Before we get into things it would be best to check out our latest post…
2020 Crossfit Open Programming Analysis + Breakdown
If you’ve already read that post you would know that a few pretty big changes came to the 2020 Open. Now we’re going to look at how those changes affected the worldwide leaderboard, especially for those typically at the top.
Let’s get started. (These are not official until December 18th, minor changes may occur, but likely not substantial).
MEN
The 2020 Crossfit Open marks the first time Mat Fraser has not finished 1st in a Crossfit competition since the 2016 Open.
He finished 7th in the 2016 Open and this year he finished in 3rd, but before that here’s what he’s done.
- 2016 Regionals: 1st
- 2016 Crossfit Games: 1st
- 2017 Open: 1st
- 2017 Regionals: 1st
- 2017 Crossfit Games: 1st
- 2018 Open: 1st
- 2018 Regionals: 1st
- 2018 Crossfit Games: 1st
- 2019 Open: 1st
- 2019 Dubai Crossfit Championship: 1st
- 2019 Rogue Invitational: 1st
- 2019 Crossfit Games: 1st
That’s 12 straight victories against the world’s best.
Next let’s take a look at how the top 10 finishers at the 2019 Crossfit Games finished in the 2020 Open and how many of them were able to directly qualify for the 2020 Games through a top finish.
- Mat Fraser: 3rd, qualified
- Noah Ohlsen: 6th, qualified
- Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson: 5th, qualified
- Scott Panchik: 35th, not qualified (going team anyway)
- James Newbury: Injured, unable to finish, not qualified
- Jacob Heppner: 20th, qualified
- Matt Mcleod: 92nd, not qualified
- Adrian Mundwiler: Did not complete Open, not qualified
- Saxon Panchik: 71st, not qualified
- Will Moorad: 54th, not qualified
As you can see only 4 out of the top 10 men at last year’s Crossfit Games were able to qualify through the Open. Everyone else will have to win a spot though one of the many upcoming Sanctioned events.
Related: Which Crossfit Sanctionals Were The Most And Least Competitive (MEN)
The 2020 Open also marked the first time a Canadian man has taken 1st place in the worldwide Open, and not only did Canada take 1st, but also 2nd.
- Patrick Vellner: 1st (65 points)
- Jeffrey Adler: 2nd (66 points)
Thats right, only a single point separated the two Canadians at the end of 5 weeks.
This also happened to be the first year a man from the United States did not win the Open.
Along these lines, only 3 men from the United States finished in the top 10 worldwide.
Greek national champion Lefteris Theofanidis also finishes in 4th for the 2nd year in a row after leading for the first 4 weeks.
Related: An In-Depth Look at Lefteris Theofanidis
WOMEN
Let’s start off by looking at how the top 10 female finishers at the 2019 Crossfit Games finished in the 2020 Open and how many of them were able to directly qualify for the 2020 Games through a top finish.
- Tia-Clair Toomey: 4th, qualified
- Kristin Holte: 3rd, qualified
- Jamie Greene: 5th, qualified
- Katrin Davidsdottir: 25th, qualified
- Kari Pearce: 7th, qualified
- Haley Adams: 31st, qualified
- Amanda Barnhart: 27th, qualified
- Bethany Shadburne: 47th, not qualified
- Thuri Helgadottir: 64th, not qualified
- Danielle Brandon: 37th, not qualified
While only 4 men were able to directly qualify 7 of last year’s top 10 women were able to do it, meaning only Shadburne, Helgadottir, and Brandon have to win a spot through Sanctionals.
Related: Why It Has Never Been Easier To Make It To The Crossfit Games
Sara Sigmundsdottir also wins the Crossfit Open for the 2nd year in a row and for the 3rd time in the last 4 years.
Only 17 points behind her is fellow Icelandic country-woman Annie Thorisdottir.
Kari Pearce also happened to be the only woman from the United States to finish in the top 10 during the Open.
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