# @pvellner on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DYIQHHliYDC
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/65237491-pvellner-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/c04aff1e4b.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-05-09T19:02:52.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Vellnerd (@PVellner) — https://gondola.cc/PVellner

## Caption

#SaturdayStorytime - Behind the cuts
Look 2019 was a crazy year. 2 opens, media slashes, national champions… a lot going on. One of the big stories that year was the return of cuts, I myself was a victim, and here’s a little color on that. 
I was very fit in 2019, maybe a bit over trained, but I made some bad mistakes at the games. Made some dumb decisions early and took some damage that I had a hard time recovering from and put me in a place I didn’t wanna be.
Saturday morning started with a sprint elimination event. I was in 10th. After that event the top 10 moved on and there would be no cuts. To guarantee safety I needed to take a top 10 finish so I pushed the limit and rounded the last turn with too much speed. I tried to tight rope it but stepped on the out of bounds line just before diving to the end zone. Like a guilty party I immediately looked at my judge who raised a flag. Games over.
I can’t lie, it was super frustrating, but we can’t go back in time. I took a time out for a bit then spend some time with my family and friend in the afternoon before checking in on the action. I got invited to a box to watch the evening events which was tough, but they had beers. I remember sitting with thetravismayer watching the DB/peg board workout and clean ladder thinking we both would have had a great evening. Slowly the box filled in with more cut athletes and we spent the afternoon talking some shit to each other and actually having a lot of fun. It took a bit of the sting out. 
Later in the evening after dinner we went to the bar with some friends to just forget about the competition a bit. Of course the bar was filled with CrossFit people in Madison so that didn’t work great 😂. I had dinks with some fans from all over which was fun though and right as we were winding down I heard a loud “where’s Vellner” and a group of European athletes led by hogberglukas jonnekoski bk_gudmundsson and iamwillgeorges blew in the door looking for me with a wild look in their eyes.
We stayed longer than we should have 😂.
I have fond memories of Saturday night at the 2019 games. The cut athlete after party was reckless. Fueled by commeraderie and shared frustration.

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## Tags

saturdaystorytime

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