2026 Gymreapers Wodapalooza Preview
Today marks the first day of the 2026 Gymreapers Wodapalooza competition on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, FL, for the second year.
- The four-day fitness festival will once again start with Elite Individuals competing on Thursday and Friday, followed by Elite Teams of Three on Saturday and Sunday. The competition for community members will also kick off on Friday.
Now in its 14th year, with a new title sponsor and fresh ownership, Gymreapers WZA welcomes over 2,000 athletes competing in 55 divisions. New this year, the Gymreapers WZA stage will host CrossFit Open workout 26.3, which will be announced live from the venue, and anyone on site is invited to try it right then and there.
The Workouts
Six workouts have been shared for both Individuals and Teams. We’ll be watching athletes perform dumbbell bench presses, one-rep max clean-and-jerks, beach runs, ping-pong wall balls, wall-facing handstand push-ups, and synchronized gymnastics.
Here are a few events we’re most excited about:
Team Workout 5: Sunburn
For Time:
- 40 synchro T2B (2 athletes)
- 50 SB OT log*
- 60 synchro C2B (2 athletes)
- 70 synchro SB squats
- 80 cal ski + SB hold*
- 70 synchro SB squats
- 60 synchro C2B (2 athletes)
- 50 SB OT log*
- 40 synchro T2B (2 athletes)
Sandbag
M: 120/90/60 pounds
F: 120/90/60 pounds
*SB OT log & SB Hold 120/90 pounds
Individual Workout 3: Heavy After Dark
For Total Combined Load, 1:00 on / 3:00 off x 3 sets:
Buy In: cal bike
into
1RM clean & jerk
Set 1: 21/15 cal
Set 2: 15/12 cal
Set 3: 12/9 cal
Who We’re Watching (Individual)
Three of the top five women are returning to compete under the Florida sun, including 2025 winner and 2025 CrossFit Games silver medalist Lucy Campbell. Emma Tall, who finished fourth last year, and Elisa Fuliano, who placed fifth, are also making their way back.
We’re also keeping an eye on Abbie Domit, Dani Speegle, and Emily Rolfe, all of whom finished in the top ten last year.
- Ellie Turner is taking to the competition floor for the first time since her injury at the 2023 CrossFit Games, throwing down in an elite division. If her first two Open scores are an indicator of her fitness, it’s safe to say that she’s set to snag a top ten spot, easily.
On the men’s side, four of the top five 2025 finishers are headed back, including the entire podium: first place James Sprague, second place Pat Vellner, and third place Austin Hatfield. Jonne Koski, who took fifth, is on the roster as well.
In 2025, the women battled it out to the end, with Campbell only finishing with five points in second place, behind Laura Horvath. It was a different outcome for the men, however.
- Sprague’s victory was dominant, leading with 24 points over Vellner on Friday night. Will we see such a margin of victory again this year?
Other athletes we’re watching are up-and-comer, 2025 CrossFit Games rookie Ty Jenkins, as well as Max Krieg and Nick Mathew, who took ninth and tenth place last year, respectively.
Who We’re Watching (Teams)
Men’s first-place team (Noah Ohlsen, Chandler Smith, and Travis Mayer) and second-place team (Gui Malheiros, Jorge Fernandez, and Saxon Panchik) from 2025 have reassembled and are heading back to Miami Beach for a rematch.
- They’ll be in the mix with the third iteration of Team GOWOD this year, with Jayson Hopper instead of Willy Georges, competing alongside Justin Medeiros and Dallin Pepper.
For the women’s teams, we’re excited to see Gabi Migala make her competition debut after an Achilles injury, alongside teammates Paige Rodgers and Alexis Raptis. Anikha Greer and Jessi Smith are teaming up again, this time with new teammate Sydney Michalyshen.
One of the 2025 Elite Team winners, Danielle Brandon, is returning with a new crew, Emily Rolfe and Alex Gazan, both of whom finished fourth on a team last year.
The entire weekend will be livestreamed on WZA Sport’s YouTube channel, and we’ll be sharing exclusive content across our social media feeds. Make sure to follow along!
