2024 CrossFit Games Europe Semifinal Preview: How To Watch, Rosters, and Schedule
The 2024 Europe Semifinal by the French Throwdown kicks off on Friday, May 17, at the LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France. It’s one of two events during the first of three CrossFit Semifinals weeks. The other is the 2024 Asia Semifinal by the Far East Throwdown.
Europe is arguably the deepest of the seven regions and athletes there will be among the first to test out this year’s six events.
The top 10 men and top 10 women (down from 11 each last season) from the 40-athlete fields will advance to the 2024 CrossFit Games.
Let’s take a look at the contenders in Europe.
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Top 10 Men and Women, Ranked by Quarterfinals Finish
- 1. Jonne Koski | Gabriela Migala
- 2. Victor Hoffer | Laura Horvath
- 3. Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson | Manon Angonese
- 4. Moritz Fiebig | Emma Tall
- 5. Aniol Ekai | Emma Mcquaid
- 6. Nika Maisuradze | Elisa Fuliano
- 7. Guillaume Briant | Claudia Gluck
- 8. Fabian Beneito | Jacqueline Dahlstrøm
- 9. Uldis Upenieks | Karin Freyova
- 10. Alex Kotoulas | Elena Carratala Sanahuja
Men’s Division
Favorites
Jonne Koski: The Finnish firebreather has been on a rampage in 2024, winning both the Open and Quarterfinals dominantly.
- He is not only the best-performing male athlete in Europe at the moment but also in the world.
But this momentum didn’t just begin in 2024. Koski finished off the 2023 season by tying his best-ever finish at the CrossFit Games in sixth overall, and it’s clear that he has his eyes on the top five.
At last year’s European Semifinal, Koski finished in fifth overall but was only 11 total points behind third.
We expect Koski to stand on the podium this week and may even be the man to take it all.
Lazar Ðukić: The one man who is likely going to give Koski the most issues is none other than Europe’s two-time defending Semifinal champion, Lazar Ðukić.
- Ever since making the Games for the first time in 2021, the Serbian sensation has finished inside the top 10 every year, quickly becoming one of the top talents in all of Europe.
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At last year’s Europe Semifinal, Ðukić absolutely destroyed the competition with five event finishes inside the top five and only one finish outside of the top 10, leading him to a comfortable first-place podium finish.
With a smaller field this year, Ðukić may very well rack up some event wins and take a third straight European Semifinal victory.
Jelle Hoste: In his rookie year, Jelle Hoste won three Semifinal events and finished 10th at the CrossFit Games.
- Last year, he exploded onto the scene and shocked everyone, but will he still be able to perform now that he has everyone’s attention?
As one of the tallest athletes in all of CrossFit, Hoste excels at running and rowing events, both of which were present at last year’s Semifinals. Event 1 this year tests running and there are two events that feature an Echo bike, another strength of the towering Belgian.
The only area where Hoste is truly lacking against the sport’s best is in top-end power, but after a productive off-season of strength training, he should be ready to cruise through Semis and focus on the Games.
We expect him to battle with Moritz Fiebig and Henrik Haapaleinen for third place on the podium.
Dark Horses
Victor Hoffer: The 2023 Demo Team member was recently featured as one of our young guns to watch, and we believe that he’ll prove us right when he takes the stage on his home turf in France.
- Hoffer is the best gymnast in the field, doesn’t have to travel or change routine, and has a chip on his shoulder after missing the Games last year by only 19 points.
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While a top-10 finish is definitely in play, expect him to make a push into the top five.
Michał Wesolowski: Although Wesolowski was a rookie at the Games last year and finished 36th, many in the community don’t recognize the name.
- We all know Bronisław Olenkowicz, thanks to his big lifts, but Wesolowski is another athlete out of Poland making great strides.
At last year’s European Semifinal, Wesolowski flew completely under the radar, earning two top-five event finishes and snagging one of the last qualifying positions out of the region.
He already had a much better Quarterfinals performance this year, and we think he’s going back to the Games in 2024.
Women’s Division
Favorites
Gabi Migała: Sticking to Poland, Gabi Migała is in a good spot to win her second straight European Semifinal.
