Grading Eric Roza’s First Year

August 9   |   POWERED BY

Happy Monday Morning Chalk Up readers! The lull has really set in as Games athletes enjoy some well-deserved time off. Back to the drawing board now to prepare for another year of fitness 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼.

In today’s edition:

• One year later: Eric Roza as CrossFit CEO.
• Tommy tackles the legacy of Kristin Holte.
• Mayhem Desert Heat.

“Defeat is a state of mind; no one is ever defeated until defeat is accepted as a reality.” - Bruce Lee

One Year Later: Eric Roza as CrossFit CEO

The close of the CrossFit Games not only brought an end to a very long season in our sport, but also closed out the first full calendar year under the new tenure of CrossFit owner and CEO, Eric Roza.

Remind me: Eric Roza finalized agreement negotiations with CrossFit on July 24, 2020 but took full ownership of the company on August 7, 2020. Since then, Roza has had a hefty “to-do list” to redirect the sport and help grow CrossFit on a global scale.

In his first quarterly town hall with the CrossFit community at large, Roza revealed CrossFit’s new mission statement, “to be the world’s leading platform for health, happiness and performance.” Below we break down his specific goals and what’s been accomplished in the past 12 months.

This Ancient American Salt Mine Could Keep You Hydrated

Most natural sea salts come from Pakistan or France. But not Redmond Real Salt.

The Redmond salt deposit in Utah is the remnant of an ancient inland sea from the Jurassic Period. When the sea dried up, the salt got trapped in the earth and eventually emerged near the surface.

This ancient salt deposit was created long before any pollution and is covered by bentonite clay, which protects it from modern contamination too.

The salt inside the deposit contains over 60+ natural trace minerals, which gives it a unique color, flavor, and makes it a healthy way to replenish electrolytes after exercise.

Get a closer look at the hydrating salt inside this one-of-a-kind salt mine.

Tommy Tackles Kristin Holte

The 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games provided fans a pair of swan songs – one known at the time of competition and one unknown – for two legends of the sport making their final appearances as individuals on the competition floor.

Scott Panchik announced his “final ride,” via an epic compilation of highlights across his decade-long career at the Games. Kristin Holte revealed three days after the Games that 2021 would be “the last dance” with a pair of photos capturing her crossing the finish line in the Coliseum for the final time.

Both athletes are first ballot Hall of Famers (if CrossFit had that sort of thing), and to borrow a piece of criteria from other mainstream sports, you simply cannot tell “the story,” of the CrossFit Games without Panchik or Holte, highlighting their significance to our sport.

Which is why these next two weeks my column will be spent telling their story, at least to the best of my abilities, to highlight their journey and the memories they’ve shared along the way.

Want to Go to the UAE to Win $30,000? Meet Mayhem Desert Heat

Mayhem Nation announced a new elite and RX level invitational competition — Mayhem Desert Heat — that will be putting up more than $150,000 in prize money split between 20 elite men and women. The competition is scheduled for November 12 and 13, 2021 located in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

One big thing: Mayhem Desert Heat will be structured similar to the former CrossFit Invitational in the sense that it’s a handful of events in a shorter, compressed timeline that’s made for TV. It’s also the start of a long-term relationship between Mayhem and Ras Al Khaimah.

• Athletes won’t be spending long days going from event to event, and fans will be able to watch their favorite athletes live in one sitting. Translation: think six-pack of beer versus an entire keg.
• There will be a lot of extra amenities for elite athletes typically not included in other events. A modest registration fee will go towards providing things like transportation inside of the UAE, lodging, food and (potentially) some excursions.
• The top prize hasn’t been set, but discussions indicate it could be at or above the $25,000 cash payout level.

The details: The competition will be held in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE from November 12-13, 2021.

• Rich Froning will be programming all the events and will also be onsite at the competition running training with Rich seminars.
• Five male and female elite athlete spots are being reserved as invite-only.
• 15 elite athlete spots can be earned by going through the online qualifier, which will run an entire month starting on Thursday, August 13.
• 40 male and female RX athletes will earn spots by going through the same online qualifier.
• To secure a special invite for the elite division, email [email protected].

Who’s on the roster? So far, we’re hearing that Saxon Panchik, Haley Adams, Jeff Adler, Khan Porter and Roman Khrennikov have expressed interest.

The big picture: We’re seeing a shift away from expensive, day-long, multi-day competitions with 40+ athlete rosters towards more micro, themed events that are made for entertainment and optimized to live stream to an internet audience.

• In Spain, the Freakest Challenge is a wildly successful event run annually in Barcelona that works in partnership with NIKE to put on a single-day, multi-lingual, two-and-a-half hour event that has featured athletes like Mat Fraser, Sara Sigmundsdottir, Laura Horvath and Noah Ohlsen.
• In Ireland, the organizers of the former Filthy150 Sanctional are already working hard on a new event for late November that follows a similar format in terms of entertainment and viewing experience.
• In Denmark, the Butcher’s Classic is a three-day same sex team of two competition with about $8,000 up for grabs. Annie Thorisdottir and Katrin Davidsdottir won the event pre-pandemic.

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The Best Leg, Ankle, and Foot Stability Drill You're Not Doing

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Three Unsexy (But Necessary) Gymnastic Accessory Drills

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All About Insect Protein Powders

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• 🤯🤯🤯 Graciano Rubio snatches 330 pounds/149kg 15 times in 9:31.
• Paul VanderKelen from CrossFit Green Bay in Green Bay, WI back squats 400 pounds/181kg for a PR.
  
• Aron Parker front squats 315 pounds/142kg for a four rep PR.
• Linda Keesman from CrossFit Punt Uit in the Netherlands power cleans 220 pounds/100kg for a three rep PR.
• Dean Kearney from CSP Gym in Ireland completes a barbell complex at 242 pounds/110kg.
• Jimmy Woodard from CrossFit OwnIt in West Melbourne, FL cleans 385 pounds/174kg.
• Gustav Gabrielsson back squats 418 pounds/190kg.
• 🔥🔥🔥 youngest-ever USA weightlifting youth national champion at just 8-year-old, Rory van Ulft, teaches us some lessons in technique and mobility.

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