CrossFit Open 2027: now you can suffer as a pair and argue about who did more reps

1. CrossFit has just invented a new way to test a friendship

Some decisions can strengthen a friendship.

Going on a trip together.

Sharing a flat.

Starting a business.

And then there are the decisions that can destroy it completely.

Signing up for the CrossFit Open together.

Because CrossFit has officially announced one of the most interesting changes of the 2027 season: a pairs competition called Pairs Competition.

The idea is simple.

Two athletes.

One workout.

One leaderboard.

And the chance to split the reps.

In theory, a wonderful way to encourage teamwork.

In practice, an extraordinary chance to discover that your partner thinks doing ten burpees is exactly the same as doing forty.

The news became official on 28 October 2026, and it comes with other important changes to the Open calendar and how it is run.

And at Streetwod we already have two volunteers.

Well. One of them is a volunteer.

The other one still does not know he has been entered.

2. Paco Suricato discovers the pairs competition

It is seven in the evening.

WODzilla is setting up his bar for training.

Paco Suricato appears, running across the gym with his phone in his hand and the kind of smile that usually announces trouble.

—WODzilla! WODzilla! WE NEED TO TALK!

—What is it?

—CrossFit has just announced the Open in pairs!

—I have already seen it.

—We can compete together!

—We can.

—And split the reps!

—Yes.

Paco starts to get excited.

—This changes everything.

—Why?

—Because until now I had to do all the burpees on my own.

—Of course.

—But now we can split them.

—Exactly.

Paco opens the calculator on his phone.

—I have been running the numbers.

WODzilla slowly puts the bar down.

—What numbers?

—Imagine there are a hundred burpees.

—All right.

—You do ninety-five.

—And you?

—Five.

Silence.

—But I will be in charge of cheering you on —Paco adds—. And keeping the time. And managing the team's social media.

WODzilla looks at him.

—No.

—Ninety and ten?

—No.

—Eighty and twenty?

—Paco...

—Fine! Seventy and thirty! But I am making an enormous effort to negotiate!

The competition has not even started.

And WODzilla is already thinking about finding another partner.

3. How will the new Open 2027 Pairs Competition work?

Here is the important part.

According to the official information published by CrossFit, the pairs competition will be held during the same three weeks as the individual Open.

There will not be three completely different workouts for pairs.

The same Open workouts will be used, but the two athletes will be able to split the reps according to the rules that apply.

For example, imagine a hypothetical workout:

FOR TIME

• 100 Wall Balls
• 80 Burpees
• 60 Thrusters

This is a made-up example to explain the format, not an official Open 2027 workout.

A pair could plan how to share the work.

One athlete can take more reps of one movement.

The other can take a larger share of another exercise.

The split can follow each athlete's strengths, always respecting the standards and rules CrossFit sets.

And that is where the fun starts.

Because one thing is saying:

"We split the reps."

And a very different thing is discovering that your partner hears that sentence as:

"You do the work and I supervise."

The Pairs Competition will have its own leaderboard, separate from the individual competition.

So this is not simply doing the Open with company, to pass the time.

It will be an official competition with its own results.

4. CrossFit Open 2027 dates: get the calendar and the excuses ready

CrossFit has also changed the days the workouts are released.

In 2027, the workouts will be announced on Wednesdays, instead of the usual Thursday calendar.

And athletes will have until the following Monday to submit their scores.

The official calendar is:

| Workout | Announcement | Score deadline |

|---|---|---|

| Open 27.1 | 17 February 2027 | 22 February 2027 |

| Open 27.2 | 24 February 2027 | 1 March 2027 |

| Open 27.3 | 3 March 2027 | 8 March 2027 |

Announcements will be at 12:00 noon Pacific Time, and the score window will close at 17:00 in that time zone.

For mainland Spain, according to the announced calendar, that means 21:00 on Wednesday to see the workout, and 02:00 on Tuesday morning for the score deadline.

Registration will also open on 7 January 2027.

That means you will have several days to do each workout.

Or, if you are Paco Suricato, several days to search the internet for someone who has discovered a way to do thrusters without using your arms.

—WODzilla, we have until Monday to submit the score.

—Yes.

—Perfect. Then we can do it on Monday.

—We can do it earlier.

—And waste four days of psychological preparation?

5. Who can compete in pairs?

The new competition has three types of pair:

• Men's: man and man.
• Women's: woman and woman.
• Mixed: man and woman.

Athletes can also pair up even if they are in different age groups.

