Who Qualified for the CrossFit Games in Week 2?

May 27th, 2024

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • An action-packed weekend at the North America West Semifinal ended with two-time Fittest Man on Earth, Justin Medeiros, and (now) two-time Games qualifier Abigail Domit taking home the gold. Get caught up on all the action below.

  • You may have seen him standing on the sidelines at one of the dozens of CrossFit competitions he travels to every year, but today get to know the Icelandic athlete manager extraordinaire, Snorri Baron.

  • The Oceania Semifinal by Torian Pro wrapped in Brisbane, Australia. Ricky Garard, Grace Walton, Raw Iron CrossFit Mayhem Thunder, and many more secured their spots in Fort Worth, TX.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“This is the best day of my life!” - Peter Ellis, after the final event of the Oceania Semifinal where he secured his first individual CrossFit Games invitation

CROSSFIT SEMIFINALS

Credit: Nicky Freymond

2024 CrossFit Games North America West Semifinal Winners and Qualifiers: Justin Medeiros, Abigail Domit Take First, Proving Consistency Is Key

From 26th at the 2023 CrossFit Games to first at the 2024 North America West Semifinal, Abigail Domit proved that consistency was key, finishing all six of the week’s events between third and ninth place. 

Following her on the podium was 2023 CrossFit Games Most Improved (and 2023 North American West champ) Alex Gazan and reigning Third Fittest Woman, Arielle Loewen.

Canadians Hattie Kanyo (a Games rookie) and veteran Emily Rolfe rounded out the top five. 

On the men’s side, there were tight battles for the podium and at the cutline, but in the end, the two-time Fittest Man, Justin Medeiros took home the gold, followed by veteran Brent Fikowski and second-time Individual Games qualifier James Sprague.

Games veterans and podium finishers Patrick Vellner and Sam Kwant finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Women’s Division 

The big story of Event 4 was Olivia Kerstetter. Last year’s CrossFit Games Rookie of the Year entered the day in 23rd position—92 points below the cutline—but she proved unstoppable on rowing and handstand walking. 

  • Kerstetter’s time of 8:28.64 in Heat 2 held up for the event win, jumping her eight spots up the leaderboard.

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SPEED READS

🇺🇸💪 Honoring Memorial Day: Today, we take time to honor and remember U.S. soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. Before you take on the Hero WOD, “Murph,” check out this video on the origin of the workout and its importance.

  • And, if you have not yet, check out John Wooley’s thoughts on blocking out the noise and searching for truth as you run, pull up, push up, and squat today.

📖✍️ CrossFit released an official response to questions surrounding the injuries to Rebecka Vitesson and Margaux Masset.

  • Adrian Bozman, Competition Director, from the statement: “First, we want to acknowledge that the initial response time from the medical team was unacceptable. Our team promptly discussed mandatory changes with the arena’s medical staff. Those changes were incorporated immediately and continued throughout the remainder of the competition.”

🧑‍💻👩‍💻 CrossFit HQ is Hiring: CrossFit LLC is currently advertising six positions in IT, including several senior engineers in DevOps and software, as well as additional positions in marketing.

🏳️‍🌈💛 Reebok Unveils “Unity by Reebok” for 2024 Pride: The collection, according to Reebok, “features expressive and colorful graphics inspired by the traditional tie-dyed garments seen within Pride parades across the globe, plus apparel featuring the collection’s mantra: ‘For Anybody and Everybody.’”

🏆 TYR Wodapalooza Drops TYR Cup Details: The team at Loud and Live is dropping more info about the inaugural event this Fall. Stay in the know below:

  • With more details out in the world, the TYR Cup crew posted this hype video laying out everything you need to know. Check it out now!

  • The prize purse for the event will be $250,000, broken down as follows:

    • TYR Cup Champs: $160k per team

      Runner-ups: $40k per team

      MVP: $10k - Awarded to the individual with the greatest singular positive impact on their team’s success.

