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You know that CrossFit as a sport is growing extremely fast (see “How Fast Is CrossFit Growing? The Chart Tells The Story” to see for yourself), and you know the CrossFit Games are growing fast. But did you realize how fast?

In 2011, the CrossFit Games Open debuted. More than 26,000 athletes signed up to compete. In 2012, 69,240 people signed up to compete in the Open. In 2013? 138,000 people registered to compete. That is a year over year growth rate of 166% and 99%, respectively, with women’s growth in participation outpacing men’s (129% to 109%).

CrossFit Games growth: Individual Men and Women

Demonstrating CrossFit’s increasing popularity with older athletes, more than 20% of all participants (28,000 competitors) in 2013 are Masters, which includes the new 40-44 age group added for 2013. While each age group nearly doubled in participation between 2012 and 2013, the largest jumps came in Masters women 45-49 and 50-54 with 106% and 105% growth, respectively.

CrossFit Games growth: Masters Men

CrossFit Games growth: Masters Women

The raw participation data is below. Numbers may not add exactly due to tie scores among competitors.

73,429 Individual Men (35,108 in 2012)

7,208 Masters Men 40-44 (n/a in 2012)

3,254 Masters Men 45-49 (1,638 in 2012)

1,597 Masters Men 50-54 (847 in 2012)

797 Masters Men 55-59 (414 in 2012)

400 Masters Men 60+ (218 in 2012)

46,639 Individual Women (20,324 in 2012)

4,763 Masters Women 40-44 (n/a in 2012)

2,368 Masters Women 45-49 (1,150 in 2012)

1,098 Masters Women 50-54 (535 in 2012)

494 Masters Women 55-59 (278 in 2012)

263 Masters Women 60+ (145 in 2012)

For all your friends who may believe that CrossFit is merely a fad, wait until 2014 when they find themselves part of another year of exponential growth.