The 2023 CrossFit Games season will look a little different than the last couple years. In an announcement by CrossFit the biggest changes are within the Semifinal stage of the competition. Let’s take a look at how the 2023 season will unfold.
The Open
The 2023 CrossFit Open will begin on February 16, 2023, and will take place over three weeks. This year, however, registered judges will not be able to validate scores for an athlete. Instead, the affiliate managers will be required to validate scores. If the workout is not completed at a CrossFit affiliate, a video must be submitted.
Quarterfinals
Just like last year, 10% of individuals and age group athletes along with 25% of teams will advance to the Quarterfinals. The Team and Age-Group Quarterfinals will take place the same week this year with teams competing Wednesday through Friday and age-group divisions running from Friday through Sunday.
Each competition will have two 24-hour submission windows this year instead of three.
Semifinals
This is where things get interesting. Let’s start with North America.
The Canadian, United States, Mexico and Latin American countries will now funnel into two Semifinal competitions – North America East and North America West. Last year, there were four events in North America (Syndicate Crown, MACC, Granite Games and Atlas Games.
And in Europe, rather than two Semifinals events (Lowlands and Strength in Depth), Europe gets just one.
CrossFit will also operate all of the three Semifinals in North America and Europe. For the other regions (Asia, Africa, Oceania and South America), CrossFit will partner with organizers to run the Semifinals events.
Sixty men, 60 women and 40 teams will advance to each of the North American and European Semifinals competitions. Thirty men, 30 women and 20 teams will advance to each of the Asia, Africa, Oceania and South America Semifinals.
Each Semifinal competition will “receive a minimum designated number of Games-qualifying spots.” But in 2023 the Last Chance Qualifier is gone. Instead, CrossFit will allocate the remaining spots to the Games according to the respective strength of field. CrossFit has not yet released how it will determine the strength of field or how many spots will be up for grabs from each Semifinal competition.
However, the Games will be capped at 40 individual athletes as in previous years.
CrossFit Games
Nothing new here. The same number athletes in each division as last year. The Games will, however, be a little longer in 2023. The six-day format will begin Tuesday, August 1 and run through Sunday, August 6.
Summarize This For Me
There are still some unknowns, but there will be three less Semifinals in 2023 compared to last year.
North America will have two, instead of four. Europe will have one, instead of two.
Also, the Last Chance Qualifier is gone and will be replaced by an allocation of spots determined by the Semifinal strength of field…exact details are still unknown.
What’s Next?
CrossFit will publish the 2023 CrossFit Games season rulebook in mid-November. Additionally, CrossFit will be releasing more information about worldwide rankings, updated adaptive division eligibility requirements and more in the coming weeks/months.
