2024 CrossFit Games Team Semifinal Week 2 Preview
The 2024 CrossFit Games Semifinal stage is making two more stops this weekend — Oceania and North America West. From May 23-26, 60 teams will compete across five events.
When all is said and done, 10 teams (seven in North America West and three in Oceania) will earn a place in Fort Worth this summer, filling up a third of the 30 available spots in the CrossFit Games team competition.
Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from North America West and Oceania.
North America West
The first of two North American Semifinals will take place this weekend, with 30 teams attempting to claim one of seven spots at the CrossFit Games on the historic grounds of Carson, CA.
Remind me: From 2010 to 2016, the CrossFit Games were held at the Home Depot Center (later called the StubHub Center).
- This weekend, individuals and teams will return to Carson to the same tennis stadium, which is now called Dignity Health Sports Park. (Check out our full preview of the North America West individual division.)
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Top 10 Teams to Watch (Team | Affiliate | Country)
- 1. CrossFit Invictus | CrossFit Invictus | USA
- 2. CrossFit Invictus Unconquerable | CrossFit Invictus | USA
- 3. CrossFit Complex Wodex | CrossFit Complex | Mexico
- 4. Rhino CrossFit Service Dogs | Rhino CrossFit | USA
- 5. CrossFit Overtake Team Density | CrossFit Overtake | USA
- 6. Rhino CrossFit Dawgs | Rhino CrossFit | USA
- 7. Verdant CrossFit | Verdant CrossFit | USA
- 8. Einhorn CrossFit | Einhorn CrossFit | USA
- 9. CrossFit Invictus Unbroken | CrossFit Invictus | USA
- 10. CrossFit Queretaro The W Pack | CrossFit Queretaro | Mexico
Stories to Watch
CrossFit Invictus attempts to break its own record: Last year, CrossFit Invictus tied CrossFit Oslo when the two gyms became the first affiliates to send three teams to the CrossFit Games in one year during the 2023 season.
- This year, CrossFit Invictus has four teams seeded in the top 15, with three of those four sitting in the top 10.
- If CrossFit Invictus qualifies all four of their teams for the 2024 CrossFit Games, they will take up just over 25 percent of the North American Games spots (a total of 15 teams will qualify from North America).
Even if they only qualify three teams, they will tie with CrossFit Oslo as the only two gyms in the world to send three teams to the CrossFit Games two years in a row.
Chandler Smith goes team: Last year, Chandler Smith took seventh at the 2023 CrossFit Games as an individual, his second-best finish since he took sixth in the online stage of 2020’s COVID-affected CrossFit Games. (Only five athletes on each side qualified for the in-person final that year at the Ranch in Aromas, CA).
- This year, Smith moved to the team competition, joining last year’s Affiliate Cup champion Joshua Al-Chamaa; Jessica Smith, his wife and former Invictus Unconquerable member; and seven-time Games athlete Lauren Fisher.
Mexico’s team field grows stronger: The United States has dominated the North America West region.
- However, this year has seen immense growth for Mexico, along with the potential for the country to send its first team to the CrossFit Games.
In 2023, only one team from Mexico was seeded inside the top 15 coming out of Quarterfinals in North America West. No teams qualified for the Games.
- This year, two teams are seeded in the top 10, with two more inside the top 15. One team, CrossFit Complex Wodex, sits in the top three.
The competition in North America West remains strong: Last year, the North America West Semifinals saw a three-way tie on the podium. All three teams had 555 points, but tiebreaks gave Crossfit Franco’s Misfits first place, followed by CrossFit Invictus and CrossFit Omnia.
- While CrossFit Franco’s Misfits won the ultimate win via tiebreaker, the podium tie is just one example of the high level of competition in North America West.
Oceania
The land down under will send three teams to the CrossFit Games this year, and with a stacked field, the action will be fast and furious.
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Top 5 Teams to Watch (Team | Affiliate | Country)
- 1. CrossFit Awaside 64 Army | CrossFit Awaside | Australia
- 2. CrossFit Torian Mayhem | CrossFit Torian | Australia
- 3. CrossFit EXF | CrossFit EXF | Australia
- 4. Raw Iron CrossFit Mayhem Thunder | Raw Iron CrossFit | Australia
- 5. CrossFit Chocolate Box Starr Strength | CrossFit Chocolate Box | Australia
Stories to Watch
Mayhem goes down under: With two banner teams seeded in the top five this weekend, CrossFit Mayhem could see two teams from Oceania qualify for the 2024 CrossFit Games.
- While they are not affiliate teams of CrossFit Mayhem, CrossFit Torian Mayhem and Raw Iron CrossFit Mayhem Thunder will carry the Mayhem flag at the Torian Pro this weekend.
Last weekend, Mayhem barely missed qualifying another one of their banner teams at the Asia Semifinal (CrossFit Marvel Black Mayhem).
- However, they’ll get another chance this week with their two teams from Australia and again next week with four teams carrying the Mayhem name at Syndicate Crown and AR-1 CrossFit Mayhem Unity at Copa Sur.
- With one team seeded second coming out of Quarterfinals and another team consisting of four former individual Games athletes, it’s safe to say that Mayhem might have two teams headed to the Games from Australia this weekend.
Kara Saunders returns to competition: Australian CrossFit superstars Khan Porter and James Newbury have come together to bring 10-time CrossFit Games athlete and 2017’s CrossFit Games runner-up Kara Saunders back to the competition floor for the first time since 2022.
- Joined by individual 2023 CrossFit Games athlete Emily de Rooy, the four athletes look to make a name for Australia in the team division.
While Australia has qualified a team for the CrossFit Games every year since 2010, it has never placed in the top five (though several Australian teams have placed in the top 10).
This team of former individual Games athletes might have the experience necessary to finally get Australia into a top-five position.
Featured image: @iamkhanporter / Instagram