Have you signed up to participate in the Open yet?
The Open starts on Thursday, 11 March with live announcements being brought back for the 2021 season. It’s going to be exciting to watch some of the top athletes going head to head straight after the workout announcement!
We’ll get to see what’s in store for us at Friday Night Lights in the early hours of Friday morning.
Our Friday Night Lights have in the past featured friends and family joining in the fun to cheer and support their athletes followed by a post-workout refuel at Smooth Brew with boisterous analysis of the various workout strategies and some even debating a re-do.
This year, Friday Night Lights will look a little different as a result of COVID-19 and being responsible about keeping each other and our families safe from the virus.
FRIDAY WOD
The Open workout will be the Workout of the Day – so why not get signed up because you’ll be doing it anyway 😉
If you are unable to attend Friday Night Lights and have signed up for the Open, you can do the workout in the morning classes. It is your responsibility to bring a judge – the class coach is not available to do this for you.
HEATS
The number of athletes participating in each heat will be reduced to better accommodate both athlete and judge on the gym floor. The heat times will be posted on Zen Planner by 10:00 on Friday morning and just like regular class you will need to book your spot. Heats will run from 15:20 on Friday.
SCORECARDS AND JUDGES
If you are participating in the Open be sure to read the scorecard and workout briefing in advance so that you have a game plan when you arrive. These can be found on the CrossFit Games app (download it now) or at the CrossFit Games website. You will also find the leaderboards and loads of fun Open stuff.
Every athlete will have a judge to supervise rep counts and ensure that movement standards are met. Don’t argue with your judge when they give you a no-rep – just redo the rep and move on! Even better, make sure every rep is virtuous and complete to the standards required so there is no doubt!
Your judge will fill out the scorecard, you must sign it and keep your copy. Be sure to submit your score early so that Sean can verify scores before the deadline on Monday. You can do this on the CrossFit Games app so no excuses for not getting your scores in on time!
Once you have finished your workout, hang around and jump in to judge one of the other athletes – it’s all part of the Open experience.
SPECTATORS
Even though the floor space for spectators will be limited due to social distancing, the athletes will appreciate some support and noise. The spectator area might change each week – once the logistics of the workout have been planned, details of where you can cheer and shout will be issued in the newsletter or on SugarWoD.
Be mindful of the workout area so that our athletes have plenty of space to drop their barbells and be dramatic – we don’t want children (or adults) to be injured by moving equipment.
MASKS
Everyone must wear a mask inside the gym – this includes athletes not working out, spectators and judges. The only time you may remove your mask is if you are working out. Please respect your coaches and fellow members and just wear the mask!
SMOOTH BREW
Smooth Brew will be open to keep you fed and to deliver all the pre-workout caffeine that you need. Drop by and get something good to eat.
WORKOUT STRATEGIES, WARM UP ROUTINES AND IMPORTANT INFO
The Friday newsletter and SugarWod will deliver workout strategies, suggested warm up routines and important information relevant to the workout and Friday Night Lights. Be sure to read it!
QUARTERFINALS – THE NEXT STAGE OF THE OPEN
The 2021 Open sees the introduction of the quarterfinal – the second stage of competition following the Open.
The top 10% of men and women on each continent will be invited to compete in the online quarterfinals. The online quarterfinals take place from Thursday, 8 April to Monday, 12 April and consist of a series of events that must be completed at a CrossFit affiliate. The top athletes from the quarterfinal advance to the next stage, the semifinals.
The quarterfinals make the journey to the next stage of competition more accessible compared to previous years. So if you would like to take the Open more seriously this year or consider yourself a potential contender for the quarterfinals, get in touch with Sean to discuss your strategy for competing in the Open.
By Coach Lisa