In four years, the CrossFit Games have grown from a small event—“the Woodstock of fitness”—to a huge competition featuring elite athletes from all corners of the world.
In this video series, Dave Castro recounts the history of the Games, which were held at his parents’ ranch until permitting requirements necessitated a move to a different location in 2010.
In 2007, the Games featured three events: a run, a triplet and a strength event. About 70 competitors and 150 fans showed up for the first competition that started a new sport.
In 2008, the Games exploded, with close to 300 competitors registering to compete. All of a sudden, CrossFit HQ had to figure out how to put that many competitors through a test of elite fitness. When the event wrapped up, it was clear that a yearly tradition had been created.
The third edition of the CrossFit Games required a full year of planning and a bottleneck that came in the form of regional qualifiers. Top athletes had to earn a spot in the Games by besting their peers in one of the regionals held all over the world. The competition season produced a field of elite athletes who were tested by eight epic WODs in Aromas.
Finally, Castro offers a few words of advice to athletes preparing for the fourth edition of the CrossFit Games in Carson, Calif.
Part 1: 9min 09sec.
Part 2: 9min 35 sec
Part 3: 18min 46sec
Additional video: The Complete 2009 CrossFit Games, published December 2009-January 2010.