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- Who is the Echo Bike King?
Who is the Echo Bike King?
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Good morning, and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.
In today’s edition:
Roman Khrennikov lit up Event 5 at the Mayhem Classic — does that make him the Echo Bike King?
Is semi-private training a profitable path for CrossFit affiliates?
Mayhem Classic sets the tone for 2025 with big effort and big performances.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“You could tell they really put their hearts into it.” - Abbie Domit, 2025 Games qualifier, on the Mayhem Classic’s staff and volunteers.
PROFILE
Credit: Carlos Fleury and Sara Ines Chew
Who is the King of the Echo Bike? The Saga Continues
In the final event at the Mayhem Classic last weekend, Roman Khrennikov put on a show.
2025 Mayhem Classic, Event 5
For time:
30 cal Echo Bike
30 bar muscle-ups
30 cal Echo Bike
Khrennikov finished the first 30 calories in 32 seconds, the bar muscle-ups in 1:48, and the final 30 calories in 52 seconds.
His finishing time was 3:18. James Sprague finished in 3:42, and Jayson Hopper in 4:07.
As Khrennikov jumped off the bike after the first set, Rich Froning chimed in with some trash-talking from the booth: “What do you think about that, Hopper?”
So, does that make Khrennikov the Echo Bike King?
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SPEED READS
🏋️ 📽️ Age Group LB Judging—Final Hours: If you completed the judges’ course and want to review Age Group Semifinals workouts, you only have a few hours left.
🗣️ 🎙️ Castro’s Athlete Interviews: In case you missed it, Dave Castro is bringing back his interview series with CrossFit Games athletes for 2025. First up is Mayhem winner Fee Saghafi.
💪 👷 Rogue Fitness is Hiring! Check out Rogue Fitness’s latest job openings and apply now.
⏱️ 🏋️ How Much Rest Do You Need Between Sets? This quick guide from Invictus Fitness breaks down rest times based on your training goals — strength, hypertrophy, or endurance — so you can recover smarter and perform better.
📢 🚨 Attn: CrossFit Owners and Coaches: CrossFit’s first Owners and Coaches Conference lands in Albany July 30–31 (just before the Games). The first speakers, Pamela Gagnon and Daniel Chaffey, were just announced. Get the details.
ICYMI: What would Rich Froning do as CrossFit CEO?
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
Credit: @resultsbydesignfitness / Instagram
Could Semi-Private Training Mean Bigger Profits for CrossFit Affiliates?
When Greg Glassman founded CrossFit, he initially trained his athletes one-on-one before organizing them into small groups as the headcount grew.
The original model was not based on the concept that affiliate owners should conduct group classes with 10, 15, or even more than 20 people.
But pretty early on, CrossFit became synonymous with large group classes and substantial facilities, along with the associated overhead costs necessary to support them.
So, where does the model of large group classes leave us today?
THINGS TO…
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Struggling on the SkiErg or maybe chasing a better HYROX time? Get tips from 2022 CrossFit Games athlete Rebecca Fuselier.
…READ
The Donut Newsletter
Pair your morning coffee with The Donut, a newsletter sharing impartial, witty news updates.
…WATCH
Everything That Happened at the Mayhem Classic
The Buttery Bros — Heber Cannon, Marston Sawyers, and Julian Marquez — were on the ground and behind the scenes at the Mayhem Classic. Roll the footage!
CROSSFIT GAMES
Credit: @mayhemclassic / Instagram
The Mayhem Classic Delivered—and Set the Bar for 2025
The start of the 2025 CrossFit season has been anything but normal.
The Games team announced several significant changes at the outset, including the introduction of online In-Affiliate Semifinals and 10 In-Person Qualifying Events (IPQEs). Then there’s the upstart World Fitness Project (WFP), which is launching its season and will inevitably fight for fan attention.
Undoubtedly, there were those who questioned whether these changes, coupled with the divisive nature of the off-season within the CrossFit community, would diminish fans' interest.
Well, if the 2025 Mayhem Classic in Cookeville, TN — the first of this season’s IPQEs — is any indication, it’s safe to say people are very interested. Very.
For the record: The livestream numbers peaked at 16,000 concurrent viewers during the competition, and the recorded stream from Day 1 topped 150,000 views within the first 24 hours. At the time of publication, Day 1 had 197,000 views, while Day 2 had 188,000 views.
HIGHLIGHTS
Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.
🔥Check out this monster three-rep hang clean from Portugal’s Icaro Elvas. Oh, and he’s only 19 years old.
Well done to Marie of CrossFit Lillestrøm in Norway on this 108-kilo/238-pound overhead squat PR… not to mention that behind-the-neck split jerk to get it up!
Check out Victor Hoffer on an easy (😳) set of three snatches at 115 kilos/253 pounds.
Take a look at Josh Bridges’ road to a 500-pound back squat.
🙌Congratulations to Teenage CrossFit Games competitor Maddox Metcalf on this 108-kilo/240-pound snatch PR.
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