On July 27, competitors and fans the world over will gather in Madison, Wisconsin for the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games. As the all-important date looms ever closer, athletes still seeking admittance to the Games are competing in the third round of Semifinal Qualifier events: the BCC Championship, the Lowlands Throwdown, and the German Throwdown, all scheduled for the weekend of June 11th.
Since 2014, the German Throwdown has been open to athletes worldwide who are seeking a bid to the Games as well as those looking to test their mettle in some of the more grueling fitness challenges imaginable. Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, the current round of qualifiers are being held online with workouts sourced directly from CrossFit HQ.
This competition will grant 10 individuals and five teams access to the biggest stage in the world later this summer. Below are details about each workout, standout performances, and leaderboards that tell the story of the weekend.
[Related: 2021 Granite Games Recap]
Overall Leaderboard
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At the conclusion of the Throwdown on Sunday, June 13th, Jonne Koski of Finland cemented himself a commanding lead in the Mens’ division, ending with 544 total points, 24 ahead of runner-up Lazar Dukic of Serbia, and 99 points ahead of bronze medalist Luka Dukic of the same country.
Among the women, a similar story emerged as Kristin Holte and Jacqueline Dahlstrom of Norway led the field in points with 572 and 552, respectively. Veteran competitor Katrin Davidsdottir of Iceland stumbled throughout, but the “Sled Dog” edged out a third-place finish, squeezing ahead of Finnish athlete Emilia Leppanen by only two points.
Note: The top give men, women, and teams qualify for the 2021 CrossFit Games. The Games qualifiers below are noted in bold.
Men
1. Jonne Koski (FIN) 544pts
2. Lazar Dukic (SRB) 520pts
3. Luka Dukic (SRB) 443pts
4. Andre Houdet (DNK) 440pts
5. Giorgos Karavis (GRC) 437pts
6. Fabian Beneito (ESP) 433pts
7. Alex Kotoulas (GRC) 421pts
8. Joshua Al-Chamaa (GRB) 361pts
9. Haraldur Holgersson (ISL) 350pts
10. Elliot Simmonds (GBR) 343pts
Women
1. Kristin Holte (NOR) 572pts
2. Jacqueline Dahlstrom (NOR) 552pts
3. Katrin Davidsdottir (ISL) 468pts
4. Emilia Leppanen (FIN) 446pts
5. Emma Tall (SWE) 442pts
6. Samantha Briggs (GBR) 436pts
7. Evie Hollis (GBR) 393pts
8. Oihanna Moya (ESP) 411pts
9. Matilde Garnes (NOR) 391pts
10. Antea Longo (ITA) 352pts
Individual Event Results
The workouts at the Throwdown consisted of several time-based endurance challenges that, while familiar territory for some of the more battle-hardened competitors, were quite the hurdle. Koski, seeking a return to the Games after placing 37th in 2019, dominated five out of six events where he placed either first or second, only stumbling on Workout 4, a timed snatch gauntlet.
On an event-by-event basis, Kristin Holte may have turned in the most impressive performance of the weekend, finishing in first place in four out of six workouts. Two-time Fittest Woman on Earth® Katrin Davidsdottir, known for her ability to outwork her peers, had an uncharacteristically poor finish on Sunday’s clean & jerk + burpee event, placing tenth.
She did, however, stand out in a big way in a tiebreak challenge during Workout 4 against second-place overall finisher Jacqueline Dahlstrom, proving that Davidsdottir still has enough gas to get across the finish line when it matters.
Workout 1 – Friendly Fran
For time: 3 rounds of 21 thrusters (85lb/115lb), 21 chest-to-bar pull-ups.
Men
1. Iurii Marincenco (ITA) 3:35
2. Jonne Koski (FIN) 3:37
3. Giorgos Karavis (GRC) 3:39
Women
1. Jacqueline Dahlstrom (NOR) 4:12
2. Oihana Moya (ESP) 4:17
3. Kristin Holte (NOR) 4:45
Workout 2
For time: 50 dumbbell shoulder-to-overheads, 50 dumbbell deadlifts, 50 GHD sit-ups, 100 single-arm dumbbell overhead squats, 50 GHD sit-ups, 50 dumbbell deadlifts, 50 dumbbell shoulder-to-overheads. 25min time cap. (35lb/50lb)
Men
1. Lazar Dukic (SRB) 12:03
2. Jonne Koski (FIN) 12:14
3. Luka Dukic (SRB) 13:02
Women
1. Kristin Holte (NOR) 11:18
2. Evie Hollis (GBR) 11:32
3. Jacqueline Dahlstrom (NOR) 11:51
Workout 3
For time: 30 muscle-ups, 30m dumbbell front-rack lunge, 300 double-unders, 20 muscle-ups, 20m dumbbell front-rack lunge, 200 double-unders, 10 muscle-ups, 10m dumbbell front-rack lunge, 100 double-unders. 25min time cap. (35lb/50lb)
Men
1. Jonne Koski (FIN) 13:15
2. Lazar Dukic (SRB) 14:13
3. Giorgos Karavis (GRC) 14:21
Women
1. Kristin Holte (NOR) 15:04
2. Samantha Briggs (GBR) 16:25
3. Matilde Garnes (NOR) 16:40
Workout 4
10min AMRAP: 10 snatches (85lb/135lb), rest 1min. 10 snatches (125lb/185lb), rest 1min. 10 snatches (145lb/225lb), rest 1min. Max-rep snatches (145lb/225lb) in time remaining.
