Some of you have been asking about what happens with the CrossFit Games season now that the CrossFit Open is over. We’re here to give you the lowdown on what to expect when it comes to the next stages, and how you can get involved and follow any friends or favourite athletes who might’ve progressed as their Games journey continues!
Quarter Finals (March 24th – April 24th)
This year, the next stage of the road to the games is being held online. Dubbed ‘The Quarter Finals’ or ‘Quarters’, the format consists of a series of workouts, all published at the same time, that qualifying athletes must complete in the space of a weekend.
Different categories have different nominated weekends, so just like in The Open, athletes will be completing their workouts over the same few days as their peers across the globe.
So how does someone qualify for the quarter finals? For this stage of the competition, it’s pretty simple: individual Athletes need to have qualified in the top 10% of their continent region.
This applies to age group divisions too, so for athletes who fall into a teen or master category, they’ve been competing only against athletes of their own age group.
For teams, the top 25% from each region will advance.
We don’t yet know how many workouts will feature during the quarter finals weekends, or what they will consist of, but based on previous years, we estimate 6-9 workouts. Typically they are likely to include some higher skill movements that do not appear in The Open, as well as some heavier standard loads on Barbells and / or Dumbbells.
What we do know is what is on the kit list, so this provides a big clue as to what might feature! That being said, in the past The CrossFit Games have sometimes included something in the kit list that does not end up being used (essentially a red herring) so there are no guarantees at this stage! In addition to The Open equipment list, athletes have been told they may need:
- 30 feet of flat space (possible handstand walk)
- 15 foot climbing rope
- Med ball (for wall balls)
- 2 Dumbbells (for double DB moves)
- Rings (most likely for muscle ups, and possibly toes-to-rings)
- GHD (for GHD sit ups)
- Squat rack (possibly for a heavy squat, bench or overhead complex)
How can I watch?
As the qualifiers are online, athletes will all be completing them in their own gyms. Some may live-stream their workouts online, or some may upload them after they’re completed, but this will all depend on the individual or team. Our advice? If you’re keen to check in on a friend who’s made it through, speak to them! It might be that you can have an opportunity to support them in person. Or, if you’re following the journey of a non-local athlete, your best shot will be to follow them directly on their social media channels for updates. It’s not uncommon for athletes to post clips and stories throughout their Quarter Final weekend!
Dates for the Diary
The Quarter Final weekend dates are as follows:
- Individuals – March 24th-27th
- Teams – April 7th-10th
- Age Groups – April 21st-24th
Next Steps
Stay tuned for more updates! We’ll be back post-Quarter Finals to let you know what’s happening next, and how to watch. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled at SCFIT South too for some important updates on the CrossFit Open and the SCFIT Intramural Open… watch this space!
Are you looking for a welcoming, inclusive gym? Get in touch with us to book your Free No Sweat Intro. We’d love to meet you!