What History Says About CrossFit’s New Athlete Council

November 22nd, 2024

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • CrossFit created athlete boards in both 2020 and 2022. What do those experiences tell us about the prospects for the new “Athlete Council” announced yesterday?

  • The Rogue Invitational always highlights odd implements and strongman-style programming in its CrossFit event. Which were hits and which missed the mark in 2024?

  • Reps Ahead Pro 5 is coming to Denver, CO, at the annual MBS Turkey Challenge. Arielle Loewen and James Sprague headline a stacked card for the new tournament-style format.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“The optimist in me wants to believe that [the new Ahtlete Council] will be useful and productive, and genuinely influence the path forward for CrossFit Sport. However, based on CrossFit's track record with these committees and councils, I am not confident...” — Ellia Miller on CrossFit’s plan for a new Athlete Council to replace previous, now-defunct councils.

CROSSFIT GAMES

Credit: Carlos Fleury

CrossFit’s New Athlete Council – Lessons From the Past

On Wednesday, CrossFit LLC announced that the third-party investigation into Lazar Đukić’s death at the 2024 CrossFit Games has been completed and that they will not be publishing a full report.

Instead, CrossFit laid out six steps it plans to take to “maximize [its] continued commitment to safety at the CrossFit Games.”

  • One of these steps is the creation of an “Athlete Council” in order to “ensure that athletes from the CrossFit community can share feedback and have greater influence on CrossFit’s protocols for competition, safety, broader athlete welfare and the business of sport.”

  • CrossFit expanded further, saying, “Unlike prior CrossFit councils, this Athlete Council will be elected by fellow athletes and will represent athletes from all divisions of competition.”

No further details were given in the post, but CrossFit did say to expect additional information in the near future.   

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SPEED READS

💰 💴 Black Friday is still a few days away, but the sales have already begun! Check out BarBend’s rundown of the best early Black Friday deals on everything from workout equipment to supplements.

😎🌴 2024 TYR WZA Miami Beach Update: In case you’ve missed it, TYR WZA Miami Beach has begun to announce the athletes “confirmed to celebrate!” So far, the roster includes Ricky Garard, Pat Vellner, Dani Speegle, James Sprague, and Arielle Loewen. Many more to come.

🗳️🏋️ New PFAA Athlete Board: After a vote that ended Sunday evening, the Professional Fitness Athletes’ Association (PFAA) announced its new Athlete Board. Here are the six athletes representing various regions of the world:

  • Pat Vellner, Canada, nine-time CrossFit Games athlete

  • Danielle Brandon, United States, six-time Games athlete

  • Victoria Campos, Brazil, three-time Games athlete

  • Jelle Hoste, Belgium, two-time Games athlete

  • Jake Douglas, Australia, 2023 Games athlete

  • Christina Livaditakis, Zimbabwe, four-time Semifinal athlete

🏋️🏃PIT Training League: The organizers of the Pit Teen Throwdown announced the creation of a new competition series called the PIT Training League. Learn more and register here.

ICYMI: After several months, CrossFit’s third-party investigation into Lazar Đukić’s death is complete, and the results were presented to its Board of Directors. That report will not be shared publicly, and CrossFit’s announcement yesterday focused on the road ahead. Check out all the details here.

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Credit: Seb Vallejo

Hits and Misses from the 2024 Rogue Invitational – Odd Objects

During the 2024 Rogue Invitational, I watched the elite athletes throw down alongside some friends who were not as familiar with the sport. 

  • One friend watched as the athletes carried the Power Pin up the steps and said, “What the heck are those?”

Her reaction made me want to look deeper at some of the more unique equipment used during the Rogue Invitational, categorizing each one as a hit or a miss. 

The Invitational is known to introduce odd objects to the competition floor, adding a real surprise element when it comes to athlete performance. 

Hits

Pegboard Traverse

The pegboard has been a staple in CrossFit competitions for quite some time, with many athletes even hanging one in their homes in order to practice. But the horizontal pegboard traverse is a riff on the movement, making it a less common implement.

COMPETITIONS

Credit: Elizabeth Cox

Reps Ahead Pro 5: James Sprague and Arielle Loewen Headline an All North America West Tournament

What could make a head-to-head, knockout-style event even more exciting?

Yep. A tournament bracket. 

Reps Ahead Pro 5 is coming to the Stockyards Event Center in Denver, CO, as part of the 15th annual MBS Turkey Challenge CrossFit competition. Fans and athletes will be able to watch the one-on-one showdowns in an exhilarating setting, as the unique setup at the auction arena will allow spectators to be right on top of the action. 

  • “This is going to be the best way to watch Reps Ahead so far. No question,” Reps Ahead founder Phil Thomas told Morning Chalk Up. 

The field consists of athletes from the North America West region, most of whom competed at the 2024 West Coast Classic in Carson, California.  

Remind me: Reps Ahead Pro 4 was a success. It was held on the main stage during the TYR Wodapalooza SoCal right before Team North America took on Team World in the TYR Cup in September. 

  • In those professional matchups, Anikha Greer defeated Kyra Milligan by a second-round knockout, and Jayson Hopper bested James Sprague by decision in the closest Reps Ahead bout to date.

What’s new: This time around, fans can watch four matches on both Saturday and Sunday in a four-person tournament. The winners on Saturday will face each other on Sunday in the championship bout. 

  • The losers of Saturday’s matches will face off for third place on Sunday. All athletes are guaranteed two matches. 

Let’s meet the contenders.

HIGHLIGHTS

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