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7:54

Friday, May 17

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today's edition is brought to you by O2.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

"There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: Those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed." -- Ray Goforth

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SANCTIONALS.

The All-Time Who’s Who Competing at the Rogue Invitational

The Rogue Invitational brings together CrossFit royalty to the likes that have never been seen before outside of the CrossFit Games. Rogue’s introduction of the Legends division promises to be a fan favorite as past champions and fan favorites will take the competition floor for the first time in years.

On top of hosting the fittest roster, Rogue features the second highest athlete payout, more than $400,000.

First place individual: $50,000
First place team: $20,000
$5,000 per event win

Fans will have different opinions of who should be on the Mount Rushmore of CrossFit, but it is fairly certain that anyone’s top four are in the Invitational’s field. As a CrossFit Games Season record-keeper, the Rogue Invitational’s roster is the ultimate for stats compilation that I have never assembled previously.

Just how stacked are we talking? Athletes at the Rogue Invitational account for only 8% of all Games Individuals in history have accumulated almost 90 percent of the Games Individual Championships, nearly ¾ of all the podium spots, and virtually half of all event wins.
13 of the 16 CrossFit Games individual champions are competing. Only Caity Henniger (onsite running the event), James Fitzgerald and Jolie Macias (Gentry) are not competing.
At least the top 5 all-time in every significant Games statistical category are competing at the Rogue Invitational: Championships, Podiums, Top 5s, Event Wins, Event Top 5s, and Events Competed.
Full roster.

Continue reading...

Things To...

WATCH: An Everyday Athlete and Alessandra Pichelli
You ever wonder if you could keep up with a CrossFit Games athlete? Average Steve joins Alessandra Pichelli for a full day of training to show what it's like to try and keep up with an elite athlete when you're an everyday CrossFitter.
JUST TRYING NOT TO DIE.

HEAR: Talking Elite Fitness Breaks Down the Triple Three Weekend
On the latest episode of Talking Elite Fitness, hosts Tommy Marquez and Sean Woodland preview a busy weekend of three simultaneous Sanctionals, from who to keep an eye on at the Rogue Invitational, the Brazil CrossFit Championship and the Down Under CrossFit Championship.
CANCEL YOUR WEEKEND PLANS.

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EAT: Fudgy Almond Butter Blondies
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GUILT FREE BROWNIES.

Today's edition of the Morning Chalk Up is brought to you by

Chalk Up Community

BEATING HIS 24 HOUR MURPH SCORE -- Last year, Shaun Gardner completed 24 hours of Murph on behalf of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, raising over $5000 and completing 18 rounds. This year, Shaun will be repeating his challenge on behalf of the Special Forces Charitable Trust, with plans to surpass his previous 18 rounds and his $6000 goal.
FUNDRAISER WOD -- CrossFit Breckenridge in Breckenridge, CO is celebrating its 10th anniversary on June 1 with a fundraiser to honor their original owner, Scott Ferguson, who passed away on April 22. All funds raised will benefit a scholarship in his name for nursing students at Colorado University.
HELP KEEP CROSSFIT IN SCHOOLS -- The CrossFit programs in Portland Public Schools are once again at risk of underfunding. The PPS Spring Showdown will take place on May 31 to raise both funds and awareness of the programs offered as a PE elective.
SECOND LOCATION -- CrossFit Industrious is having a grand opening celebration for their second location in downtown Seattle, WA this Saturday.
GUARDIAN GAMES -- On Saturday, July 6 CrossFit Superfly is hosting a competition with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #133 in Lebanon, OH. All proceeds will be used to send kids in the community to the Countryside YMCA Junior Academy with any remaining proceeds used to sponsor families in need during the Christmas shop with a cop program.
FIGHT GONE BLOUIN -- Blackbird CrossFit in Eldersburg, MD is hosting a WOD in honor of one of their members, Erica Blouin, who is facing down cervical cancer. The event will be held Sunday, June 9 and all proceeds will help combat Erica's growing medical bills.
CROSSFIT JUMP ROPE IN GEORGIA -- CrossFit Jump Rope course has a double header in GA this weekend. Saturday they're at CrossFit 11:24 in Marietta and Sunday they're at CrossFit TAO in Macon.

