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American Ninja Warrior season 15

(Redirected from American Ninja Warrior (season 15))

The fifteenth season of American Ninja Warrior premiered on June 5, 2023, on NBC. A spin-off from the Japanese reality series Sasuke, it is hosted by Matt Iseman, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, and Zuri Hall. This season, both Qualifying and Semifinals were entirely held in Universal City in Los Angeles, while the National Finals returned to its usual spot in Las Vegas.

American Ninja Warrior
Season 15
Hosted byMatt Iseman
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila
Zuri Hall
Finals venueMount Midoriyama (Las Vegas Strip)
No. of episodes14
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseJune 5 (2023-06-05) –
September 11, 2023 (2023-09-11)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 14
Next →
Season 16

This season set a new record with 8 competitors all advancing to Stage 4, and also crowned the second (third recorded) grand prize winner in Vance Walker, who not only became the fourth (fifth recorded) ninja to achieve "Total Victory", but had previously won American Ninja Warrior Junior twice. In the same season, Daniel Gil became the third (fourth recorded) ninja to achieve total victory, but completed the rope climb slower than Walker.

Obstacles

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The qualifying course starts from Pole Vault and ends on Warped Wall. For this season, to get one attempt for the Mega Wall, which was increased to 18.5 feet high, contestants must finish the course in less than 1 minute and 20 seconds; a contestant who completes the Mega Wall still gets an immediate reward of $10,000 (promoted by Wells Fargo).[1][2] Standing next to the main course is a new segment, "The Runoffs", which replaces the Power Tower but follows the same structure: it features four obstacles, with two copies of them located alongside each other. The two male contestants and two female contestants in the last two places on the leaderboard run it side by side for the last spot in the semifinals.

In the semifinals, two contestants will run against each other, side-by-side, on the previously installed Runoffs course with Slingshot and Rope Climb added as a last two obstacles. At the end of the night, the two fastest finishers will run on a Safety Pass course, which replaces some of the obstacles from Semifinals with other ones. The winner receives a Safety Pass which allows for a do-over of stage 1 in the National Finals if he or she fails.

  Denotes obstacles created by fans for the Obstacle Design Challenge.

Qualifying

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Event Obstacles Finish
under 1:20
Course 1 Pole Vault Rollercoaster Domino Effect The Getaway Lasso Launch Warped Wall Mega Wall
Course 2 Greased Lightning Ring the Bells
Course 3 Rollercoaster Log Runner Kite Surfer Lasso Launch
Course 4 Greased Lightning The Cubes
Course 5 Domino Effect The Getaway Ring the Bells
Course 6 Rollercoaster Lasso Launch
Course 7 Log Runner Kite Surfer
Course 8 Greased Lightning Mutant Mayhem[a]

Runoffs

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Event Obstacles
Course 1 Home Run Spring Forward Beehive Hopscotch
Course 2
Course 3 Flying Shelf Grab Sideways
Course 4
Course 5 Spring Forward Hopscotch
Course 6
Course 7 Flying Shelf Grab Sideways
Course 8

Semifinals

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Event Obstacles
Course 1 Home Run Spring Forward Beehive Hopscotch Slingshot Rope Climb
Course 2
Course 3 Flying Shelf Grab Sideways
Course 4

Safety Pass Race

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Event Obstacles
Course 1 Home Run Flying Shelf Grab Wingnuts Sideways Spin Hopper Rope Climb
Course 2
Course 3 Beehive Slingshot
Course 4

National Finals

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Stage Obstacles Time Limit
Stage 1 Slide Surfer Three Ring Circus Giant Rollercoaster Jumping Spider The Gambler Warped Wall Dipping Birds Thread the Needle Cargo Net 2:50
Stage 2 Striding Steps Double Salmon Ladder Jawbreakers Swing Surfer Epic Air Surfer Falling Shelves
Stage 3 Patriot Pass Stalactites Slam Dunk Ultimate Cliffhanger Pipe Dream Pressure Cooker Road Signs
Stage 4 Rope Climb :30

Qualifying

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The eight qualifiers, divided into seven nights, took place on the lot of Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. In a major change from past seasons, the number of semifinalists has been reduced, and men and women have completely separate leaderboards. The top 11 men and top 3 women advance to the semifinals immediately, while the next two men (12th/13th place) and the next two women (4th/5th place) compete head-to-head in "The Runoffs" for the final spots.

