Official Invitations to the 2021 Age Group Qualifiers will be sent on Monday, April 26.
Here are a few other Speed Reads:
Zack George, the Fittest Man in the UK in 2020 suffered a hip injury during 21.2 and will not compete in the 2021 CrossFit Games season.
The Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge is selling the Concept 2 gear that it uses during the Semifinal competition. Customers must pick up the rowers, bikes, and ski ergs in person at the Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN on the final day of the event, May 30.
Only 48 Hours Left! O2’s Spring Sale Event Ends Soon. Save Site Wide on Every Flavor
All good things must come to end — unless you snag a deal on daily hydration. Take advantage of O2’s Spring Sale Event before it ends on Monday and beat the heat with refreshing recovery all season long.
Can’t decide? No problem, because it’s all on sale – every drink and mix in every flavor, in 12-packs and 30-stick mix boxes, or bundled for even bigger savings. Choose from caffeinated and caffeine free options for hydration any time you need it.
Let’s be honest, no one is making the argument against Tia-Clair Toomey as being the fittest competitive female CrossFit athlete ever seen. At this point she’s the four-time reigning Fittest Woman on Earth, she has a perfect Sanctional record (five for five) at the most prestigious events (Wodapalooza twice, Rogue twice, and Mayhem), she’s the reigning Pacific Regional champion from 2018, and she’s been the fittest in Australia each of the last two years in the Open… but coming into this year she had never won the Open.
Open championship pedigree: Although Toomey is unanimously considered the fittest female of all time, there are other notable female CrossFit Games champions who have very impressive resumes, including Open wins. The last American women’s champion, Kristan Clever, won the Open in 2012. The first two-time female Games champion, Annie Thorisdottir, is also a two-time Open Champion having won the inaugural Open in 2011, and backing that up with a second win in the 2015 Open.
Toomey however, is approaching a realm of dominance that will eventually force a conversation about not only if she’s the fittest female of all time, but if she’s the fittest CrossFit athlete of all time. If and when this conversation comes up, her career accolades will be measured against the two greatest men in the sport, Rich Froning and Mat Fraser.
Good News is our weekly round-up of positive stories around the affiliate community. Are you opening a new gym, expanding a current location, offering new classes, or is your box running a fundraiser? Send us a tip to be featured.
Chamber of Commerce Award: Stacy Schaffer, of CrossFit Seward was recognized by the Seward, Alaska Chamber of Commerce for her work keeping the community fit throughout the pandemic.
Competition for a Cause:CrossFit Real Fitness in Naples, FL will host a “Competition for a Cause” on April 17 to benefit the Southwest Florida’s Children Network by bringing fitness to foster children. Proceeds will provide the foster children with equipment to use for outdoor activities such as jump ropes, basketballs, skip-its, soccer balls, skates, etc.
Support for AMRAP Fitness Founders: A 10-year affiliate, CrossFit South Rockland/AMRAP Fitness, had to shut its doors due to the pandemic. The owners, Ray and Sue Traitz were pivoting to a personal training business out of their home and on April 7, a fire caused them to lose everything. Members of the community have started a GoFundMe campaign to help.
Free CPR Course: There will be a free public CPR and first aid class on April 17 at Whitehorse CrossFit in Conroe, TX.
CrossFit Tiffin Expands: In Tiffin, OH, CrossFit Tiffin has moved to a new, 11,000 square foot facility. The doors opened on March 17 and there will be an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 27.
10-Year Anniversary:CrossFit Zachary in Zachary, LA celebrated it’s 10th anniversary in March (the celebration was postponed from the end of 2020 due to the pandemic).
CROSSFIT GAMES
Steph Roach Creates Independent, Scaled Leaderboard for the Adaptive Division, “Sets The Bar” for Next Year
This year marked a first for adaptive CrossFitters: a chance to see their name on the official CrossFit Open leaderboard.
The 2021 CrossFit Adaptive Division added eight divisions to the official leaderboards — lower extremity, upper extremity, seated (with hip), seated (without hip), short stature, vision, neuromuscular, and intellectual — following through on CrossFit’s commitment to making 2021 their “most inclusive competition yet.”
One big thing: The Adaptive Division leaderboards were only for RX athletes. This meant that scaled athletes were left without a leaderboard, until Steph Roach stepped in.
Roach, a longtime CrossFitter, created the Staying Driven Scaled Open, an independent-from-CrossFit leaderboard specifically for scaled adaptive athletes.
“I felt like it was important to give the scaled athletes somewhere to put themselves on a leaderboard, especially because it’s cool to like, see your name, see your country flag that you represent, and put your efforts into something,” she says.
The first ever Quarterfinal round in CrossFit Games history is underway and yours truly has the honor of partaking in the five tests scheduled for the weekend, but first a little housekeeping.
The tests were released in bulk on Thursday and it was immediately clear to anyone hoping for a “fun little competition weekend,” that these tests were designed to separate the wheat from chaff.
Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in the Open anymore.
At first glance, the volume of pressing, GHD situps, and pistols stand as a clear separator for the elite athletes that train these regularly and the rest of us casuals that managed to get through the Open, but realistically are not putting in the regular work to be considered a contender for the next round.
South American Women Increase Open Participation by 16%, Five Crack Top 50 on Leaderboard
Over the last several years, the sport of fitness has seen significant growth in participation from South America. From 2020 to 2021, Open participation grew by 16%, with more than 50% increases in participation in smaller South American countries like Paraguay, Colombia, and Uruguay.
Total Registration in 2020 Vs. 2021 For South America By Country
Your favorite online newsletter just got physical, like an in-print, old-school newspaper style. Get your hands on the limited edition Morning Chalk Up newspaper commemorating the 2020 CrossFit Games season. Only a limited number of copies available so don’t miss out.
10 burpees, 40 air squats, as fast as you can. That's the 1040 Tax Challenge. Win a $1,040 gift card to Rogue and file your taxes for free with 1040.com. Winners will include the fastest male/female, a random participant picked from social media, and the gym with the most participation!
Using bands to ensure your legs never get a moment's rest, Spanish squats promise the best (or worst) quad burn of your life. Watch this example from the Barbell Physio and have your quads thank us later.
If you strip away the rules, the goals, the motives, what are you left with? Jim Hensel, Mayhem Mindset Creator, speaks about starting with your identity so you can build from a position of strength.
Chalk Up Highlights is our section dedicated to celebrating our community’s wins in the gym. Follow @ChalkUpHighlights and submit your highlight to [email protected] to be featured.
This email may contain affiliate links. We make a small commision off of purchases made via our affiliate links to help support this newsletter. If you no longer wish to receive the Morning Chalk Up newsletter, unsubscribe here.