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES (a highlight reel around social media of CrossFit pros and average joes)

Enter to win a set of Tydax Fitness bumper coasters • Happy birthday Sam Dancer • Thankfully Rasmus Andersen made it to the Rogue Invitational • Roman Khrennikov is now offering programming • Will Ratelle completed the one-ton challenge in 66 seconds • Rich Froning prepares for the Rogue Invitational with a speed clean and jerk ladder • Throwback to when Adam Klink back squatted 495 pounds in Jordans.

Train with Brent Fikowski and Patrick Vellner -- Brent Fikowski, through his Professor Project training program, is offering a new program to help you prepare for competition day. On top of a money back guarantee, he is also offering a special guest coach: Pat Vellner.

Rogue Invitational -- The Rogue Invitational is also this weekend, at Rogue Headquarters in Columbus, OH.

-- How to watch: The Rogue Invitational will be live streamed on YouTube, Facebook and Rogue's website.

-- The team at WIT London caught up with Scott Panchik, Jessica Griffith and Cody Mooney ahead of each of them taking on the Rogue Invitational this weekend.

Brazil CrossFit Championship -- Justin LoFranco and Tommy Marquez are in Sao Paulo, Brazil to bring you end-to-end coverage of the Brazil CrossFit Championship.

-- On the schedule today: The event kicks off today, starting with the Team Row/Swim event at 9:00 AM PST. You can see the entire schedule and list of events here.

-- Follow along: Bookmark this page to follow along with our daily Live Blog of the event and all our updates.

-- Day 1 Live Blog: There will be a livestream, but it won't be as comprehensive as previous Sanctionals.

-- See how Allison Scudds prepared for the Brazil CrossFit Championship.

Down Under CrossFit Championship -- The Down Under CrossFit Championship kicked off late last night. As of 10:00 PM PT last night, here were the standings:

-- Men: 1). Jake Douglas, 2.) Joshua Al-Chamaa, 3.) Jake Standen, 4.) Evan Morris, 5.) Rob Watt.

-- Women: 1). Amanda Barnhart, 2.) Tamara Dinsmore, 3.) Megan Gifford, 4.) Jamie Greene, 5.) Sammy Drescher.

-- Teams: 1). X-Terminators, 2.) Project X, 3.) 64 Army Black, 4.) Raw Strength and Conditioning, 5.) Renegade Z.

-- Last night, the unofficial winner of the Men’s Individual Event 1 was Jake Douglas with a 387 pound clean and jerk. Unofficial winner of the Women's Individual Event 1 was Amanda Barnhart with a 257 pound clean and jerk.

CHALK UP READS

"Ben Smith’s Hunt for Eleven," by Tommy Marquez, Morning Chalk Up Team

The most highly anticipated sanctioned event of the year kicks off this weekend as the Rogue Invitational takes place in Columbus, Ohio. The two-day competition – which takes place in Rogue’s brand new event facility built for the event – features the second largest prize purses of any event this season: $400,000.

What’s at stake: The biggest prize for 2015 Games champion Ben Smith has nothing to do with money, but extending his streak of consecutive individual Games appearances to 11.

There are two all-time records at play: the record for consecutive individual CrossFit Games appearances, the record for most individual appearances all-time.

Starting in 2009, Smith has qualified for a record 10 consecutive individual appearances at the CrossFit Games, he has the chance to extend his record to 11 at Rogue.

If he fails to do so, the next athlete behind him on the consecutive streak list is Camille Leblanc-Bazinet with 9, and her streak will be ending this year due to her going team with ROMWOD/WIT.

After Leblanc-Bazinet, the next highest active streak would be Scott Panchik, who just qualified for his 8th consecutive appearance dating back to 2012.

If Smith qualifies he’ll also set the record for the most appearances with 11, breaking a three-way tie with Becca Voigt, and Annie Thorisdottir. Thorisdottir recently qualified for her 10th Games this season.

Becca Voigt has the chance to earn a spot to her 11th Games as well later this season when she competes at the Granite Games, but Smith has the chance to be the first to eclipse the 10 year mark.