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Dave Castro talks China ambitions, 2021 CrossFit Open and working with new CEO Eric Roza

  • The CrossFit Games mastermind has been with the company and helped direct the sport since 2006
  • Castro said new CEO Eric Roza has ambitious plans for CrossFit around the world, but concedes ‘this is not for everyone’

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There may be no one more synonymous now with CrossFit than Dave Castro. Photo: CrossFit
Patrick Blennerhassett
CrossFit’s Machiavellian mastermind Dave Castro has been the driving force behind the flagship CrossFit Games since 2006, and at this point, has become the biggest constant the sport has ever seen.
Former CEO and founder Greg Glassman left the company last year in a whirlwind of controversy, replaced by tech entrepreneur Eric Roza, and five-time men’s champion Mat Fraser announced his retirement in February after eight years of competing.

Other than Rich Froning, who has transitioned into the team portion of the Games, Castro represents the early beginnings of the sport, which Roza and his new team look to shoot into the stratosphere with ambitious expansion plans all over the world.

Castro, now wearing the title of general manager of sport for CrossFit Inc, who has had months to work with his new boss in Roza, said he saw a lot of similarities between himself and the former Oracle executive who also does CrossFit.

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CrossFit's China ambitions face huge hurdles despite middle-class demand for exercise options

CrossFit's China ambitions face huge hurdles despite middle-class demand for exercise options

“What’s really working between us is our creativity and our passion,” said Castro, who does all the programming for the annual CrossFit Games. “We both think outside of the box and we both like advancing things forward and so we’re like-minded in our desire to innovate and try things differently.”

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