Photo courtesy of CrossFit, Inc.
CrossFit Games participants are carrying "The Worm," which weighs 405 pounds, with each 24-inch segment slightly different in weight: 80, 65, 75, 60, 70 and 55 pounds.
When Dave Castro visited the Alliant Energy Center in August 2016, the odds of Madison becoming the new home of the Reebok CrossFit Games seemed slim.
“In my mind, Madison wasn’t even on the radar,” the event director told Isthmus during a one-on-one interview in June. “But I wanted a new template for the Games, and we needed to take them elsewhere. I saw the Alliant Energy Center, and I knew we could make things happen here.”
And happen here, they will.
Photo courtesy of CrossFit, Inc.
Alethea Boon competes with kettlebells during the Pacific regionals.
Following two phases of competition that took place over the winter and spring involving hundreds of thousands of athletes, the 2017 CrossFit Games at the Alliant Energy Center from August 3-6 will showcase 640 of the fittest people you’ve ever seen (including some from the Madison area). They will compete in a series of functional movement competitions — some that involve transporting large loads long distances in short periods of time — to earn the ultimate title of “Fittest on Earth.”™
Madison, named “America’s Fittest City” by Fitbit last year, was chosen from more than 100 destinations that expressed interest in hosting the CrossFit Games for the next three years. Credit the city’s win to the Madison Area Sports Commission’s efforts and the 164-acre, multiple-building Alliant complex. With plenty of room for a vendor village, athlete area, beer garden, spectator workout space, live demos and music, the expansive site “made it a no-brainer” for the games, Castro says.
Single-day and four-day tickets are available via Ticketmaster and at the Alliant Energy Center box office.
The annual CrossFit Games began in 1997 in Aromas, Calif., with 70 athletes representing 250 CrossFit gyms. Interest quickly spread, and the Games moved to the larger StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., in 2010. Today, CrossFit’s global network includes more than 14,000 gyms.
The branded fitness workout emphasizes technique, and devotees claim they’ve lost weight and gained strength and speed. But CrossFit hasn’t succeeded without controversy. Critics say its combination of dangerous movements, high intensity and underqualified instructors lead to serious injuries.
“There are going to be injuries,” Castro acknowledges. “But the injury rate is way lower than in other activities — even running. We’re not selling gear or a gimmick. If CrossFit didn’t work, we wouldn’t have the CrossFit Games.”
Interested in giving CrossFit a try? The Madison area boasts more than 10 CrossFit gyms. “Walk in, and do not be intimidated,” Castro advises. “CrossFit gyms are not just for the beasts you see at the Games.”
