2022 Granite Games CrossFit Semifinals Results and Recap: Breaking Records in Eagan

The first weekend in June saw the 2022 CrossFit Semifinals continue with the Far East Throwdown in Busan, South Korea and the virtual competitions for the Age Group (50+) and Adaptive Semifinals. At the same time, the Granite Games came to Eagan, MN and played host to an epic outdoor showdown.

Even with CrossFit household names like Chandler Smith, Mal O’Brien, and Brent Fikowski in the mix, relative newcomer Phil Toon stole much of the show. The 24-year-old’s best finish had been fifth worldwide in the Open this year, with a 10th-place finish in the Quarterfinals. He came to the Granite Games with a mission, leading the men’s division after the first three events with a second, third, and first place finish in those workouts. Toon ultimately took home second place, earning him his first trip to the Games.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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[Related: 2022 CrossFit Fittest in Cape Town Semifinals Results and Recap]

O’Brien and Tim Paulson brought intensity to the Granite Games from moment one, going unbroken in all their reps and steps during the Heavy Handstand Reverse Fran. O’Brien finished her event nearly six seconds faster than Paulson, both of them winning their divisions in the event.

2022 Granite Games Overall Leaderboard

On the women’s side, Mal O’Brien continued her triumphant rise through the CrossFit ranks. The 2021 CrossFit Rookie of the Year finished seventh overall at the 2021 CrossFit Games, and she ranked first in both the 2022 CrossFit Open and Quarterfinals in North America.

In the men’s division, Colten Mertens didn’t earned lower than fifth until the last day of competition, where he came in 11th and 27th in the final two events of the weekend, falling apart on the rope climb and giving the audience a scare. But his powerful performance the first two days was enough to bring him home a fifth-place overall, earning Mertens a Games ticket for the second year in a row.

Games mainstay Brent Fikowski never ranked lower than eighth, with a consistent performance and a first-place Endure the Sled finish that helped land him first place overall and a fresh ticket to Madison.

Note: Athletes who will be moving on to the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games are highlighted below in bold.

Men

1. Brent Fikowski (520 points)
2. Phil Toon (496 points)
3. Travis Mayer (492 points)
4. Samuel Kwant (466 points)
5. Colten Mertens (438 points)
6. Nick Mathew (428 points)
7. Matt Dlugos (424 points)
8. Timothy Paulson (409 points)
9. Anthony Davis (377 points)
10. Leonel Franco (362 points)

Women

1. Mallory O’Brien (576 points)
2. Amanda Barnhart (520 points)
3. Dani Speegle (504 points)
4. Alex Willis (484 points)
5. Emily Rolfe (481 points)
6. Kloie Wilson (476 points)
7. Feeroozeh Saghafi (433 points)
8. Kelly Stone (364 points)
9. Caroline Stanley (349 points)
10. Chelsea Nicholas (324 points)

2022 Granite Games Individual Event Results

Although he finished ninth overall, much of the show at the Granite Games belonged to Anthony Davis. He set a new event record during the Barbell Complex with a massive 355-pound series of three cleans, two front squats, and one jerk. He surpassed second-place Zachery Buntin by an easy 10 pounds while four other men tied for third with a 335-pound heft. In a world of his own, Mertens tore through two sets of 36 unbroken chest-to-bar pull-ups to come in first during the Speed Chipper. (Davis earned third in that event.)

 

 
 
 
 
 
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[Related: 2022 CrossFit Adaptive Semifinals Results and Recap] 

Heavy Handstand Reverse Fran

9-15-21, for time:

• Barbell thrusters (115/80 lb)
• Handstand walks (yards)
• Time cap: 6 minutes

Men

• Timothy Paulson (02:20.02)
• Phil Toon (02:30.80)
• Colten Mertens (02:36.28)

Women

• Mallory O’Brien (02:14.36)
• Dani Speegle (02:15.98)
• Amanda Barnhart (02:34.26)

Barbell Complex

Three attempts for max load of:

• 3 cleans
• 2 front squats
• 1 jerk (shoulder-to-overhead)

Men

• Anthony Davis (355 pounds)
• Zachery Buntin (345 pounds)
• Travis Mayer (335 pounds)
• Nick Mathew (335 pounds)
• Colten Mertens (335 pounds)
• Phil Toon (335 pounds)

