26.2 scores due tonight. Campbell overtakes von Rohr atop the women's leaderboard. Hiller apologizes. Sevan vs. Castro heats up. The road to the 20th Games in San Jose continues.
Channels tracked: CF Network, Dense Updates, Hiller, Amanda Hari, B.Friendly Fitness, Boys Interrupted, Brute Strength, Clydesdale Media, CrossFit Games, Project Mayhem, Kipping It Real, HillerFit 2.0, PRVN, Coffee Pods & Wods, CrossFit, Dave Castro, WFP, Rogue Fitness, Sentinel, Talking Elite Fitness, Training Think Tank, WZA Sports. Updated daily.
Open Update
Today is the final day to submit scores for Open Workout 26.2, with the deadline set at 5:00 PM PT (8:00 PM ET). With Daylight Saving Time kicking in overnight, athletes should double-check their time zones to avoid missing the cutoff.
The workout — dumbbell overhead walking lunges, alternating DB snatches, pull-ups progressing to chest-to-bar and finally ring muscle-ups with a 15-minute time cap — has created a clear dividing line. The ring muscle-ups in the final round are where most athletes hit the wall, making the tiebreak after the last set of snatches critical for placement.
On the men's side, Peter Ellis has surged to the overall lead with just 11 points through two workouts. James Sprague sits second (16 pts), followed by Nika Maisuradze (20 pts), Harry Lightfoot (23 pts), and Ryan Haynes (25 pts). The women's leaderboard saw a major shakeup — Lucy Campbell has overtaken von Rohr for the overall lead with a dominant 26.2 performance, posting just 3 points. Von Rohr drops to 2nd (13 pts), with Aline Wirz 3rd (22 pts) and Ellie Turner and Leah Støren tied at 4th (30 pts each).
With 26.3 coming Thursday from Wodapalooza Miami Beach, the top 25% of athletes need strong finishes across all three weeks to advance to Quarterfinals on March 26-30.
Source: CrossFit Games Leaderboard
The latest Dense Updates episode on CF Network dropped this morning, covering a packed news cycle. Andrew Hiller issued an apology — a rare move from the polarizing YouTuber — though details on exactly what prompted the about-face are still unfolding after his recent "crash out" beach video that torched relationships across CrossFit media.
The episode also featured a confrontation between Sevan Matossian and Dave Castro, with the two going back and forth in what's being described as a genuine face-off rather than their usual banter. Additionally, Taylor Self competed at a "Fittest Coach" event in Charlotte, North Carolina, putting his training where his mouth is.
Source: CF Network — Dense Updates
CrossFit has announced the ticket sale schedule for the 2026 CrossFit Games, taking place July 24-26 at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. Affiliate owners get first dibs with a presale starting March 17 at 1:00 PM ET, followed by Open participants on March 19 and general public on March 24.
Only three-day packages will be available initially, ranging from $360 to $800 depending on seating tier. A premium NetApp Celly Lounge add-on runs $885 per person and includes all-inclusive food and drinks with a private entrance. Single-day tickets are expected closer to the event. This marks the 20th CrossFit Games — a milestone year for the sport.
Source: The Barbell Spin
Upcoming
The final Open workout will be announced live at Gymreapers Wodapalooza. Danielle Brandon, Arielle Loewen, and Olivia Kerstetter face off. Athletes can complete 26.3 on-site for an official score.
Last chance to submit 26.2 scores tonight. The ring muscle-ups in the final round are the separator — most athletes hit the time cap before reaching them. Redo strategies are flooding social media as athletes chase a few extra reps.
The biggest media feud in CrossFit blew up on Dense Updates. Taylor accused Hiller of torpedoing the Kill Taylor show format and lying about a dumbbell snatch position. "Hiller's dead to me," Taylor declared. Hiller fired back with a beach video attacking Tyler Watkins and the whole Kill Taylor crew. A once-solid friendship, completely over.
Don Faul resigned as CrossFit CEO with just 3 days notice, leaving mid-Open with no successor. The Board engaged an executive search firm. Dense Updates covered the community shock — affiliate owners left hanging, athletes confused, and nobody at the helm during the sport's biggest participation event.
Tia-Clair Toomey dropped roughly 8 curse words in the Fittest Doc documentary, and commenters lost it. Dense Updates discussed the absurd backlash — fans who idolize someone flipping 300lb barbells clutching pearls over a few F-bombs. The internet remains undefeated at finding things to be outraged about.
Andrew Hiller posted a rambling beach video ripping Tyler Watkins and the Kill Taylor show. Dense Updates dubbed it "the crash out" — Hiller accused former friends of betrayal, burned bridges with nearly every CrossFit media personality, and left the community wondering if he'd gone too far to come back.
Olivia Kerstetter was hospitalized with cellulitis from a staph infection. The cause? Bacteria entered through a cut while wearing dirty knee sleeves. Dense Updates used the story as a PSA — wash your gear, people. Kerstetter recovered but the scare rattled the community heading into Open season.
Ricky Garard tied the knot in an intimate countryside wedding. But the gossip wasn't the ceremony — it was a WFP photo where Fee Saghafi's cross necklace appeared digitally edited out, sparking conspiracy-level debate. Dense Updates also confirmed Pat Vellner announced his comeback for "one last season."
Surveillance video surfaced showing an allegedly injured adaptive athlete using their arm normally off the competition floor. Dense Updates covered the Spin report detailing the evidence. The adaptive division, still building credibility, faces another integrity challenge.
JY dropped his pre-season power rankings with pregnant Tia-Clair Toomey at #1, and Brian Friend couldn't handle it. Dense Updates aired the full argument — JY's logic vs. Brian's disbelief created must-watch television. Their chaotic dynamic continues to be one of CrossFit media's best pairings.
The 8th annual Rogue Invitational is heading back to P&J Live in Aberdeen for a third consecutive year, October 23-25. CrossFit, Strongman, and Strongwoman athletes will compete for a massive prize purse including $1M cash plus Bitcoin investments.
The event wrapped March 6-7 in Columbus, Ohio. Highlights included the Rogue Elephant Bar Deadlift, Stone to Shoulder, and the intense Ramp Rage finale — athletes carried three Rogue sandbags up a 30-foot ramp.
New arrivals hitting the warehouse daily — barbells, bumpers, racks, rigs, and accessories. The SR-2 Speed Rope 3.0 and Echo Sandbag 2.0 are among the highlighted drops heading into competition season.
Rogue's Iron Game prize purse includes a $1M cash investment, $275K in Bitcoin bought at $95K/coin, plus per-ticket, per-shirt, and per-shoe contributions. The purse grows with ticket sales and merch.
20th Anniversary
Celebrating 20 years of the CrossFit Games. The top 30 men and 30 women, plus the top 20 teams, will compete to be crowned Fittest on Earth. Masters, Teenage, and Adaptive divisions compete at the nearby Convention Center.