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Will She or Won’t She? Castro Gives Tia a Games Decision Deadline
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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.
In today’s edition:
A stacked women’s field is coming to the NorCal Classic, the final In-Person Qualifying Event of 2025. Find out how to watch below.
The 50/50 Model explained. Why great onboarding balances business and coaching.
Dave Castro puts Tia on the clock.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Unsure if she is going to come to the Games, but she won her ticket, so she has the opportunity to. I imagine she will, but only Tia knows what Tia is going to do.”
CROSSFIT GAMES
2025 Northern California Classic: How to Watch, Leaderboard, and 5 Things to Know
Credit: Scott Freymond
The final In-Person Qualifying Event (IPQE) of the 2025 CrossFit Games season starts on Friday at Discovery Park in Sacramento, CA.
The Northern California Classic features 49 men and 43 women competing for two spots each at this summer’s CrossFit Games in Albany, NY.
After this weekend, only one Games ticket remains in each division, which will be determined via the Last Chance Qualifier next weekend.
Check out the full Northern California Classic rosters here.
Full leaderboards are available here.
See who has already qualified for the CrossFit Games here.
As we head into the final IPQE of the 2025 season, here are five things you need to know.
More Than One Female Games Vet Will Be Left Out
The women’s field in Sacramento features five athletes who have competed in the Games at least three times: Alex Gazan (3), Emily Rolfe (5), Bethany Flores (7), Caroline Prevost (3), and Kristin Holte (8).
Gazan chose to forgo the In-Affiliate Semifinals and put all of her eggs in the Northern California Classic basket, winning the World Fitness Project (WFP) Tour Event I along the way. She has to be considered the frontrunner this weekend.
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SPEED READS
👟📋 R.A.D Pro: Applications are being accepted now until Friday, June 6, at 11 a.m. ET for certified coaches, gym owners, first responders, and military personnel to get R.A.D Pro status, a 25% off cheat code, early access to product drops, and more. Apply now!
🏋️💪 Master the Push Press: Watch this L-1 seminar clip to learn the key coaching cues that turn a sloppy push press into a strong, efficient lift.
🌎🏆 WFP REC League: Registration opens soon (June 15) for the WFP REC League. The pilot season kicks off in July. Learn more about the new recreational fitness league here.
🧑🔬 💊 Momentous Releases The Women’s Three: Co-developed with women’s physiology expert Dr. Stacy Sims, The Women’s Three targets key nutrients for women — iron, calcium, and vitamin D3. Learn how Momentous is advancing women’s sports science.
🇮🇸🥇 Iceland Annie: Annie Thorisdottir’s new book, Iceland Annie: The Evolution of a CrossFit Legend, is now available for pre-order.
🔬🏃 Landmark Study On Cancer and Exercise: A new study finds that regular aerobic exercise can cut colon cancer deaths and recurrence by about one-third — the first to show a causal link between exercise and cancer outcomes. Read about it here.
ICYMI: Four Qualifying Events. One epic weekend. Eight key takeaways you may have missed.
MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
The 50/50 Rule: Why Your Onboarding Isn’t Just About Fitness
Credit: @besthouroftheirday / Instagram
In our first discussion about onboarding, we established that there is no "perfect" system – only principles that assist you in designing what works for your unique affiliate.
However, we need to acknowledge that there is a deeper discussion about what truly makes an onboarding experience transformative, rather than merely functional.
After 15 years of coaching, I've found that thriving affiliates don't just teach movements; they weave in nutrition guidance and foster community connections from the very beginning.
The 50/50 Model: Service Overlaps Everything
When designing an onboarding system, keep in mind that nothing within your affiliate operates independently.
Your onboarding is not just about preparing people for class — it intersects with your social events, retail sales, nutrition coaching, and attendance incentives.
I refer to this as the 50/50 model because effective affiliate management demands equal focus on both business fundamentals and service delivery.
POLL
🐐 Will Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr accept the invitation she earned for the 2025 Crossfit Games? |
CROSSFIT GAMES
Dave Castro Puts Tia on the Clock, Sets Games Invite Deadline for 7-Time Champ
Credit: Carlos Fluery, @carlitosfleury / Instagram
Last weekend, the seven-time Fittest Woman on Earth, Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr, dominated the Torian Pro In-Person Qualifying Event (IPQE) in Brisbane, Australia, winning five of the six events and earning her 10th invitation to the CrossFit Games.
That being said, it’s still unclear whether she will accept her invitation, as she has hinted at retirement in recent weeks.
She will have to make her decision soon, though, as CrossFit’s Director of Sport Dave Castro announced on Monday that he has given her a deadline.
“She has a period of time to decide. We gave her a date, basically until when she has to make a decision if she wants to use the spot or not,” Castro said on his Week in Review on YouTube.
Furthermore, Castro said he will inform fifth-place finisher Georgia Pryer of the date, as well, since she would be the backfill athlete should Toomey-Orr decline her invitation to Albany, NY this summer.
“The date that we gave [Toomey-Orr] is fair to everyone,” Castro said.
He did not publicly share the specific date he gave Toomey-Orr.
HIGHLIGHTS
Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.
🎂Happy birthday to Chris Hinshaw.
Check out Victor Hoffer making easy work of a heavy dumbbell — maybe something we’ll see at Tour Event 2 of WFP?
Nice job to Bronislaw Olenkowicz on this 120-kilo/264-pound power snatch.
Check out this progression from Teenage CrossFit Games athlete Delia Moises.
🏋️Check out these 100-kilo/220-pound snatches from Mateus from Brazil, two years apart. Looking good, Mateus!