🌍 The WFP Finals Are Coming, and Mesa Set the Table

September 4th, 2025

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • 🏆 Impressive performances at WFP Tour Stop II build momentum for Copenhagen Finals.

  • 🥇 Why chasing “the best” is a losing game for affiliate owners.

  • 🏫 Deadlifts + diplomas — inside the UK’s CrossFit-powered alternative school.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
❝

My goal was to open a gym that would be free for [kids] under 18. I knew something had to change in the school system and thought this could help.”

Jordan Gatehouse on creating the Directional Academy Provision in the UK.
COMPETITIONS

5 Performances from WFP Tour Stop II That Set the Stage for Copenhagen

Credit: World Fitness Project

The World Fitness Project's Tour Stop II took place in Mesa, AZ, last weekend, delivering plenty of storylines that reshaped the leaderboard and set the tone for the Tour Finals in Copenhagen this December. 

  • Remind me: This was the second and final Tour Stop event of the WFP’s inaugural season – the first was in Indianapolis, IN, in May.

5 Standout Performances from Mesa

James Sprague

On Instagram, the 2024 CrossFit Games champion James Sprague jokingly wrote “2+2 = 1.”

  • On the WFP Tour, his math checks out, as Sprague secured a second-place finish over the weekend, and combined with his second-place at Tour Stop I, he sits in first overall heading into the Finals.

After the jump — Horvath’s redemption run, Cringle’s consistency, Vellner’s duel with Father Time, which Challenger athletes are in position to earn a 2026 Pro Card, and more.

A MESSAGE FROM VELITES

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SPEED READS

🕶️🎶 Reebok Gets Smart: The brand just launched its Voltage Smart Audio Sunglasses — polarized, Bluetooth-enabled shades delivering HiFi open-ear sound, and eight-hour battery life — built for athletes on the move.

🔥👑 A Weekend with Rich: Froning brought star power to the 2025 BCS Classic — throwing down with Angelo Dicicco, podcasting mid-trip, and even playing raw-organ Plinko. The 16th annual event raised big money for Ronald McDonald House and Mayhem Mission, proving again why BCS is a CrossFit staple.

🏋️‍♂️🔥 Fraser Gets Back to Basics: Mat Fraser strips it back with an old-school garage grind — heavy pulls, gritty metcons, and a post-WOD run. Between sets, the five-time champ reflects on Jayson Hopper’s Games win, dad life with two under two, and why a “shitty metcon” still feels so good.

👕📺 Coaching Office Hours: CrossFit’s Eric O’Connor and Rob Lawson go live with a Q&A on movement fixes, class management, and those awkward floor moments. Bring your toughest scenarios for real-time Red Shirt solutions.

🎥💻 CrossFit’s Hiring: HQ seeks a Social Media Video Editor (six-month contract) to craft short-form content for IG, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and more. If you know Premiere Pro, trends, and CrossFit storytelling, this gig’s for you.

ICYMI: 🛫 Austin Malleolo leaves CrossFit HQ after 15 years, joins Mayhem as VP.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Why “Being the Best” Is the Wrong Goal for Affiliate Owners

Credit: @besthouroftheirday / Instagram

Every affiliate owner has said it at least once: "I want to be the best." It sounds ambitious, inspiring even.

  • But here's the hard truth: chasing "the best" is a fool's errand that goes nowhere. The metrics are subjective, the competition never ends, and the goalpost keeps shifting.

What if there was a better way? What if instead of trying to be the best, you focused on becoming “undeniable?”

POLL

🥵 What is your favorite post-WOD beverage?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Last week we asked: 🏋️‍♂️ What’s the one piece of gear you can’t hit a workout without?

  • Grips (23.6%)

  • Belt (2.7%)

  • Knee sleeves (31.9%)

  • Lifters (2.7%) 

  • Wrist wraps (7.6%)

  • Chalk (23.6%)

  • I still didn't see my shoe brand, and I'll put it in the comments. (7.6%)

Knee sleeves were the clear winner here (lots of “old knees” in the comments), with grips and chalk close behind (“Hands would tear and I’d be unable to do anything!!”). And, Puma Fuse was the shoe most cited as one we left out.

COMMUNITY

How 2 CrossFit Coaches Are Redefining Education in the UK

Credit: Jack Watkins, The Directional Academy Provision

Across the UK, many young people who struggle in mainstream schools lack the support, structure, and opportunities they need to succeed. 

  • Two CrossFit coaches, Jordan Gatehouse and Hannah Mittoo, have identified both the gaps in the education system and the potential for fitness to change lives. 

Drawing from their own experiences, they have begun developing programs that integrate physical training, mentorship, and alternative education paths.

  • Their shared vision has now evolved into the Directional Academy Provision (DAP), a new nonprofit school model that combines academics with CrossFit, character development, and community support. 

With doors opening this October, DAP aims to create a space where resilience, confidence, and lifelong health are developed alongside traditional learning.

  • Keep reading to see how Jordan and Hannah are turning their vision into action.

HIGHLIGHTS

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