Introducing the 2024 TYR Wodapalooza SoCal

Over the past week you may have seen a curious set of Instagram posts on the TYR Wodapalooza (WZA) feed featuring a neon pink surf van heading west from Bayfront Park in Miami.

• The first caption read, “An adventure 12 years in the making…”, the second, under an image of the van leaving Florida said, “We were born in Miami and we’re giving it another pin,” a third, featuring the Las Vegas skyline and van up on a mechanic’s lift read, “All the miles we’ve put in call for a tune-up (and possibly a fresh paint job). While in the area, we’re making a quick stop to play the slots, too.”

For those following, the transcontinental adventure came to an end today in Huntington Beach, CA with the announcement of TYR Wodapalooza SoCal, a sister event to TYR Wodapalooza Miami.

The details: ​The inaugural TYR Wodapalooza Socal event will take place September 20-22, 2024 in Huntington Beach, CA. You can read our full breakdown of the TYR Wodapalooza Roster here.

• The multi-day festival, similar in scope and format to TYR WZA Miami, will have “multiple stages with 1,000 competing athletes from around the world, brand activations and fitness lifestyle experiences, including educational seminars and workshops.”
• There are a lot of details left to be determined, including information related to registration for the 2024 competition, and how the West Coast and Miami events will be connected.
• That said, the two will share a meaningful connection in a “coast-to-coast” series, according to a press release from Loud And Live.

Remind me: TYR WZA Miami started as a one-day competition with 145 athletes in 2012. Over the past 12 years, it has grown into the world’s largest and most well-known functional fitness festival.

• From those humble beginnings, TYR WZA introduced adaptive, teen, team and masters divisions.
• Each year thousands of athletes compete under the Florida sun in Bayfront Park with tens of thousands of fans looking on.

From the press release: “The expansion [to Huntington Beach] signals a new chapter in the festival’s history, bringing the electrifying atmosphere and unmissable spectacle of live fitness competitions to Southern California, home to one of the nation’s most active fitness communities.” 

• “Since its inaugural event, Wodapalooza has been synonymous with a unique fusion of competition, fitness lifestyle, and community celebration, providing an experience for fans, brands, and athletes unlike any other.” 
• “The TYR WZA SoCal provides a second festival experience across the backdrop of California, and rounds out a coast-to-coast TYR WZA presence, providing a platform for the community to engage with annually.”

What they’re saying: “We’re constantly looking for ways to evolve and expand, and a second yearly festival and competition on the West Coast is a natural step as we continue to cater to WZA’s ever-growing global fanbase,” said Marco Sagrera, Chief Strategy Officer of Loud And Live.

• Matt DiLorenzo, CEO of TYR: “TYR was initially founded in Huntington Beach in 1985, and we couldn’t be more excited to be bringing a premier fitness event to the community where our company first planted its roots nearly 40 years ago.” 
• “As our partnership continues to grow with Loud And Live, we look forward to engaging with the athletes and spectators at both the Miami and SoCal Wodapalooza competitions,” DiLorenzo finished.
• Dylan Malitsky, VP of Loud And Live Sports: “We’re proud to bring the same commitment to what has made Miami the destination festival for over a decade.”
• “California has a rich history in our sport and with our community. Huntington Beach will provide the perfect sister festival experience. We look forward to celebrating with our community on the West Coast.”

The bottom line: Loud And Live has invested heavily in the sport of CrossFit over the past several years. Including acquiring The Granite Games, acquiring a stake in the Madrid Championship, founding the West Coast Classic, and more, all while continuing to grow its flagship event, TYR WZA Miami.

The creation of a sister competition in California will make the energy and community atmosphere that athletes and fans have experienced in Bayfront Park for more than a decade accessible to many more people.