Seher Kaya Shines at TYR Cup, Talks Future Plans

In partnership with

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

• Three-time Games athlete Seher Kaya wasn’t sure she wanted to compete again, but her experience at the TYR Cup brought back the joy. Get the details below.

• Rogue Fitness has been teasing the idea of stone lifts at the 2024 Rogue Invitational in Aberdeen, Scotland. So, we took a look back at all the odd objects and unique events that Rogue has featured in years past.

• Don Faul recently spoke at the West Region Affiliate Summit in San Diego. Get the takeaways today.

Think your gym should be featured as an affiliate of the month? Send us a note explaining why.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Actually, you know, after the Games, I didn’t know if I wanted to compete; I was so unsure. I really needed this weekend; I really did. I found why I do this. My joy to compete, I guess.” - Three-time Games veteran Seher Kaya on competing on Team World at the inaugural TYR Cup.

COMPETITIONS

Seher Kaya Shines at TYR Cup, Thrives on Team World

Seher Kaya had plenty of standout performances during the 2024 CrossFit season.

She placed first in her region in the Open and eighth worldwide. Then, she placed first in both the Quarterfinals and Asia Semifinal in Korea. 

• Kaya qualified for her third CrossFit Games and secured her best placing yet by finishing in 21st. (She placed 23rd in 2023 and 29th in 2022.) 

However, like many of the 2024 Games athletes, pain and insecurity hung over Kaya’s that weekend in Fort Worth, TX. And as she competed at the Games, heartbroken, she knew there was another competition just a month later: the TYR Cup. 

Memories of Lazar

One of the early athletes announced on Team World, Kaya was looking forward to competing alongside Lazar Ðukić. In an Instagram post, days after Ðukić died, she reflected on one of their last interactions in Forth Worth. 

Prior to Event 1 on August 8, she was approached by Ðukić while they were all at the lake running through the event, and she helped show him where the swim began and ended.

• “While I was explaining this, he goes, ‘We are going to win the TYR Cup, right?’ With his signature goofy smile of his, so I went, ‘Of course, we are going to win! They got no chance!’ And he goes, ‘Thank you! Exactly what I wanted to hear,’ and we started laughing,” Kaya wrote. 

A Message From Branded Bills

Looking to elevate your brand with a custom hat?

Don’t make it just any hat. Make it a Branded Bills hat.

Why? They make quality merch (especially hats) that people actually want to wear.

Don’t just take it from us, here is what one of their recent clients has to say:

“I think Branded Bills is memorable because it is more of a lifestyle brand for us. It’s not just employees wearing them to work or technicians wearing them out in the field; they're wearing them to bowling alleys, sporting events, etc, and they’re repping our brand which is exactly what we want.” Rebecca Ferguson, Empire CAT

Want some more? Get $200 off your first order over $1000 with the code NEWSLETTER.

If this is what you want (and we’re guessing you do), hit up Branded Bills.

SPEED READS

🚣 🚣 2025 Rowvember by Dark Horse Rowing: Back again this year, Dark Horse Rowing’s Rowvember challenge will kick off after Halloween. Get ready.

📚🏋️‍♀️ 2025 USA Functional Fitness Collegiate Championships: The individual online qualifier for the second annual USA Functional Fitness (USAFF) Collegiate Championships is open now and scores can be submitted until October 23. Athletes must be current college or university students and 25 years old or younger as of December 31. Register now.

• The top 10 Rx athletes (five male and female) will be invited to compete in person at the USAFF Collegiate Hypermedley on February 8-9, 2025 at CrossFit Reston, in Reston, VA.

⛑️ 💪 Mayhem Mission Supports Hurricane Helene Relief: Mayhem Mission, the charitable arm of CrossFit Mayhem and Mayhem Nation, is joining with local organizations in Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina to support relief efforts following Hurricane Helene. Learn how you can help here. If you are interested in serving on-site, inquire here.

📺👂“Hear Their Stories”: CrossFit’s new video series, called “Hear Their Stories” brings viewers into the heart of the CrossFit community. In the first episode, learn about affiliate owner Tad Carter and his community at Model City CrossFit in Anniston, AL. Watch now.

ICYMI: The fourth Crash Crucible is coming this week to Spartanburg, SC, and we took a deep dive into its history as a proving ground for future CrossFit Games athletes.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Stone Lifts in Aberdeen? A Look Back at Unique Events and Odd Objects in the Rogue Invitational’s Past

The Rogue Invitational is less than a month away. 

As one of the most highly anticipated competitions of the year, fans and athletes alike are watching social media closely to see what details Rogue will announce ahead of time.

• As an offseason competition, Rogue isn’t worried about crowning the Fittest Athlete on Earth. 

In the past, Rogue has taken advantage of this freedom and experimented with new movements and equipment. 

This creates new challenges for athletes and an entertaining competition for fans. Here are some of the most unique events and odd objects utilized in past Rogue competitions.

2019

Shooting

In the inaugural Rogue Invitational, shooting was introduced to a major competition. 

The C2 Biathlon required athletes to complete four rounds of 40 SkiErg calories and five 10m air rifle shots. 

If an athlete missed at least one target during a round, they were assessed a penalty. 

• The penalty consisted of a short run to a pair of kettlebells and three thrusters for each missed target.

INDUSTRY

Don Faul Talks Future of CrossFit at Recent CrossFit Affiliate Summit

CrossFit CEO Don Faul spoke at the West Region Affiliate Summit hosted by CrossFit Invictus in San Diego, CA, the weekend of September 14. 

• About 115 affiliate owners and coaches representing 60 affiliates from the area were in attendance. 

Faul kicked off his presentation with some reasons why affiliate owners do what they do.

• “Despite living in the wealthiest and most technologically advanced country in the history of the world,” Faul said, “we have a society that is increasingly sick, that is increasingly lonely, that is increasingly unhappy.” 

Faul recently went to Washington, D.C., with the End Chronic Disease Coalition, where he said they had “really exciting conversations” about specific steps forward, like expanding HSAs to help pay for CrossFit memberships with the help of partner TrueMed. 

Although he felt they made good progress, he is aware of the amount of investment from much larger companies whose “future financial success is dependent on making sure that we become more and more medicated.” 

• “I left those conversations both inspired and daunted. This is not an easy fight,” Faul told the crowd of owners. 

Faul then broke down CrossFit’s plans into three segments: Media, brand, and coaching. 

• Worth noting: Although there are still questions to be answered and actions to be taken, this was not a summit about the sport or the 2024 CrossFit Games.

HIGHLIGHTS

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

• 🎂Happy birthday to Jacqueline Dahlstrom and Jorge Fernandez.

• ICYMI, check out Manny, from CrossFit East Nashville in Nashville, TN, with this ring muscle-up on his 70th birthday. Nice work, Manny!

• Congratulations to CrossFit Winter Park, who celebrated their 11-year anniversary on October 5.

• Check out all these deadlift PRs coming out of CrossFit Camden Frontier in Camden, MI. Great job, everyone!

• 😮‍💨Nice job to Games athlete Linda Keesman, who's repping out 155-kilo/341-pound deadlifts with ease.