Why We Run the Intramural Open

Why We Run the Intramural Open (And Why It Matters More Than the Leaderboard)

Every February, the CrossFit Open rolls around.

Yes, there’s a global leaderboard.
Yes, some athletes are chasing Quarterfinals or further.

But that’s not why we do it.

At CrossFit Desire and Gym Cartel, the Open isn’t about ranking.

It’s about participation.

It’s about our Intramural Open.

What Is the Intramural Open?

Instead of focusing on the worldwide leaderboard, we split our members into Houses.

Each week:

• You complete the Open workout Friday afternoon/evening (or in class Monday).

• You earn points for participation.

• You earn points for effort.

• You earn points for backing your teammates.

• You earn points for turning up consistently.

You don’t need to register on the CrossFit Games website to be part of it.

You just need to show up.

That’s it.

Yes, We Still Back the Leaderboard

For anyone who does register officially... we back you fully.

We’ll validate scores.
We’ll celebrate qualifiers.
We’ll support anyone moving into the next stage.

But the leaderboard isn’t the centrepiece.

The room is.

Why We Do It This Way

Because most of our members are:

• Parents.

• Business owners.

• Shift workers.

• People training for health, not trophies.

The Intramural Open makes the Open accessible.

It removes the intimidation.
It keeps the energy.
It protects the culture.

It turns three workouts into three weeks of momentum.

The Real Win

No one remembers their global ranking in five years.

They remember:

• The Friday night energy.

• The first movement they scaled and completed.

• The moment they didn’t quit.

• The House that edged out the win.

That’s why we run it the way we do.

Participation first.
Performance second.