Category Archives: Oceania

In 1903, Swedish telecom company Ericsson received its first order for a manual switch from the Indian government. Since then, we have been supporting India

in its journey across 2G, then 3G and 4G. Now we continue to work with all service providers in India to help them prepare for a seamless introduction of 5G based on our global experience but also because of our innovative and competitive 5G portfolio, Nunzio Mirtillo, Head of Ericsson Southeast Asia, Oceania and India said at the Indian Mobile Congress on Wednesday.

5G has the potential to accelerate the digital transformation of virtually any sector of an industry or society and it will be the main enabler of digital and financial inclusion in the country. It is the foundation on which countrys digital India mission will be realised, Mirtillo added.

He said that mobile connectivity is one of the biggest drivers of growth even in one of the remote corners of India. We cannot underestimate the importance of connectivity towards social and economic development of the country. The past 6-8 years have been about massive data usage and the shit in consumer behavior. And the next decade will be about connecting everything that can be connected. 5G will serve as the main platform that will drive this connectivity. It will help in improving the coverage and hence bridging the digital divide, he said.

In its latest Ericsson Mobility Report, the company reported an almost 300-fold increase in mobile data traffic since 2011. According to the report, there was a net addition of 98 million 5G subscriptions globally in Q3 2021, compared to 48 million new 4G subscriptions. Mirtillo said that India is an extremely important country for Ericsson. India today is already the third-largest market for 5G smartphone sales although the service is yet to begin. And in the first year, there will be 40 million 5G subscribers in the country. India can benefit from the fast-maturing technology. The enabler, of course, would be the spectrum. Obviously, it has to be an affordable spectrum, he said.

5G will represent around 39 per cent of mobile subscriptions in India at the end of 2027, estimated at about 500 million subscriptions, Ericsson said in its report. The number of smartphone subscriptions is expected to be 810 million at the end of 2021 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7 percent, reaching over 1.2 billion by 2027, it said.

Mirtillo added that by the end of this year, 25 per cent of the world population will be covered by 5G and for India, 5G will not only increase the contribution of digital congregation sectors to Indias GDP but also act as an economic multiplier for the country.

Also Read: Vivo Y55s 5G with 6000mAh battery launched, price set at roughly Rs 20,000

Also Read: Redmi Note 11 4G launch in India soon, here is what we know so far

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5G will be the foundation of Digital India mission: Ericsson - Business Today

Monday, 6 December 2021

Port Moresby (Agenzia Fides) - "Since the early days in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, the Catholic Church has contributed to the improvement of society, illuminating it with the light of the Good News of Jesus Christ, denouncing destructive cultural practices such as witchcraft, polygamy, war and female homicide, and promoting social, educational and health services for all without discrimination". This is what we read in the Pastoral Letter for the year 2022 written by the Bishops of both countries in relation to the context of chaos and protests against the recently degenerated government in the capital of the Solomon Islands, Honiara. In the text entitled 'Salt and light: the Catholic Church and society', the bishops highlight the commitment carried out so far in the light of the Gospel in relation to the refugee crisis, the pandemic, corruption, the death penalty, abortion and witchcraft, violence, as well as the amendment of the Constitution to declare Papua New Guinea a confessional state, and how Christians should respond to these challenges using principles of the Gospel. This process - writes Father Giorgio Licini, PIME, Secretary General of the Bishops of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, in the note sent to Agenzia Fides - follows three years of reflection and promotion of the vocation of the laity to encourage everyone for real change in everyday life. "While it is true that violence is always a source of suffering, political leaders should understand more than ever that the common good is the good of all, including minorities, disadvantaged groups and individuals". "As Christmas approaches, we turn our thoughts and prayers, especially to those who lost everything in the recent Honiara fires, to women and children tortured in the highlands of PNG and elsewhere due to senseless accusations of witchcraft, the victims of COVID-19 and their families, the young people left to fend for themselves. A sad celebration of Christmas - add the bishops - also awaits a hundred asylum seekers and refugees in Port Moresby". However, the bishops do not stop sending a message of hope for the upcoming holidays. "With all these pockets of suffering between us and the unstoppable pandemic, it is difficult to wish a Christmas of joy and happiness - they write -. However, we do so on behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, as the weak baby in the manger has proven to be the most powerful source of hope, encouragement and strength" (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 6/12/2021)

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OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA - Christmas of tears and hope: the common good is the good of all - Agenzia Fides

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Dec. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sheer Markets, announced earlier today that they have achieved another milestone by launching operations covering the LATAM, Africa, Asia and Oceania traders and investors.

