More news out of CrossFit HQ today, this time confirming a rumored sanctioned event: CrossFit Games hopefuls can now qualify as individuals and teams through Wodapalooza Miami CrossFit Festival, a self-proclaimed global fitness festival and competition. The Miami-based event is the seventh event to be officially sanctioned by CrossFit.
Not much will change for the festival itself: those who wish to compete in Wodapalooza will still claim a spot through the WZA Online Challenge & Qualifier – unless they finished in the top 20 at the CrossFit Games. Those competitors will receive an automatic invite.
The top male and female individual finishers at Wodapalooza will punch their ticket to the CrossFit Games in Madison, Wisconsin in August. There will be one new division: in addition to the 3-person same-gender team competition, WZA will add a four-person Elite Co-Ed team of two males and two females. The top team out of this new division will also head to the CrossFit Games.
“Wodapalooza is a community event and it’s always been very inclusive and it will continue to be that,” said Matt O’Keefe. “I think it changes very little. I think it only enhances it. (The CrossFit sanction) adds a nice piece for those participating to observe and watch and those who attend to watch. It’s great for the online spectators as well. It’s great for partners, it’s great for the community. We’re very aware of what Wodapalooza is, and it is not just an elite CrossFit event. It’s always been a very inclusive event for many, many more than the elite world athlete.”
As will be the case with all CrossFit-sanctioned events in the 2019 Games season, if a top individual at Wodapalooza qualifies for the CrossFit Games another way – by placing top 20 in the Open, finishing top in their country or being one of four at-large selections – then the runner-up finisher will receive a Games invitation.
