Major Pieces of 2023 CrossFit Games Puzzle Come Together with Schedule Release
Late Wednesday night—11 PM ET late—CrossFit released the first public edition of the 2023 Games schedule. It didn’t take long for the buzz to spread among night owls, and the hunt was on to find any clues the timetables provide about the week-long season-pinnacle event.
When attempting to glean information from these schedules, it’s best to think like an event planner. The puzzle must fit. Using the shell of what we know, and plugging in the new information, an early picture of the 2023 CrossFit Games begins to develop. Let’s dive in.
Starting with What We Know
We know Age Group and Adaptive athletes compete Tuesday through Thursday. The leaderboard is showing 8 tests for these divisions. That doesn’t mean there couldn’t be more or less, but it is noteworthy.
Individuals and Teams compete Thursday through Sunday. The leaderboard is showing 12 tests for Individuals, and 11 tests for teams.
Next, we’ll plug in the tests we know the most about: The Olympic Total, and the Cross-Country 5K.
- Based on prior announcements, the 5K is Individual Test 7, the Total is Individual Test 9, and they’re both on Saturday.
- We also know all divisions are completing these two tests.
- For Teams, the Total is listed on Friday, before the 5K.
- Age Group and Adaptive divisions are scheduled to lift on Tuesday, and run on Wednesday.
Regarding the rest of the tests: We know Trek Mountain Bikes will be used for Individuals and Teams, a Gymnastic Skills test and a Pig Chipper are programmed for Individuals, and Helen will be tested for Individual, Age Group, and Adaptive divisions.
| Test | Individuals | Teams | Age Groups and Adaptive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-Country 5K | x | x | x |
| Olympic Total | x | x | x |
| Helen | x | x | |
| Trek Mountain Bikes | x | x | |
| Gymnastics Skills | x | ||
| Pig Chipper | x |
Based on all of that information, we can begin filling in details. We’ll start with Saturday, since we have most of the pieces in place for Individuals already.
The first test scheduled for Individuals on Saturday is not split into men and women, and is scheduled to take 35 minutes in North Park.
- That’s a shoe-in for the Cross-Country 5K with all individuals in a mass start.
The last test scheduled for Individuals on Saturday is split into men and women for 50 minutes each. At first glance, that doesn’t seem like much time for a big lift event.
The 2015 CrossFit Games featured a max Clean and Jerk. At 43 minutes each, plus a 5 minute transition in the middle, the entire event was just over 90 minutes.
- Though the (Games version) Olympic Total includes two snatch attempts and two clean and jerk attempts for each athlete, only 30 athletes will be competing at this point, compared to the 40 athletes that lifted in 2015. The puzzle piece fits.
We don’t know much about Individual Test 8, but we do know it:
- Takes place in the Coliseum and is scheduled for 50 minutes each
- Can require any amount of lengthy setup, as the day’s first test at that location
- Must be mobile enough for lifting platforms to take the floor within a 20 minute window
This most likely rules out any type of rig at the finish line, and individual plexiglass walls don’t seem very likely, either. However, I did notice one pattern.
- When events are back-to-back in the Coliseum and the second is a lift, the first seems to involve a pegboard. Maybe this is the Gymnastics Skills test?
| SATURDAY – INDIVIDUALS | TEST |
|---|---|
| 10:10am – 10:45am | #7: Cross-Country 5K (mass start) |
| 1:00pm – 2:45pm | #8: Gymnastics Skills/Pegboard? |
| 3:05pm – 3:55pm | #9: Olympic Total (Women) |
| 4:05pm – 4:55pm | #9: Olympic Total (Men) |
Now let’s apply this information to the Teams:
Based on context clues, we’re going to assume 12:25am was intended to be pm and this is not a 12-hour event.
Since Teams compete in the Total before the 5K, and it’s pretty safe to bet the run will not take place in the Coliseum, that only leaves the second slot—11:00-12:10—for the Cross-Country 5K.
- Now we can plug the Total into the morning slot in North Park.
That only leaves the final Team event on Friday. We know it’s in the Coliseum, and it will cut the field to 30 teams. It’s also scheduled for 80 minutes, with only 15 minutes of transition time before the individuals begin.
Based on Friday morning’s tests, I’m leaning toward something with a high volume or high skill gymnastics, and if anything in this sport takes a long time, it’s moving the worm up and down the floor in a team competition.
- I’m predicting Friday evening’s team test will pair high volume gymnastics with a grind of a worm test, where fans can clearly see who is advancing in the rest of the competition.
| FRIDAY – TEAMS | TEST |
|---|---|
| 9:00am – 10:20am | #3: Olympic Total @ North Park |
| 12:25pm – 1:00pm | #4: Cross-Country 5K @ North Park |
| 3:40pm – 5:00pm | #5: Gymnastics/Worm? @ Coliseum |
Now to Thursday. This is where it starts to get messy.
