Camille Leblanc-Bazinet face of an angel, kip of a WODkilla

“I decided I was going to win [Canada East] Regionals and was willing to die in the workouts to achieve that goal. Anyone willing to come with me to that dark place would have had to die to win.” – Camille Leblanc-Bazinet

It’s not often you hear such cutthroat words come from such an unassumingly sweet person. But perhaps this duality is what Camille Leblanc-Bazinet’s fans love so much about her. Beneath her bright, beautiful smile and charming personality lies a gritty warrior so intent on victory she’ll die to win.

Since bulldozing her way onto the CrossFit scene in 2010, the happy-go-lucky recent newlywed has not only stolen hearts (confessions of love and marriage proposals flooded online chat rooms when she appeared on-screen at the 2012 Games), she’s proven herself a fierce competitor. Once again in 2013, Camille’s performance has demanded respect and, with her recent victory at the Canada East Regionals, she will once again have the opportunity to drop jaws at the Games. The angel-faced WODkilla’s plan? It’s simple: to win.

SweatRX: Your outstanding performance and victory at Regionals this year was quite a feat. You seemed to be very focused and happy. What do you think may have contributed to that?

Camille: This year was easier for me to focus since my husband [Dave Lipson] came down to support me and helped coach me during all the events. Last year we had our Regionals at the same time and I had no one to make sure I eat, recover, and to support me emotionally. I felt less relaxed this year than the other years because I was more focused. Overall, I think my performance was a result of all the hard work I have been putting in my training ever since I started competing. Every year I learn new things and I became more mature in how I approach competing and how I attack my workouts. Dave is definitely a big part of why I stay focused in competition.

SweatRX: You and Michele Letendre were friendly yet fierce competitors as always [with Michele winning 2012 Regionals over Camille]; you both got a ton of fan support at Regionals this year, but ultimately you out-worked her. What do you credit this to?

Camille: I think I was more ready mentally [this year], and I knew I wasn’t going to break in any workout. The biggest change was super simple: I decided I was going to win Regionals and I was willing to die in the workouts to achieve that goal. Anyone willing to come with me to that dark place would have had to die to win. I didn’t change my nutrition really, but I was more careful with my recovery, making sure I had my Syntha-6 after every workout and my Extreme Endurance. I also did tons of mobility between workouts.

SweatRX: Your mental toughness is definitely a strength you use to your advantage. At Regionals this year, it was also clearly evident at the 2012 CrossFit Games when you set aside your performance on the Pendleton day and came back to finish top ten. How did you pull yourself up and finish strong after the disappointment at Pendleton?

Camille: When confronted with a big challenge, I think there are two types of people – some let go and others fight for it. I see myself as a fighter. It’s easy to make excuses, but it’s not my nature. I was disappointed with my performance at Pendleton but there were a lot more events to prove my fitness. I think it was maybe just harder to start [the Games] with a weakness and not a strength.

SweatRX: So what’s your mindset going into the 2013 Games? Do you have a game plan for how to approach each WOD?

Camille: I want to win . . . and I’ll do everything I can to achieve that goal. No game plan; I’ll just try to be ready for anything.

SweatRX: So we know you prepare mentally for competition, and you train hard and smart. What’s your diet like leading up to competition?

Camille: I eat mostly carbs during competition and a big meal at night. I eat pretty clean but with the volume of training, my primary goal is to eat and drink enough. I pay a lot of attention to what I eat, but since I’ve been doing this for so long now, it just feels normal to eat the way I do.

SweatRX: Now that you and Dave are married (congrats!), we’re all wondering if you will be relocating to live with Dave and train elsewhere next year?

Camille: Well, I am not done with my school and I only see Dave during my summer break, so I am going to be in Canada for at least two more years. After that we’ll have to make a decision.

SweatRX: How has being a newlywed affected your training schedule and preparation for the Games?

Camille: It’s great! I love being married. We see each other as a team now and Dave puts as much effort into my training as I do by making sure I always have what I need to perform well. It’s nice to have at least one stable thing in my life, and that’s Dave.

SweatRX: For many reasons, you’re a fan favorite. Americans love you, and Canadians are proud to have you represent them. Last year at the Games when you came on-screen, the chat feed HQ had set up for live viewers erupted with love for you; literally, professions of love and outward envy of Dave! How does it affect you as an athlete and individual to receive support like that?

Camille: It’s the best! I mean I work super hard, but that love . . . there are no words to describe it. I feel so lucky to have all that support and I feel blessed. I am trying to give back as much as I can by participating in charity events, visiting boxes, and being on the Level 1 coaching staff. I mean, our community is simply the best.

SweatRX: So you’re comfortable being seen not only as a strong female athlete but also as an object of affection?

Camille: I think it’s awesome that people know me as much as for my strength as they do my personality.

SweatRX: A lot of women really look up to you as a role model for your athleticism and strength but also for your positive portrayal of body image. You’ve spoken several times about stepping off the scale and not worrying about how much you weigh. Did you ever struggle with what you saw on the scale? What does true beauty mean to you?

Camille: I struggled a lot with my weight when I was younger. I was anorexic at a point because I wanted to look like what was supposed to be a “pretty girl” (a ridiculous standard of our society). Now I try to be an example for all the other women and girls out there so they can stop worrying about their weight and start looking at what is really beautiful–being a strong and confident woman. They need to change their view about themselves so they can see how beautiful they are instead of focusing on how much they weigh.

Will Camille’s voracious appetite for the title of Fittest Woman on Earth land her on the top pedestal in 2013? Her fans can only hope so. But regardless of her finishing position, Camille’s determination and outstanding work ethic are bound to wow the CrossFit community yet again, making us proud to call her our angel-faced WODkilla.

5 Facts About CrossFit’s Canadian Bombshell

• After retiring from high-level gymnastics at 16, Camille tried her hand at several sports. Nothing fully satisfied her competitive spirit until she found CrossFit in 2010.
• Recently wed to Dave Lipson, CrossFit competitor with CrossFit Invictus in SoCal, Camille says of her husband, “Dave is definitely a big part of why I stay focused in competition.”
• Camille hails from Richelieu, Quebec, and when not in SoCal visiting Dave, she trains out of CrossFit Brossard in Quebec.
• Camille is a member of the Level 1 coaching staff and prides herself on supporting the CrossFit community through teaching others.
• After her surprising breakthrough performance at the 2010 CrossFit Games–where she went from virtual unknown to force of nature–Camille lightheartedly warned, “Watch out for Canada.”