(CBS Local)- After a different format last year due to the COVID pandemic, the CrossFit Games return to Madison, Wisconsin this week with an in-person competition to determine which athletes in each division will earn the title of "Fittest On Earth". The events start on Tuesday July 27 with live coverage of the individual finals on Sunday August 1 set to air on CBS Television Network.
The 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games finals will air from 2-4 p.m. Eastern Time on CBS Television Network and stream live on Paramount+ on August 1. In addition, CBS Sports Network will have six hours of highlights throughout the week of competition.
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"The amazing thing about the CrossFit Games is the connection between the world-class athletes performing superhuman feats of fitness and the millions of people setting their own achievable goals in CrossFit boxes around the world," said Dave Castro, CrossFit GM of Sport. "The top Games athletes all started out in a small gym somewhere, and this event allows every aspiring athlete - at every age and every level - to see parts of their own personal journey reflected on the field in Madison."
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This year marks the 15th year of competition for the CrossFit Games and will see 600 athletes across 27 divisions descend upon the Alliant Energy Center in Madison for the competition. Each of the events throughout the week leading up to the finals will stream on games.crossfit.com and CrossFit's Facebook, YouTube and Twitch channels.
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Competition elements at the 2021 NOBULL CrossFit Games include: The top individual qualifiers (40 men and 40 women) from 10 continent-based Semifinals, competing for the Title of Fittest Man and Fittest Woman on Earth.Eighteen age-based divisions with 20 men (or boys) and 20 women (or girls) in each division, ranging from teenagers to Masters athletes, and including a new 65+ Masters division.The top 38 qualifying teams of two men and two women from the Semifinal events.The first CrossFit Games awards competition for adaptive athletes, featuring the top five men and top five women in each of three divisions.A total prize purse of more than $2.5 million dollars, presented by NOBULL, with the top individual man and woman each receiving $310,000.