Since 2013, the CrossFit Games Open events have been announced live with two elite athletes facing off to set the bar for the rest of the world. The athletes hitting the Open announcements live usually put up respectable scores and times, but very rarely we see absolutely insane scores. Here are the best live Open Announcement performances in the history of the Open. 

17.3: Mat Fraser - 17:47, 3rd place worldwide

Prior to 8:00, complete:

3 rounds of:

    6 chest-to-bar pull-ups

    6 squat snatches, 95 lb.

Then, 3 rounds of:

    7 chest-to-bar pull-ups

    5 squat snatches, 135 lb.

*Prior to 12:00, complete 3 rounds of:

    8 chest-to-bar pull-ups

    4 squat snatches, 185 lb.

*Prior to 16:00, complete 3 rounds of:

    9 chest-to-bar pull-ups

    3 squat snatches, 225 lb.

*Prior to 20:00, complete 3 rounds of:

    10 chest-to-bar pull-ups

    2 squat snatches, 245 lb.

Prior to 24:00, complete 3 rounds of:

    11 chest-to-bar pull-ups

    1 squat snatch 265 lb.

*If all reps are completed, time cap extends by 4 minutes.

In recent Opens, there is usually one event with a heavy barbell which needs to be “earned” by completing some gymnastic or conditioning work coupled with it. With only 15 to 20 minutes to warm up and strategize for a very cerebral event, Fraser was able to beat Scott Panchik and Cole Sager and put together an incredible score of 17:47. 

13.5: Camille Leblanc Bazinet - 244 reps, 2nd place worldwide

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 4 minutes of:

65 pound Thruster, 15 reps

15 Chest to bar Pull-ups

If 90 reps (3 rounds) are completed in under 4 minutes, time extends to 8 minutes.

If 180 reps (6 rounds) are completed in under 8 minutes, time extends to 12 minutes.

If 270 reps (9 rounds) are completed in under 12 minutes, time extends to 16 minutes.

Etc.

This Open event, 13.5, was the first time we saw a “time-gated” workout where you’d be rewarded with more work and more time if you can complete a certain amount of work in a certain time.

In the 13.5 live announcement, we saw Camille Leblanc Bazinet take on Sam Briggs in this miserable couplet of thrusters and chest-to-bar pull ups and put together an epic performance with 244 reps, nearly completing three chest-to-bar Frans in 16 minutes!

14.5: Sam Briggs - 8:31, 1st place worldwide

21-18-15-12-9-6-3 reps for time of:

65-lb. thrusters

Burpees

To wrap up the 2014 CrossFit Games Open, Dave Castro invited five Games Champions to take on the first ever task focused Open event. There are a lot of amazing things about this Open Announcements, and it’s definitely the most exciting Open Announcement ever, but Sam Briggs’ insane 8:31 time was good enough for first place by seven seconds over Julie Foucher.

Honorable Mention 12.2: Rich Froning - 98 reps, 1st place worldwide

75 pound Snatch, 30 reps

135 pound Snatch, 30 reps

165 pound Snatch, 30 reps

210 pound Snatch, as many reps as possible

Before the Open events were announced live with elite athletes going head-to-head, they were released in pre-produced videos. In 2012, defending CrossFit Games Champion Rich Froning and CrossFit sweetheart Dan Bailey demoed 12.2 the first heavy barbell event in Open history, and Froning’s masterful performance is still an example of what made him so dominant in his era.