CrossFit Games

Camille Leblanc-Bazinet, 2014 Reebok CrossFit Games Champion, during the Thick 'n Quick event of the 2014 CrossFit Games

The CrossFit Games is an athletic competition sponsored by Crossfit Inc.[1] and Reebok.[2] The competition has been held every summer since 2007. Athletes at the Games compete in workouts that they learn about hours or days beforehand, consisting mostly of an assortment of standard aerobic, weightlifting, and gymnastics movements, as well as some additional surprise elements that are not part of the typical CrossFit regimen such as ocean swimming, softball throwing, or ascending a pegboard.[3][4] The Games are styled as a venue for determining the "Fittest on Earth," where competitors should be "ready for anything."

History

The CrossFit Games began as a small competition and have grown since its inception in 2007.[5] The first CrossFit Games were held at a small ranch in Aromas, California, owned by Dave Castro’s family, the director of the CrossFit Games. Due to the growth of the sport, the Games were held at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, from 2010 to 2016.[6] In 2017, the Games will be held outside of California for the first time when it is hosted at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin.[7]

The CrossFit Games season involves three stages for competitors. Since 2011, the Open has been the first stage of the qualification process to compete in the CrossFit Games.[8] The Open was created as an online format to facilitate participation by athletes worldwide. Prior to the introduction of the Open, the preponderance of competitors were American (though the 2009 individual men's champion, Mikko Salo, is from Finland, and the 2010 women's runner-up, Annie Thorisdottir, is from Iceland). During the Open, a new workout is released each week on Thursday night and athletes have until Monday evening (Pacific Time) to complete the workout and submit their scores online, with either a video or validation by a CrossFit affiliate. Beginning in 2013, CrossFit began airing live announcements for the Open workouts and would have past CrossFit Games athletes immediately complete the workout in a head-to-head competition. Athletes are ranked worldwide and by region. The top CrossFit Open performers in each region advance to the regional events.[9] The top men, women, and teams from each regional competition go to the CrossFit Games. In 2016, those athletes that qualify for the Games receive between $1,000 and $5,000 based on their standing at the end of the weekend.

The Games include divisions for individuals of each gender, for a number of Masters age groups, and for co-ed teams. In 2015, the Games added two younger individual divisions for teenagers: 14–15 and 16–17. In 2017, the Games further expanded by adding a 35–39 Masters division, the first expansion to the Masters since 2013. Both Masters and Teens qualify through the Open at the same time as the individuals and teams, but usually with slightly altered events for each age division. Since 2014, instead of going to a regional qualifying event, the top 200 Masters and Teens in each division of the Open have a second on-line qualifier which consists of several workouts that must be completed over a single weekend and the top 20 finishers qualify for the Games.[10] Prior to the secondary online qualifier, the top finishers in the Open for the Masters (from 2011 to 2013) and the Teens (for 2015 and 2016) in each division qualified directly from the Open.

Rogue Fitness has been the primary supplier of equipment to the CrossFit Games and regional events since 2010. Fifteen semi-trucks of equipment were needed to supply the 2013 CrossFit Games.[11]

Controversies

Due to CrossFit's official partnership with Reebok, competitors at the 2015 Games were banned from wearing Nike footwear.[12] Nike arranged for several trucks to be parked near the main entrance to the arena, which served as mobile billboards with the slogan "Don't ban our shoe, beat our shoe".[13] The partnership also prohibits Nike from labeling its Metcon shoes as intended for CrossFit - the brand uses the term "high intensity training" instead.[12]

CrossFit's decision to award winners of the 2016 Games with handguns resulted in widespread criticism from members and sponsors.[14] Resulting protests forced the temporary closure of two CrossFit locations in New York City.[15]

Popularity

Participation and sponsorship have grown rapidly since the inception of the Games. The prize money awarded to each first-place male and female increased from $500 at the inaugural Games to $275,000 in 2013-2016. The largest jump in prize money came from the first Games sponsored by Reebok in 2011 when first place went from $25,000 in 2010 to $250,000 in 2011.[16] The total prize payout in 2016 was $2,200,000.[17]

In 2011, 26,000 athletes signed up to compete in the "Open". In 2012-2016, participation was 69,000, 138,000, 209,000, 273,000, and 324,307 respectively.[18][19][20][21] In 2016, 175 countries were represented by registered participants.