Sheer Markets who have been regulated by CySEC since 2020 and are registered with the majority of the EU competent authorities to freely provide our services within the EU, are now taking this new step forward with an LFSA licence to facilitate the overwhelming interest they have received from non-EU traders and expand into LATAM, Africa, Asia and Oceania.

Sheer Markets' mission has always been to introduce a new range of institutional products to retail traders worldwide. In addition to their traditional CFDs on FX, Equities, Indices, Commodities and Cryptocurrencies offering, they make NDFs & EMFX trading possible for retail traders, effectively allowing them to enter an untapped market with new investment potential, trading currencies like the Brazilian Real, Indian Rupee, and Korean Won.

Sheer Markets CEO, Howard Carr, commented on this exciting development:

"It is with great excitement that we take this major step into introducing the global community to NDFs and our array of over 1900 CFD trading instruments. As the economies of emerging markets develop further, demand for EMFX and NDFs from existing and new traders have only been widening and accelerating, accompanied by an expansion in liquidity and increased turnover. We are happy to be among the first financial institutions to redefine the industry and present traders and investors with new opportunities."

In addition to an unprecedented product range with over 1900 CFD instruments, Sheer Markets traders benefit from some of the best trading conditions in the market, market-leading trading platforms, dedicated account managers, trading tools, research, excellent multilingual customer support, timely payments and more.

Sheer Markets is one of the first financial institutions to innovate and launch live streaming of NDFs for retail traders through the MetaTrader 5 trading platform. In addition, they offer a truly unique portfolio management service and strategies that make institutional grade investments available to their retail clients. Sheer Markets are committed to constantly improving their offering in order to bring traders the trading experience they truly deserve.

Stay tuned with Sheer Markets Global for updates on upcoming local events and seminars that will be covering Top-Class trading education and in-depth market analysis and make sure to follow their website to find amazing promotions for traders.

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Sheer Markets Expands to Global Markets with New Licence - PRNewswire

Agreement includes Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States countries, China, India, parts of Latin America and the Oceania countries

DURHAM, N.C., December 07, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AERI, "Aerie") announced that Aerie and Santen have entered into an exclusive development and commercialization agreement for Rhopressa/Rhokiinsa (netarsudil ophthalmic solution) 0.02% and Rocklatan/Roclanda (netarsudil and latanoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.02%/0.005%. The expanded collaboration includes Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, China, India, parts of Latin America and the Oceania countries.

Aerie is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma, ocular surface diseases and retinal diseases. Rhopressa and Rocklatan are approved and being sold in the United States by Aerie. Both Rhopressa and Rocklatan are also approved in Europe and known as Rhokiinsa and Roclanda, respectively.

"We are delighted to announce this development and commercialization agreement with Santen, a leading global ophthalmology company, which will extend the benefits of our unique products to patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension in Europe and several other global regions. This is an expansion from our initial collaboration with Santen for Japan and East Asia, announced in October 2020, under which we have already successfully completed the first Phase 3 study for Rhopressa in Japan. Additionally, Aerie will be manufacturing these products for Santen using our new manufacturing facility in Ireland. The ability to utilize this plant for global supply will have a positive impact to reduce the manufacturing cost of our own products in the United States. We have worked hard with Santen over this past year to expand our collaboration and we look forward to Santen bringing these products to more countries," said Benjamin F. McGraw, III, Pharm.D., Interim Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.

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Under the terms of the agreement, Aerie will receive an upfront payment of $88 million, and various development, regulatory and sales milestones of up to $77 million. Aerie is also eligible to receive additional consideration in excess of 25% of the products net sales, such consideration consisting of the cost of products supplied to Santen from Aerie and a royalty for Aeries intellectual property. Santen will be responsible for sales, marketing and pricing decisions relating to the products. Santen will also be responsible for all development and commercialization costs and activities related to the products in the territories covered by the agreement with the exception of a post-marketing clinical study to be conducted by Aerie in Europe for Roclanda. Aerie will be responsible for the manufacture and supply of the products to Santen utilizing its Athlone, Ireland plant. In addition to customary termination rights for both parties, in the event that patents are issued that may prevent the commercialization of the products in China, Santen would have the right to terminate the agreement for such country and require Aeries repayment of a portion of the upfront payment.