There is an important detail, though.

The pair's age category is set by the younger athlete.

For example, if a 42-year-old athlete competes with a 28-year-old, the pair is ranked in the age group of the younger one.

CrossFit also says each athlete must do the workout version that matches their age and sex, and both must choose the same scaling: RX, Scaled or Foundations.

Paco listens to the explanation.

—Hey, WODzilla, can we compete in Masters?

—It depends on our age.

—And if you are older than me?

—The younger one counts.

Paco thinks about it.

—So can we find a seventy-year-old partner to get an advantage?

—The younger one counts, Paco.

—Ah.

Silence.

—What if I wear a white wig?

WODzilla puts his headphones back on.

6. How much does it cost to enter the 2027 Open in pairs?

Another change is the price.

The announced entry fee for the pairs competition is 20 dollars per team, with a price of 15 dollars in some regions.

Only one of the two athletes has to register and pay.

That athlete will be the team captain and will submit the scores.

Also, if one or both athletes are registered for the individual 2027 Open, the pairs competition is 50% off.

At the standard price, that means 10 dollars per pair.

These amounts are the ones CrossFit announced in dollars. Check the final price for your region when you register.

Paco gets the calculator out again.

—WODzilla, if we pay twenty dollars between the two of us...

—Ten each.

—Perfect.

—What?

—You pay the entry fee and I buy the team T-shirts.

—How much are the T-shirts?

—Forty-five euros each.

—We do not need T-shirts.

—And how will people know we are a team?

—Because we will be doing the same workout.

Paco shakes his head.

—You lack brand vision.

7. Can I compete individually and in pairs?

Yes.

And here comes one of the most important questions.

You can take part in both the individual Open and the new Pairs Competition.

But there is a condition you should be clear about.

If you register for both, you will have to do the workouts twice.

Once to log your individual score.

And once to log the score with your partner.

You cannot do a single workout and use the same score for both leaderboards.

So you will need to plan recovery and the days you have available.

Because three weeks of the Open can already be intense enough.

And doubling the workouts without managing fatigue can turn into a poor idea.

Paco goes completely still when he hears the news.

—Wait a moment.

—What? —WODzilla asks.

—If we compete individually and in pairs, we have to do the workout twice?

—Yes.

—Twice each?

—Yes.

—And I cannot do my individual one and have you do the pairs one?

—No.

Paco slowly puts his phone away.

—I think I need to read the registration rules more carefully.

8. Pairs strategy: when maths becomes a high-risk sport

Competing in pairs does not necessarily mean splitting the work in half.

And that is one of the interesting parts of the format.

A smart split can use each athlete's strengths.

If one of you is better at gymnastics and the other is especially efficient with the bar, it can make sense to adjust the work.

But there is something many pairs forget.

The team with the stronger athlete does not always win. How you organise yourselves matters too.

You will need to think about things like:

Transitions. Losing time every time you switch athletes can be inefficient.

Fatigue. A split that is too hard at the start can catch up with you at the end.

Individual strengths. Not every movement costs both of you the same.

Communication. Decide how you will call the switches and how you will count the reps.

Standards. Each athlete has to meet the rules for that workout.

And, above all, remember something.

Your partner cannot guess when you need to rest.

Although Paco Suricato seems to have developed an extraordinary skill for spotting the moment WODzilla is about to finish a set.

—Switch! —Paco shouts.

—But you have only just started.

—Yes, but I want to keep the transitions fast.

—You have done three reps.

—Exactly. Transition speed!

9. Is it a good idea to compete with someone much stronger than you?

It can be.

Both athletes do not have to be at exactly the same level.

But they do need to be able to work together and meet the demands of the division they choose.

The key is to talk before you compete.

Decide the goals.

Agree how the work will be split.

And avoid one of you ending up feeling like a removals worker while the other specialises in cheering.

A balanced pair does not have to lift the same weights or do the same number of reps.

But both of you should know what you expect from the other.

Paco walks up to WODzilla with a notebook.

—I have prepared our competition contract.

—A contract?

—Yes. To avoid misunderstandings.

—Let's see.

—Clause one: WODzilla will perform the strength movements.

—All right.

—Clause two: WODzilla will perform the gymnastics movements.

—And you?

—Clause three: Paco Suricato will be responsible for motivation, hydration and communication.

—No.

—Wait, there is a fourth clause.

—Which is?

—In the event of victory, the prizes will be split fifty-fifty.

WODzilla tears up the contract.

