The Strange 2025 CrossFit Games Roster

June 23rd, 2025

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • Which fan-favorite athletes won’t be in Albany for the Games?

  • Can you out-supplement a salad?

  • HYROX releases the rulebook for next season.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
❝

It would be kind of a dream come true.”

Lydia Fish on what it would mean to qualify for the CrossFit Games (just before learning she had earned the final roster spot).
CROSSFIT GAMES

Most 2024 CrossFit Games Athletes Are Out in 2025 — What’s Behind the Massive Turnover?

Credit: Scott Freymond

This season’s 12 CrossFit Games qualifying events are finally complete, the 30-men and 30-women rosters are set, and they look a lot different than we’re accustomed to seeing in recent years.

Between injuries, retirements, athletes choosing to forego the CrossFit Games season, or simply failing to qualify, there are a fair number of household names who will be absent from the line-up this August.

In fact, out of last year’s 40-person Games rosters, only 15 men and 15 women are in the line-up at the upcoming CrossFit Games in Albany, NY.

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SPEED READS

🐠🏋️ “Offishal”: Training Think Tank athlete, Lydia Fish left it all on the floor in the Last Chance Qualifier to earn the 30th and final ticket to the 2025 CrossFit Games. Check out her story here.

🤝💰 Partnered Up: In a detailed post on its website, CrossFit introduced its new and existing partnerships for the 2025 Games season. These agreements include familiar brands like YETI and STRONG Coffee, along with newcomers Saatva and PBFit.

📺 💪 Watch This: Get a behind-the-scenes look at the 2025 HYROX World Championships, courtesy of the Buttery Bros.

📚📺 Fraser Critiqued: Among other things, Dr. Mike Israetel has built a reputation on critiquing athlete workouts on his Renaissance Periodization YouTube channel. The noted exercise scientist recently put Mat Fraser’s workout routine under the microscope.

ICYMI: How Hatch Athletic handles fitness during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. 

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

What Your Supplement Stack Is Missing

Credit: Nitta Sampeng / Shutterstock

Picture this: A CrossFit coach claims the only benefit of whole foods over supplements is feeling full.

He hits his protein goals with powders and bars, takes a multivitamin, and considers it nutritionally equivalent to someone consuming fruits and vegetables.

Yet he's constantly popping ibuprofen for knee and back pain, struggles through workouts, and has a sky-high resting heart rate.

This scenario comes from Nicole, a listener of the Consistency Project podcast, who is engaged in a "friendly nutrition disagreement" with her business partner. 

He demands scientific evidence that whole foods offer benefits beyond what supplements can provide. Meanwhile, Nicole recovers well from workouts and does not experience chronic pain. 

  • Here's the thing: Nicole's partner isn't entirely wrong about the science. 

But he completely misses the bigger picture.

HYROX

HYROX Makes Changes to 2025/26 Season Rulebook — No More Spitting or Snot Rockets

Credit: Scott Freymond

HYROX HQ released its official rulebook for the 2025/26 racing season, featuring updated rules, like allowing athletes to take their shoes off and a penalty for spitting on the floor. 

The 2024/25 HYROX season just wrapped up in Chicago at the World Championships and the next season is already getting started. The new rulebook has many of the same rules from past seasons, but also a few new ones that athletes should be aware of prior to racing. 

Key rule changes from HYROX HQ: 

  • Distance-based penalties replaced by time-based penalties. 

  • Athletes are no longer permitted to step on the front line of the racer box for sled pull. 

  • The 70-74 age group was added to the PRO category.

  • Athletes can remove their shoes, only for the wall ball station, if they bring their shoes with them over the finish line.

  • Spitting or clearing one's nose on the floor or carpet will incur a two-minute penalty per infringement.

  • Starting in any wave other than the athlete’s official assigned wave start time will result in a disqualification.

HIGHLIGHTS

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

  • 🔥Take a look at Noah Ohlsen’s monster workout (Lumberjack 20), his first one back after competing at HYROX Worlds. Something to add to the training plan?

  • Check out Bronislaw Olenkowicz on this 125 kilo/275 pound snatch. What do we think? Power or nah?

  • Lucy Campbell has some major handstand walking skills! Looking so strong!

  • How many Assault Bike calories can you get in 18 seconds? Josh Murillo racks up 18 on a full send interval. 😮‍💨

  • ☺️See what a Saturday looks like for Sam Kwant — a little family time, a little EMOM - looks like the best day!