The CrossFit Games “Carson Era”: Top-5 Women’s Rankings

Contributions from Brian Friend and John Young

Image Credits: CrossFit LLC

This is the last in our three-part written series documenting our top-30 women from the “Carson Era” of the CrossFit Games. 

The CrossFit Games “The Carson Era”: 30-16 Women’s Rankings

The CrossFit Games “The Carson Era”: 15-6 Women’s Ranks

Each of the top-five women on this list won the CrossFit Games at least once during the “Carson Era” and combined, they account for all seven wins during that time period.

5. Kristan Clever

• 4 appearances
• Best: 1st 2010
• Average finish: 10
• Event wins (5): Muscle Up/Squat Snatch (Amanda), Max Overhead, Clean/HSPU, Push-Up/OHS, Toes to Bar/Ground to Overhead all in 2010

“Some still think Clever belongs in the conversation of ‘Greatest American CrossFitter’ athletes of all time, and though she might not take the top spot in that debate for most, the fact that she’s in the conversation says a lot. She barely missed the podium in 2012 after going 1st and 2nd the previous two years. She fell off relative to the competition the following year, but what she did from 2010-2012 is well deserving of this top-five spot.” – Brian Friend

4. Camille Leblanc Bazinet

• 7 appearances
• Best: 1st 2014
• Average finish: 10
• Event wins (3): Fran 2012, 21-15-9 Complex 2014, Triangle Couplet 2015

“Camille Leblanc’s biggest achievement  would be her win in 2014. What is lost on a lot of people though, is the longevity that she sustained in the ‘Carson Er’a. She is one of only two women to make the CrossFit Games in every year of the era, Voigt being the other. Not only does she have longevity she also showed improvement throughout her career. In 2010 she placed 9th and then in 2014 she won. Known for her gymnastic prowess, if there were pull-ups or muscle ups of any kind in any workout Camille was a threat to win. She was the only athlete, male or female, who went unbroken throughout the entire 21-15-9 complex in 2014. She is well deserving of the 4th spot on this list.” – John Young

3. Katrin Davidsdottir

• 4 appearances
• Best: 1st in 2015 and 2016
• Average finish: 14
• Event wins (4): PTTM 2 2015, Double DT, Handstand Walk, The Plow 2016

“Katrin Davidsdottir could be argued to be higher on this list, however the sheer volume of event wins and appearances from the two women above her has to be respected too. Her back-to-back wins in the last two years of the ‘Carson Era’ is the biggest feather in the cap of anyone on the list, and suggest the chance that she was the ‘fittest’ woman at any one point in time during this era. Katrin is known for her ‘sled dog’ mentality and when it comes to grinding and just doing work, there are very few if any that can say they are on her level.” – John Young

2. Samantha Briggs

• 5 appearances
• Best: 1st 2013 
• Average finish: 6
• Event wins (9): The End 2 & The End 3 2011, Row 1, Row 2, and Sprint Chipper 2013, Murph and Midline Madness 2015, Ranch Trail Run and Climbing Snail 2016

“Briggs win in 2013 was one of the early dominating performances in the history of the sport. There were twelve scored events that year, she was 4th or better on seven of them and beat second place, Lindsey Valenzuela, by 99 points. Sadly she would miss the Games in 2014 due to a handstand walk at Regionals. If she’d been there that year, we may be talking about her as number one on this list.” – Brian Friend

1. Annie Thorisdottir

• 6 appearances
• Best: 1st 2011 and 2012
• Average finish: 9.5*
• Event wins (12): Pyramid Double Helen, Deadlift/Pistol/Double Under, Sandbag Move, and Wall Burpee/Rope Climb in 2010, Rope Clean, Skills 2 and Dog-Sled 2011, Medball/HSPU and Isabel 2013, Midline March and Double Grace 2014, Ranch Mini Chipper 2016

“It is hard to make an argument for anyone else to be number 1 on this list. She won the CrossFit Games twice and has also come 2nd twice during this seven-year stretch. She has the most event wins with 12. There’s also something to be said that those event wins were all ‘CrossFit’ workouts and not specialty events. In all the ‘measurables’ Annie has outpaced everyone else in the ‘Carson Era’, but she also reigns supreme on something that can not be measured; impact. Annie was one of the first people to come to America and compete in the CrossFit Games. The same way Rich Froning grew the sport in America; Annie was growing the sport in Iceland, Europe, and for women around the world. Annie Thorisdottir is the undisputed number 1 ranked female at the CrossFit Games in the Carson Era” – John Young

**If you like the contributions of John Young during this article please consider buying him a cup of coffee, all proceeds will go to him**