The 2019 Reebok CrossFit Games Season is already underway and full of new beginnings for athletes and fans around the world.
The CrossFit Games
The CrossFit Games are the pinnacle of the season. This Aug. 1-4, the global fitness community turns its eyes to Madison, Wisconsin, as the world’s finest athletes showcase the heart and determination required to be named Fittest on Earth.
There are three ways to qualify for the CrossFit Games: become a National Champion in the Open, be among the top 20 men or women worldwide in the Open or win a Sactionals event.
To be eligible to crown a national champion, a country must have at least one affiliate in good standing as of the close of Open Workout 19.1 on Monday, Feb. 25, at 5 p.m. PT.
An athlete’s country placement is based on their country of citizenship. Dual citizens must pick which country they will represent when registering. National champions must complete all five Open workouts as Rx’d in order to advance to the Games.
Citizens of banned countries will not be eligible to register or compete (Sudan, North Korea, Cuba, Crimea region of Ukraine).
National champions do not have to be affiliated in order to advance to the Games. In the event that a national champion declines, CrossFit will not backfill the spot.
Sanctionals™
Sanctionals™ are independently owned and operated fitness competitions which have emerged from the CrossFit affiliate community. Sanctionals expand the opportunities available to CrossFit competitors around the globe. The first place male and female athletes of each Sanctionals will receive an invitation to compete at the CrossFit Games. Since teams are no longer required to share an affiliate or geographical location to earn an invitation to the CrossFit Games team competition, Sanctionals are now the only pathway for teams to compete at the CrossFit Games.
"Each one exists to serve its community, not to make a quick buck," said CrossFit Founder Greg Glassman. "This is perfectly consistent with our vision for CrossFit competitions."
The CrossFit Games will return once more to Madison, Wisconsin, in the late summer of 2019. Participants in the individual Games competition will consist of: (1) National Champions as determined by the CrossFit Games Open; (2) first-place Sanctionals winners; (3) the top 20 overall finishers in the CrossFit Games Open; and (4) four at-large athletes selected by CrossFit Inc. View a complete list of Sanctionals events here.
About The Open
Registration for the 2019 Open will begin Thursday, Jan. 10, with the competition starting Thursday, Feb. 21. As with previous years, the 2019 Open will host five workouts over five weeks.
New in 2019, Open participation is not required to advance to the Games for individual* competitors, but your Open worldwide rank does help improve your seeding. Athletes with no Open rank will be placed last and compete in the first qualifying heats of the opening elimination events at the 2019 Games. To get the seeding benefit, athletes must do the Open workouts as Rx’d.
Athletes who qualify for the Games from the Open (national champions, top 20 worldwide—more on this below) can improve their seeding by winning a Sanctional.
Teams can qualify for the CrossFit Games through Sanctionals. There will not be a team competition in the Open. Registration for the 2020 Open will be announced later in the season.
*Masters and Teenage competitors must qualify through the Open and Age Group Online Qualifier.
Masters and Teenagers
The masters and teenager divisions will remain the same as in previous years: 14-15, 16-17, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59 and 60+. The process for Games qualification will look the same as well: Competing athletes must advance from the Open to the Online Qualifier for a chance to compete for a ticket to the Games.
As in past years, the top 200 from each division will advance to the Online Qualifier, but only 10 (formerly 20) from each division will advance to the Games. At the start of the Age Group Online Qualifier, all scores will reset to zero.
Athlete and Affiliate Updates
New in 2019, transgender athletes can compete according to their gender identity, not their sex at birth. CrossFit will collect gender information as part of Open registration.
Athletes and Affiliates have until the close of 19.1 (Feb. 25, at 5 p.m. PT) to adjust their information. Athletes cannot change their gender, citizenship or age after this time. Affiliates cannot shift from bad standing to good, and vice versa, after this time and thereby impact the list of qualifying countries.
Next Up: The Open
The 2019 Open initiates a new direction for the CrossFit Games. The season format has changed. For the first time, National Champions from around the globe will qualify directly from the Open to the world championship. There will additionally be 15 sanctioned competitions in which elite athletes and teams from all over the world can earn spots to the Games.
However, the Open is not just for elite athletes. Within CrossFit, it's a rite of passage, a celebration of fitness that occurs in CrossFit gyms and garages in every country, culture and city. Hundreds of of thousands people participate to test their fitness and see where they stack up against others, and more importantly, against their former selves.
See you on the Leaderboard. Sign up up for the 2019 Open.
Tune in to watch the Live announcement of 19.1 live on Facebook and, right here, on Games.CrossFit.com.