CrossFit's Biggest Moments in 2024: A Look Back

December 19th, 2024

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • The G.O.A.T does it again; the “Professor” becomes the “Professor Emeritus;” and some of the sport of CrossFit’s other biggest moments in a year marked by tragedy.

  • How “Committed Clubs” help retain members and build community at your CrossFit affiliate.

  • NOCCO and Invictus announce the inaugural “Rise and Perform” scholarship winner, Landon Cooper.

👟🎄Morning Chalk Up x Reebok Giveaway: The Reebok Nano X5s drop in January and to celebrate their 15th anniversary, Reebok is partnering with us to give away 15 pairs! Learn how to win here!

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I’m ready to immerse myself in this journey, embrace every challenge, and learn from the experience. Going into every day with an intent to get better not only as an athlete but as a human” - Landon Cooper, “Rise and Perform” 2025 Scholarship recipient on his mindset heading into his season-long stint at Invictus in San Diego, CA

INDUSTRY

Credit: Flo Papos, @flopapos / Instagram

5 Big Moments in the Sport of CrossFit in 2024

This year was truly unlike any other in the sport of CrossFit. 

The start of the year brought about feelings of hope and excitement as the CrossFit Games headed to a new home in Fort Worth, TX. But that joy soon turned to tumult after beloved Serbian athlete Lazar Ðukić died during Event 1 on the first day of competition.  

The fallout and sadness from that horrible accident set the tone for the sport for the remainder of the year as athletes and fans tried to figure out how to move forward. 

  • The tragic loss of Lazar Ðukić is by far the biggest and most influential moment in the history of the sport. 

However, there are several notable moments from this past year that are worth remembering, so, as we prepare to flip the calendar, we wanted to take a moment to highlight them.

Brent Fikowski Retires

Candian Fikowski is one of the most decorated athletes in the sport and broke the news in November that he’d be retiring after 12 years. 

His last competition was the 2024 Rogue Invitational held in Aberdeen, Scotland where he finished in second place behind fellow Canadian Jeffrey Adler. 

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SPEED READS

👟🎄Morning Chalk Up x Reebok Giveaway: The Reebok Nano X5s drop in January and to celebrate their 15th anniversary, Reebok is partnering with us to give away 15 pairs! Learn how to win here!

  • The giveaway is open until Sunday night, December 22, at 8:00 PM ET. We will choose winners randomly and share their names on Instagram and in our newsletter on Tuesday, December 24th.

🕰️🐈‍⬛ 247 x PUMA: One of the UK’s fastest-growing fashion brands, Represent 247 announced the launch of its biggest brand collaboration to date, with sportswear giant PUMA. Check out the line, available here, now.

🏌️‍♂️👟Reebok x Bryson DeChambeau: 2024 U.S. Open golf champ Bryson DeChambeau and his LIV Golf team, the “Crushers GC,” were just signed as the faces of Reebok’s re-entry in the golf footwear and apparel space.

😎🌴 2024 TYR WZA Miami Beach The Gauntlet: Throwdown on the beach at TYR WZA! Registration for the 2025 TYR WZA Gauntlet, powered by the U.S. Army, is LIVE. Register here! 

🏆 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Rogue Invitational Recap on CBS: The 2024 Rogue Invitational will be replayed on CBS on December 28, 12-2 p.m. ET. Get more details here.

ICYMI: From CBG to HYROX to LSKD to the PFAA, check out our look back at what trended in 2024.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

How CrossFit Affiliate “Committed Clubs” Help Bolster Attendance, Client Retention

When COVID-19 hit, like most gyms around the world, CrossFit Conway in Conway, AR was forced to close their doors. 

  • It re-opened in June 2020, the gym’s owner, Melissa Beard, wanted to find a way to “celebrate members making it back out and getting into a gym routine again,” she told the Morning Chalk Up in an interview. 

Her solution was to create a “Committed Club” to celebrate those who showed up four to five days a week.

Four years later, her Committed Club—which requires people to attend a minimum of 18 times a month—is still up and running and has become a key to success in increasing member attendance. 

  • “I’d recommend every gym starting a Committed Club [because] the most consistent members achieve the best results, and ultimately we are in the business of getting people results and holding them accountable,” Beard said.

Why Attendance Matters

According to data from gym management software company PushPress, client attendance is the biggest indicator of whether or not a person will stick around long-term. 

More specifically, those who don’t show up at least three days a week are at risk of quitting.

PROFILE

Credit: Julio Areas, @areas_51 / Instagram

NOCCO and CrossFit Invictus Announce 2025 "Rise and Perform" Scholarship Winner, Landon Cooper

When NOCCO and CrossFit Invictus announced their plan to offer a “Rise and Perform Scholarship” for the 2025 season, Miki Huguet, Senior Brand Manager from NOCCO, was uncertain about the reaction they would receive.

  • “We didn’t know how many people would apply, and we were most shocked about the number of international athletes that applied. We had Brazilians, English, Italians, and more,” Huguet elaborated in an interview with the Morning Chalk Up.

“The ask is very big for someone to move to San Diego,” he continued, “so we didn't know what to expect.”

Remind Me

The Rise and Perform scholarship was created earlier this year to fuel and support young athletes who demonstrate intense dedication to CrossFit with the goal of competing at a high level. 

  • Huguet and CJ Martin, the founder and owner of Invictus, put the call out for athletes aged 18-24 who wanted to chase their dreams in Southern California with the help of CrossFit Invictus and NOCCO.

HIGHLIGHTS

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

  • 🎂Happy birthday to Eik Gylfadottir.

  • Congratulations to Julia Kato who just ran her first half marathon in Abu Dhabi.

  • Congratulations all the U12 and U13-14 Hungarian athletes that competed at the iF3 World Championship in their home country. Well done!

  • ICYMI, check out this 90-kilo/198-pound snatch from Austria's Paula Zikowsky at the iF3 World Championships. 

  • 😳Congratulations to Qadry Williams, who just completed 1000 unbroken double-unders.