The Path to Qualification in Iceland

Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up. Today’s edition is powered by RP Strength.

Our Editor-in-Chief Justin LoFranco and Tommy Marquez are en route to Iceland today to cover the 9th Sanctional of the 2019 CrossFit Games season. We’ll have end-to-end coverage starting today. 

“Always work hard. Intensity clarifies. It creates not only momentum, but also the pressure you need to feel either friction or fulfillment.” — Marcus Buckingham 

Reykjavik Preview: Games Tickets in Short Supply at 9th Sanctional

Now that the Open is concluded the pathway to the CrossFit Games is narrowing and the urgency for prospective qualifiers has ramped up. Only seven Sanctionals remain on the season calendar, but they take place on just four different weekends (there are two multiple competitions weekends in the next nine weeks). Realistically athletes have one or two opportunities left to grab a Games invite.

Six female and five male athletes have already qualified, making the Reykjavik CrossFit Championship a great opportunity for contenders to snag an invite.

• Six women who have current Games tickets — Jacqueline Dahlstrom, Haley Adams, Emilia Leppanen, Carole Castellani, Anna Fragkou, and Thuri Helgadottir. Dahlstrom and Adams earned spots via the Open (22nd and 32nd respectively). Open national champions are Leppanen (Finland), Castellani (France), and Fragkou (Greece). Helgadottir is in the qualifying position from Strength in Depth.
• Four men for sure have Games spots — Streat Hoerner, Björgvin Karl Gudmundsson, Lefteris Theofanidis, and Roman Khrennikov. Hoerner earned his spot via the Open in 14th. Gudmundsson is the Iceland Open national champion and Theofanidis is the Greece national champion.  Khrennikov is in the qualifying position from the Dubai CrossFit Championship.
• Potentially Lukas Esslinger and Tim Paulson may also have done enough to qualify. However, their games tickets are tied up in potential Open declines, video verifications, and backfill scenarios. Esslinger may potentially qualify through the Italian Showdown (here’s why) and Paulson through the Open in 31st.
• Note: National Championships are pending video verification and will be confirmed today.

Individuals Roster Experience

• The men’s field is quite experienced with eight former Games individuals and four former Games team members.
• Conversely, the women’s field is fairly inexperienced at the Games: just one former Games individual (Helgadottir), two former Team members, and one Teenager (Adams).
• This is also the second or third attempt to qualify for 11 athletes. Among athletes who don’t yet have a qualifying spot, 10 men and 1 woman have competed in a previous Sanctional already.

Continue reading…

Things To…

WATCH: Sara Sigmundottir Got Her Groove Back 

Fresh off her second CrossFit Open win, Sara Sigmundsdottir joins Morning Chalk Up’s Editor-in-Chief Justin LoFranco to discuss how she’s pivoting her training for the Games, how she won the 2019 Open, and finally getting to wear Nike’s on the competition floor.

PLANNING HER PEAK.

HEAR: A New Model for Primary Care with Dr. Ken Rictor

Dr. Julie Foucher invited Dr. Ken Rictor on the Pursuing Health podcast to discuss how he made the choice to switch to direct primary care, the benefits he and his patients enjoy from this model of practice, and some of the commonalities he sees between CrossFit and direct primary care. 

CHANGING THE SYSTEM.

BUY: Margaux Alvarez’s the Vine Yard Wine

Sip into spring with Margaux Alvarez’s Vine Yard special spring case, which Margaux put together to help bring in the warmer weather or stick to the G.O.A.T, a favorite red blend. Use code “CHALKUP” to get 20% off a spring case of either.

FILL THAT CABINET.

EAT: Paleo Burrito Bowls with Cauliflower Rice

These easy, filling, totally satisfying paleo burrito bowls are packed with spicy seasoned ground beef, sautéed peppers and onions, cauliflower rice and a quick guacamole.  Served over fried cauliflower rice with a kick for maximum flavor, they’re family approved, Whole30 compliant and keto friendly too.

BURRITO BOWL INTENTIONS.

Today’s edition of the Morning Chalk Up is powered by

SPONSORED.

So you’ve got some health and fitness goals…

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The app then gives you meal reminders, the ability to check-in those meals for accountability and helps determine when you alter your diet to get you to your fitness goals. Sign up today to take advantage of the two-week free trial and see for yourself how powerful the app truly is.