  Denotes expanded course (Mega Wall) finishes
  Denotes runoff winners who advanced to semifinals
  Denotes rookie contestants

Course 1

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The first night of qualifying featured two rounds that were held in order. 5 competitors completed Course 1; only two of the competitors managed to finish the course faster than 1 minute and 20 seconds, but neither were able to successfully scale the Mega Wall. In the runoffs, Ramcis Valdez beat Alan Connealy (who made his first appearance since season 9) for the last men's spot, while Taylor Johnson beat Avery Glantz for the last women's spot. New obstacles included the Pole Vault, The Getaway, Lasso Launch, and Home Run in the runoff course. In an emotional moment, Brian Kretsch (who is one of only two competitors to appear in every single season) once again fell on a balance obstacle in the qualifying course (in this case, Domino Effect), and in his post-run interview, he hinted at a possible retirement from competition, citing his continued inability to clear balance obstacles.

Top 13 Men
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Luke Dillon 01:18.68 Finished
2 Noah Meunier 01:19.91 Finished
3 Jay Lewis 01:24.09 Finished
4 James McGrath 01:33.06 Finished
5 Kevin Rodriguez 01:39.79 Finished
6 Najee Richardson 00:40.32 Lasso Launch
7 Evan Andrews 00:40.77 Lasso Launch
8 Mazeiah Andrade 01:03.50 Lasso Launch
9 Noah Jones 01:07.03 Lasso Launch
10 Verdale Benson 01:15.15 Lasso Launch
11 Evan Bomengen 01:41.85 Lasso Launch
12 Alan Connealy 00:15.70 Domino Effect
13 Ramcis Valdez 00:17.05 Domino Effect
Top 5 Women
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Addy Herman 01:00.23 Lasso Launch
2 Casey Rothschild 01:07.24 Lasso Launch
3 Emily Gardiner 01:31.73 Lasso Launch
4 Taylor Johnson 01:35.35 Lasso Launch
5 Avery Glantz 00:32.20 Domino Effect

Course 2

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Course 2 occurred on the same night as the first qualifying, with 6 competitors finishing it. Top men's finisher Kai Beckstrand became the first competitor to complete this season's taller Mega Wall, and second-place finisher Jera Boyd was the other Mega Wall finisher. In the runoffs, Glenn Albright beat Steven Bachta for the last men's spot, while Jaelyn Bennett beat Larissa Cottle for the last women's spot. New obstacles in the qualifying course included Greased Lightning and Ring the Bells.

Top 13 Men
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Kai Beckstrand 00:54.80 Finished + Mega Wall
2 Jera Boyd 01:19.97 Finished + Mega Wall
3 Hans Hertz 01:28.17 Finished
4 Cam Baumgartner 01:31.81 Finished
5 Austin Gray 01:44.88 Finished
6 Mike Silenzi 01:58.50 Finished
7 Nate Hansen 00:52.56 Ring the Bells
8 Brian Beckstrand 01:21.98 Ring the Bells
9 Roo Yori 01:33.17 Ring the Bells
10 Tatsumi Yanaba 01:47.14 Ring the Bells
11 Josh Ferguson 00:23.34 Domino Effect
12 Steven Bachta 00:23.61 Domino Effect
13 Glenn Albright 00:03.81 Greased Lightning
Top 5 Women
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Emily Keener 01:02.15 Ring the Bells
2 Mady Howard 01:20.15 Ring the Bells
3 Violet Kepo'o 02:16.26 Ring the Bells
4 Larissa Cottle 01:11.40 The Getaway
5 Jaelyn Bennett 00:05.00 Greased Lightning

Course 3

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Only two competitors completed Course 3. Daniel Gil, who returned after missing the previous season, took the top time for the men and cleared the Mega Wall. In the runoffs, Gary Weiland beat James Thorwart for the last men's spot after completing the balance obstacle and became the first amputee ever to move on to the semi-finals. The qualifying course introduced another new obstacle, Kite Surfer.

