From Demo Team to Games Rookie, Victor Hoffer Is Here for the Long Haul
It was no surprise when hometown hero Victor Hoffer won Event 4 — a couplet of rowing and handstand walking — at the 2024 European Semifinals
- Growing up as a gymnast, Hoffer wowed the crowd with his body control, speed, and precise execution.
That finish, paired with two other top-10 finishes through six workouts, was enough for the young athlete to earn a spot at the CrossFit Games this summer.
Some Background
Hoffer found CrossFit at his mother’s urging in 2019 after he moved on from formal gymnastics training. He joined CrossFit Grillen and began attending classes with his family.
His potential shone through brightly, and his natural talent led him on a rapid journey to becoming an elite athlete.
- In 2023, less than two full years after he started training, Hoffer, a Represent 247 athlete, took 14th place at the Europe Semifinal, two spots out of qualifying.
While it was difficult to come so close to his goal and fall short, the HWPO Training athlete came back this season and found redemption via his sixth-place finish in May at the European Semifinal.
Mat Fraser drew a lot of eyeballs amongst the crowd in Lyon, France, cheering on the 21-year-old, and it didn’t go unnoticed.
- “Being a part of [HWPO Training] gives me so much support, and I loved knowing that Mat was there. I tried to stay focused and he helped with this. He checked in with me on Sunday and I knew I had his support there,” Hoffer told the Morning Chalk Up.
A Rookie Advantage
As Hoffer approaches his rookie appearance at the CrossFit Games this upcoming August, he holds a unique advantage over other first-timers.
During the 2023 CrossFit Games, Hoffer was a member of the “Demo Team,” one of a small number of individuals selected from among the field who did not qualify for the competition. Their job is to run through the Games workouts for final testing and demonstrate each workout for the 80 competitors.
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He was given a sense of the toll the 12 events took on the body, the structure of the weekend, the timing, and the logistics. Hoffer also had a chance to meet the Games team, gaining a new perspective on what it takes to compete on the biggest stage.
While he admits that this experience is completely different from actually competing, it’s one that could give him a slight leg up over other rookie competitors.
- “This year is different because it will be a different structure in a new location, so nobody knows anything for sure, and that’s a little stressful. But last year was such a good experience and it was like a dry run,” Hoffer said.
The Long Game
Hoffer’s coach, Steven Fawcett, hopes that the 2024 CrossFit Games is just the beginning of what will hopefully be a long, successful career.
- “It’s not often that we have an athlete with this ability at this age,” Fawcett told the Morning Chalk Up. “We’re doing everything we can to keep this momentum going and making long-term plans.”
Fawcett emphasized Hoffer’s age and that they have time to build what they are trying to build. He knows no one at HWPO Training wants to rush any part of the process of developing Hoffer.
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- “This would all be a different conversation if Hoffer were older, and decisions would be different, but at his age, we can take our time and not rush the process,” Fawcett noted.
The Bottom Line
While Hoffer is confident that any gymnastics thrown his way in Texas will result in a top placing, he’s also been training weightlifting, classic CrossFit, and everything in between.
He’s just returned from an intense, invite-only lifting camp in Finland, along with Jelle Hoste, Henrik Haapalainen, and veteran Jonne Koski, who was there in a mentorship capacity.
There, they trained, collaborated, and fine-tuned their skills leading up to August.
Hoffer is planning another camp, this time in Switzerland. In early July, he and his girlfriend will head to Texas to spend a month acclimating and settling in before August 8.
Many are speculating that Hoffer has major Rookie of the Year potential, and he has already become a fan favorite, wowing crowds and putting his mark on the 2024 CrossFit season.
Featured image: @victor.hfr / Instagram