The third of four North American In-Person Qualifying Events (IPQEs) this season begins on Friday at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum in Knoxville, TN. It is also one of four IPQEs taking place worldwide this weekend.
The Syndicate Crown features 40 men and 40 women competing for two spots each at this summer’s CrossFit Games in Albany, NY.
- Unlike many of this season’s IPQEs, there was no online qualifier for the Syndicate Crown. Instead, athletes qualified based on their performance in this year’s CrossFit Games Open on the North America East leaderboard (athletes who already earned a Games ticket are not eligible to compete at Syndicate).
After this weekend, only three men’s and three women’s spots for this summer’s Games will remain, which will be determined at the Northern California Classic (two spots) and the Last Chance Qualifier (one spot).
Remind Me
So far, 21 men and 21 women have already earned their invites to Albany through either the In-Affiliate Semifinals or one of the first five IPQEs.
- You can see who has qualified for the 2025 CrossFit Games here.
As we get ready for three jam-packed competition days in Knoxville, here are five things to pay attention to.
The 2025 Syndicate Crown Will Be Live-Streamed via the Sevan Podcast
This weekend’s action will be live-streamed on Sevan Matossian’s The Sevan Podcast.
Matossian, a CrossFit pioneer, filmmaker, and podcaster, is best known for his outspoken and often controversial podcasts; however, his team has also been delving into the live-streaming competition scene in recent months.
- The Sevan Podcast crew has covered the Zelos Games in Las Vegas, Crash Crucible in South Carolina, and last year’s Northern California Classic as well. They will also stream the Northern California Classic IPQE in June.
The Men’s Field Is Wide Open
Since many top athletes have already qualified for the Games, and because the competition is limited regionally to North America East athletes who haven’t yet qualified, the men’s field this weekend in Knoxville lacks the prominent names seen in both the In-Affiliate Semifinals and earlier IPQEs.
This weekend’s roster includes just five athletes with individual Games experience: Spencer Panchik, Luke Parker, Jack Rozema, George Sterner, and long-time veteran Ben Smith.
- In comparison, the Mayhem Classic, the first IPQE of the season, featured 18 out of 20 athletes with individual Games experience.
Ultimately, this weekend’s roster in Knoxville arguably lacks any real favorites, leaving the field wide open.
- As a result, there is a significant opportunity for a new rookie to emerge. We anticipate three-time teen CrossFit Games champion Ty Jenkins and two-time teen champion RJ Mestre to be among the frontrunners competing for their first individual invite to the Games.
Ben Smith Is Back
The biggest name competing this weekend in Knoxville is the 2015 CrossFit Games champion, Ben Smith.
The 11-time Games veteran hasn’t participated as an individual at the Games since 2019, but he did make an appearance with a team in 2023.
- Smith, however, has never stopped competing. He has participated in Semifinals as an individual three times — in 2021, 2022, and 2024 — and did not qualify for the Games in any of those years.
Considering the wide-open field this weekend, one of the major storylines we’ll be following is whether Smith has what it takes to return to the Games at the age of 35.
Can the Wells Sisters Snag Both Spots?
Two clear frontrunners on the women’s side this weekend are twin sisters Brooke and Sydney Wells. However, with only two spots available, there might be room for only one Wells in Albany this summer.
If they manage to finish first and second, it will be the first time they go to the Games together.
Brooke has competed at the Games each year since 2015, except in 2023 when Sydney qualified.
- Worth noting: In the recent In-Affiliate Semifinals, Brooke initially held a qualifying position but received a penalty, which dropped her to 37th place. Meanwhile, Sydney finished 44th.
If last month’s World Fitness Project’s Tour Event I in Indianapolis, IN, serves as any indication, we’re in for an entertaining showdown: Brooke finished 16th at Tour Event I, while Sydney was just one spot behind in 17th.
Can Erica Folo Come Back Stronger After 2024?
We’re also keeping an eye on Erica Folo this weekend as she seeks redemption after a dramatic fall in the final event at this stage last season.
Remind me: Folo was comfortably sitting in a qualifying position for most of last year’s North America East Semifinal. However, on the final day, she fell to 11th place, barely holding on to the last qualifying spot heading into the final event.
- The event started strong for Folo; she was the first athlete to reach the heavy dumbbell 72-foot walking lunges, the last movement of the event. But that’s where her troubles began. Folo received multiple no-reps and watched nearly the entire field pass her by. She finished 39th in the event and dropped to 17th overall.
It was a heartbreaking moment for Folo, but this weekend offers her a chance to demonstrate that she is stronger than ever and capable of earning her first invitation to the CrossFit Games.
The Big Picture
After this weekend, we’ll have a clear picture of what this summer’s rosters in Albany, NY, will look like, as 27 out of the 30 men’s and women’s spots will be accounted for.
In Knoxville, we’ll pay close attention to the Ben Smith storyline, the battle of the Wells sisters, and whether Folo can make it this year. And, of course, we’ll be watching potential rookies like Ty Jenkins and RJ Mestre, who might just have what it takes to break through this weekend.
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Featured Image: Scott Freymond
