Sara Sigmundsdottir got COVID?

September 7   |   POWERED BY

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Hopefully, you relaxed like this bear over the weekend.

• We need your help: If you know of a fundraiser for affiliates affected by Hurricane Ida, please send us a link.

In today’s edition:

• Rogue prize purse jumps $100K.
• Sara Sigmundsdottir got COVID, causing a delay to the global launch of her clothing line.
• Two CrossFitters are rowing across the Atlantic Ocean #NBD.

“Success lies in your ability to make adjustments. Own your mistakes, then learn from them to get better.” - Justin Su'a

Rogue Prize Purse Jumps $100K in Two Weeks

The prize purse for the Rogue Invitational has increased nearly $100,000 in the last two weeks alone as a result of increased ticket sales. The marquee off-season event already features the largest non-Games prize purse ever, as well as the only event to offer travel and lodging and pays out every athlete, regardless of finish.

One big thing: The more tickets that are sold the higher the prize purse and ticket sales have been going extremely well. Only executive suites, general admission, and two lower-tiered packages are available at this point.

• Rogue has set an interesting precedent never before seen in CrossFit, tying payouts directly to sales.
• The top payout has already increased from $229,068 to $238,598 (+$9530).
• The bottom payouts (10th – 20th) have increased from $5,549 to $5,513 (+$222).

Thought-starter?: If athletes are the ones filling the seats, then perhaps they deserve a larger share of the revenue?

• Rogue seems to think so, whether or not that was the catalyst for making this decision. They certainly have set an interesting precedent never before seen in CrossFit.

Go deeper:

• Who’s getting invited?
• Rogue Increases Travel Stipend to Support Athletes’ Travel to Invitational
• The Rogue Invitational Prize Purse is Like Really Really Huge

It Takes More Than Workouts To Build a Successful Gym

Opening an affiliate requires a tremendous passion for helping people improve their fitness and their lives.

But between marketing, sales, operations, management, and all of the admin…it’s easy to lose sight of why you started.

NCFIT Collective is the first and only affiliate programming provider to offer not only world class programming but full access to help on:

• Sales.
• Marketing.
• Business.
• Operations.
• And coach development.

These aren’t hypothetical tools. This is the exact playbook NCFIT has used for the last decade as they’ve owned, operated, and helped over a thousand gyms.

Schedule a call today to get started with NCFIT Collective, or jump right in with a 30-day programming sample.

MUST READ: The true love story of Laura Siegle and Ahmaed Cephus Jr. who met at CrossFit, profiled in the New York Times.

Nearly 50 Democrat members of Congress urged the Speaker of the House to add targeted financial relief specifically for fitness industry in the upcoming budget.

• The GYMS Act is a bipartisan bill with 155 co-sponsors that would provide $30 billion to gyms and health clubs.

A former candy lobbyist is now lobbying for the fitness industry’s largest trade coup: International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association. (Paywall via Wall Street Journal)

• Brett Ewer, a CrossFit lobbyist who helped organize a coalition of community gyms last year to supplement IHRSA’s Washington efforts, said he hasn’t met Ms. Clark but doesn’t see her candy background as a hindrance.
• Besides, he said, the pandemic has born some unexpected alliances. “If you had told me 18 months ago that CrossFit would be working side by side with Zumba, I would have said, ‘you’re nuts,’ ” he said. The newer fitness brands are typically fierce rivals. “But, desperate times call for desperate measures.”

HYROX to make U.K. debut with first-ever event in London on September 25. Sign-up.

• London – September 25
• Birmingham – October 30
• Manchester – January 29, 2022

OG CrossFitter Chriss Smith Takes on the ‘World’s Toughest Row’ Across the Atlantic

Chriss Smith, the co-owner of Trident Athletics in Virginia, is on a new mission. The OG CrossFitter is partnering with three other military veterans to complete the World’s Toughest Row — 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean — hoping to set a word record along the way.

The details: The four-man team — made up of three former Navy SEALs and one Marine — will compete against 18 others in a race that starts in the Canary Islands. They will travel more than 3,000 miles, starting in December 2022, before arriving in the West Indies.

• The race will feature teams of one, two, three, and five competitors. All of the entrants will strive to raise money for various charities. According to the competition website, Team Shut Up and Row will support 5Gyres, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting plastic pollution.
• Smith is one part of the veteran rowing team. He joins Brian Chontosh, the Executive director of the Big Fish Foundation, who is also married to Nicole Carroll, CrossFit’s Director of Training, and James Hein, and Brian Nicholson.

...DO

The Hanging Sock Challenge

Sometimes putting socks on while standing up is enough of a challenge as it is. But this is a whole new level of difficulty for getting dressed in the morning. Check out this challenge that will test your grip, coordination, and strength.

SPONSORED

...BUY

Jeans for Athletes Made by Ex-Under Armour Execs

How are they made? By using a proprietary fabric consisting of Italian milled denim infused with the same stuff used in football uniforms and yoga pants. The kicker? By dealing directly with the customer you can get your hands on these jeans for a killer price.

...KNOW

What It's Like to Coach Brooke Wells

Shane Orr already has a top female athlete to coach (you may have heard of her), but he and Tia welcomed the chance to work with Brooke when she reached out after the 2020 CrossFit Games. See what Shane has to say about coaching another top athlete and how they get around the conflict of interest.

...GET

A Free WHOOP Strap 3.0 and First Month Free

Start tracking your body's performance with a free WHOOP Strap 3.0. WHOOP measures your body's data over 100 times a second to provide personalized feedback on your recovery, strain, and sleep.

...MASTER

The Wall Walk

That "one-off" movement for the open became a "two-off" movement in the Games. And you would have to be a fool not to think it might become a recurring movement at this point. Check out this guide on improving your wall walks and make sure you're ready next time it shows up.

Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise. Send us a tip.

CrossFit Ridge Ave in Philadelphia was flooded with 40 inches of water from Hurricane Ida. If you would like to help support their rebuild, they’ve set up a GoFundMe.

• 🎂🎂🎂Happy birthday Dex Hopkins.
• 👰🤵Happy wedding anniversary to Snorri Baron and Bara Osk. 
• Congratulations to Em Butz and Sean Sweeney on getting married over the weekend.
• ❤️ We’re wishing a special recovery shoutout to Michaela. You’ll be back WODing soon!
• Congratulations on 19 unbroken ring muscle-ups to Matt Pratt of CrossFit Chesterfield in Chesterfield, MO.
• Stephanie Chung does the “Chad” Hero WOD (1000 box step-ups for time) with a 45 pound ruck in 67:51.
• At 8-months pregnant, Ashley Drabicki from Carpe Diem CrossFit in Traverse City, MI, hits a 295 pound/134kg back squat.
• Synne Krokstad hits a 286 pound/130kg back squat.
• Congratulations to Kate Nokwe from Moove Motion Fitness Club Sinninghill on getting your first bar muscle-up.

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