Champions by year and category

Individual and Team Champions[22]

Year Individual Men Individual Women Team
2007 James Fitzgerald Jolie Gentry CrossFit Santa Cruz
2008 Jason Khalipa Caity Matter CrossFit Oakland
2009 Mikko Salo Tanya Wagner Northwest CrossFit
2010 Graham Holmberg Kristan Clever CrossFit Fort Vancouver
2011 Rich Froning Jr. Annie Thorisdottir CrossFit New England
2012 Rich Froning Jr. Annie Thorisdottir Hack's Pack UTE
2013 Rich Froning Jr. Samantha Briggs Hack's Pack UTE
2014 Rich Froning Jr. Camille Leblanc-Bazinet CrossFit Invictus
2015 Ben Smith Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir CrossFit Mayhem Freedom
2016 Mathew Fraser Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir CrossFit Mayhem Freedom

Masters Men's Champions[22]

Year 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60+
2010 Brian Curley
2011 Scott DeTore Gord Mackinnon Steve Anderson Greg Walker
2012 Gene LaMonica Gord Mackinnon Tim Anderson Scott Olson
2013 Michael Moseley Ron Ortiz Craig Howard Hilmar Hardarson Scott Olson
2014 Shawn Ramirez Jerry Hill Will Powell Steve Hamming Scott Olson
2015 Shawn Ramirez Matthew Swift Joe Ames Will Powell Steve Pollini
2016 Shawn Ramirez Ron Mathews Ron Ortiz Will Powell David Hippensteel

Masters Women's Champions[22]

Year 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60+
2010 Laurie Carver
2011 Susan Habbe Mary Beth Litsheim Shelley Noyce Betsy Finley
2012 Lisa Mikkelsen Susan Habbe Marnel King Mary Schwing
2013 Amanda Allen Lisa Mikkelsen Colleen Fahey Gabriele Schlicht Sharon Lapkoff
2014 Amanda Allen Kim Holway Mary Beth Litsheim Susan Clarke Karen Wattier
2015 Janet Black Kylie Massi Cindy Kelley Susan Clarke Rosalie Glenn
2016 Helen Harding Cheryl Brost Shellie Edington Mary Beth Prodromides Shaun Havard

Teens Champions[22]

Year 14–15 Boys 14–15 Girls 16–17 Boys 16–17 Girls
2015 Angelo Dicicco Sydney Sullivan Nicholas Paladino Isabella Vallejo
2016 Vincent Ramirez Kaela Stephano Nicholas Paladino Allison Weiss

References

  1. "How CrossFit Embraced Fans and became the next great spectator sport". Forbes.com. June 2, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  2. Millington, Alison. "Reebok in 'relaunch phase' as it looks to become top fitness brand". Marketing Week. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  3. "Major Announcement for Individuals". CrossFit Games. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  4. "Why the Pegboard Challenge at the CrossFit Games Was Such a Beast". Men's Fitness. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  5. "The History of the CrossFit Games by Dave Castro". CrossFit Journal. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  6. "Games Tickets in 2015". CrossFit Games. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  7. "CrossFit Games moving to Madison". Wisconsin State Journal. November 21, 2016.
  8. "About the Games". CrossFit Games. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  9. "Regionals". CrossFit Games. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  10. "2017 REEBOK CROSSFIT GAMES SEASON SCHEDULE". CrossFit Games. November 15, 2016.
  11. "The Equipment Outlaw". The Box. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  12. 1 2 Lydia Bailey (July 13, 2015). "CrossFit bans Nike shoe". Men's Fitness.
  13. Brendan Dunne (July 28, 2015). "Nike Isn't Done Bullying Reebok Over CrossFit". Sole Collector.
  14. Joseph Serna (July 15, 2016). "CrossFit Games come under fire for awarding Glocks as prizes". Los Angeles Times.
  15. JamesMichael Nichols (July 25, 2016). "Anti-Gun LGBT Group Shuts Down Two CrossFit Locations Over Gun Giveaway". Huffington Post.
  16. "CrossFit's Relationship with Reebok Enhances Its Financial and Commercial Credibility". Forbes. July 22, 2011.
  17. "CrossFit Games Prize Purse Grows". CrossFit Games. July 7, 2014.
  18. CrossFit® (2016-04-11), Stats From the 2016 Open, retrieved 2016-05-05
  19. "How Fast Are the CrossFit Games Growing? The Numbers Tell the Story". Tabata Times. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  20. "209,585: Rise of the Open". CrossFit Games. March 26, 2014.
  21. "INSIDE THE LEADERBOARD: TO SCALE, OR NOT TO SCALE". CrossFit Games. April 7, 2016.
  22. 1 2 3 4 "CrossFit Games Leaderboard". Retrieved October 13, 2015.

External links

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