Event 18 opened the fourth and final day of the 2026 CrossFit Games with another brutal endurance test, challenging athletes to cover a total of 7,200 meters split evenly between the Concept2 rower and SkiErg.
Event 18: Machine 7200M
Workout
For time:
- Row 3,600 meters
- SkiErg 3,600 meters
Throughout the race, athletes could monitor their progress on the arena’s jumbotron, which displayed the overall leader as well as the competitors immediately ahead of and behind them. With no time cap, every athlete was required to complete the workout, ensuring they carried the accumulated fatigue into the final two events of the Games.
Women’s Event
Lucy McGonigle did not start Event 18 after withdrawing from the competition because of injury, leaving 29 women on the competition floor.
Olivia Kerstetter, Siria Meha and Aimee Cringle were the first athletes off the rower and onto the SkiErg, quickly establishing themselves at the front of the race. Kerstetter maintained a relentless pace throughout the second half of the workout, while Lucy Campbell steadily closed the gap and kept the pressure on.
Haley Adams, competing at her 10th CrossFit Games after making her debut as a teenager in 2016, once again proved why she is regarded as one of the sport’s toughest endurance athletes. She continued to climb the leaderboard during the SkiErg and secured another strong finish.
With just 200 meters remaining, Kerstetter and Campbell launched an all out sprint to the finish, driving every stroke in a dramatic battle for the event win. Kerstetter held her lead to take first place, while Campbell crossed shortly behind.
Rachel Noel rounded out an impressive performance with a fifth place finish, while Hannah Black, who injured her back during the previous snatch event, completed the SkiErg at a more conservative pace to avoid aggravating the injury.
Women’s Top 5
| Rank | Athlete |
|---|---|
| 1 | Olivia Kerstetter |
| 2 | Lucy Campbell |
| 3 | Haley Adams |
| 4 | Aimee Cringle |
| 5 | Rachel Noel |
Men’s Event
The men’s race immediately developed into a showdown between James Sprague, Roman Khrennikov, Dallin Pepper and Jayson Hopper, who all established aggressive opening splits on the rower.
Colten Mertens and Jay Crouch appeared to use a damper setting of approximately seven while maintaining stroke rates of around 34 to 35 strokes per minute, opting for a powerful approach during the rowing portion.
Sprague was the first athlete to reach the SkiErg, with Khrennikov and Pepper close behind. Hopper steadily reeled in the leaders throughout the second half of the race, reducing the gap as the finish approached, but Sprague never relinquished control.
The defending CrossFit Games champion powered through the closing meters to secure another event victory, reinforcing his position heading into the final two tests of the weekend.
Men’s Top 4
| Rank | Athlete |
|---|---|
| 1 | James Sprague |
| 2 | Jayson Hopper |
| 3 | Roman Khrennikov |
| 4 | Dallin Pepper |
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