This season’s 12 CrossFit Video games qualifying occasions are lastly full, and we now know the 30 males and 30 ladies heading to Albany. That stated, issues look quite a bit completely different than we’re accustomed to seeing.
Between accidents, retirements, athletes selecting to forego the CrossFit Video games season, or just failing to qualify, there are a good variety of family names who shall be absent from the lineup this August.
- In reality, out of the 80 athletes who participated within the Video games final yr, solely 15 males and 15 ladies are on the roster for this yr.
Who Gained’t Be on the 2025 CrossFit Video games
The Girls
On the ladies’s facet, it’s doable that we received’t see any of the highest 4 finishers from final yr’s Video games this summer season in Albany, NY. Right here’s who’s lacking:
Bethany Flores
Final yr’s fourth-place finisher solely accomplished three of the 5 exercises throughout this yr’s In-Affiliate Semifinals after which withdrew from the Northern California Traditional In-Particular person Qualifying Occasion (IPQE) resulting from “private causes.”
Emily Rolfe
Final yr’s third-place finisher missed incomes her invite on the Mayhem Traditional by only one spot when she completed third. She didn’t compete within the In-Affiliate Semifinals, after which she withdrew from the Fittest Expertise resulting from an damage.
She competed yet one more time on the Northern California Traditional however nonetheless wasn’t wholesome, as she skipped two of the exercises.
Gabi Migala
Migala, who completed second in 2024, is recovering from a second torn Achilles in current months. She first tore her Achilles in October on the Rogue Invitational. Then, after what she referred to as “a failed surgical procedure,” she re-tore it in February and had a second surgical procedure.
Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr
The seven-time CrossFit Video games champion did earn an invite to this summer season’s Video games through the Toran Professional IPQE. Nonetheless, it’s unclear whether or not or not she is going to settle for her invite after saying her retirement (kind of) following her win on the Torian.
Six Different Notable Girls
Laura Horvath: The 2023 CrossFit Video games champion determined to forego the 2025 CrossFit Video games season. She is, nevertheless, competing within the World Health Mission (WFP) however completed solely ninth on the Tour Occasion I in Indianapolis, IN.
Emma Lawson: The 2022 Rookie of the Yr and 2023 silver medalist additionally sat out this yr’s CrossFit Video games season, citing a nagging damage. Like Horvath, she, too, is competing within the WFP and completed sixth on the Tour Occasion I.
Annie Thorisdottir: Earlier this season, the 12-time Video games veteran and mom of two opted to not compete within the CrossFit Video games season “for ethical causes” stemming from Lazar Đukić’s tragic loss of life finally summer season’s Video games.
- “I really feel very, very disillusioned in how [CrossFit has] dealt with the whole lot and what occurred, clearly. That’s the largest factor,” Thorisdottir advised the Buttery Bros of their movie, These Girls Modified Health Without end.
The 35-year-old Thorisdottir, who remains to be just one yr postpartum, didn’t compete within the World Health Mission, both. Whether or not she is going to retire or come again subsequent yr is anybody’s guess.
Katrin Davidsdottir: The ten-time Video games vet introduced her retirement in December and is presently pregnant together with her first little one.
Dani Speegle: The five-time Video games athlete didn’t compete as a person at any of this season’s qualifying occasions, however she is competing within the WFP. Speegle additionally competed on a crew that completed eleventh on the In-Affiliate Semifinals, so it seems to be like we shall be seeing her within the crew competitors at this summer season’s Video games.
Kara Saunders: After successful the Video games on a crew final yr, the 11-time Video games athlete introduced her retirement, saying, “I received’t be trying to qualify for the CrossFit anymore.”
Different notable 2024 Video games athletes we received’t see on the competitors ground in Albany embody:
- Emma Tall
- Paige Semenza
- Karin Frey
- Elisa Fuliano
- Emma McQuaid
- Victoria Campos
The Males
On the lads’s facet, we received’t be seeing three of final yr’s high six at this summer season’s CrossFit Video games: Brent Fikowski, Patrick Vellner, and Sam Kwant.
Brent Fikowski
The nine-time Video games veteran introduced his retirement final fall after competing on the Rogue Invitational, saying that he needed to concentrate on his function because the President of the Skilled Health Athletes’ Affiliation (PFAA).
Pat Vellner
The five-time CrossFit Video games podium finisher selected to take a seat out the CrossFit Video games season this yr. He’s, nevertheless, competing within the WFP.
- Vellner has been clear that he’s not retiring: “I’m not stepping away from the game, in reality this yr I’ll be competing greater than ever,” he wrote in an Instagram put up. “However when you’re on the lookout for me on the CrossFit Video games leaderboard in a few weeks simply know I received’t be hitting submit on my Open registration kind, and that it’s intentional.”
Sam Kwant
The quiet and constant Kwant didn’t handle to earn an invitation to the Video games this season. The seven-time Video games veteran got here shut on the In-Affiliate Semifinals; he completed fifteenth, lacking a Video games invite by simply 4 spots. Kwant didn’t compete in some other IPQEs this season.
Six Different Notable Males
Björgvin Karl Guðmundsson: After qualifying for the Video games for the final 11 years in a row, we won’t be seeing Iceland’s Guðmundsson there this yr. Like Kwant, he elected to not compete in any IPQEs. He did, nevertheless, compete within the In-Affiliate Semifinals and completed outdoors the cutline in twenty second.
Cole Sager: After 11 straight Video games appearances, we won’t see a twelfth from Sager this summer season. He selected to not take part within the 2025 Video games season, but in addition stated, “This isn’t a retirement put up.”
- “That is extra like a ‘I’ll see you round’ put up.’ I’m not completed with athletics; I’m simply completed with the CrossFit Video games,” Sager added.
Chandler Smith: Like Sager, Smith, a four-time Video games vet, additionally selected to forego the 2025 CrossFit Video games season, however is absolutely dedicated to the WFP. He completed 14th on the Tour Occasion I.
- Like Thorisdottir, Smith’s determination was primarily based on his frustrations with CrossFit, saying in an Instagram put up that he doesn’t assume the model “has completed sufficient to make me consider that it’s critical about doing issues otherwise with reference to giving athlete issues round security, construction, and equity the power to have an effect on what occurs on the ground.”
Gui Maleiros: The four-time Brazilian star elected to not compete within the 2025 CrossFit Video games season. He did, nevertheless, nonetheless compete on the Mayhem Traditional and positioned sixth. He’s additionally competing within the WFP season and completed twelfth general at Tour Occasion I.
Saxon Panchik: Initially, the six-time Video games veteran introduced he would compete within the 2025 Video games season, and he additionally signed a Professional Card to compete within the WFP. Although he finally didn’t compete in both, he joined the WFP management crew because the Head of Group Initiatives.
Different notable 2024 Video games athletes we received’t see on the competitors ground in Albany embody:
- Luka Đukić
- Travis Mayer
- Jelle Hoste
- Cole Greasehaber
- Bayley Martin
- Alexandre Caron
The Huge Image
The 2025 season is shaping as much as be one of the crucial transitional within the sport’s historical past, with greater than a handful of acquainted athletes absent from the Video games roster.
On the similar time, this shift opens the door for brand spanking new names to make their mark and perhaps even step onto the rostrum on the 2025 CrossFit Video games.
Extra CrossFit Tales
Credit score: Scott Freymond
