Editor’s Note: This is the first part of our two-part analysis of the TYR Cup competition. Stay tuned for the second half and our overall conclusions.
The TYR Cup is heading to 2024 Wodapalooza SoCal, and with it comes a unique competition experience for elite athletes.
Team World and Team North America each consist of four men and four women, who will compete in 11 events over the weekend.
The events will differ in style. With six different competition formats, strategy will play a key role in the weekend. Here are the different formats the athletes will contend with:
- Individual: All athletes will compete in the event, and the team with the best combined score will win.
- All Hands: All eight athletes work together to complete the event as a team.
- Spotlight: One woman and one man from each team will compete in an event specializing in weightlifting, gymnastics, or monostructural elements.
- Miami Team: Following the format of Wodapalooza, Team World and Team North America will field a trio of men and women to complete the event.
- CFG Teams: Two men and two women will represent each team in these events.
- Captains: The captains from Team World and Team North America will go head to head on the competition floor.
With the rosters set and most of the events announced, it seems like a good time to predict some winners.
Note: The first part of this article covers Events 1, 2, 3, and 5. As of this writing, Event 4 hasn’t been announced yet.
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Event 1
Style: CrossFit Games Teams
4 rounds for time:
- 18 synchro chest-to-bar pull-ups
- Handstand walking obstacle course, you go/I go
- 12 synchro KB deadlifts, 124/88 pounds
- 24/18 Echo bike cals, simultaneously
- 12 synchro KB deadlifts, 124/88 pounds
- Handstand walking obstacle course, you go/I go
Time cap: 22 Minutes
Winner: Team North America
Analysis: This pyramid chipper should play into the strengths of team North America quite nicely. The handstand walk course and its conga line-style approach is likely the biggest logjam of the event. The other three movements are all synchronized.
Danielle Brandon is a lock for this event as she has been dominant in handstand walk events at the Games. You can also add Alexis Raptis, who finished fifth in the “Inverted Medley” from the 2023 Games, which had a number of obstacles on its handstand walk course.
For the men, there’s Justin Medeiros, who has only finished second or third in handstand walk events at the CrossFit Games. Patrick Vellner would round out Team North America for Event 1.
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Event 2
Style: Wodapalooza Teams
For time:
- 24 alternating wall walks
3 rounds of:
- 18 worm push press
- 12 worm squats
- 6 worm thrusters
Followed by:
- 18 alternating wall walks
2 rounds of:
- 18 worm push press
- 12 worm squats
- 6 worm thrusters
Followed by:
- 12 alternating wall walks
1 round of:
- 18 worm push press
- 12 worm squats
- 6 worm thrusters
Winner: Team World
Analysis: There is a lot of volume on the worm in this event. While we expect the men’s trio from Team North America to beat Team World, the women from Team World will lead that group to victory.
Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr, Emma Tall, and Grace Walton can all move weight at volume, and if they find a good rhythm, they should move through the worm reps quickly. The trio of Brent Fikowski, Björgvin Karl Guðmundsson, and Aniol Ekai should be in the mix against the North American men. With the boost from the women, expect Team World to take Event 2.
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Event 3
Style: Spotlight
For total combined load:
- 1-rep max snatch
- 1-rep max clean & jerk
Winner: Team World
Analysis: The first spotlight of the weekend focuses on weightlifting. Each team will select one man and one woman to establish their one-rep max snatch and one-rep max clean and jerk. With Toomey-Orr and Gui Malheiros on their rosters, expect Team World to take this event by a wide margin.
Team World could also save Toomey-Orr for a different spotlight and sub in Emma Tall. Tall, along with Arielle Loewen, had the highest Olympic total among TYR Cup athletes at 422 pounds from the 2023 CrossFit Games. A team of Tall combined with Malheiros would still be the favorites to take this spotlight.
Event 5
Style: Spotlight
For total reps:
- 2:00 max rope climbs
- 2:00 max freestanding handstand push-ups
- 2:00 max ring muscle-ups
- 2:00 max freestanding handstand push-ups
- 2:00 max rope climbs
* 1:00 rest between movements
Winner: Team North America
Analysis: The North American women have a clear gymnastics advantage over Team World. They could likely field any one of Alexis Raptis, Danielle Brandon, or Arielle Loewen here, but we’d take Raptis based on the results of the 2024 season.
Raptis finished second at Semifinals Event 3 with 13 legless rope climbs. At Semifinals Event 6, with its 15 ring muscle-ups, she was second. Then, during “Push Pull 2.0” at the CrossFit Games, which featured 15 freestanding handstand push-ups, she was — you guessed it — second again.
Justin Medeiros is the favorite for the Team North American men. He has never finished worse than fifth in an event with freestanding handstand push-ups.
This won’t be a blowout by any means, especially if Team World puts Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr and Brent Fikowski on the floor.
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