CrossFit Games

The CrossFit Games is an athletic competition sponsored by Crossfit Inc.^[1] The competition has been held every summer since 2007. Athletes at the Games compete in workouts they learn about only hours beforehand, mostly comprising an assortment of standard weightlifting and gymnastics movements, but sometimes including surprise elements that are not part of the typical CrossFit regimen; past examples include a rough-water swim and a softball throw. The Games are styled as a venue for determining the "Fittest on Earth," where competitors should be "ready for anything."

In 2011, the Games adopted an online format for the first stage of the qualification process, facilitating participation by athletes worldwide; prior to that, 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 "CrossFit Open," a new workout is released each week during online live coverage in which two past Games athletes go head-to-head and compete every Thursday night. Athletes have until Monday evening (PST) to complete the workout and submit their scores online, with either a video or validation by a CrossFit affiliate. The top CrossFit Open performers in each region advance to the regional events, held over the following two months; the top performers from these regional competitions go to the CrossFit Games, which in recent years have been held at the StubHub Center in Carson, CA.

The Games include divisions for individuals of each gender, for a number of Masters age groups, and for co-ed teams.^[2] For the first time in 2015, there are also two age divisions at the Games for individual teens: 14-15 and 16-17.

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 2013-2015. The total prize payout awarded by Reebok will be $2,000,000 for 2015.^[3]

In 2011, 26,000 athletes signed up to compete in the "Open". In 2012-2015, participation was 69,000, 138,000, 209,000, and 273,000 respectively.^[4][5]

Individual and Team Champions^[6]

Masters Men's Champions^[7]

Masters Women's Champions^[8]

References