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đŸ‡©đŸ‡° Race to WFP Copenhagen Finals: Who’s In, Who's Out?

August 29th, 2025

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • 🩈 Southwest Florida Sharks redeem last year’s near miss, claim 2025 Grid League crown.

  • 🧼 Why data blind spots could cost you thousands when it’s time to sell.

  • đŸ‡©đŸ‡° Race to Copenhagen heats up — Challengers battle for Finals spots.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
❝

Looking ahead to next season, our goal is to do it all over again. The league keeps growing
we see more talent and stronger competition. I honestly can’t wait for 2026.”

Southwest Florida Sharks head coach, Francisco “Fico” Gomez.
COMPETITIONS

Perfect Season, Perfect Ending – The Southwest Florida Sharks Win 2025 United Grid League Championship

Credit: @_haleysphotographs_ / Instagram

The United Grid League concluded its 2025 season this past weekend, featuring exciting finishes and close races. 

  • The Southwest Florida (SWFL) Sharks redeemed themselves by winning the crown after narrowly missing out last season by just two points.

Sharks head coach Francisco “Fico” Gomez told the Morning Chalk Up: “Last year we didn’t get the outcome we wanted, so at the very first team meeting this season, I told the players that I was going to give everything I had to win the championship, and all I asked was that they do the same. They delivered more than I could have ever imagined.”

Team co-captain, Chelsea Raineri, echoed her coach, “We were one race away from making it happen [last year] and fell short. Knowing that the majority of the team had returned this season, we constantly reminded ourselves of that feeling in the moment when we missed winning the championship. We knew that every race, every training session, and every moment truly mattered.”

  • “I’m beyond happy that they earned this championship,” Gomez continued, “but even more proud of how this group has grown into a true family.”

Continue reading for the play-by-play of the Sharks’ championship victory, reflections from veterans like Kelsey Kiel, and the league’s future with the addition of the New York Wolves.

A MESSAGE FROM GYMREAPERS

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

SPEED READS

đŸ‡ș🇾📈 Oura’s U.S. Manufacturing Play: The smart-ring company is opening a Fort Worth, Texas, facility in 2026 to support new Department of Defense contracts—boosting service-member readiness and splitting supply chains. Read the full story here.

âšĄïžđŸ€ Coaches Need Coaches: Invictus reminds us that even the most seasoned trainers benefit from outside eyes, renewed accountability, and expert perspective to keep growing. Get the full breakdown on the Invictus Blog.

đŸš’â€ïž Firefighters’ Silent Killer: Nearly half of line-of-duty deaths for firefighters are tied to heart disease. In this video, firefighter and PRVN athlete, Garrek Jordan, shares how CrossFit keeps him ready when lives are on the line — and why first responders should train like athletes.

đŸ› ïžđŸ‹ïž Mayhem’s “Secret” Hire: Austin Malleolo reflects on 15 years shaping CrossFit — from athlete to seminar staff to Reebok — and why joining Rich Froning’s crew marks the next chapter in empowering affiliates and athletes worldwide.

ICYMI: 🏆 Nine CrossFit Games, two Age Group runs — Panchik finally claims gold.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

4 Risks That Shrink Your CrossFit Affiliate’s Value

Credit: @besthouroftheirday / Instagram

One hundred percent of business owners will eventually exit their business. Whether through a planned sale, unforeseen circumstances, or retirement, you will eventually part ways with your affiliate.

  • The devastating reality? After dedicating 10-15 years to building their community, many owners find that their affiliate has little to no monetary value when it's time to sell.

I've examined hundreds of CrossFit affiliate sales over the past few years, and they usually fall into two problematic categories: asset transfers ("take my equipment and assume my lease"), averaging $40,000 to $60,000, or situations where buyers significantly overpay for struggling businesses. 

  • The first scenario undervalues your years of work, while the second creates a losing situation for the new owner, who is likely to fail with a fundamentally flawed business.

Let's address the four critical risks that erode your affiliate's value – and learn how to systematically eliminate them as you grow.

THINGS TO



GET

Up to 60% Select Gear and Apparel This Weekend

Check out BarBend’s Labor Day sale buying guide for can’t-miss deals from big-name brands like Nike, Reebok, NOBULL, and Hyperice. With up to 60% off select equipment, the long weekend is prime time to stock your gym.


DO

Take the Two-Brain Business State of the Industry 2025 Survey

Take Two-Brain’s State of the Industry annual survey. You’ll be finished in less than five minutes, and if you complete it before September 5, you will receive early access to the report, plus 19 free ebooks from Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper. See the 2024 report here.


SHOP

Northern Spirit’s CrossFit Gear Blowout

Northern Spirit just dropped its Final Sale with up to 80% off the CrossFit¼ collection — last pieces only, no restock. Stack code ‘NSMCU10’ for an extra 10% off across the site.

COMPETITIONS

The Race to Copenhagen – World Fitness Project Challengers Fight for Their Season

Credit: Scott Freymond

The long wait since May is finally over, and the WFP Tour Stop II has arrived. The unique format of the WFP allows us to watch three races simultaneously. 

  1. For the title of WFP Champion. 

  2. For one of the 20 Pro Cards for the 2026 season. 

  3. To qualify for the Tour Finals in Copenhagen. The WFP-signed athletes automatically qualify for the Finals, but only the top-10 point earners among the Challenger athletes (11 on the women’s side) will join them. 

Today, we’re focusing on the latter. In each division, we’ll evaluate which Challenger athletes are in a strong position and which ones still need to improve to earn one of the available roster spots to compete in Copenhagen, where the points will be doubled.

Read on to learn which Challengers are already locked for Copenhagen, who still has work to do in Mesa, and how withdrawals have shaken up the race.

HIGHLIGHTS

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

  • 🎂Happy birthday 8/30 to Jessi Smith and Mads Jacobsen.

  • Check out Bronislaw Olenkowicz knock out this 120-kilo/264-pound snatch.

  • Watch 8-year-old Emika with this unbroken set of 11 bar muscle-ups, 11 dips, and 11 pull-ups.

  • Well done to Olivia Reeves on this 220-kilo/485-pound back squat PR.

  • ⛷Watch founders of the SkiErg, Peter and Dick, demo a flawless transition - something to study for your next partner comp!

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