"With our cash and cash equivalents and investments of $168 million as of the end of the third quarter, the cash and milestones from this partnership put us in a very good financial position so that we have adequate resources to execute our business plan," said Benjamin F. McGraw, III, Pharm.D.

About Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disorder which causes optic nerve damage leading to visual field loss and is a major cause of visual impairment including decreased vision and blindness in many countries, especially in Japan and several other Asian countries. Since glaucomatous optic nerve damage and visual field defects are generally progressive and irreversible, early detection and treatment for controlling progression of damage is crucial in the treatment of glaucoma.

About Aerie

Aerie is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class therapies for the treatment of patients with open-angle glaucoma, ocular surface diseases and retinal diseases. Aerie's first product, Rhopressa (netarsudil ophthalmic solution) 0.02%, a once-daily eye drop approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, was launched in the United States in April 2018. In clinical trials of Rhopressa, the most common adverse reactions were conjunctival hyperemia, corneal verticillata, instillation site pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage. More information about Rhopressa, including the product label, is available at http://www.rhopressa.com. Aeries second product for the reduction of elevated IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, Rocklatan (netarsudil/latanoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.02%/0.005%, the first and only fixed-dose combination of Rhopressa and the widely-prescribed PGA (prostaglandin analog) latanoprost, was approved by the FDA and was launched in the United States in the second quarter of 2019. In clinical trials of Rocklatan, the most common adverse reactions were conjunctival hyperemia, corneal verticillata, instillation site pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage. More information about Rocklatan, including the product label, is available at http://www.rocklatan.com. Aerie continues to focus on global expansion and the development of additional product candidates and technologies in ophthalmology, including for the treatment of dry eye, wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. More information is available at http://www.aeriepharma.com.

Aerie Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We may, in some cases, use terms such as "predicts," "believes," "potential," "proposed," "continue," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "may," "could," "might," "will," "should," "exploring," "pursuing" or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things: the duration and severity of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, including the impact on our clinical and commercial operations, demand for our products, our financial results and condition of our global supply chains; our expectations regarding the commercialization and manufacturing of Rhopressa, Rocklatan, Rhokiinsa and Roclanda or any product candidates, preclinical implants or future product candidates, including the success of any partnerships or collaborations entered in connection therewith, including the collaboration and license agreement entered into with Santen, and the timing, cost or other aspects of their commercial launch; our commercialization, marketing, manufacturing and supply management capabilities and strategies in and outside of the United States; the success, timing and cost of our ongoing and anticipated preclinical studies and clinical trials for Rhopressa and Rocklatan, with respect to regulatory approval outside of the United States, and any product candidates, preclinical implants or future product candidates, including statements regarding the timing of initiation and completion of the studies and trials; our expectations regarding the effectiveness of Rhopressa, Rocklatan, Rhokiinsa, Roclanda or any product candidates, preclinical implants or future product candidates; the timing of and our ability to request, obtain and maintain FDA or other regulatory authority approval of, or other action with respect to, as applicable, Rhopressa, Rocklatan or any product candidates, preclinical implants or future product candidates; the potential advantages of Rhopressa and Rocklatan or any current or future product candidates; our plans to pursue development of additional product candidates and technologies; our plans to explore possible uses of our existing proprietary compounds beyond glaucoma, including development of our retina program; our ability to protect our proprietary technology and enforce our intellectual property rights or to develop new intellectual property; and our expectations regarding strategic operations, including our ability to in-license or acquire additional ophthalmic products, product candidates or technologies. In particular, statements in this press release regarding our development and commercialization agreement with Santen, and payments related thereto, are forward-looking statements. In addition, FDA approval of Rhopressa and Rocklatan and EMA approval of Rhokiinsa and Roclanda do not constitute regulatory approval of Rhopressa and Rocklatan in other jurisdictions, including EMA approval of Rhokiinsa and Roclanda, and there can be no assurance that we will receive regulatory approval for Rhopressa and Rocklatan in such other jurisdictions. Additionally, FDA approval of Rhopressa and Rocklatan do not constitute FDA approval of our product candidates, preclinical implants or future product candidates and there can be no assurance that we will receive FDA approval for our product candidates, preclinical implants or future product candidates. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events, competitive dynamics, industry change and other factors beyond our control, and depend on regulatory approvals and economic and other environmental circumstances that may or may not occur in the future or may occur on longer or shorter timelines than anticipated. We discuss many of these risks in greater detail under the heading "Risk Factors" in the quarterly and annual reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which we operate may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update our forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

