Video Review Penalties Shake Up Oceania’s CrossFit Semifinal Lineup
Individual Quarterfinals leaderboards have been finalized, but not without controversy.
The video review process has caused a major shake-up to the top 40 athletes in all seven regions, and Oceania was no exception.
Here, we take a deep dive into who’s moved up into a Semifinals spot and who moved out of the top 40 in Oceania following the video reviews.
- Note: Athletes in a qualifying position for Semifinals will have until Friday, May 3, at 5:00 p.m. PT to accept or decline their invitations. CrossFit will make backfills until May 10, when the Semifinal rosters will be finalized.
[Related: Interview: Andrea Nisler Talks About Qualifying for Semifinals 6 Weeks After Giving Birth]
Oceania’s biggest movers on the women’s leaderboard included:
- Grace Walton moved from 74th to 2nd. Walton had initially submitted an incorrect score for Workout 4. Upon submission of her correct score, Walton found herself sitting in second place in the Oceania region.
- Katelin van Zyl moved from 184th to 3rd. Initially, van Zyl’s Workout 2 score was removed as the link to her video failed. But her original score was reinstated, which moved her into third place on the Oceania leaderboard.
- Erika Palasty moved from 192 to 5th. Palasty did not have a score for Workout 3, but once this was corrected, she moved into a top-five spot in the Oceania region.
In total, eight women moved into Oceania’s top 40 after the video reviews. (All data in the following four tables is from Mike Halpin of Known and Knowable):
- Kodi Cambell | Original Rank = 41 | New Rank = 36 | Difference +5
- Ema Iredell | Original Rank = 44 | New Rank = 40 | Difference +4
- Christina Ashton | Original Rank = 45 | New Rank = 38 | Difference +7
- Mel Halstead | Original Rank = 48 | New Rank = 40 | Difference +8
- Grace Walton | Original Rank = 74 | New Rank = 2 | Difference +72
- Katelin van Zyl | Original Rank = 184 | New Rank = 3 | Difference +181
- Erika Palasty | Original Rank = 192 | New Rank = 5 | Difference +187
- Nikki Salter | Original Rank = 233 | New Rank = 39 | Difference +194
Oceania saw seven women move out of the top 40 after the video review process:
- Kristy Barr | Original Rank = 26 | New Rank = 47 | Difference -21
- Tess Hering | Original Rank = 25 | New Rank = 73 | Difference -48
- Georgia Farrow | Original Rank = 29 | New Rank = 75 | Difference -46
- Ketreena Drake | Original Rank = 38 | New Rank = 84 | Difference -46
- Taylah Baker | Original Rank = 42 | New Rank = 93 | Difference -51
- Olivia Smoothy | Original Rank = 22 | New Rank = 112 | Difference -90
- Monique Sims | Original Rank = 35 | New Rank = 113 | Difference -78
Six men moved into the top 40 and secured a spot in the Oceania Semifinal after the video reviews:
- Jake Douglas | Original Rank = 41 | New Rank = 33 | Difference +8
- Riley Martin | Original Rank = 43 | New Rank = 36 | Difference +7
- Cameron Gray | Original Rank = 45 | New Rank = 40 | Difference +5
- Connor Smith | Original Rank = 47 | New Rank = 37 | Difference +10
- Max Lees | Original Rank = 49 | New Rank = 39 | Difference +10
- Ryan Mulvaney | Original Rank = 50 | New Rank = 38 | Difference +12
Oceania saw six men move out of the top 40 after the video review process:
- Thor Hajnal | Original Rank = 7 | New Rank = 73 | Difference -66
- George Rhigas | Original Rank = 12 | New Rank = 47 | Difference -35
- Dene Flude | Original Rank = 25 | New Rank = 45 | Difference -20
- Alec Leitch | Original Rank = 28 | New Rank = 105 | Difference -77
- Jake Standen | Original Rank = 32 | New Rank = 88 | Difference -56
- Harrison Palmer | Original Rank = 36 | New Rank = 101 | Difference -65
The bottom line: The top 40 men and women in the Oceania region will compete at the Torian Pro in May 24-26.
[Related: Was the 2024 CrossFit Quarterfinals Missing a Strength Test?]
A significant number of elite athletes in the Oceania region have had their 2024 CrossFit season come to an abrupt end due to major penalties. A large number of these penalties were given on a new movement standard (the dumbbell step-up) as part of the video review process.
This has opened up a conversation within the CrossFit community as to whether an online competition with video reviews is the right format for Quarterfinals. In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Dave Castro, Director of Sport for CrossFit, stated that he recognizes the need for changes moving forward
- Castro: “Is this the right way to do it [the current video review system] next year or in future years? I believe no.”
It looks like change is coming in 2025.
Featured image: @wykieetsebeth / Instagram