      The remaining $40k will be shared across the remaining division champs.

🏋️‍♀️📋 Training Camp Semifinalists: Several prominent training camps have dropped full rosters of their Semifinal-qualifying athletes. Check out the lists now:

ICYMI: How long does it take to make it to the CrossFit Games? The answer might surprise you.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Courtesy of Snorri Baron

Inside the World of Snorri Baron, CrossFit's Prolific Athlete Manager

Icelander Snorri Baron, who once worked in advertising and has a powerlifting background, has become well-known as an athlete manager in the sport of CrossFit. 

  • The gentle giant is loved both for his professional abilities and his fun-loving, contagious personality.

Baron is the founder of Bakland Management and works alongside Lucile Phelouzat. 

The two maintain an impressive roster of athletes and have proven to be great guides and agents for their clients through brand deals, media opportunities, and more.

  • Phelouzat manages half the roster of athletes under Bakland and had an especially great weekend during the European Semifinal last weekend. 

Worth noting: Seven Bakland athletes have qualified for the Games thus far in 2024 and Baron expects another seven after the remaining Semifinal competitions. 

Below is the list of Bakland athletes who qualified for the Games out of Europe:

  • Bjorgin Karl Gudmundsson: Earned his 11th consecutive Games berth 

  • Henrik Haapalainen: Punched his fourth career Games ticket 

  • Linda Keesman: Games rookie in 2024

  • Emma Tall: Finished in third place at the Europe Semifinal 

  • Jelle Hoste: Took second at the Europe Semifinal in his sophomore Games bid. (Managed by Phelouzat)

  • Aniol Ekai: Games rookie in 2024 (Managed by Phelouzat)

  • Victor Hoffer: Facing a tough road after finishing 30th in event one, the HWPO up-and-comer fought his way up the leaderboard all weekend and landed a spot at the Games for the first time. (Managed by Phelouzat)

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CROSSFIT SEMIFINALS

Credit: @johnnyrollinsphoto / Instagram

2024 CrossFit Games Oceania Semifinal Winners and Qualifiers: Ricky Garard and Grace Walton Finish On Top Down Under

Games veteran and 2022 Third Fittest Man on Earth, Ricky Garard, completed the second comeback of his career, clinching victory at the 2024 CrossFit Games Oceania Semifinal in a knock-down, drag-out fight against Bayley Martin and Jay Crouch, who both secured their second Games invitations (of four available each on the men’s and women’s sides). 

Youngster Peter Ellis rounded out the Games berths on the men’s side, earning his first trip to the big show.

After leading most of the weekend, veteran Maddie Sturt ultimately lost out on the overall podium win to first-time Games qualifier Grace Walton on the women’s side. 

Daisy McDonald and Georgia Pryer took third and fourth, respectively, making it three out of four rookies on the women’s side out of Oceania (and five out of eight total for the region). 

Women’s Division

Walton Wins, Sturt Survives: In a tight race for the top spot, four-time Games athlete Maddie Sturt started day three with a 12-point lead in front of Grace Walton. 

Walton earned her first event win of the weekend in Event 4, holding a sub-1:50/500-meter pace on all three rows and finishing in 8:34.70. This was Walton’s first career Semifinal event win. Being out in front was a different experience for Walton, as she shared in her post-event interview:

  • “I hate being chased. It was a good cat and mouse race,” she said.

HIGHLIGHTS

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

  • 🎂Happy belated birthday to Davis Merrill.

  • Congratulations to the kids from Core City CrossFit in Detroit, MI, on snagging some 29-kilo/65-pound jerk PRs.

  • Nice work to Gael from Hoc CrossFit in France on the 120-kilo/264-pound clean grip snatch.

  • Congratulations to WarriorWOD founder Phil Palmer for being inducted into the Riverdogs and Boeing Hall of Honor.

  • 🙌Congratulations to Kim from Dominus CrossFit in the UK on her 75-kilo/165-pound clean PR.