Women

• Dani Speegle (245 pounds)
• Alex Willis (230 pounds)
• Chelsea Nicholas (230 pounds)
• Amanda Barnhart (230 pounds)

Minnesota Mash-Up

For time:

• 10 wall-ball shots (20/14 lb)
• 50 GHD sit-ups
• 20 wall-ball shots (20/14 lb)
• 40 single-arm dumbbell overhead squats (70/50 lb)
• 30 wall-ball shots (20/14 lb)
• 30 ring muscle-ups
• 40 wall-ball shots (20/14 lb)
• 200 double-unders
• 50 wall-ball shots (20/14 lb)
• 10 dumbbell clean and jerks (70/50 lb)
• Time cap: 25 minutes

Men

• Phil Toon (17:07.00)
• Brent Fikowski (17:31.88)
• John Wood (17:46.03)

Women

• Mallory O’Brien (18:47.81)
• Emily Rolfe (19:52.35)
• Alex Willis (20:23.37)

Speed Chipper

For time:

• 120-yard shuttle run
• 16 snatches (175/120 lb)
• 36 chest-to-bar pull-ups
• 160-yard shuttle run
• 36 chest-to-bar pull-ups
• 16 snatches (175/120 lb)
• 120-yard shuttle run
• Time cap: 10 minutes

Men

• Colten Mertens (07:26.92)
• Travis Mayer (07:46.26)
• Anthony Davis (07:48.56)

Women

• Mallory O’Brien (06:48.54)
• Dani Speegle (07.38.47)
• Emily Rolfe (07:39.01)

Endure the Sled

For time:

• 50-yard sled push
• 30 lane-facing burpees
• 50-yard sled push
• 1,000-m run
• 100/70-cal Echo bike
• 1,000-m run
• 50-yard sled drag
• 30 lane-facing burpees
• 50-yard sled drag
• Time cap: 27 minutes

Men

• Brent Fikowski (20:11.18)
• Norman Woodring (20:17.11)
• Samuel Kwant (20:51.27)

Women

• Mallory O’Brien (20:38.21)
• Emily Rolfe (21:29.80)
• Karisa Stapp (22:00.43)

2014 Regional Event 5

10 rounds for time:

• 1 legless rope climb
• 170-ft. run
• 11-minute time cap

Men

• Matt Dlugos (02:59.65)
• Travis Mayer (03:03.82)
• Samuel Kwant (03:04.25)

Women

• Alex Willis (03:55.94)
• Feeroozeh Saghafi (04:05.22)
• Mallory O’Brien (04:15.12)

2022 Granite Games Team Results

CrossFit Invictus blew the competition out of the water throughout the first two days, taking home first in events one and three while never finishing lower than third. CrossFit OBA never finished lower than fourth, while CrossFit Move Fast Lift Heavy never finished worse off than fifth. This kind of consistency paid off, with top-seven and -10 performances across the board securing Games tickets for CrossFit Greater Heights Ascend and Rhapsody CrossFit.

Note: Teams that will be moving on to the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games are highlighted below in bold.

1. CrossFit Invictus (580 point)
2. CrossFit OBA (550 points)
3. CrossFit Move Fast Lift Heavy (525 points)
4. CrossFit Greater Heights Ascend (475 points)
5. Rhapsody CrossFit (410 points)
6. CrossFit Breaking Boundaries (375 points)
7. Undefeated CrossFit (375 points)
8. CrossFit Invictus Unconquerable (370 points)
9. Stay Strong CrossFit Black (365 points)
10. CrossFit Reignifited ILM (300 points)

Next Stop: The Games

The Granite Games might be over, but the Semifinals aren’t done yet. June 10-12 will be the last weekend of this year’s Semifinals. From Vitória and England to Québec, the CrossFit Copa Sur, Strength in Depth, and Atlas Games will bring the Semifinals to a close. Then, the week of June 29 – July 1 will see the Last-Chance Qualifier. This will be the last opportunity for athletes who barely missed out on the Games to secure a ticket to Madison, WI for the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games, slated for Aug. 3-7.

Featured Image: @crossfitgames / Instagram