CrossFit Games

How CrossFit Mayhem May Have Already Qualified

March 25, 2019 by
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You might have already noticed but a lot of things are currently in flux in the Sanctionals qualification process, and none more so than with the teams.

Recap: The crowd favorite CrossFit Mayhem Freedom, much to everyone’s surprise didn’t walk away with at least a podium spot at Wodapalooza after they took back-to-back 12th and 13th place finishes — out of 13 teams. This left them well outside of contention and 5th place overall after the weekend.

  • Here are the top 5 teams at Wodapalooza: 1). ROMWOD/WIT, 2). Team Lesser Evil (Invictus), 3). Team MisFit, 4). Team Plus Ultra and 5). CrossFit Mayhem Freedom.

Here’s what you need to understand about the Team qualification process as stated in the rulebook.

  • If a team loses two females, they’re automatically ineligible.  “A team’s six (6) members must comprise the four (4) athletes who competed at the Sanctionals competition on the same team, plus two (2) alternates (one man and one woman)…the team may select only from among those six members to field a team at the Games.”
  • “If an athlete is listed on a Games team roster, that athlete is not eligible to compete on another team.”
  • “Teams will have seven days after receiving an invitation to declare their roster. The team roster will be frozen after the seven days,”

Here’s how CrossFit Mayhem may end up with the invite after all.

  • ROMWOD/WIT may be ineligible. Jamie Greene will likely go individual. She’s got the top spot in New Zealand all but locked up as well as top 20 worldwide. If Jessica Griffith qualifies through the Open and accepts the team is automatically ineligible. Also, while competing at Wodapalooza they expressed that they had no intention to accept if they won. That could obviously change. However, if Griffith does decide to go team, they’d need to replace Greene quickly.
    • UPDATE: Adding fuel to that idea, Jessica Griffith posted to Instagram Tuesday after falling about 13 spots short of qualifying: “I was really looking forward to taking a sigh of relief and have a down week. But the job isn’t done. Not 100% sure what the plan is, but I DO know I’m gonna get up, dust the dirt off my knees, and get back to work.”
  • Team Lesser Evil, AKA Invictus X has already qualified. They won Dubai back in December.
  • Team MisFit. Mekenzie Riley is about to qualify as an individual in the Open and Chyna Cho is rumored to be heading to CrossFit Mayhem, which creates the same issue for the two remaining guys as ROMWOD/WIT.
  • Team Plus Ultra was a one-time thing. Thuri Helgadottir is in a prime position to get the Sanctionals invite from Strength in Depth meaning they’d only have to find a replacement female. However, team captain Travis Williams has already fielded a team for Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge (MACC) consisting of Roy Gamboa, Alexis Johnson and Jenn Smith and indicated the Plus Ultra team has no intention of accepting if it came their way. Williams also has accepted a team invite for Brazil CrossFit Championship, which will serve as a backup plan if they fail to qualify at MACC.

So that leaves CrossFit Mayhem in fifth. Cho would be their female alternate to replace outgoing Kristin Miller. They’re expected to compete at Asia CrossFit Championship in late April.

  • Why this might not happen. Mayhem still wants to field two teams at the Games. Don’t forget the fine print. Kristen Miller, if replaced by Cho would be ineligible to compete on another team this season. According to the rulebook (4.05), “If an athlete is listed on a Games team roster, that athlete is not eligible to compete on another team.” Miller would be on the Sanctionals roster for Wodapalooza, with Cho as the alternate.
  • It’s worth mentioning Mayhem’s Open performance as of publication: Rich Froning (11), Dre Strohm (44,957), Tasia Percevecz (27), Kristin Miller (NA), Chyna Cho (67).

If Froning really wants to field two teams then it suggests that Mayhem would also decline and CrossFit 417 would get the invite. But that’s about as far down the rabbit hole as we’re willing go.

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