Men
1. Boris Judin (SRB) 48 reps
2. Joshua Al-Chamaa (GRB) 46 reps
3. Andre Houdet (DNK) 45 reps
Women
1. Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir (ISL) 51 reps
2. Jacqueline Dahlstrom (NOR) 50 reps
3. Hanna Karlsson (SWE) 49 reps
Workout 5
For time: 2000m row, 60m handstand walk, 5 legless rope climbs, 1000m row, 40m handstand walk, 4 legless rope climbs, 500m row, 20m handstand walk, 3 legless rope climbs. 30min time cap.
Men
1. Lazar Dukic (SRB) 19:32
2. Jonne Koski (FIN) 19:48
3. Luka Dukic (SRB) 19:54
Women
1. Kristin Holte (NOR) 23:16
2. Emma Tall (SWE) 23:28
3. Samantha Briggs (GBR) 24:37
Workout 6
10 rounds for time: 3 clean and jerks, 3 bar-facing burpees (95lb/135lb). 7min time cap.
Men
1. Jonne Koski (FIN) 2:18
2. Andre Houdet (DNK) 2:35
3. Fabian Beneito (ESP) 2:37
Women
1. Kristin Holte (NOR) 2:34
2. Emilia Leppanen (FIN) 2:43
3. Oihana Moya (ESP) 2:45
Related: Nick Anapolsky Crushes 879 Burpees in One Hour for World Record
Team Results
CrossFit Oslo Wolfpack lived up to their name by leading the pack in the Team events, finishing the weekend with a whopping 50 points of ground between them and second place finishers The Athlete Program. This comes as no surprise as their roster remains strong and diverse, earning them a top-25 ranking in the Open this year.
However, the real story of the Team competition may be just how close the fights were for non-podium positions. With ties for both fourth (Team CrossFit Genas & AOD Fitness) and eighth (Team Butchers Lab & CrossFit Falun Mandagsklubben) place, teams in the European circuit are undeniably hungry to claim one of the five available tickets to the Games.
Overall Leaders Team
1. CrossFit Oslo Wolfpack 570pts
2. The Athlete Program 520pts
3. From the Port 505pts
4. Team CrossFit Genas 480pts
4. AOD Fitness 480pts
6. Team Norce Fenris
7. Team Butchers Lab
7. CrossFit Oslo Wolfpack II
7. CrossFit Falun Mandagsklubben
10. Heart N Heavy CrossFit
Workout 1
1. Team CrossFit Genas (7:01)
2. CrossFit Oslo Wolfpack (7:13)
3. The Athlete Program (7:55)
Workout 2
1. CrossFit Oslo Wolfpack (18:52)
2. The Athlete Program (20:19)
3. AOD Fitness (21:12)
Workout 3
1. Team CrossFit Genas (12:27)
2. From the Port (12:41)
3. CrossFit Oslo Wolfpack (13:26)
Workout 4
1. CrossFit Oslo Wolfpack (1007lbs)
2. AOD Fitness (1003lbs)
3. From the Port (982lbs)
Workout 5
1. From the Port (224 reps)
2. CrossFit Oslo Wolfpack (215 reps)
3. The Athlete Program (203 reps)
Workout 6
1. AOD Fitness (12:46)
2. From the Port (13:25)
3. CrossFit Oslo Wolfpack (13:30)
Looking Forward
The qualification period for the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games has proven to be as interesting as any other year, despite the necessary accommodations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is clear that some athletes are adapting well to online-only events, while others need the thundering roars of a packed stadium to thrive.
Five-time Games athlete Koski’s stellar performance this weekend confirmed him as the supposed favorite, boosting the notion that the Finn will make a much better run this year than he did at his prior appearance in Madison.
Female leader Kristin Holte’s astonishingly consistent performances also help her momentum as she looks toward the Games, although her success does contrast starkly against the somewhat surprising placings of Samantha Briggs and Katrin Davidsdottir.
The fourth and final cluster of Semifinal events will be held on June 18-20, consisting of one live competition and two virtual ones; the West Coast Classic, the Atlas Games, and the Asia Invitational. While all scheduling is subject to change due to rapidly-evolving logistics as countries lessen their gathering restrictions, the map to Madison is finally becoming clear.
Featured image from @germanthrowdown, photo by @lifeofjosi