Top 13 Men
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Daniel Gil 01:15.91 Finished + Mega Wall
2 Jody Avila 02:05.03 Finished
3 Isaiah Thomas 00:50.08 Lasso Launch
4 Joseph Rouse 01:10.20 Lasso Launch
5 Isaiah Wakeham 01:24.90 Lasso Launch
6 Grant Kiningham 01:25.76 Lasso Launch
7 Ian Dory 01:28.55 Lasso Launch
8 Grant McCartney 01:56.92 Lasso Launch
9 Simba Jones 00:48.00 Kite Surfer
10 Elijah Levée 00:56.63 Kite Surfer
11 Deion Butler 01:18.03 Kite Surfer
12 Gary Weiland 02:23.50 Kite Surfer
13 James Thorwart 00:23.07 Log Runner
Top 5 Women
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Isabella Wakeham 01:28.19 Lasso Launch
2 Madelyn Madaras 01:31.17 Lasso Launch
3 Cailin Jewell 00:37.92 Log Runner
4 Sandy Zimmerman 00:38.50 Log Runner
5 Lindsey Darling 00:04.38 Rollercoaster

Course 4

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Four competitors finished Course 4, but neither of the two who cleared it faster than 1 minute and 20 seconds managed to scale the Mega Wall. Jessie Graff returned again, and for the first time, her mother, 71-year-old Ginny MacColl, also competed (and ultimately failed the second obstacle, Greased Lightning). Brothers Nacssa and Roberto Garemore, who first appeared on American Ninja Warrior Junior, made their main ANW debuts and both advanced to the semi-finals. Firefighter Brandon Mears, one half of the duo called the "Towers of Power", returned after missing last season and announced that he would be making his final run on the course, but ultimately failed on Greased Lightning. This course introduced another new obstacle called The Cubes.

Top 13 Men
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 R.J. Roman 01:06.55 Finished
2 David Bergstrom-Wright 01:19.45 Finished
3 Elijah Browning 01:35.34 Finished
4 Nacssa Garemore 01:40.03 Finished
5 Vinnie Castranova 00:43.94 The Cubes
6 Brandon Thomas 00:47.33 The Cubes
7 Austin Hair 00:49.05 The Cubes
8 Johnny Brown 00:26.46 Kite Surfer
9 Roberto Garemore 00:28.73 Kite Surfer
10 D.C. Banks 00:29.39 Kite Surfer
11 Josh Heman-Ackah 00:34.21 Kite Surfer
12 Jason Grossman 00:40.43 Kite Surfer
13 Nyjle Henry 00:02.27 Greased Lightning
Top 5 Women
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Jessie Graff 01:52.30 The Cubes
2 Caitlyn Bergstrom-Wright 01:52.73 The Cubes
3 Jeri D'Aurelio 00:03.50 Greased Lightning
4 Jaleesa Himka 00:03.64 Greased Lightning
5 Amelia Leonardi — Greased Lightning

Course 5

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Course 5 was finished by 5 competitors; of those that cleared, only reigning two-time champion (Last Ninja Standing both times) Kaden Lebsack, cleared the course fast enough to try the Mega Wall, but failed to scale it. Former American Ninja Warrior Junior contestant Taylor Greene competed on the main course for the first time after turning 15 and became the first and only woman to clear the qualifying course this season. Two veterans, Jackson Twait and Donovan Metoyer, tried to run the course speedily to get a chance to try the Mega Wall, but both failed with the latter being eliminated after he fell on Domino Effect.

