2025 Syndicate Crown Kicks Off in Knoxville

May 30th, 2025

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • Can Brooke and Sydney Wells take both tickets to Albany? Is this Erica Folo’s redemption arc? Will Shelby Neal earn her 2025 invite in Knoxville?

  • The “3-5-7-9 Rule” is a churn metric that indicates whether your gym is thriving or struggling.

  • Why Ben Smith just might make the Games this weekend.

Plus: Scroll to the bottom of today’s newsletter to take advantage of our new referral program. All you have to do is get 10 friends to sign up for the Morning Chalk Up, and you’ll receive a free month of our Morning Chalk Up RX membership.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
❝

A CrossFit Games champ. A veteran of the sport. And still one of the most dangerous men on the floor..”

From the Syndicate Crown’s Instagram post announcing that 2015 Games champ Ben Smith would compete in Knoxville.
CROSSFIT GAMES

2025 Syndicate Crown – 5 Things You Need to Know, How to Watch, and Leaderboard

Credit: Scott Freymond

The third of four North American In-Person Qualifying Events (IPQEs) this season begins on Friday at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum in Knoxville, TN. It is also one of four IPQEs taking place worldwide this weekend.

The Syndicate Crown features 40 men and 40 women competing for two spots each at this summer’s CrossFit Games in Albany, NY.

  • Unlike many of this season’s IPQEs, there was no online qualifier for the Syndicate Crown. Instead, athletes qualified based on their performance in this year’s CrossFit Games Open on the North America East leaderboard (athletes who already earned a Games ticket are not eligible to compete at Syndicate).

After this weekend, only three men’s and three women’s spots for this summer’s Games will remain, which will be determined at the Northern California Classic (two spots) and the Last Chance Qualifier (one spot).

  • Check out the Syndicate Crown elite rosters here. 

  • Full leaderboards are available here.

A MESSAGE FROM GYMREAPERS

What the Pros Use When It Counts

Gymreapers is proud to be the official title sponsor of Syndicate Crown — which kicks off today — and if you’re watching the action, you're sure to see their gear on the floor.

From quick-locking belts built for max-effort lifts to compression-grade knee sleeves made for explosive transitions, every piece in our Training Kit is designed to perform when it counts.

☠️Built for Competition - Repped by athletes trusted at every level — from local qualifiers to Games contenders, including 2-time Fittest on Earth, Justin Medeiros.

☠️Engineered for Speed + Stability - The Quick Lock Belt tightens in seconds and stays secure through fast-paced events.

☠️Support Without Sacrificing Speed - The 7mm Knee Sleeves offer bounce, compression, and control across heavy lifts — no slippage, no distractions.

Gymreapers doesn't make accessories. They make gear that shows up when you do.

*This newsletter relies on our sponsors. Please consider supporting them.

SPEED READS

💪🥇 Ben Smith, CF-L2: As long as we are on the topic of 2015 Game champ Ben Smith (see below), check out this video to learn about how “walking the walk” has become the foundation of his coaching philosophy.

🏋️📚 Good Read — “A Comeback Cut Short”: On the HWPO blog, legendary lifting coach Aimee Anaya Everett chronicles her journey back to the competition platform. Read it here.

🗞️ 🧐 “Oura Paranoia”?: Here’s an interesting take from the New York Times (paywall) on wearable tech that asks the question, “What if all this data on our bodies makes us more anxious?”

🌎 👟 Justin Medeiros x R.A.D: Announced yesterday, two-time Games athlete Justin Medeiros is now a R.A.D athlete roster, joining Danielle Brandon, Noah Ohlsen, and Trista Smith in repping the footwear brand.

ICYMI: Who to watch at the Rebel Renegade Games and Far East Throwdown.  

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Understanding Your Gym's Health: The 3-5-7-9 Rule of Member Retention 

Credit: @benbergeron / Instagram

As gym owners, we often focus our energy on marketing and lead generation, constantly striving to fill our membership roster with new faces. 

  • But what if the solution to sustainable growth isn't about how many people walk through your door, but rather how many choose to stay?  

The difference between thriving and merely surviving could lie in a simple metric you might be overlooking.

The Leaky Bucket Syndrome

Building a successful fitness business depends on mastering four key pillars: finance, marketing, product, and leadership.

While many owners invest heavily in marketing to attract new members, they often pour resources into a leaky bucket.

THINGS TO…

…READ

The Profile of Dale King and the Portsmouth Spartan Kettlebell Club

Featured in Men’s Health online (and in the March/April 2025 print edition), check out this deep dive into Dale King and his PSKC CrossFit team’s fight against addiction in the “Opioid Crisis Capital of America.”

…SNAG

Up to 65 % Off New Reebok Gear

Check out Reebok’s Long Weekend Event, with deep discounts on clothes, accessories, and shoes, including the Nano X4 for only $90. Find deals up to 65% off. Hibernation season is over.

…DO

Subscribe to LiveLong Media

Don’t miss their weekly newsletters on breakthroughs in longevity and wellness that will help you look good, feel good, and live longer.

…HEAR

Anikha Greer’s Coach Max El-Hag Talk About Training the Games Rookie

Max El-Hag, Anikha Greer’s coach from Training Think Tank, breaks down her unique blend of strength and gymnastics skill, as well as her multi-year struggle to qualify for the CrossFit Games. He shares how mindset work, endurance training, and persistence finally helped her break through.

CROSSFIT GAMES

3 Reasons Ben Smith Could Qualify for the CrossFit Games This Weekend

Credit: CrossFit LLC

Last week, the Syndicate Crown In-Person Qualifying Event announced that Ben Smith is “officially in.”

The 11-time CrossFit Games veteran and 2015 Fittest Man on Earth hasn’t competed as an individual in the CrossFit Games for six years. 

Remind me: Smith has continued to compete in his 30s, qualifying and competing in the Semifinals three times – in 2021, 2022, and 2024 – but has failed to qualify for the Games each time. 

  • In 2023, he competed at the Games on a team that finished 19th overall. 

Okay, so Smith competing this weekend at the Syndicate Crown in Knoxville, TN, is no different from usual, right? 

Maybe not. We believe he has a legitimate chance to achieve what he hasn’t since 2019.

HIGHLIGHTS

Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.

  • 🙌Happy affiliate anniversary to CrossFit 4042 in Garner, NC.

  • Happy birthday to Morning Chalk Up alum, John Newby.

  • Check out these Grid League highlights from Alec Smith.

  • Kelsey Kiel competed at Grid League as well last weekend. Congratulations on your debut, Kelsey!

  • 🔥Take a look at Nick Mathew casually back squatting 242 kilos/535 pounds. Light weight!