Almost 900 CrossFit Athletes Will Compete in the Northern California Classic Friday, Sept. 6-8 at Folsom Lake in Granite Bay.
Men and women will challenge their stamina and strength and compete for $128,000 in prize money. The three-day event is expected to attract 1,500 fans and generate $1.5 million for the Placer Valley economy.
GRANITE BAY, Calif. – Some of the best-conditioned athletes will lift weights, pull themselves up ropes, and race against each other Friday (Sept. 6) through Sunday (Sept. 8) during the fifth annual Northern California Classic Fitness Festival at Folsom Lake in Granite Bay.
The Northern California Classic – one of the largest CrossFit competitions on the West Coast – is 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday at the Main Beach at Folsom Lake.
A three-day pass is $30 and parking is $75 per vehicle (both available online). Shuttle buses will carry fans between the parking areas to Main Beach. (Important note: Folsom Lake State Recreational Area also has an additional daily entrance fee per vehicle.)
Almost 900 CrossFit athletes – an equal number of men and women – will compete for the top spots in 15 divisions and $128,000 in prize money. About a third of the athletes are from Northern California and Northern Nevada; the rest are from across the country along with some international competitors.
Competitors range in age, from 14 to more than 60 years old, and skill level. They will compete in about 10 unique workouts, challenging their flexibility, stamina and strength, much like a modern-day decathlon. Organizers disclose the competitions – perhaps an 800-meter sprint or a kayak paddle race or swim on Folsom Lake – the night before.
“We have multiple stages going on all of the time,” said Blair Morrison, cofounder of the Northern California Classic and owner of AnywhereFit, a chain of five CrossFit-affiliated gyms in the Sacramento region. “You will always have something to watch.”
More than 1,500 fans, from CrossFit enthusiasts to those curious about the fast-growing sport, are expected to attend the Northern California Classic.
The event will generate at least $1.5 million in revenue for hotel rooms, restaurants and stores in Placer Valley.
“It’s a family-friendly event with so much energy and such a sense of community,” said Kim Summers, CEO of Placer Valley Tourism and @the Grounds, home of the Roebbelen Center. “The Northern California Classic just keeps getting bigger and better.”
What started with about 370 athletes competing at Riverfront Park in West Sacramento in 2019 has grown significantly the past few years. After two years at Lake Natoma, the move to Folsom Lake allows the fast-growing event to accommodate more athletes, fans and even vendors, offering everything from clothing and food to exercise equipment. A beer garden is also part of the Northern California Classic.
“It’s really a community-wide event,” said Morrison, who embraced the challenging and fast-paced sport in high school and soon qualified for the CrossFit Games in 2009-2011. “There is so much interest in the sport. We are trying to fill that void.”
CrossFit encourages a healthy lifestyle, from exercise and nutrition, and a supportive community. CrossFit enthusiasts range from hard-core athletes who train at least four hours a day to those juggling demanding jobs, a busy family life and squeezing in workouts a few times per week.
“It all looks intimidating, but it’s fun,” said competitor Gabi Blanco, General Manager of Iron Mile Fitness in North Natomas. “And you always have the support of your peers and coaches. It’s very inclusive … we all cheer for each other.”
Blanco joined a CrossFit gym while in college and has been hitting the conditioning and strength-training workouts for more than a decade, and entering competitions for almost as long.
“It’s my way to be competitive,” said Blanco, who met her future husband at a CrossFit-affiliated gym. She has been working out five times a week for two hours to prepare for the Northern California Classic. “It’s challenging every year, but that’s what makes it so much fun. It’s all about pushing yourself harder.”
CrossFit was co-founded by Lauren Jenai and Greg Glassman, a gymnastics coach and trainer, in 2000 in Santa Cruz. The CrossFit Games started in 2007, and now draws tens of thousands of fans and airs on ESPN channels and streaming. CrossFit has more than 12,000 affiliated gyms worldwide, compared to 1,500 in 2010.
“Everyone is happy and welcome to be part of the community,” Morrison said.
About Placer Valley Tourism
Placer Valley Tourism is a Business Improvement District that serves South Placer County and the cities of Roseville, Rocklin and Lincoln. The BID operates to help generate incremental room night stays in hotels within Placer Valley Tourism’s geographic footprint through various conferences and youth and amateur sports events. PVT aims to coordinate community and sports events with the best hospitality options in the region. Placer Valley Tourism is a nonprofit and classified as a 501(c)6. For more information, please visit https://www.placertourism.com/.