Top 13 Men
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Kaden Lebsack 01:16.83 Finished
2 Barry Boyd 01:42.21 Finished
3 Max Feinberg 01:46.60 Finished
4 Scott Behrends 02:03.93 Finished
5 Tyler Yamauchi 01:45.06 Warped Wall
6 Jackson Twait 00:46.03 Ring the Bells
7 Ben Behrends 00:58.16 Ring the Bells
8 Derrick Pavoni 00:58.39 Ring the Bells
9 Chris DiGangi 01:09.63 Ring the Bells
10 Cade Perkins 01:22.08 Ring the Bells
11 Jawon Turner 01:49.43 Ring the Bells
12 Drew Marinelli 00:33.94 The Getaway
13 James Wilson 00:37.58 The Getaway
Top 5 Women
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Taylor Greene 02:28.40 Finished
2 Maggie Owen 01:44.80 Ring the Bells
3 Riley Porter 00:03.77 Greased Lightning
4 Ally Tippetts Wooton 00:03.85 Greased Lightning
5 Kyndal McKenzie — Greased Lightning

Course 6

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Course 6 was completed by 3 competitors. Sean Bryan took the fastest time and was the only competitor to clear the course fast enough to try the Mega Wall, but his attempt to scale it was ultimately unsuccessful. David Campbell competed again to keep his status as one of only two competitors to appear in every season of the show alive and once again managed to qualify for the semi-finals. Other notable competitors included West Side Story visual effects designer Daniel Novarro, who received encouragement from two of the film's stars, Rachel Zegler and Josh Rivera, before the start of his run (Novarro was ultimately defeated in the runoffs by police officer John Uga), and veteran Nate Tackett, who advanced to the semi-finals after receiving encouragement from his cousin, legendary country music singer Crystal Gayle.

Top 13 Men
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Sean Bryan 01:14.01 Finished
2 Josiah Pippel 01:22.45 Finished
3 Jonathan Godbout 01:40.65 Finished
4 Joe Moravsky 00:35.88 Lasso Launch
5 Matt D'Amico 00:40.47 Lasso Launch
6 David Campbell 00:54.59 Lasso Launch
7 Ibrahim Hayek 00:59.09 Lasso Launch
8 Austin Baron 01:35.46 Lasso Launch
9 Alex Goodwin 00:21.04 The Getaway
10 Jamie Rahn 00:21.61 The Getaway
11 Nate Tackett 00:27.33 The Getaway
12 John Uga 00:28.94 The Getaway
13 Daniel Novarro 00:21.51 Domino Effect
Top 5 Women
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Abby Clark 01:35.92 Lasso Launch
2 Rachel Degutz 01:51.77 Lasso Launch
3 Michelle Warnky Buurma 00:28.21 Domino Effect
4 Amy Harski 00:04.17 Rollercoaster
5 Brittney Durant 00:05.22 Rollercoaster

Course 7

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Course 7 was completed by only two competitors, with two-time American Ninja Warrior Junior champion Vance Walker taking the top time after failing to hit a single buzzer in the previous season. Abel Gonzalez returned and once again managed to advance to the semi-finals, as did two of his students, Sebastian Chrismer and Erick Zamorano, the latter advancing by way of his win in the runoffs. 15-year-old rookie Hunter Ogden made it as far as the fifth obstacle, Lasso Launch, but injured himself on the third obstacle, Log Runner, and despite finishing in the top 8, could not continue on to the semi-finals due to his injury.