Paco requests a meeting with the organising committee.

10. Another change: in-house gym competitions get an official platform

The pairs competition is not the only change that was announced.

CrossFit has also presented a tool for running Intramurals, the in-house competitions many gyms organise during the Open.

Until now, plenty of gyms had to use spreadsheets, whiteboards or outside tools to keep track of their teams and scores.

With the new platform, affiliates will be able to create teams, set up divisions and points systems, and follow the leaderboards.

Some actions, such as registering for the Open or submitting scores, will be able to award points automatically.

It is an interesting change if the aim is to get more people involved.

Especially people who have no intention of qualifying for the CrossFit Games, but do want to live the three weeks of the Open with their training partners.

It also opens the door to in-house prizes that probably should never exist.

Like the team with the most competitive spirit.

The team with the best costumes.

Or the team that asked "how much is left?" the most times.

In that last one, Paco Suricato starts as the clear favourite.

11. How to prepare for the 2027 Open in pairs

There are still months to go, and you can start preparing without turning every session into a CrossFit Games final.

Here are six recommendations from Streetwod.

1. Find a compatible partner.

You do not need the strongest athlete in the gym. You need someone you can talk to, train with and agree on goals with.

2. Practise pairs workouts.

You Go, I Go formats and splitting reps help you get used to the transitions and the pace of the work.

3. Work on individual weaknesses.

If one of you struggles with certain movements, there is still time to improve the technique and the fitness.

4. Try different splits.

Do not assume that dividing everything fifty-fifty will always be the best strategy.

5. Practise the communication.

Agree on simple signals for the switches and count the reps properly.

6. Wait for the rulebook and each official announcement.

CrossFit has already explained how it works in general, but the specific standards of each workout have to be followed when they are published.

And one last recommendation.

If your partner suggests that you do 90% of the workout because they have "better leadership skills", take a good look at who you signed up with.

12. Team WODzilla & Paco: an entry that could end up in court

The moment has arrived.

Paco has decided they are going to compete.

He has designed a logo.

He has created a WhatsApp group.

He has prepared a T-shirt.

And he has chosen a team name.

WODzilla & Paco: ELITE PERFORMANCE TEAM.

WODzilla looks at the T-shirt.

—Paco, we have not even registered yet.

—I know. But we have to build an identity.

—And why does it say Elite?

—Because it sounds professional.

—But we are not competing in an Elite division.

—It is marketing, WODzilla. Marketing.

WODzilla sighs.

—And what is our goal?

Paco turns serious.

For the first time all evening.

—Enjoy the competition.

—Good.

—Work as a team.

—Perfect.

—Give the best of ourselves.

—Exactly.

—And, if possible, you do the muscle-ups.

WODzilla nods.

—We can talk about that.

Paco smiles.

—And the thrusters.

WODzilla stops nodding.

—And the burpees.

Silence.

—And if there are wall balls...

—PACO.

—All right, all right. We split the wall balls.

—How?

—You do the odd ones and the even ones.

WODzilla picks up his backpack.

—I am leaving.

—WAIT! WE HAVE TO TAKE THE OFFICIAL TEAM PHOTO!

WODzilla disappears through the door.

Paco runs after him.

—AT LEAST TELL ME YOUR T-SHIRT SIZE!

13. Conclusion: the 2027 Open promises more teamwork and more arguments

The new Pairs Competition is an interesting way to widen how people can take part in the CrossFit Open.

It lets you share the effort, plan a strategy and compete with someone from your gym on a specific leaderboard.

And it may encourage people who, until now, did not dare to enter on their own.

But the most important part is still the same.

You do not need to be a professional athlete.

You do not need to do every workout RX.

And you do not need a chance of qualifying for the CrossFit Games.

You can take part to measure your progress.

To enjoy the atmosphere.

To learn.

And to share the experience with someone who cheers you on when you have nothing left.

Although it is worth choosing that someone carefully.

Because if your partner is Paco Suricato, you may discover that the real challenge of the Open is not the thrusters.

It is getting him to do his share.

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Streetwod moral: the 2027 CrossFit Open proves that shared suffering brings people together. It can also start an argument about who did 47 reps and who has spent ten minutes shouting "COME ON, CHAMPION!".

Who would you compete with in the 2027 Open in pairs?

Tag the partner you would share any WOD with.

Or the other one, the one you know perfectly well would leave you all the burpees.

WODzilla is already training. Paco Suricato is designing the T-shirts. See you at the Open.