Chalk Up Community

• GIVE ALOHA CAMPAIGN — The Keala Foundation has raised over $59,000 to help rebuild CrossFit Anahola to provide transportation, food and a CrossFit community for Anahola, HI. This is the last week to Give Aloha to help CrossFit Anahola.
• PERFECT BAR — Perfect Bar just celebrated their 14th birthday and to celebrate they are giving away a year’s supply of their new flavor, birthday cake. 
• SUPPORT HIGH SCHOOL CROSSFIT — The PPS CrossFit Spring Showdown is an annual event hosted by Portland Public School teachers to raise funds for the weight training and CrossFit programs within PPS. The second annual PPS CrossFit Spring Showdown at the Cleveland High School Stadium is May 31. Teens compete for free.
• OUTWOD SWEAT FOR A CAUSE — Roy CrossFit in Roy, UT is holding a Sweat for a Cause fundraiser WOD with the OUT Foundation. All funds raised go to he OUT Foundation OUTAthlete scholarship program.
• MURPH FOR VALORFIT — Ten CrossFit affiliates in the Des Moines, IA area are coming together on May 27 to do ValorFit Community Murph. The mission of ValorFit is to help veterans and their families by pairing them with other veterans and mentors in local gyms and fitness facilities that ensures veterans are surrounded by positive influences.
• CROSSFIT KIDS CLASSES ADDED — Rim Country CrossFit in Payson, AZ has added CrossFit kids and also youth sports and performance programs for children ages 7 to 17 to their schedule.

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

Francis Ahrens deadlifts 300 pounds •  Kevin Johnston power cleans 275 pounds • Brooks Laich is giving away a $5,000 home gym • Happy thirteenth birthday Emma Grace Heppner • Chelsea gets her first ring muscle up • Margaux
Alvarez snatches 175 pounds • Enter to win a Concept2 rower and a free year of O2 • Allison McKail back squats 230 pounds for five.

…and thank goodness accuracy is one of the ten skills CrossFit teaches.

Volunteer Registration for the 2019 Games Opens Toay — Registration to be a volunteer at the 2019 CrossFit Games opens today.

2019 CrossFit Games First Responder Day — Thursday, August 1 is First Responder Day. All active, reserve and retired members of the military with a valid ID will be granted free festival access to the CrossFit Games. Fire, police, and EMT personnel with a valid ID also will be granted Festival access. Interested parties should present their ID at will call to receive free admission.

FLASHBACK TO 2008…Freddy Camacho shared a blog post from 2008, which highlighted some athlete PRs including one by Jolie Gentry who won the 2007 CrossFit Games.

— “Jolie did “Grace” rx’d (her and Stephanie were the only girls who completed it rx’d) in 6:22. Killer time…she won the CrossFit Games last year. Would we expect anything less?!?!”

— Just sit back and think how far this sport has come in 12 years.

Nine-Year-Old Dresses as Tia-Clair for Role Model Day — Jeanni Foss tweeted, “My 9-year-old Sydney on her own decided to dress up as Tia Toomey as her role model for the schools wax museum. She read about Tia in front of parents and other school children (more than 500) today! Thank you Tia for inspiring young ladies to be strong and kind!”

Ant Haynes on Keeping Up with Brent Fikowski — Ant Haynes, who took third at the Asia CrossFit Championship and looks like he will be the fittest man in China, on what it is was like competing against Brent Fikowski all weekend. 

— “Haynes noted the last time he competed in a CrossFit sanctioned event was at the regionals last year (he competed in the Pacific division and came 18th), and… Haynes relished the opportunity in Shanghai, especially against Fikowski.

— “I know naturally he’s a really good pacer,” Haynes said. “So it was really good to have him next to me and see where I was at.”

— “One thing for me is I’ve always been a very internally motivated guy, I don’t need anything to help me along the way.”

“Why Lukas Esslinger is Getting the Italian Invite,” by Justin LoFranco

The CrossFit Italian Showdown wrapped up last weekend in Milan, Italy. Roman Khrennikov and Erin Vandendriessche won the elite division. While Vandendriessche will receive the invite for the women’s competition, things are not so straightforward for the men.

The top 5 at CrossFit Italian Showdown: 1). Roman Khrennikov, 2). Scott Panchik, 3). Noah Ohlsen, 4). Lukas Esslinger and 5). Stefano Carosso.

Why this is so complicated: There are 15 Sanctionals and athletes are competing at multiple Sanctionals. Coupled with qualification scenarios from the Open and athletes declining invites to go team and we’ve got quite a few balls up in the air right now.

Roman Khrennikov is already getting an invite from his fifth place finish at the Dubai CrossFit Championship. While Khrennikov didn’t qualify through the Open, his finish in Dubai is good enough for an invite because the four athletes above him on the leaderboard (Fraser, Gudmundsson, Georges, and Mayer) all qualified through the Open.

Khrennikov’s fifth place at Dubai trumps winning in Italy. This is outlined specifically in section 4.04 of the rulebook: the backfill process “will follow the chronological sequence of the Sanctionals. For example, if an athlete wins multiple Sanctionals, CrossFit Inc. will backfill to the second-place athlete from the second Sanctionals win, not the first.”

Don’t think of it in terms of “winning” but rather, from which Sanctional did the athlete first receive the invite.

Scott Panchik qualified through the CrossFit Open so he’s all set.