Top 13 Men
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Vance Walker 01:32.79 Finished
2 Benjamin Drake 01:55.45 Finished
3 Cal Plohoros 00:44.46 Lasso Launch
4 Kyle Soderman 00:52.21 Lasso Launch
5 Karsten Williams 01:12.33 Lasso Launch
6 Sebastian Chrismer 01:14.92 Lasso Launch
7 Jonathan Bange 01:22.22 Lasso Launch
8 Abel Gonzalez 02:23.43 Lasso Launch
9 Nick Hanson 00:29.85 Kite Surfer
10 Sylas Snider 00:31.65 Kite Surfer
11 Forest Strick 00:36.97 Kite Surfer
12 Andrey Collins 00:47.36 Kite Surfer
13 Erick Zamorano 00:26.43 Log Runner
Top 5 Women
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Clarisa Morris 01:40.21 Lasso Launch
2 Rachel Brown 02:17.92 Lasso Launch
3 Barclay Stockett 02:33.37 Lasso Launch
4 Anna McArthur 00:51.93 Kite Surfer
5 Rachel Beth Drake 00:59.33 Kite Surfer

Course 8

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Course 8 saw 7 competitors clearing, with Caleb Bergstrom becoming only the 4th competitor of the season to scale the Mega Wall successfully, but for the first time in five weeks, and earn $10,000. The fifth obstacle, The Cubes, returned to the course, though it was referred to in this episode as Mutant Mayhem, with the water below it dyed green, both done to promote the 2023 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

Top 13 Men
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Caleb Bergstrom 01:15.37 Finished + Mega Wall
2 Alex Romer 01:16.75 Finished
3 Ethan Bartnicki 01:20.96 Finished
4 Flip Rodriguez 01:37.57 Finished
5 Enzo DeFerrari Wilson 01:38.39 Finished
6 Ryan Stratis 01:53.41 Finished
7 Brett Sims 02:28.25 Finished
8 Bob Reese 00:41.27 Mutant Mayhem
9 Isaiah Lee 01:11.84 Mutant Mayhem
10 Kyle Schulze 01:20.10 Mutant Mayhem
11 Matt Kalanz 00:32.59 Kite Surfer
12 Daniel Osmer 00:33.21 Kite Surfer
13 Kevin Tirado — Kite Surfer
Top 5 Women
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Zhanique Lovett 01:21.91 Mutant Mayhem
2 Ashley Bergstrom — Mutant Mayhem
3 Emma Pereyra 00:40.36 Kite Surfer
4 Dara DePoalo 00:03.61 Greased Lightning
5 Esperanza Abarca — Greased Lightning

Semifinals

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Rounds formed
Semifinal Qualifying
1 2 & 5
2 1 & 6
3 3 & 7
4 4 & 8

The four semifinal rounds, divided over three nights, were taped at the same Universal Studios lot where the qualifiers were filmed during three nights. This season, a new format was introduced to the semifinals in which competitors race head-to-head in pairs. They are seeded based on the overall results in the leaderboard table which is created by merging 2 leaderboards from qualifying courses with the same obstacles. During the races, all the winners and the two losers who reached the farthest obstacle in the least amount of time advanced to the National Finals, unless more than two losers finished the semi-final course, by which case they all advance. Meanwhile, the two fastest winners proceed to a modified head-to-head course at the end of each night where they race for a Safety Pass, an option for a second attempt on Stage 1 of the Finals.

  Denotes losers also advancing to National Finals
  Denotes Safety Pass winners runs

Semifinal 1

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On the first night of the semifinals, Taylor Greene became the first woman rookie to complete two straight obstacle courses and the only woman of the night to hit a buzzer. Two father-son duos, the Behrends and Beckstrands, attempted to advance to the National Finals together for the first time in the show's history. While Kai Beckstrand finished the course in under a minute, but his father, Brian Beckstrand, was eliminated by Max Feinberg, the Behrends: Scott and Ben Behrends both won their races to become the first father-son duo to advance together. Kai later lost to two-time reigning Last Ninja Standing Kaden Lebsack in the Safety Pass race at night's end. Notable veterans not advancing to the National Finals are Chris DiGangi and Roo Yori, who failed to make the finals for the third and sixth straight time. Professional wrestler Baron Corbin briefly joined Matt and Akbar in the broadcast booth as a guest analyst.