About Santen

As a specialized company dedicated to ophthalmology, Santen carries out research, development, marketing, and sales of pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products, and medical devices, and its products now reach patients in over 60 countries. Toward realizing "WORLD VISION" (Happiness with Vision), the world Santen ultimately aspires to achieve, as a "Social Innovator", we aim to reduce the social and economic opportunity loss of people around the world caused by eye diseases and defects by orchestrating and mobilizing key technologies and players around the world. With scientific knowledge and organizational capabilities nurtured over a 130-year history, Santen provides products and services to contribute to the well-being of patients, their loved ones and consequently to society. For more information, please visit Santens website (www.santen.com).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211206005829/en/

Contacts

Aerie:

Media:Carolyn McAuliffecmcauliffe@aeriepharma.com (949) 526-8733

Investors:LifeSci Advisors on behalf of Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Hans Vitzthumhans@lifesciadvisors.com (617) 430-7578

Santen:

Takahiro HidakaGlobal Corporate CommunicationsSanten Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.Email: communication@Santen.com Tel: +81-6-7664-8621

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Aerie Concludes Exclusive License Agreement With Santen for Rhopressa and Rocklatan in Europe and Several Other Regions - Yahoo Finance

Lionel Messi/twitter.com/francefootball

France Football has published the full results of the Ballon d'Or vote. In 2021, Lionel Messi won the award for the seventh time, which angered many fans. It was expected that the prize would go to Robert Lewandowski.

The Golden Ball winner was determined by journalists from all over the world Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski managed to become the best on only two continents.

Lewandowski received first place from European journalists with 209 points. The second place in Europe was given to Chelsea midfielder Jorginho (166), and the third Messi (161).

Apart from Europe, only journalists from Africa put Lewandowski in first place.

The Argentinean won the Ballon d'Or thanks to being the first to be voted on by journalists from South America, Asia, Oceania and CONCACAF countries.

France Football published the results of the Golden Ball vote/Photo facebook.com/footballuatv

France Football published the results of the Golden Ball vote/Photo facebook.com/footballuatv

France Football published the results of the Golden Ball vote/Photo facebook.com/footballuatv

France Football published the results of the Golden Ball vote/Photo facebook.com/footballuatv

France Football published the results of the Golden Ball vote/Photo facebook.com/footballuatv

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Messi won the Ballon d'Or thanks to votes in South America, Asia and Oceania. - The Times Hub

The brake friction market is mainly dependent on aftermarket sales of these products. Brake friction products need to be changed periodically. This period varies with the usage of a vehicle and application of brakes.

New York, Dec. 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Brake Friction Products Market by Type, Disc Type, Liner Type, Vehicle Type And Region - Global Forecast to 2026" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p04397141/?utm_source=GNW Hence, the growth of the brake friction market also depends on the global vehicle parc.

As per OICA, total vehicle sales, which include passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, increased from 91,458,490 units in 2016 to 92,654,055 units in 2018.Increased vehicle sales have increased the vehicle parc in the last few years substantially.

The cumulative global vehicle part, which includes PC, LCV, and HCV segments, has increased from 8,59,769.7 thousand units in 2018 to 9,42,911.2 thousand units in 2020. The increase in vehicle parc has fueled the brake friction market globally.

Globally, the brake disc segment is expected to lead the market during the forecast period.The global brake friction market, which can be attributed to the increasing penetration of disc brake systems in different vehicle segments. The penetration of brake discs in passenger cars is increasing globally, key countries are shifting toward disc brake technology in passenger cars.