There is one sore thumb sticking out on the schedule that we haven’t touched on yet.
Thursday’s Individual and Team schedules include a third (unknown) competition site. It takes the entire morning and is specific to Individuals and Teams despite the fact that Age Groups and Adaptives are still competing.
- I’m not convinced of a swim this year, so I’m going with the Trek Bikes on this one.
Earlier today, CrossFit released the Pig Chipper as Individual Test 2. We know it’s on Thursday, an 18-minute time cap per heat, and for Individuals only.
- So, the Pig Chipper will take place on the Thursday slot in North Park, with two heats of 20 athletes for both men and women.
The Individuals’ Thursday Coliseum test does not appear to be matched with a similar Team test. It takes place between the Age Group and Adaptive Divisions’ competition, with a generous amount of time ahead of it. It will also set the stage for the Age Group and Adaptive finals.
- This make me think either a rig, or a large quantity of individual equipment, is involved. Or both.
- In order to bring a classic CrossFit test to the table, and with the Teams sitting this one out, I’m going to guess this is where Helen makes an appearance.
| THURSDAY – INDIVIDUALS | TEST |
|---|---|
| 8:30am – 10:20am | #1: Bike? |
| 11:15am – 12:05pm | #2: Pig Chipper (Women) |
| 12:15pm – 1:05pm | #2: Pig Chipper (Men) |
| 2:15pm – 3:50pm | #3: Helen? |
Since the Pig is coming out for the Individuals, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it involved in the first Team test as well. This would give Teams five full tests, and Individuals six full tests prior to the cut to 30.
| THURSDAY – TEAMS | TEST |
|---|---|
| 10:00am – 10:45am | #1: Pig? |
| 12:10pm – 2:50pm | #2: Bike? |
The Age Group and Adaptive schedules give little detail, but being the only divisions competing the first two days, I’m predicting the 8 tests will be split into 3-3-2.
- In 2021 and 2022, the first day of competition for Age Group and Adaptive athletes included rope climbs and running. With the 5K on Wednesday, I wouldn’t be surprised to also see a shorter distance run included on Tuesday, possibly a shuttle run or sprint.
With all of that being said… Here’s what I’ve penciled in so far for each division:
Remember, these are all predictions based on released information. This is not official information and should not be used as such.
Age Groups / Adaptive Predictions
| TUESDAY – North Park Only | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY – Coliseum Only |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic Total | Cross-Country 5K / Ski-Erg | ? |
| Rope Climbs + Short Run | ? | Helen |
| ? | ? |
Teams Predictions
The length and location of Team Test #7 tells me it might be a two-part scored event, especially since another round of cuts is coming on Saturday night.
| THURS (38 teams) | FRI (38 teams) | SAT (30 teams) | SUN (20 teams) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Pig? | #3 Olympic Total | #6 – 55 min test @ North Park | #10 – 30 min test @ North Park |
| #2 Bike? | #4 Cross-Country 5K | #7 – 70 min test @ North Park | #11 – 35 min test @ Coliseum |
| #5 Gymnastics/Worm? | #8 – Part 2? | ||
| #9 – 60 min test @ Coliseum |
Individuals Predictions
Friday’s tests are still a bit of a mystery.
The gap in the men’s schedule on Friday night tells me the final heat of men will compete directly after the final heat of women, and the final heat will take less than 15 minutes to complete the workout.
- We will probably be able to see the athletes advancing down the floor, and I would expect a classic CrossFit test, like a couplet or triplet, to narrow the field to 30.
- If the Pig Chipper and Helen are the day prior, I’m predicting this one will be a midline-heavy test, rather than a pull-up or muscle-up test. Possibly something like Awful Annie.
| THURS (40 athletes) | FRI (40 athletes) | SAT (30 athletes) | SUN (20 athletes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Bike? | #4 – 45 min test @ North Park | #7 Cross-Country 5K | #10 – 40 min test @ North Park |
| #2 Pig Chipper | #5 – 45 min test @ Coliseum | #8 Pegboard? | #11 – 40 min test @ Coliseum |
| #3 Helen? | #6 – Classic CrossFit/Midline Test? | #9 Olympic Total | #12 – 40 min? test @ Coliseum |
The bottom line: While we’re able to pencil in certain pieces of the puzzle, much of the schedule remains a surprise, with Sunday being the largest question mark of all four days.
- Stay up to date with CrossFit Games information including an updated schedule in your time zone, Leaderboard, Spectator Guide, Athlete Profiles, Predictions, and more at our 2023 Games Competition Hub.
- Plus, find quick news throughout the week on the Morning Chalk Up Instagram feed, with onsite experiences showcased on our story.
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