- Migała is coming off her best-ever finish at the CrossFit Games in 2023, where she finished fourth overall. She also just tied her best-ever Quarterfinals performance, ranking third in the world and first in Europe.
At last year’s Europe Semifinal, six out of her seven event finishes were inside the top four and looked near flawless. There are practically no holes in her game at the moment, and we don’t expect any to debut here.
Migała, the best friend of 2023 champ Laura Horvath, had to contend with Annie Thorisdottir last year, but with the Icelandic legend sitting out this year, the path to the podium is clear for Migala.
Laura Horvath: Although she is the defending CrossFit Games champion, Horvath is well-known for not prioritizing Quarterfinals or Semifinals.
- Don’t get us wrong, Horvath will still finish on the podium and most likely finish second, but her primary goal is to win the Games. As long as she qualifies, she couldn’t care less about her final Semifinals placing.
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What we will be watching, however, is how Horvath adapts to any running events.
At last year’s Semifinal, she had two subpar running-intensive event finishes, coming in 18th and 23rd. If she can fix those holes, she will be unstoppable.
Emma Tall: Out of Sweden, Tall led the charge for Scandinavian women in 2023. She took fourth at Semifinals and earned an impressive 11th-place finish at the Games.
- Tall is a great runner and gymnast, which allowed her to rack up five top-10 finishes at last year’s Semifinal, and will likely give her a chance to fight for a podium this year.
She will likely be battling against Karin Freyova for third place, and it will be exciting to see which one of them takes the final podium spot.
Dark Horses
Rebecka Vitesson: Another Swede, Vitesson swooped in and nabbed the last qualifying position at last year’s Semifinal, thanks to a second-place finish in the final event of the weekend.
- From there, Vitesson went on to become one of the top-performing rookies at the Games with a 25th-place overall finish. She followed that up with a fifth-place finish at Wodapalooza. The only four women to place ahead of her at WZA all placed in the top 10 at the Games.
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After an amazing 2023 rookie year and coming off of her best-ever Quarterfinal, we think she has a great chance to fight for a spot inside the top five.
Jacqueline Dahlstrøm: Three-time Games athlete Jacqueline Dahlstrøm was on the other side of Vitesson’s performance.
- Dahlstrøm just narrowly missed out on her fourth Games by only 15 total points, and that has no doubt fueled the fire throughout the off-season.
It’s also worth remembering that Dahlstrøm won the CrossFit Strength in Depth Semifinal in 2022. There’s a good chance that she could shock a lot of people as she makes a strong comeback.
How to Watch the French Throwdown
A full slate of coverage will be available across many platforms, including the CrossFit Games website, the CrossFit Games App, Facebook, Twitch, and YouTube.
- Don’t forget to follow the French Throwdown on Instagram, too.
Schedule
All times local – Central European Summer Time. See below for conversions to EST and PST.
Friday, May 17
- 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.: Team Event 1
- 11 a.m.-12 p.m.: Team Event 2
- 12:45-3:20 p.m.: Individual Event 1
- 3:35-5:20 p.m.: Team Event 3
Saturday, May 18
- 9 a.m.-12 p.m.: Individual Event 2
- 12:20-1:20 p.m.: Team Event 4
- 2:20-5 p.m.: Individual Event 3
- 5:15-6:15 p.m.: Team Event 5
Sunday, May 19
- 9-11:20 a.m.: Individual Event 4
- 12:20-2:30 p.m.: Individual Event 5
- 2:45-4:15 p.m.: Individual Event 6
(Podium ceremonies will follow Team Event 5 on Saturday and Individual Event 6 on Sunday.)
Time Zone Conversions
- Eastern Standard Time: Six hours behind France.
- The competition begins at 3 a.m., Friday, May 17.
- Pacific Standard Time: Nine hours behind France.
- The competition begins at 12 a.m., Friday, May 17.
More CrossFit Semifinals Coverage
Check out these other stories as we head into the 2024 CrossFit Semifinals:
- 2024 CrossFit Games Age Group Semifinals Workout Descriptions and Who to Watch
- The Semifinal Spectator Experience: A Guide to Europe
- Move Fast and Lift Heavy: 5 of Our Favorite CrossFit Semifinals Moments
Featured image: @frenchthrowdown / Instagram