Asia Oceania is projected to be the largest regional marketAsia Oceania is estimated to be the largest market for brake friction products as China and Japan are the major vehicle-producing countries and accounted for around 57% and 20% in 2020, respectively.With the increasing vehicle production and enhanced brake technologies such as ABS and EBD, the demand for brake friction products is increasing continuously.

According to OICA, global vehicle production increased from 77.6 million units in 2010 to 89.3 million units in 2026. Particularly in Asia, increasing industrialization is driving the production of trucks and commercial vehicles.

In-depth interviews were conducted with CEOs, marketing directors, other innovation and strategy directors, and executives from various key organizations operating in this market. By Company Type: Tier 1 80%, Tier 2 20% By Designation: C Level - 40%, D Level- 35%, and Others 25% By Region: Asia Pacific - 20%,Europe 50%, North America 25% and RoW 5%Robert Bosch (Germany), AISIN CORPORATION (Japan), Nisshinbho Holdings Inc. (Japan), Brembo S.p.A (Italy), and Tenneco Inc. (US) are the leading manufacturers of brake friction products in the global market.

Research Coverage:The brake friction products market is segmented based on brake friction products, brake liner by type, brake disc by material, off-highway, electric vehicle, and vehicles (Passenger Cars, LCVs, Trucks, and Buses), aftermarket, and regions .The study also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the major brake friction products manufacturers in the market, along with their company profiles, key observations related to product and business offerings, recent developments, and key market strategies.

Key Benefits of Buying the Report:The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in this market with the information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall brake friction products market and the sub-segments.This report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to better position their businesses and plan suitable go-to-market strategies.

The report also helps stakeholders understand the markets pulse and provides them information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p04397141/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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Brake Friction Products Market by Type, Disc Type, Liner Type, Vehicle Type And Region - Global Forecast to 2026 - Yahoo Finance

12/6/2021

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Oil majors are looking to automate their assets to reduce the impact of demand fluctuation on revenues, according to GlobalData. The company notes that COVID-19 has been a wake-up call to the upheaval that a sudden drop in energy demand and/or labor availability can cause, and digital oilfield technologies such as digital twins and other remote monitoring solutions will be gamechangers in upstream oil and gas operations.

Charlotte Newton, Analyst on the Thematic Research team at GlobalData, comments: Technologies such as digital twins have the potential to be the backbone of digitalization in the sector. By creating 3D images and simulations of assets, systems, and processes, oil companies can imagine more sophisticated, and more reliable, machinery in oilfields both now and in the near future.

Ravindra Puranik, Oil & Gas Analyst at GlobalData, adds: The oil & gas (O&G) industry saw major disruption during the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, and companies are now looking to automate as many processes as possible to mitigate future operational risks. This is demonstrated by the fact that contracts activity relating to digitalization in the upstream remained resilient in the last two years, despite the pandemic-led industry downturn. Upstream hotspots in the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and Persian Gulf regions, as well as the US Lower 48 play attracted bulk of these contracts.

Operators in Southeast Asian fields are also deploying digital oilfield technologies to optimize field development planning and boost production. There has been similar activity in the Oceania and Western Africa regions, and this may gain momentum further with improvement in energy prices.

Ravindra concludes: Digital oilfield technology is rapidly becoming an integral part of the O&G industry, bringing in game-changing disruptions in upstream oil and gas operations. Oil majors such as BP, Shell, and Equinor have garnered considerable experience in developing technologies to make digital oilfields a reality and are the leaders in this theme. The major focus is on asset management to maximize investment returns. Companies are likely to use digital twins and other technologies to oversee every aspect of the asset lifecycle to ensure long-term sustainability.

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Digital oilfield technologies taking the industry closer to unmanned operations, says GlobalData - WorldOil

The Affiliate Cup: Europe Has Arrived, the Brits are Coming - Morning Chalk Up

Photo Credit: flsportsguy photography via CrossFit Games(instagram.com/flsportsguy)

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With the 2022 CrossFit Games season dates announced and the Affiliate Cup remaining in play, lets take a look back at the top of the 2021 Games leaderboard. Its looking significantly more international, with a strong showing from Europe. Looking closer it seems teams from the UK are making significant gains on the European Leaderboards.

