Eleven-time CrossFit Games athlete Ben Smith and his affiliate community at CrossFit Krypton are ramping up to host the fifth annual Compete for a Cure event. Compete for a Cure is a competition benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This year, athletes can compete in the CrossFit Open and Compete for a Cure simultaneously.
“The CrossFit community has a unique and powerful way of coming together to support people and organizations in times of need,” said CrossFit General Manager of Sport Dave Castro. “We’re thrilled to help support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by bringing more awareness to the awesome event Ben and the Krypton crew have created.”
About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with St. Jude founder Danny Thomas’ vision, no child is denied treatment on the basis of race, religion, or a family's ability to pay.
The hospital was established in 1962 and has since made enormous strides in multiple areas of research, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia, sickle cell disease, and many forms of pediatric cancer, to name just a few.
Learn more about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital here.
About Compete for a Cure
Compete for a Cure has seen rapid growth in a short amount of time. The event hosted 144 athletes in its first year (2016) and donated $14,809 to the cause. In 2019, the event hosted 256 athletes and raised more than $111,000.
Executive committee member Mary Becker credits the “generosity and passion of the CrossFit community in Virginia, the dedication of our members and volunteers, and the cooperation and willingness of our sponsors” for the event’s success.
How to Participate
The COVID-19 global pandemic presents a unique challenge for events such as Compete for a Cure, and current regulations prevent such events from running in person as planned. As a result, the CrossFit Games have teamed up with Smith and the Krypton community to support their cause and co-host the 2021 event. This year, Compete for a Cure will move online and the events will be the same as the 2021 CrossFit Open events.
As soon as you register for the 2021 CrossFit Games Open, sign up for Compete for a Cure by visiting their website and completing the registration process for the event.
Participants will be given a chance to raise additional funds to donate to Compete for a Cure, and there will be prize incentives for various tiers of fundraising. One-hundred percent fundraising contributions will go directly to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The 2021 events for Compete for a Cure will be the 2021 CrossFit Open events. You’ll be able to view your standings for both competitions at games.crossfit.com. Use the hashtag #compete4acure with your score submission on the CrossFit Games website to be included in the custom leaderboard for Compete for a Cure. There will also be a full Compete for a Cure leaderboard on the event’s official website.
You may also donate to Compete for a Cure without participating in the competition by visiting this page.
Be sure to follow Krypton’s Compete for a Cure Instagram page. Each week during the competition, the account will feature guest appearances, livestreamed workouts, and more.
Registration for Compete for a Cure will open here on Friday, Jan. 15.