First Look at Preliminary Age Group Online Qualifier Results

May 11, 2021

Chad Schroeder

The review and analysis in this article provides a snapshot of the leaderboard after the initial AGOQ scores were posted.

The Age Group Online Qualifier (AGOQ) concluded on Sunday, May 9, and now the video review process is underway for the top 35 athletes in each age division. The review period will conclude at least five weeks before the start of the Games. As with the Open and Quarterfinals, there will be scoring adjustments and leaderboard shifting. The age group athletes who currently find themselves in the 21st, 22nd, 23rd, or so places should be prepared in case a Games spot opens up for them. 

After the 2019 AGOQ, 12 athletes (11 masters and one teenager) who were below the cutline before the video reviews ended up making it to the Games due to scoring adjustments or because qualified athletes pulled out for various reasons. In 2020, eight athletes (six masters and two teenagers) who ended up qualifying for the Games were below the initial cut line. 

Note: The review and analysis in this article provides a snapshot of the leaderboard after the initial AGOQ scores were posted. Qualifiers, point totals, event winners, etc. will shift around before the leaderboard is finalized. You can look at the Games leaderboards to see who  currently sits in the top-20 Games-qualifying positions for each age group division. The table below breaks out relevant numbers of the current Games age group qualifiers. 

Chart 1

Participation rates: Historically, 80% of eligible masters and 83% of eligible teenagers qualifying out of the Open have gone on to participate in the AGOQ. However, the participation rate for the 2020 AGOQ dropped to 64% for masters and 71% for teenagers, which likely was due to the impact of COVID-19. This season, the participation rates vary significantly per age group division. This is due to the difference in the number of  eligible athletes compared to the standard 200 athletes who were eligible in each age group division in the past. A record 7,414 age group athletes competed in the 2021 AGOQ. The previous record was in 2018, when 2,633 age group athletes competed in the qualifier.

Games experience: Generally, Games qualifiers exhibit a wide range in Games experience.  There tends to be more masters Games experience in the older age divisions, whereas athletes in the younger age divisions have more Games individual and team experience. This year there are a lot of age group Games rookies, especially in the teenage divisions. This can be partly attributed to the cancellation of the 2020 Games age group competition.

Average age: This year’s averages are matching up to historical trends. The average athlete in the masters age divisions ranges between 1 to 1½ years into the age division, and the teenage divisions favor the older ages.

Open placement: AGOQ placement correlated well with Open placement for the older divisions and teenagers. The younger divisions had larger Open placement averages due to some outlier Open placements.

Outstanding Masters Performances

  • Susan Clarke (60-64) 17 points
  • Shaun Havard (65+) 19 points
  • Rachel Green (40-44) 20 points
  • Lidia Beer (65+) 21 points
  • Patricia McGill (60-64) 24 points
  • Kelly Friel (40-44) 30 points
  • Patricia Failla (60-64) 35 points
  • Thomas Ackerman (65+) 37 points 
  • Laurie Meschishnick (55-59) 38 points
  • Lynne Knapman (60-64) 39 points
  • Alessandra Pichelli (35-39) 45 points
  • David Young (60-64) 48 points
  • Kylie Massi (50-54) 49 points
Susan Clarke
Susan Clarke at the CrossFit Games

Outstanding Teenager Performances

  • Mallory O’Brien (16-17) 7 points
  • Nate Ackermann (16-17) 10 points
  • Olivia Kerstetter (14-15) 12 points
  • Isaiah Weber (14-15) 14 points
  • Emma Lawson (16-17) 17 points
  • Olivia Sulek (16-17) 20 points
  • Paulina Haro (16-17) 28 points
  • Lucy McGonigle (14-15) 28 points
  • Brode Beckwith (14-15) 33 points
  • RJ Mestre (14-15) 34 points
  • Gustavo Pusch (14-15) 35 points
  • Rökkvi Guðnason (16-17) 37 points
  • Trista Smith (14-15) 42 points
  • Emily Meyer (14-15) 47 points