For the 2021 CrossFit Games season, we saw the return of the Affiliate Cup and with it weve seen a break in the long-time dominance of North American teams in the upper echelons of the Games leaderboard.

Yes, CrossFit Mayhem topped the podium for a fifth time, but if we look at the flags of the top-10 teams this year, its distinctly more international than it has been in the past.

During Sanctionals, the 2019 and the ill-fated 2020 season, teams were geographically free to both construct and compete as they wish, and one could argue the strength of North America in the sport of fitness would allow more teams from this region to both make it to the Games and excel once there.

However, even in 2017 and 2018, when the Teams were expected to primarily train at the same gym we saw near if not total dominance by North America in the top-10 final placing.

Fast-forward to 2021 and its looking very different. Europe placed four of its 10 teams in the top-10 and three in the top-5. CrossFit Nordic were back in the top 10 for the first time since 2016, joined by fellow Scandinavian team CrossFit Oslo in 2nd. France debuted on the podium with CrossFit Genas whilst Motion Training (CrossFit Surbiton) finished in 4th. Oceania managed an impressive conversion of its three teams into two top-10 finishes Plus64 CrossFit (6th) and CrossFit Urban Energy (7th); CrossFit Awaside were just outside in 11th.

Theres a reasonable hypothesis that the long-acknowledged strength of the European field is forging strong teams as well as individuals; but the author, whod want to support that with data, will take a more general look at Europe and more specifically a surge of teams from the UK, who sent three of the 10 European teams to the Games and had an even stronger presence at Semifinals.

The Golden Age of CrossFit

In the golden age of Regionals (2014-2018) UK representation at Regionals was ever-present and come 2018, at the European Regional, the UK had an impressive 10 teams on the floor in Berlin. Despite this, no UK team made the trip to Madison that year and CrossFit JST remained the only team to have made it all the way to the pinnacle of the sport.

Fans and competitors alike would not be amiss for seeing this 2018 up-tick in Regional representation as the imminent dawn of more UK Teams at the Games. However, with the imminent season structure shake-up, the rulebook was re-written and the UK Team scene went somewhat backwards.

There were still some UK-based teams out there fighting for the hallowed top spots at Sanctionals. The Athlete Program, led by long-time captain Mike Catris had at least 4 podium finishes across the two seasons and JST Compete managed to grab a qualifying spot at Reykjavik in 2019. However, we cant ignore that whilst the Sanctionals circuit offered exciting opportunity to travel and compete in amazing places around the world, the single qualifying spot, likely inclusion of international super-teams and increased travel costs potentially deterred, and even excluded, the more traditional affiliate-based UK teams.

2021 Games Restructure and Beyond

Fast-forward to the end of the 2021 CrossFit Games Open and things were looking mighty different on the Team front for the UK, and only set to continue as Quarterfinals approached.

Now back under the Affiliate Cup structure and with the top 10% of teams in Europe eligible to progress to the Quarterfinals, UK Affiliate teams made up 24% of the eligible teams; even overshadowing Sweden with 11 teams who have a long-time presence on the Regionals podiums with the likes of CrossFit Fabriken.

Teams from Denmark (6) and Norway (5) all qualified for Semifinals whilst the UK saw 12 teams progress, further increasing their dominance on the competiton roster. The European teams would then be split between the CrossFit Lowlands Throwdown and CrossFit German Throwdown both delivered virtually.

Norway and Sweden would both go on to send two teams to the Games, whilst Denmark, Finland and France a team each.

Three UK teams made it to the Games, by far the strongest showing to-date. The Athlete Program from CrossFit Aylesbury, allowed Catris and Charlotte Spence to convert their multiple podium finishes from Sanctionals with the help of Maddy Harris and Owen Roberts. AOD Fitness, consisting of Harry Kean, Michael Allen, Helen Nutter and Georgia Radley, all training out of BluePrint CrossFit put on a strong showcase throughout the season with promising individual performances in the domestic circuit suggesting the future is bright in the West Midlands also.

