. No real surprises otherwise. Fun night! Sam Sann grew his hair out (it's a good look) and was really playful. It's cool to see how much everyone respects him. A veteran who lost his foot while serving ran and we were all really rooting for him.

I got to see a lot of the cast and crew do their thing. Matt is kind of goofy and Akbar is really charismatic and personable. One of the runners is apparently a competitive arm wrestler and he challenged Akbar. Akbar promised he would lose his arm before he lost. I actually liked hearing them talk to us off camera rather than their commentary. Not impressed with the girl they have replacing Jenn this year. She didn't seem into it at all.

Was kacy the woman who made it?

[jsf]

Past the tilting slider? Yes.

[plosch76]

Mar 29, 2015 14:24:48 GMT -5 jsf said:

Past the tilting slider? Yes.

Any idea if any of the Obstacles course runners made the tip 30? Matt Novokavic, his wife Tiffany, Cassie Watt on or Rose Wetzel?

[VeryCoolAlan]

Hey JSF as you going today?
Do you recommend going earlier? I got there at 7:30 and didn't get to sit until 11PM

Today were probably gonna go earlier

[baronbk]

Mar 29, 2015 11:52:31 GMT -5 LusitaniaAngel313 said:

I'm gonna bet for Kacy it was beginners luck and we see her fail a bit too quick and shocks the world to its core the other direction unlike last year.

Last year couldn't have been beginners luck. Kacys first year was ANW 5 in Venice Beach. Failed 5th obstacle in prelims.

[c0balt]

How many people completed the first part of the course?

[jsf]

All the women I saw except for Kacy failed the tilting slider, leaving them out of the top 30. They didn't announce names before people ran, so if I didn't recognize them, I didn't have much of a clue who they were. So I can't tell you how Matt did, unfortunately.

We got there roughly at 6:45, which enabled us to get in at about 8:30. I'd shoot for that if I were you, Alan.

When I left, 11 people had finished.

[vaughngk]

Mar 29, 2015 16:03:56 GMT -5 jsf said:

All the women I saw except for Kacy failed the tilting slider, leaving them out of the top 30. They didn't announce names before people ran, so if I didn't recognize them, I didn't have much of a clue who they were. So I can't tell you how Matt did, unfortunately.

We got there roughly at 6:45, which enabled us to get in at about 8:30. I'd shoot for that if I were you, Alan.

When I left, 11 people had finished.

So what happened to Brent, Kacy and other notable competiors?

[c0balt]

Just got some info:

SPOILER: Click to show

heard there was around 20 finishers and Kacy went down on 4th obstacle and wont be in finals. Not sure about Brent [ /spoiler]

[LusitaniaAngel313]

SPOILER: Click to show

so Kacy last year was just beginner's luck. Ah well. Cya next year!

[Kninja]

The lack of video/photos is driving me nuts!

Anyone have anything? Much appreciated. I am very interested in the tilting slider as it sounds like it took a bunch of competitors out.

[c0balt]

SPOILER: Click to show

Kacy isn't beginners luck her 9 to 5 is working for an obstacle course company and she was a top NCAA gymnast, but she was over hyped by NBC and not a real contended to progress far in the show. I'm seriously surprised at how bad most of the girls do. Was expecting at least 3-4 to get to Vegas this year without wild cards, but guess not.[ /spoiler]

[ninjago]

Mar 29, 2015 19:20:31 GMT -5 c0balt said:

SPOILER: Click to show

Kacy isn't beginners luck her 9 to 5 is working for an obstacle course company and she was a top NCAA gymnast, but she was over hyped by NBC and not a real contended to progress far in the show. I'm seriously surprised at how bad most of the girls do. Was expecting at least 3-4 to get to Vegas this year without wild cards, but guess not.[ /spoiler]

Exactly. She does this for a living. Did any of those spartan race girls make it past the second obstacle?

[jsf]

In order for Kacy to have had beginner's luck last year, she would have had to have been a beginner. She wasn't. And while overhyped, she was also the star of the show. Everyone wanted to see her and see her succeed.

And, again, Kacy was the *only woman* to pass the tilting slider (unless one did after I left, but I doubt it. None were close).

[SasukeForever]

SPOILER: Click to show

Never fear Kacy, wild cards are here!!! XD