In late 2018, CrossFit HQ dropped a series of bombshell announcements regarding the future of The CrossFit Games. (Though to be fair, many were first reported on by independent news outlets.) Regionals would be discontinued in favor of privately held and HQ-approved “Sanctional” competitions, and the 2019 Games schedule would undergo some dramatic changes.
CrossFit Games Qualification
The qualification system would also be undergoing HUGE changes, leaving several paths for hopeful athletes. After massive restructuring of both the CrossFit Games and CrossFit’s media arm after the 2018 season, here’s how the 2019 Games field will be filled:
- Top 20 Individual Males and Females in the Open
- Top individual athletes in each country from the Open (this is only counting countries with an affiliate in good standing)
- The winning female/male athletes from each of the 15 Sanctioned events for 2019
- Up to 4 individual athletes will receive at-large bids
2019 CrossFit Games Predictions
This new system brought some uncertainty for fans and athletes alike, but after numerous Sanctional competitions and the first of two 2019 Opens, we’re starting to get a sense of what this summer’s Individual fields will look like.
To get a jumpstart on predictions for the 2019 CrossFit Games Individual podiums, we caught up with four experts:
- Kari Pearce, 2-time Fittest American Woman
- Frederik Aegidius, 4-time CrossFit Games athlete
- Tim Paulson, 2-time CrossFit Games athlete
- Justin LoFranco, Founder of the Morning Chalk Up
We discuss the new qualification system, the season so far, and their top athletes to watch in the video below. Do they think ANYONE can give Mat Fraser and Tia-Clair Toomey a legitimate challenge this year? And which rookie are our experts MOST excited about?
(A quick note that a couple of our graphics list Tia-Clair Toomey as a 3-time defending champion, but as of this publication, she’s a 2-time defending champion. Though she clearly has her sights set on a 3-peat!)
Do you agree or disagree with their predictions? Who DIDN’T we consider among our top picks for 2019 podium finishers? Sound off in the comments below, and let us know who you’re most excited to watch!