Motion, of CrossFit Surbiton, formed as a team back in the 2020 season. A match made at the Swiss Apline Battle, Games Vetrans Jeremy Reijnders and Nienke van Overveld from Vondlegym moved to live and train in London with Harrison Bell and Grace Lilley of Motion. Delivering eight top-10 finishes across the 13 events at the Games, including a win in Event 10 (pegboard and worm squats) showing both no individual holes and refined teamwork even Mayhem couldnt match!

To close, we must acknowledge that the 2021 season remained hampered by lockdowns and gym closures of varying levels depending on country. Heres hoping we see teams from across the globe regaining strength and plenty taking part in the 2022 season, progressing to the Games and vying for those podium spots!

For a daily digest of all things CrossFit. Community, Competitions, Athletes, Tips, Recipes, Deals and more.

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The Affiliate Cup: Europe Has Arrived, the Brits are Coming - Morning Chalk Up

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CONCACAF 4th place to meet Oceania in World Cup playoff - Daily Union

Chris Wood leads a large overseas-based All Whites contingent. Photo / Getty

New Zealand Football got the result they wanted in Saturday's Intercontinental World Cup playoff draw though there could yet be a sting in the tail.

At a ceremony at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, the top Oceania qualifier was paired with a team from CONCACAF, with the Asian representatives drawn against South America.

As exclusively revealed by the Herald last week, the matches will be played on a single-leg basis in 2022, staged on June 13 and 14 in Qatar.

Years of planning and preparation hinged on which ball was plucked out of the glass bowl, and unlike four years ago, this time it fell the right way from an Oceania perspective.

It was crucial to avoid the South American confederation, with six teams ranked inside the world's top 25, plus Paraguay (43) and Ecuador (46).

Facing that World Cup route is generally a road to nowhere for Oceania teams.

They have only prevailed once across five attempts (1990, 1994, 2002, 2006 and 2017) - when Australia's golden generation edged Uruguay on penalties in 2006

On the surface, facing the fourth-placed team from North or Central America is a more palatable prospect, as that confederation doesn't have the same depth, though there could be a twist.

The final stage of CONCACAF qualifying is the most competitive in years, thanks partly to the emergence of Canada, who are currently unbeaten and top the standings (16 points) after eight of 14 rounds, ahead of USA (15 points) and Mexico (14), Panama (14) and Costa Rica (9).

Mexico haven't started well, held by Canada at home then losing to Les Rouges for the first time in 45 years earlier this month.

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Oceania's representative will be underdogs whoever the opposition, but facing Panama (world No 63) or Costa Rica (49) is a vastly different proposition to heavyweights like USA (12) or Mexico (14).

A similar scenario unfolded in 2013. New Zealand had expected to face Costa Rica, Honduras or Panama, but instead ended up with a trip to the Azteca Stadium.

The final piece of the jigsaw will be decided next Tuesday (NZT), when the draw and format is unveiled for the eight-nation OFC tournament in Qatar next March.

The qualifying was initially planned across a series of windows before Covid struck, and compressing that into one block has been a major challenge.

OFC's original plan was for two pools of four teams, followed by a semifinal and a final. That would necessitate five separate matchdays stretching across two-and-a-half weeks, which doesn't fit inside the current window (March 21-30).

OFC have tried to extend the window but the Herald understands that has been problematic, given the importance of that stage of the club season.

A proposed alternative format is three knockout games (quarter-final, semifinal and final), which would be logistically much easier, but that isn't believed to be favoured by the majority of Oceania nations.

NZF are concerned about the prospect of an elongated tournament, which would make it almost impossible to have their full squad for the duration, as clubs would be reluctant to release players for the best part of three weeks.

"OFC are liaising with FIFA about a window extension but whether or not that will be granted remains to be seen," NZF chief executive Andrew Pragnell told the Herald on Sunday.

"If it's not and you see a format that lands outside the window that'll throw a bunch of challenges at us. Because obviously, with a side that is fully made up of professionals, accessing those players becomes a bit of a challenge."

New Zealand would be disproportionately affected, with only a handful of overseas-based players among the other Oceania nations.

Pragnell was diplomatic but feels the sporting integrity of the competition is important, given what is at stake.

"Ensuring all teams can get their players, that's a pretty important part," said Pragnell. "For World Cup qualifiers to be played outside the window is a challenge."

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Football: All Whites face nervous wait on Oceania format for World Cup qualifiers - New Zealand Herald