Career AGOQ Overall Wins and Event Wins

  • Susan Clarke (60-64) is the third masters athlete to win three AGOQs (tied for most all-time wins).
  • Laurie Meschishnick (55-59) wins her second AGOQ.
  • Ron Ortiz (55-59) wins his second AGOQ.
  • Susan Clarke (60-64) wins four of the five events and extends her career record to 13 AGOQ event wins, the most of any age group athlete.
  • Giulio Silvino (45-49), with his one event win, now has eight career AGOQ event wins for the second-most for all age group athletes.
  • Laurie Meschishnick (55-59) won two events, giving her a career total of six AGOQ event wins.
  • Giulia Roggio (40-44) won three of the five events, giving her a career total of five AGOQ event wins.
  • Six other masters won two AGOQ events: Lidia Beer (65+), Consuelo Cruz (65+), Lon Allen (50-54), David Partridge (55-59), Vincent Diephuis (55-59), and David Young (60-64).
  • Mallory O’Brien (16-17) won four of the five events.
  • Nate Ackermann (16-17) won three of the five events.
  • Three other teenagers won two AGOQ events: Olivia Kerstetter (14-15), Kaiden Hogan (14-15), and Isaac Rojas Vargas (14-15).
Ron Ortiz
Ron Ortiz at the CrossFit Games

Significant Games Appearances/Streaks by Masters Athletes (includes a 2021 run)

  • Lynne Knapman (60-64) 11th consecutive Games – every CrossFit Games masters competition (also qualified for the CFG20). The “Masters Ironwoman” keeps going, and she is the only masters athlete to accomplish this feat.
  • Ron Ortiz (55-59) 9th Games (also qualified for the CFG20) – second most  of all time.
  • Will Powell (60-64) 8th consecutive Games (also qualified for the CFG20) – tied for third most of all time.
  • David Hippensteel (65+) 8th consecutive Games (also qualified for the CFG20) – tied for third most of all time.
  • Laurie Meschishnick (55-59) 8th Games (also qualified for the CFG20) – tied for third most of all time.
  • Mary Schwing (65+) 8th Games – tied for third most of all time.
  • Janet Black (45-49) 7th consecutive Games (8th consecutive including CFG13 Team) and also qualified for CFG20.
  • Linda Elstun (55-59) 7th Games (also qualified for the CFG20).
  • Lidia Beer (65+) 7th Games.
  • Clarke Holland (65+) 7th Games.
  • Karen McCadam (45-49) 6th consecutive Games (also qualified for the CFG20).
  • Jennifer Dieter (45-49) 6th consecutive Games (also qualified for the CFG20).
  • Patricia Failla (60-64) 6th Games (also qualified for the CFG20).
  • Brent Maier (50-54) 6th Games.
David Hippensteel
David Hippensteel at the CrossFit Games

Significant Games Appearances/Streaks (16-17 Division) by Teenage Athletes

  • Olivia Sulek: 3rd consecutive Games (also qualified for the CFG20).
  • Paulina Haro: 3rd consecutive Games (also qualified for the CFG20).
  • Amato Mazzocca: 3rd consecutive Games (also qualified for the CFG20).

*These three above become the fifth, sixth, and seventh teenagers to have qualified for all four years of CrossFit Games teenager division eligibility.

  • Mallory O’Brien: 3rd Games.
Paulina Haro
Paulina Haro at the CrossFit Games

Multi-Games Champions Return

  • 4x masters champion Susan Clarke (60-64) – chance to become the first five-time masters champion. In all her years competing at the Games, she has never lost.
  • 3x masters champion Will Powell (60-64) – chance to become the first masters athlete to win championships in  three different age divisions.
  • 3x masters champion David Hippensteel (65+).
  • 2x masters champion Ron Ortiz (55-59) – chance to become the first masters athlete to win championships in three different age divisions.
  • 2x masters champion Shaun Havard (65+).
  • 2x masters champion Kevin Koester (50-54).
  • 2x masters champion Janet Black (45-49).
  • 2x masters champion Stephanie Roy (40-44).
  • 2x masters champion Kyle Kasperbauer (35-39).