Race results
Winners Losers
Time Result Competitor Competitor Result Time
0:57.76 7. Completed Kai Beckstrand James Wilson 3. Beehive No result
1:18.26 7. Completed Kaden Lebsack Glenn Albright 4. Hopscotch No result
1:19.61 7. Completed Jera Boyd Josh Ferguson 4. Hopscotch No result
1:31.25 7. Completed Austin Gray Cade Perkins 5. Slingshot 0:56.09
1:31.96 7. Completed Jackson Twait Nate Hansen 5. Slingshot 0:51.89
1:36.49 7. Completed Hans Hertz Jawon Turner 5. Slingshot No result
1:39.00 7. Completed Max Feinberg Brian Beckstrand 5. Slingshot No result
1:49.99 7. Completed Barry Boyd Roo Yori 4. Hopscotch No result
1:58.39 7. Completed Cam Baumgartner Tatsumi Yanaba 4. Hopscotch No result
2:13.89 7. Completed Mike Silenzi Chris DiGangi 5. Slingshot 0:58.12
2:19.44 7. Completed Taylor Greene Jaelyn Bennett 2. Spring Forward No result
0:48.27 5. Slingshot Ben Behrends Tyler Yamauchi 5. Slingshot 0:49.24
0:51.75 5. Slingshot Scott Behrends Derrick Pavoni 5. Slingshot No result
0:55.87 5. Slingshot Riley Porter Emily Keener 4. Hopscotch No result
1:04.58 5. Slingshot Maggie Owen Violet Kepo'o 5. Slingshot No result
1:10.33 5. Slingshot Mady Howard Ally Tippets Wooton 5. Slingshot No result

Semifinal 2

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On the second night of the semifinals, season 14 finalist Josiah Pippel faced rookie Noah Meunier in the Safety Pass race, which Meunier ultimately won when both of them fell on Sideways after a video replay, as Meunier finished the previous obstacle less than a second before Pippel did. Abby Clark and Rachel Degutz, two of the "Jersey Girlz", faced each other in one of the races; Degutz won and was the only woman to complete the course, in the process also hitting her first-ever buzzer. Veterans Joe Moravsky, Najee Richardson, and James McGrath won their races against teenagers (with McGrath making his first trip to the National Finals since season 10) while other veterans lost theirs and were eliminated. David Campbell, who has competed in every season of the show, took the course at his own pace instead of racing and managed to advance to the National Finals as the fastest race loser after he finished it a minute later than his idol, Evan Andrews. Though he qualified for Vegas by winning his race, veteran Sean Bryan chose to withdraw after completing Hopscotch due to feeling pain in his arm.

Race results
Winners Losers
Time Result Competitor Competitor Result Time
1:03.24 7. Completed Josiah Pippel Jamie Rahn 3. Beehive No result
1:07.16 7. Completed Noah Meunier Nate Tackett 3. Beehive No result
1:15.81 7. Completed Jay Lewis Alex Goodwin 4. Hopscotch No result
1:17.89 7. Completed Evan Andrews David Campbell 7. Completed 2:06.11
1:32.73 7. Completed Luke Dillon Ramcis Valdez 5. Slingshot 0:33.00
1:34.95 7. Completed Kevin Rodriguez Austin Baron 2. Spring Forward No result
2:01.31 7. Completed Jonathan Godbout Verdale Benson 4. Hopscotch No result
2:04.59 7. Completed James McGrath Evan Bomengen 5. Slingshot 1:11.77
2:11.85 7. Completed Matt D'Amico Ibrahim Hayek 3. Beehive No result
2:20.83 7. Completed Rachel Degutz Abby Clark 4. Hopscotch No result
0:38.18 5. Slingshot Joe Moravsky Noah Jones 3. Beehive No result
0:49.34 5. Slingshot Najee Richardson Mazeiah Andrade 4. Hopscotch No result
1:00.97 5. Slingshot Taylor Johnson Casey Rothschild 4. Hopscotch No result
1:08.05 5. Slingshot Addy Herman Brittney Durant 4. Hopscotch No result
1:14.27 Withdrew;
4. Hopscotch 		Sean Bryan John Uga 3. Beehive No result
0:51.02 4. Hopscotch Emily Gardiner Michelle Warnky-Buurma 4. Hopscotch No result

