📈 5 Trends That Defined the 2026 CrossFit Games

Author

Joe Genetin-Pilawa
July 30th, 2026

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Good morning and welcome to the Morning Chalk Up.

In today’s edition:

  • 🏆 Can’t-miss 20th anniversary CrossFit Games takeaways.

  • 📊 A look back at three editions of Fibonacci.

  • 🌴 XENOM is heading to Miami!

QUOTE OF THE DAY
❝

I’m feeling grateful for the opportunity to come back, and proud to be leaving the CrossFit Games behind me with a much happier memory.”

Ten-time CrossFit Games veteran and legend, Pat Vellner, on his final Games in San Jose (via IG).
CROSSFIT GAMES

5 Takeaways We Can’t Ignore from the 20th CrossFit Games

Credit: Scott Freymond

From historic lifts to never-before-seen movements, the 20th CrossFit Games delivered a wealth of memorable moments. The competition also revealed several trends that could shape the sport for years to come. 

Here are five things you might have missed in San Jose.

Experience Reigned Supreme

This year, for the first time in history, no rookies cracked the top 10. 

Dylan Hamming, 12th, was the highest rookie and earned the Rookie of the Year accolade, while Holly Tynan was the top female rookie in 17th.

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SPEED READS

🏃🌲 200 Athletes. 12 Hours. One Winner: Performance apparel brand 247 doubled the size of its annual MISSION.247 endurance event, bringing 40 teams to Yorkshire for a grueling trail-running and SkiErg competition.

📅🔥 The Countdown Is On: CrossFit has announced the dates for the 2027 Open, giving athletes their target as the road to next season officially begins.

💪😅 Sore? Don't Skip the Gym Just Yet: CrossFit's latest Essentials article explains why muscle soreness isn't always a reason to miss training — and why smart movement can actually speed recovery.

📉🏋️ The Fitness Boom Is Cooling—But It's Not Over: New industry data shows U.S. gym traffic dipped slightly in Q2, marking the first year-over-year slowdown since the post-pandemic surge. Still, overall visitation remains above last year's pace.

ICYMI: The Showstoppers of the 2026 CrossFit Games (Rx article)

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE

Fibonacci – A Comparison Throughout the Years

Credit: Scott Freymond

The 2026 CrossFit Games tested athletes with 20 events to commemorate 20 years of competition. Twenty events were more than athletes had ever faced, and by the end of the first day, the leaderboard already had seven separate scores. 

It was a weekend filled with nostalgic nods to Games throughout the years. We got to see the actual Hopper in use, which led to “The Hopper 2026.” Athletes were able to relive the first three workouts of the 2007 Games, which included a trip to Dave Castro’s Ranch in Aromas. The “2020 Speed Snatch” ladder was redone. And the final event on Sunday afternoon, the “Fibonacci,” was one we had seen twice before (although there were a few tweaks here and there). 

In case you forgot, the workout was: 

For time:

5-8-13

  • parallette handstand push-ups, 8/14-inches

  • kettlebell deadlifts,124/203 pounds

Then: 

  • 89-foot double kettlebell overhead walking lunge, 35/53 pounds

With a repeat workout, we can’t help but wonder how the current field stacks up against that of the past, so we pulled some numbers.

COMPETITIONS

XENOM Heads to Miami Beach in December

Credit: @xenomglobal / Instagram

XENOM will host its third Decathlon of Fitness at the Miami Beach Convention Center from December 19–20, 2026.

  • “Miami is a city with a deep history and culture of sporting competition. We’re proud to add XENOM to that story's history by creating an arena where athletes of every level can test themselves in the same arena, against the same standard, and leave with something they’ll carry long after the competition is over,” said XENOM founder Keith Barlow.

Worth noting: Tickets for XENOM London 2026 are now available, and the waitlist for priority entry to XENOM Miami is now open. Morning Chalk Up readers can use this link for a 20% discount. 

  • Also new for London, XENOM announced the introduction of a “Mixed Pairs” division in which “001 male and 001 female athlete will take on all 010 events together, sharing the load.”

HIGHLIGHTS

Celebrating a PR, hosting a fundraiser, this, that, or otherwise? Send us a tip.

  • 🎂Happy birthday (7/30) to Thuri Helgadottir.

  • Happy birthday (8/1) to Alex Gazan.

  • Happy birthday (8/4) to Sammy Moniz.

  • Congratulations to Esther de Roo, who competed at the Adaptive CrossFit Games last weekend. Her accomplishments and fortitude are such an inspiration to so many!

  • 🥇Congratulations to Tom Miazga, who earned his 10th title as Fittest on Earth in his division last weekend at the Adaptive CrossFit Games.