With the world’s best all present, many shocks and thrills were delivered.
On November 18 and 19, the best 200 athletes from around the world arrived at Ferox Athletics in Brooklyn, New York, for the World Ninja League Premier Series Finals. With just two courses between them and the title of Premier Series Champion, it truly was anyone’s game.
The results proved to be a true reflection of that statement. With favorites providing shocking falls and surprise breakouts on the Challenge Course, there are so many stories this event can tell. Join us as we reflect on some of the biggest wins from the Premier Series Finals.
If you want to see more from these amazing athletes, their Instagrams will be linked with their names!
With such a stacked field of competitors, it’s no surprise that only three competitors took first place on both the Placement and Challenge Courses.
The first sweep of the Finals came from Kids Female Champion Mia Law. While Law didn’t hit a buzzer, her speed and endurance did her massive favors. Law was just 0.94 seconds ahead of Ariana Merchant on the Placement Course and was the only Kids Female athlete to beat Slogies on the Challenge Course. Her quick thinking and incredible grip strength secured her the win.
Mia Law makes the Slogies look easy.
Season VIII World Champion Meghan Moore also swept the Mature Kids Division with buzzers on both courses to boot. Her run on the Placement Course was in a mere 55.50 seconds, a whole ten seconds faster than Aria Capozzi, who took second on that course. On the Challenge Course, Moore was the only athlete in her division to hit a buzzer.
Meghan Moore celebrates as she hits the buzzer on the Challenge Course.
The last sweep came from Zack Keenan in the Amateur Male Division. Keenan was the Season VIII Young Adult World Champion and carried that momentum into the Finals. With a 28.68 second run on the Placement Course and a win of over four seconds on the Challenge Course, Keenan locked in two buzzers and the title of Premier Series Champion.
Click the link to watch Zack take on the Challenge Course!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul-PZVWvvgI&t=7576s
Zack Keenan takes on the Little Ledges during his Challenge Course run.
It’s not often we have athletes from multiple countries battle for the title of ‘Best of the Best,’ and the Premier Series Finals delivered many new names to the WNL that we’ll be sure to remember.
Israeli athlete Hila Gilboa didn’t pop up on our radar super early on. Placing 9th on the Placement Course, it seemed as if one of the favorites, such as Lily Barrett or Savanna Salinas were set to win it all. Yet on the Challenge Course, Gilboa surprised us all by becoming the only Preteen Female athlete to clear the Board Drop, landing her the title of Premier Series Champion.
Preteen Female Champion Hila Gilboa waves Israel’s flag on the podium.
Millie Baker muscles her way through Little Ledges.
Australia then provided us with Teen Female Champion Millie Baker. Baker advanced to the 8th obstacle, Little Ledges, a whole 17 seconds faster than runner-up Grace Carr, securing her spot at the top of the Leaderboard.
Australia quickly followed up with Kahri Whitby. While Whitby landed in the middle of the pack on the Placement Course, that didn’t stop her from taking the Amateur Female division by storm. On the Challenge Course, she was the only athlete to complete the Board Drop, which shot her to the top of the leaderboard.
See Kahri’s run below!
https://youtube.com/watch?v=1xIiO0M7qkQ
The global community provided even more stellar athletes, including Sapir Cohen Carmi of Israel (4th- Elite Female), Einav Kuznik of Israel (3rd- Elite Male) and Poland’s Maja Kotarska (7th- Mature Kids Female).
Practically every division in the Premier Series Finals consisted of a very close battle for the title. Favorites and underdogs rose and fell, leading to one of the most entertaining weekends in Ninja history.
Kids Male Champion Caelin Kaminski fought his way to the buzzer. Kaminski finished in 6th on the Placement Course, but delivered one of his best performances on the Challenge Course.
Caelin Kaminski breaks the beta on Board Drop.
Mature Kids Male Champion Aidan Collins pulled off one of the craziest saves in Austin, and in Brooklyn he proved that wasn’t a fluke. With a 3rd place finish on the Placement Course, Collins went on to clear the Challenge Course a whole 34 seconds faster than runner-up Will Vaz.
The Fidget Spinners are no problem for Aidan Collins.
The Preteen Male division was widely regarded as Alex Ascone vs. Charlie Ball. While Ball took the Placement Course, it was Ascone who delivered the fastest run to the final obstacle on the Challenge Course and took home the win.
Alex Ascone dives for the Placement Course buzzer.
After missing the WNL Championships due to an injury, 3-Time World Champion Oliver Luttman made his return and reminded everyone why he was the best. While only placing 7th on the Placement Course, Luttman was the fastest to the final obstacle on the Challenge Course by 12 seconds, crowning him Premier Series Champion. This win keeps Luttman’s streak of wins alive at the Championship level.
Oliver Luttman breezes through the Sky Hooks.
Abby Clark was the Elite Female runner-up at this year’s WNL Championships, but would not be denied a win again. With a 4th place finish on the Placement Course, Clark powered to the final obstacle of the Challenge Course — the only competitor to do so. This run granted her the win over runner-up Madelyn Madaras and 3rd place Addy Herman.
Elite Male Champion Josiah Pippel ran the course once, won…and then had to do it all over again. Pippel was going strong until a dismount led to a review on his run. Watch the video! Did he touch the mat as he dismounted?
With the title being either his or Jay Lewis’, Pippel went even faster to the buzzer than he did on his first run, cementing his spot as Premier Series Champion.
Congratulations to all of our athletes for incredible performances at the Premier Series Finals! We look forward to seeing you all crush the course again next season!
The Elite Women’s podium celebrates! (L to R: Madelyn Madaras, Abby Clark, Addy Herman)
The premier obstacle league.