The 2022 CrossFit Games rulebook has been released and with it big changes for master, teen, and adaptive athletes were announced.
We break down the newest elements of the CrossFit season below, but they include:
- Greater opportunities to compete for all
- Smaller field of Masters and Teen athletes at the CrossFit Games
- Virtual Semifinals for Adaptive athletes
What The New Rulebook Means for Master, Teen, And Adaptive Athletes
New stages of competition that closely mirror the individual competition have been introduced.
Masters and Teens
The Age Group Online Qualifier, which in the past did as the name says (qualify age groups athletes to the CrossFit Games), has been scrapped.
Instead, Masters and Teens will now compete in virtual Quarterfinals and virtual Semifinals, before the best athletes qualify for the Games.
The details: Quarterfinals
Based on Open finish rank, the top 10% of age-group athletes worldwide per division will be invited to compete in the online Quarterfinals.
New for 2022: a minimum of 200 athletes per division will advance to Quarterfinals.
The exact number of athletes invited to compete per division will be established at the close of Open workout 22.1, based on number of athletes registered in each division.
Quarterfinals will run from Thursday, April 21, through Sunday, April 24.
The details: Semifinals
If age group athletes qualify to multiple Semifinal divisions (Individual, Team, Age Group), they will have to choose one.
Based on worldwide Quarterfinal rankings, the top 30 men and top 30 women in each age division will be invited to compete in the Age-Group Semifinals.
The Age-Group Semifinals will take place over the course of two weekends:
- Week 1 – May 26-29: Teenage Girls and Boys (14-15, 16-17) and Masters Men and Women (35-39, 40-44, 45-49)
- Week 2 – June 2-5: Masters Men and Women (50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65+)
New for 2022: only the top 10 men and 10 women from each age division will advance to the CrossFit Games from the Age-Group Semifinals.
Source: Photo courtesy of CrossFit Inc.Adaptive
A new stage of competition has been introduced for Adaptive athletes in 2022. All 8 divisions will advance to a virtual Semifinal.
The details
Based on Open finish rank, the top 20 men and top 20 women worldwide in each adaptive division will qualify to compete.
New for 2022: all divisions will crown their Fittest on Earth. The winners in the Vision, Short Stature, Seated With Hip Function, Seated Without Hip Function, and Intellectual divisions will do so at the end of the virtual Adaptive Semifinal.
Like last year, the top five men and five women from the Upper Extremity, Lower Extremity, and Neuromuscular divisions will advance to the CrossFit Games.
Semifinals for the adaptive athletes will run from Thursday, June 2 through Sunday, June 5.
Read more: New 2022 CrossFit Games Rulebook Released: 5 Major Takeaways
Image Sources
- powell masters athlete: Photo courtesy of CrossFit Inc.
- master the handstand push up scaling: Photo courtesy of CrossFit Inc.