Noah Ohlsen is (fingers crossed) now getting an invite for his third place finish at Wodapalooza. With Devin Ford declining his invite and assuming that Rich Froning also declines, which is a very good assumption, then Patrick Vellner will sneak in opening the Wodapalooza spot for Ohlsen.

That leaves Lukas Esslinger as the next athlete without an invite.

And there you have it.

5/2 – 5/6: Age Group Online Qualifier (Online)

5/3: Lift For Lee (Williamston, MI)

5/3 – 5/4: Tough As Nails (Lubbock, TX)

5/3 – 5/5 The Fittest Experience (Austin, TX)

5/3 – 5/5: Appalachian Games (Asheville, NC)

5/3 – 5/5: Reykjavik CrossFit Championship (Reykjavik, Iceland)

5/4: 2nd Annual Heavy Day Morgan (Oak Ridge, TN)

5/4: Battle at the Lab 2019 Cinco De Mayo (Clarksville, TN)

5/4: Border Open Part V (El Paso, TX)

5/4: Desert Warrior (Scottsdale, AZ)

5/4: The Jurassic Classic (Kennewick, WA)

5/4: Lifto De Mayo 2019 (Eagan, MN)

5/4: Rookie Rumble Pittsburgh at Arsenal Strength (Pittsburgh, PA)

5/4: Girls Gone RX Delaware (Middletown, DE)

5/4: Girls Gone RX DC (Alexandria, VA)

5/4: Black and Brewed 2019 (Huntsville, AL)

5/4: Row for Wishes (Telluride, CO)

5/4: The Locomotive Games IV (Youngstown, OH)

5/4: Breaking Boundaries Competition (Greer, SC)

5/4: Cura Sapulpa Fundraiser (Sapulpa, OK)

5/4: Bow Wars 4 (Columbus, GA)

5/4: NYC Heart Health and Nutrition Seminar (New York, NY) 

5/5: Cupid’s Spring Fling (Medina, OH)

5/10: Beast Mode Games 2019 (Greenville, SC)

5/11: 2019 Moco Throwdown (Bethesda, MD)

5/11: Butchertown Cleaver Classic (Louisville, KY)

5/11: Girls on Girls X (Bridgeport, PA)

5/11: Battle of the Gulf Coast (Port Neches, TX)

5/11: Femme Royale So Cal (Orange, CA)

5/11: Squat for Guate (Hickory, NC)

5/11: Southside Showdown (Jenks OK)

5/17 – 5/19: ACA Throwdown 2019 (Johannesburg, SA)

5/17 – 5/19: Down Under CrossFit Championship (Wollongong NSW)

5/17 – 5/19: Brazil CrossFit Challennge (São Paulo, Brazil)

5/18 – 5/19: Big Impact Games (Kaukauna, WI)

5/18: 2019 Barbells in the Burbs Team Comp (Carol Stream, IL)

5/18: 2019 Tough Temple CrossFit Super Total (Bethseda, MD)

5/18: Mad Hatter Games (Danbury, CT)

5/18: Rookie Rumble at CrossFit Chester Springs (Chester Springs, PA)

5/18: Rookie Rumble at CrossFit PTV (Redmond, WA)

5/18 – 5/19: Shred Fest (Orlando, FL)

5/18: Cindy-a-Thon (San Leandro, CA)

5/18: Fallout in the Falls (Wichita Falls, TX)

5/18: East Coast Battle ( Hanover, MD) 

5/18: Meshugge CrossFit Summer Melee 2019 (Overland Park, KS)

5/18: Backstreet Brawl 3 (West Bend, WI)

5/18: Flower City Throwdown Women’s Division (Rochester, NY)

5/18: Warriors Hope (Greenwood, IN)

5/18: WODding to Hear (Elizabethton, TN)

5/18: Fifth Annual Guns N Hoses Competition (Anaheim, CA)

5/18: Barbells and Beers (Berkeley Heights, NJ)

5/18: OUTWOD Morristown (Morristown, NJ)

5/18: 2019 Triton Spring Throwdown (Wallingford, CT)

5/18: 6th Annual Murph for Mutts (Peachtree Corners, GA)

5/18 – 5/19: Rogue Invitational (Columbus, OH)

5/19: Heroes and Heroines Team Throwdown (Pawtucket, RI)

5/21: Brady’s Border2Border Ruck March (Beach, ND)

5/24: 24 Heroes in 24 Hours (Ardmore, PA)

5/27: ValorFit Community Murph (Urbandale, IA)

5/30 – 6/2: Granite Games (St. Cloud, MN)

5/31: OUTWOD at Roy CrossFit (Roy, UT)

5/31 – 6/1: The Rockwell Championship Series Main Event (Woods Cross, UT)

6/1: Warrior Affiliate League Terrible Two (Murrietta, CA)

6/8: The Mountain Meltdown (Park City, UT)