Week 2 of the 2018 Reebok CrossFit Games Regionals kicks off on Friday, and with it, more of the second of CrossFit's three stages to find the "Fittest on Earth" will be underway.
Deemed one of the fastest growing sports in America thanks to its worldwide use of high-intensity exercises and real-world obstacles to identify Earth's fittest workout warriors, CrossFit's 2018 competition has been running since February. Those with the best scores from each of 18 global regions have since advanced to Regionals, the last stage of workouts before August's championships at the 2018 Reebok CrossFit Games.
Here's everything you need to know about the Central Regional:
Where is it?
The Central competition will take place at Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
When is it?
The Central competition starts on Friday, May 25, and runs until Sunday, May 27.
How to watch
The CrossFit Regionals will be available to stream on CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports app for key connected TV devices including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku, and the CBS Sports mobile app for iOS and Android.
Who is competing?
Here are some of the top names to watch at the Central Regional:
- Mat Fraser: A two-time Fittest Man on Earth, he enters as a favorite and owns the largest margin of victory in Games history, not to mention two other appearances in the Regionals and a Rookie of the Year honor.
- Scott Panchik: A former college running back, he's qualified for every CrossFit Games since 2012, capturing the 2015 and 2016 Central Regionals.
- Alex Anderson: Part of an esteemed CrossFit family, he thrived in team competition before transitioning to individuals in 2014, improving to an 11th-place finish at the Games in 2016.
- R. Paul Castillo: An Ohio product who debuted in the Open in 2015, he has risen in the ranks since then, advancing to Regionals in 2016 and entering this year's competition ranked second in his state.
- Saxon Panchik: Just 21 and part of the athletic Panchik family, which teamed up for group competition in the past, he's appeared in five straight Opens and finished 11th in Regionals in 2016.
- Kristi Eramo: A former college swimmer and Regionals contender since 2014, she took eighth in her debut Games in 2016, the best mark of any female rookie that year, and is among the top women in the field.
- Brooke Wells: A former team competitor, she won the 2015 Central Regionals at just 19 years old and has since established herself as a two-time individual CrossFit Games contender.
- Jessica Griffith: One of Missouri's top CrossFit athletes since 2014, she finished in second at two straight Regionals from 2015-2016 after debuting at that level with an eighth-place mark.
- Kelley Jackson: A veteran of the bunch at age 34, she's made appearances in Regionals since 2012, when she debuted with a fifth-place finish, and has ranked in the top 30 of Games contenders two times.
