CrossFit is a phenomenon that has swept the globe since its inception in 2000. The essence of this competitive training routine is the full body routines that are executed at a high-intensity pace. By breaking down the distinctions between cardio and weight training, the athlete is left more agile and fitter than other workout disciplines.
CrossFit encourages a competitive atmosphere in their gyms and routines. So it was natural for an international competition to emerge from this community of athletes. The first games were held in 2007 with 70 athletes gathering at a ranch in Northern California.
Each year the games have a unique agenda requiring mental endurance and physical strength for the competitors. All this is aimed to weed out the phonies and crown the real “Fittest on Earth.”
The CrossFit Games Athletes perform in several divisions according to sex and age. The first is for individuals and teams of each Gender. Then there are divisions for co-ed teams and several Masters and Teenage age groups.
CrossFit Games 2017
CrossFit Games 2017 in Madison, Wisconsin
The 2017 Crossfit games mark 11 years of success. This was the first CrossFit games to be held outside California. The new location chosen was the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. This beautiful, high tech campus includes 164 acres of green space and a 22,000 square foot Arena.
An Unusual Choice of Cities?
Madison Wisconsin might seem like an unusual choice for an International competition. The Badger state is a bit East of the genuinely central states and near to the Canadian border. And while Madison is the capital city, it is not a major metropolis like Los Angeles or New York.
The main reason given for the move is a bit obvious. As the CrossFit Games gained popularity, they have outgrown venue after venue. From “The Ranch” in Aromas California where it started, to StubHub Center in Carson where it was most recently held venues have just become too small. This constant relocation has created challenges for the athletes.
CrossFit Organizers have therefore extensively researched many locations throughout the United States to find a permanent home. Madison provides a variety of terrain needed for this competition. It has several aquatic centers, trails and a variety of multi-use venues. It also has the infrastructure to accommodate the 33,000 or more guests the games is now attracting each year.
Madison: Room to Expand
There is room to expand into the Camp Randall Stadium that will seat 80,321 people at a time when the Alliance Center becomes too small. CrossFit organizers want to create a Mecca for Crossfitters. Madison is small enough for the Games to create an outsized footprint while still being large enough to accommodate the athletes and fans comfortably. This will allow more control for the organizers to present the best possible experience for all that would not be possible in a larger city like Los Angeles.
Lastly, Wisconsinites are known for their outdoor pursuits and love of fitness. The city already offers over 23,000 acres of water, and two hundred miles of trails in a relatively compact area so is ideal for giving the support needed for the CrossFit Games.
The Final Consensus: A Resounding Success!
The Crossfit games for 2017 were successfully held between August 3rd and 6th 2017. The Alliance Center turned out to be an ideal location.
Results of CrossFit Games 2017
The first place and “Fittest on Earth” Title went to Tia-Clair Toomey in the Women’s Competition and Mathew Fraser in the Men’s. The prize money awarded was $310,000 for Fraser’s efforts, and $298,000 went to Toomey. The prize consists of $285,000 for winning. Added to this is a bonus : $3,000 first place, $2,000 second place, and $1,000 third place. This is added to the overall prize money for each of the individual events that they win.
This is the second time Fraser has won the CrossFit Games and the fourth time he has appeared on the podium. He earned his first title the previous year after finishing second in 2014 and 2015. In 2017 Fraser dominated the events he participated.
The second and third places were a lot more of a competition. The Second place narrowly went to Brent Fikowski from Canada and close on his heels was third place winner Ricky Garard. However, Garard would later test positive for performance enhancing drugs and be stripped of his podium finish. This was Gerard’s first CrossFit Games.
Toomey is the first Australian athlete to win the CrossFit Games. This is not her first time representing her country in an international event; she represented Australia in the 2016 Rio Olympics in the weightlifting category.
She passed her countryman Kara Webb with only a few points to make it to number one. Third place went to a previous two time Champion of the games – Annie Thorisdottir from Iceland. Thorisdottir placed first in the 2011 and 2012 Crossfit Games. This is her fifth appearance on the podium.
2017 CrossFit Games Winners
INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS
First Place Winners:
Male: Mathew Fraser – Team Wasatch CrossFit
Female: Tia-Clair Toomey – Team CrossFit Mayhem
One notable person who didn’t appear was Ryan Elrod. Although he achieved 5th place at the Atlantic Regionals, he also tested positive for a banned substance and received a 2 year suspension.
Masters Men
Age 35–39 – Kyle Kasperbauer
40–44 – Shawn Ramirez
45–49 – Robert Davis
50–54 – Kevin Koester
55–59 – Shannon Aiken
60+ – David Hippensteel
Masters Women
Age 35–39 – Stephanie Roy
40–44 – Helen Harding
45–49 – Cheryl Brost
50–54 – Marion Valkenburg
55–59 – Susan Clarke
60+ – Patty Failla
Teens
Age 14–15 Boys – Dallin Pepper
14–15 Girls – Chloe Smith
16–17 Boys – Angelo DiCicco
16–17 Girls – Kaela Stephano
Highlights of CrossFit Games in 2017
There were a number of highlight’s for the CrossFit Games of 2017. Some of them include the following:
STRONGMAN’S FEAR
This is one of the more creative events. Athletes were required to move a farmer’s logs, a yoke and drag a sled across the grass and that is only half the WOD. They then had to return to the middle of the field with a handstand walk. Brent Fikowski and Katrin Davidsdottir took the respective men’s and women’s 1st places.
MADISON TRIPLET
In tribute to the Badger State, after running a 450-meter exterior path, the athletes had to clean a sandbag and toss it over a hay bale, do a burpee and jump over a wall. These actions were repeated seven times over. The winners for this event were Ricky Garard and Sam Briggs.
FIBONACCI FINAL
The final is always the most nail-biting, but this event took it to the limits. Logan Collins won the event. Collins was the only athlete to finish in the six minutes allocated with Mathew Fraser only one lunge short. In the women’s heat, Webb took first place by only 0.19 seconds.
The Takeaway for the 2017 CrossFit Games
The 2017 CrossFit games were a resounding success. The move to Madison found a home for the games for the next several years to come. It will help to boost the local economy and make a Mecca for CrossFitters that they can enjoy for years to come.
More results from past games here:
Have your Say about the CrossFit Games 2017
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John James
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