Oldest age for a division: Recall that the average age of masters athletes who qualify for the Games is only 1 to 1½ years into their eligibility for their division. It is very difficult for athletes to qualify for the Games during their final year of eligibility for a division.  Nevertheless, these masters did just that (ages shown are at the time of the CFG21): 

Julia Kenyon (39), Samantha Briggs (39), Jimena Delamer (39), Colleen McQuaid (39), Kyle Kasperbauer (39), Dustin McWilliams (39), Michael Laverriere (39), Kim Purdy (49), Lori Pruitt (49), Tracy O’Connell (49), Kristi Lunny (54), Faith Hohaia (54), Kevin Koester (54), Leonardo Wernersbach Lima (54), Karen Smith (59), Tom Fameree (59), Patricia Failla (64), Elizabeth Cole (64), Tom Muhlbeier (64), and Cal Cherrington (64).

Special mention to Mary Schwing (69) and Clarke Holland (69), who are the oldest 2021 CrossFit Games qualifiers. This is not unfamiliar territory for these two. Schwing was the oldest female athlete at the 2016, 2017, and 2018 CrossFit Games. Holland was the oldest male athlete at the 2015, 2016, and 2017 CrossFit Games. They both are examples of why it makes sense to includea 65+ age division at the Games.

Teenager division ages: Conversely, most qualifying teenagers are the older age for their division. For the boys,  six 14-year-olds and six 16-year-olds qualified. Among the girls, only four 14-year-olds qualified, and  nine 16-year-olds qualified.

Teens
Teenagers at the CrossFit Games

Notable athletes just on the wrong side of the initial cutline: Cheryl Nasso, Zachary Forrest, Ryan Woodall, Jordan Troyan, Eva Thornton, Debbie Downing, Sue Velott, Diana Flynn, David Gantz, Pia Gund, and Clayton Corwin are just below the line. Note: There is potential for these athletes to move into a qualifying spot as video reviews shuffle scores or athletes drop out. 

Other Notable Streaks and Observations

  • Rebecca Voigt Miller (40-44) will make her 13th Games appearance, which is the most for any Games athlete ever. She has competed as an individual 10 times and as a masters athlete twice. She also qualified for the CFG20 as a master. Note: She will be competing in the Semifinals as well, looking for her 11th individual appearance.
  • Samantha Briggs (35-39) will be making her 10th Games appearance. This could be her second appearance as a masters athlete. She competed as an individual eight times, including in 2013 when she was the Fittest Woman on EarthTM. She will be competing in the Semifinals as well, looking for her 9th individual appearance.
  • Nuno Costa (40-44) will be making his 10th Games appearance. This will be his second appearance as a masters athlete. He made eight Games appearances on a team, including in 2014 when he won the affiliate cup championship with CrossFit Invictus.
  • James Hobart (35-39) will be making his 9th Games appearance. \This will be his first appearance as a masters athlete. He made three Games appearances as an individual and five on a team, including three affiliate cup championships in 2011 with CrossFit New England, and 2015 and 2016 with CrossFit Mayhem Freedom.
  • Kyle Kasperbauer (35-39) will be making his 9th Games appearance. This could be his third appearance as a masters athlete. He made four Games appearances as an individual and two on a team. He qualified for the Semifinals as an individual but declined his spot and may compete on his team in the Semifinals. Kasperbauer is the only Games athlete to stand on an individual, team, and age group podium.
Kyle Kasperbauer
Kyle Kasperbauer at the CrossFit Games
  • Alessandra Pichelli (35-39) will be making her 9th Games appearance. This could be her first appearance as a masters athlete. She made seven Games appearances as an individual and one on a team. She will be competing in the Semifinals as well, looking for her 8th individual appearance.
  • Other past Games individuals slated to make their masters debuts are: Whitney Gelin, Jennifer Smith, Kelley Jackson, Chelsey Hughes, Nick Bloch, Adrian Conway, Tuomas Vainio, and Dan Bailey.
  • From 2014-2018, age group athletes’ Open place was one-fifth of their AGOQ point total. Starting in 2019, scores reset after the Open, so Open rank did not count toward their AGOQ point total. The following athletes benefited most from this change to the  scoring system: Art Hamilton (16th 40-44) 1,040th in the Open; Lewis McMaster (11th 35-39) 378th in the Open; Tuomas Vainio (7th 35-39) 283rd in the Open; Virginia Finol (18th 40-44) 282nd in the Open; and Randy Lowe (15th 50-54) 220th in the Open.

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