The 2026 CrossFit Open is officially underway, as the first out of three workouts was officially revealed on February 26th. Workout 26.1 consists of multiple challenging exercises and makes for a perfect task to introduce everyone to the 2026 CrossFit season.
The 2026 CrossFit Open is one of the biggest sporting events in the world, since it has historically featured hundreds of thousands of competitors annually. Moreover, it gives everyone an even playing ground, as everyone who registers for the Open has the opportunity to qualify for the remaining stages of the season based on the results they achieve in the Open.
It is important to note that Workout 26.1 is the first out of three 2026 CrossFit Open Workouts this year. Consequently, the remaining two workouts are set to be revealed in the upcoming two weeks.
2026 CrossFit Open Workout 26.1 Announced
RX’d
- 20 wall-ball shots
- 18 box jump-overs
- 30 wall-ball shots
- 18 box jump-overs
- 40 wall-ball shots
- 18 medicine-ball box step-overs
- 66 wall-ball shots
- 18 medicine-ball box step-overs
- 40 wall-ball shots
- 18 box jump-overs
- 30 wall-ball shots
- 18 box jump-overs
- 20 wall-ball shots
Women: 14-lb (6-kg) medicine ball / 9-foot target / 20-inch box
Men: 20-lb (9-kg) medicine ball / 10-foot target / 24-inch box
Time cap: 12 minutes
Scaled
For time:
- 20 wall-ball shots
- 18 box jump-overs
- 30 wall-ball shots
- 18 box jump-overs
- 40 wall-ball shots
- 18 medicine-ball box step-overs
- 66 wall-ball shots
- 18 medicine-ball box step-overs
- 40 wall-ball shots
- 18 box jump-overs
- 30 wall-ball shots
- 18 box jump-overs
- 20 wall-ball shots
Time cap: 12 minutes
Women: 10-lb (4-kg) medicine ball / 9-foot target / 20-inch box (may step up)
Men: 14-lb (6-kg) medicine ball / 10-foot target / 24-inch box (may step up)
Foundations
For time:
- 20 wall-ball shots
- 18 box step-overs
- 30 wall-ball shots
- 18 box step-overs
- 40 wall-ball shots
- 18 medicine-ball box step-overs
- 66 wall-ball shots
- 18 medicine-ball box step-overs
- 40 wall-ball shots
- 18 box step-overs
- 30 wall-ball shots
- 18 box step-overs
- 20 wall-ball shots
Time cap: 12 minutes
Women: 10-lb (4-kg) medicine ball to a 9-foot target, 20-inch box
Men: 14-lb (6-kg) medicine ball to a 10-foot target, 20-inch box
*The load, box height, and target height are suggested starting points. If you are completing all the workouts in the Foundations division, you are free to decrease or increase the loads and/or heights as your skill level allows.
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Workout 26.1 Announcement Matchup
The announcement of the 2026 CrossFit Open Workout 26.1 also featured a matchup of four elite athletes, who were brought to compete against each other and give the viewers a first look into how the exercises are meant to be performed. The most notable participant of the matchup was Jayson Hopper, who is the reigning Fittest Man On Earth. As such, he was the best man to kick off the 2026 CrossFit season.
The overall winner of last year’s CrossFit Open, Colten Mertens, also accepted the invite to compete in the Workout 26.1 announcement. The result he achieved in the 2025 Open shows that he is one to keep an eye on this season as well. Dallin Pepper is another man that made his appearance in the Workout 26.1 reveal ceremony. He ranked second behind Mertens at last year’s CrossFit Open and proceeded to finish in fourth place at the 2025 CrossFit Games.
The fourth and final competitor in the 2026 CrossFit Open Workout 26.1 announcement was Austin Hatfield. He has had a meteoric rise in CrossFit over the course of the past few years, with his greatest success being a top five finish at the 2025 CrossFit Games.
- Colten Mertens: 11:16.10
- Jayson Hopper: 11:32.90
- Dallin Pepper: CAP +349
- Austin Hatfield: CAP +311
The beginning of the 2026 CrossFit Open Workout 26.1 matchup was pretty synchronized, with Austin Hatfield being the only man who started dropping off a bit early on. However, as time moved on, Colten Mertens managed to gain a lead, which only kept increasing with time. Ultimately, Mertens managed to hold on to his position and won the Workout 26.1 announcement.
The battle for second place between Jayson Hopper and Dallin Pepper lasted for nearly ten minutes. However, with about two minutes of the workout left, Dallin started slowing down, while Hopper maintained the pace he set. As a result, Hopped placed second. Pepper was unable to finish the workout within the given time cap, but still had less repetitions remaining than Austin Hatfield.
Watch the 26.1 announcement here:
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The deadline for video submissions of 2026 CrossFit Open Workout 26.1 performances is Monday, March 2nd until 5 p.m. PT. We still have two more workouts remaining in the upcoming weeks, meaning that there is plenty of action left in the first stage of the season.
2026 CrossFit Open Remaining Workouts
- Open Workout 26.2: 12 p.m. PT March 5th — 5 p.m. PT March 9th
- Open Workout 26.3: 12 p.m. PT March 12th — 5 p.m. PT March 16th
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