Semifinal 3

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On the third and final night of the semifinals, two rounds took place. In round 3, former American Ninja Warrior Junior competitors Vance Walker and Isaiah Thomas faced each other at the end of the night in a race for the Safety Pass, with Walker narrowly coming out on top. 15-year old Madelyn Madaras became the third woman this season to clear the semifinals course, as she won her race and advanced to the National Finals. Sandy Zimmerman won her race and earned her first trip to the National Finals after 8 years of competing after her opponent, Isabella Wakeham, shockingly fell on the second obstacle. Isabella's brother, Isaiah Wakeham, completed the course and advanced to the National Finals as the best non-race winner. Other notable veterans not advancing to the National Finals include Abel Gonzalez, Grant McCartney, Nick Hanson, and Ian Dory (who had made his first appearance since season 11).

Race results
Winners Losers
Time Result Competitor Competitor Result Time
0:52.99 Completed Vance Walker Erick Zamorano Slingshot 0:58.09
1:08.33 Completed Isaiah Thomas Forest Strick Slingshot No result
1:38.63 Completed Kyle Soderman Sylas Snider Slingshot No result
2:00.59 Completed Grant Kiningham Isaiah Wakeham Completed 2:05.24
2:14.56 Completed Karsten Williams Abel Gonzalez Slingshot No result
2:21.63 Completed Jonathan Bange Ian Dory Sideways No result
3:02.97 Completed Madelyn Madaras Anna McArthur Slingshot No result
0:36.43 Slingshot Sebastian Chrismer Grant McCartney Sideways No result
0:54.40 Slingshot Jody Avila Deion Butler Beehive No result
1:00.43 Slingshot Joseph Rouse Nick Hanson Slingshot No result
1:16.37 Slingshot Barclay Stockett Rachel Brown Sideways No result
1:34.41 Slingshot Clarisa Morris Cailin Jewell Sideways No result
1:41.75 Slingshot Sandy Zimmerman Isabella Wakeham Flying Shelf Grab No result
0:20.63 Sideways Daniel Gil Gary Weiland Beehive No result
0:22.79 Sideways Cal Plohoros Simba Jones Flying Shelf Grab No result
0:28.24 Sideways Benjamin Drake Elijah Levee Flying Shelf Grab No result

Semifinal 4

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The fourth round of semifinals happened on the same night. R.J. Roman took the fastest time and also won a Safety Pass after defeating Elijah Browning in the final race, finishing in under 40 seconds. Caleb Bergstrom and his wife, Ashley, made history as the first married couple to advance to the National Finals together; also advancing was Caleb's brother-in-law, David Bergstrom-Wright. David's wife (and Caleb's sister), Caitlyn Bergstrom-Wright, did not advance after being eliminated in her race by her sister-in-law, Ashley (had Caitlyn won the race, she and David would have been the first married couple to advance together instead of Caleb and Ashley). Veterans Brett Sims and Bob Reese advanced to the National Finals as the two top race losers after both of them completed the course. Two notable veterans who did not advance to the National Finals were Ryan Stratis (who appeared for the first time since season 11) and Jessie Graff.

