The 2024 CrossFit Service Open Highlights — Cale Layman Impresses
As the community puts a bow on the 2024 CrossFit Open, there are countless performances to celebrate.
Talented Games-level athletes all logged terrific competitions, but this year also saw the return of the Service Open, which put the call out to all service members to determine the fittest in certain professions.
[Related: 15 Exercises for CrossFit Beginners to Learn to Build a Strong Base]
What Is the CrossFit Service Open?
The CrossFit Games outlines the goal of the 2024 Service Open as an opportunity to “celebrate those who selflessly serve their communities daily, showcasing how these individuals use fitness to succeed in their professions.”
It also provides a fantastic opportunity for athletes in the same profession to battle each other for bragging rights. (After all, Crossfitters always love a competition.)
Since 2017, we have seen different versions of the Service Open in CrossFit, but this year, there will be a second stage of the competition to provide the opportunity for athletes to be called the fittest in their profession.
- The second stage of the Service Open is the Service Cup: Built to Serve, a virtual competition to determine the fittest in each profession.
- This contest takes place from June 6-13.
- Qualifying athletes will receive an invitation with instructions on how to register soon.
The 2024 Service Open was available to athletes in these professions:
- Affiliate Owner
- CrossFit Trainer
- EMS Responder
- Medical Professional
- Educator
- Military Veteran
- Active Duty Military
- Law Enforcement
- Firefighter
- First Responder
- College Student
Here is a breakdown of the top performers in the main categories for men and women:
| Service Occupation Hashtag | Men | Women |
| #activedutymilitary | Cale Layman | Addison Desrosier |
| #educator | Will Carter | Carolyne Prevost |
| #firefighter | Guillaume Briant | Simone Arthur |
| #firstresponder | Andrew Winsor | Ashleigh Wosny |
| #lawenforcementofficer | Samuel Paquin | Nicole Heer |
| #medicalprofessional | Tobias Opadahl | Aimee Cringle |
| #militaryveteran | Chandler Smith | Shaylin Laure |
| #crossfittrainer | Maxi Henze | Katrina Digiacomo |
| #affiliateowner | Agustin Richelme | Katelin Van Zyl |
| #collegestudent | Cale Layman | Anikha Greer |
[Related: 2024 CrossFit Open Age Group Results]
What Does It Mean?
One of the most interesting finishes belongs to Cale Layman, whose name appears on the winners list twice, once as an active-duty military member and once as a college student.
- Layman placed seventh on the (still unofficial) 2024 Open leaderboard, with two finishes inside the top 20. It is only his second year participating in the Open; he finished 4,774th in the world in 2023.
Layman is from Williston, VT, and trains at Black and Gold CrossFit in West Point, NY. This is a club at the United States Military Academy, where Layman is a student.
In January, Layman competed with team Black and Gold FITT in the Intermediate Men’s division in Miami for Wodapalooza. A relatively new name in the CrossFit space, Layman is someone to keep an eye on moving forward after his strong Open performance.
Some other noteworthy performances include:
- Addison Desrosier — 20th in 24.1
- Guillaume Briant — Sixth in 24.3
- Chandler Smith – 12th in 24.1
- Nicole Heer — 31st in 24.2
- Samuel Paquin — Currently 33rd worldwide
- Anikha Greer — Currently third worldwide, third in 24.3
More CrossFit Content
Check out these stories from the Morning Chalk Up:
- You Signed Up for HYROX — Now What? Here Are 5 Tips to Follow
- Festivus Games to Host First Adaptive-Only Competition in April
- Our “7 Questions Leading Up to the 2024 CrossFit Open,” Answered
Featured image: @cale_layman_ / Instagram