Race results
Winners Losers
Time Result Competitor Competitor Result Time
0:48.76 Completed R.J. Roman Daniel Osmer Beehive No result
0:53.89 Completed Elijah Browning Roberto Garemore Slingshot 0:36.06
0:56.14 Completed Nacssa Garemore Isaiah Lee Slingshot 1:12.43
0:57.56 Completed Caleb Bergstrom Jason Grossman Slingshot No result
1:08.26 Completed Ethan Bartnicki D.C. Banks Sideways No result
1:28.08 Completed Enzo DeFerrari Wilson Kyle Schulze Sideways No result
1:33.01 Completed Brandon Thomas Brett Sims Completed 1:42.62
1:37.81 Completed Vinnie Castranova Bob Reese Completed 2:29.24
2:04.51 Completed Flip Rodriguez Johnny Brown Slingshot No result
No result Slingshot David Bergstrom-Wright Josh Heman-Ackah Sideways No result
1:01.40 Slingshot Jaleesa Himka Jessie Graff Sideways No result
1:21.93 Slingshot Ashley Bergstrom Caitlyn Bergstrom-Wright Slingshot No result
1:31.58 Slingshot Zhanique Lovett Dara DePaolo Home Run No result
1:56.41 Slingshot Emma Pereyra Jeri D'Aurelio Beehive No result
No result Sideways Austin Hair Ryan Stratis Sideways No result
No result Flying Shelf Grab Alex Romer Matt Kalanz Flying Shelf Grab No result

National Finals

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Taking place on the Las Vegas Strip as usual, the National Finals have undergone changes for stages 1 and 2.

Stage 1

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In stage 1 (which was spread out over 2 nights), the contestants had 2 minutes and 50 seconds to clear the 8-obstacle course in order to advance to stage 2. However, this season it was important for 24 contestants to advance due to changes applied to stage 2; this way, not only finishers but athletes who made it the furthest in the least amount of time would advance to the next stage. Two new obstacles were introduced in the stage this season: The Gambler and Thread the Needle. In the first night, Bob Reese successfully performed a front flip on the Jumping Spider after failing to do it in the previous season and veteran Flip Rodriguez timed out at the cargo net which does not officially count as an obstacle. During the second night, veteran Najee Richardson failed to advance in what could be his final run due to an asthma attack and R.J. Roman advanced only after using his Safety Pass when his first run saw him fall on Thread the Needle. No woman completed the stage or received a seed in Stage 2, with rookie Taylor Greene making it farther than any other, getting as far as Dipping Birds.

  Denotes competitor who used the Safety Pass after failing on his first run.
Top 24 Competitors
Rank Competitor Time Furthest Obstacle
1 Kaden Lebsack 2:01.07 Completed
2 Evan Andrews 2:01.41 Completed
3 Caleb Bergstrom 2:02.32 Completed
4 R.J. Roman 2:08.56 Completed
5 Hans Hertz 2:10.51 Completed
6 Noah Meunier 2:24.68 Completed
7 Enzo DeFerrari Wilson 2:27.50 Completed
8 Jackson Twait 2:27.80 Completed
9 Josiah Pippel 2:30.15 Completed
10 Vance Walker 2:31.66 Completed
11 Isaiah Thomas 2:31.75 Completed
12 Joe Moravsky 2:32.76 Completed
13 Jera Boyd 2:32.95 Completed
14 Daniel Gil 2:33.01 Completed
15 Ethan Bartnicki 2:37.88 Completed
16 Austin Gray 2:38.84 Completed
17 Nacssa Garemore 2:44.96 Completed
18 Luke Dillon 2:46.16 Completed
19 Alex Romer 2:50.00 Cargo Net
20 Flip Rodriguez 2:50.00 Cargo Net
21 Ben Behrends 2:50.00 Cargo Net
22 Kyle Soderman 1:49.75 Cargo Net[b]
23 Jonathan Bange 1:50.51 Thread the Needle
24 Elijah Browning 1:58.38 Thread the Needle

Stage 2

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For the first time ever, the stage is not timed because of the new racing format previously introduced in semifinals. It also disallows competitors who fail to use their Safety Pass to retry the stage for the first time since its introduction. Instead, the top four losers compete with each other in two races, with the winner from each race advancing to Stage Three. One new obstacle debuted, Jawbreakers. During the races, veterans Joe Moravsky, Josiah Pippel, and Flip Rodriguez were eliminated, as well as reigning Last Ninja Standing Kaden Lebsack, who fell into the water for the first time in his three-year career.

  Denotes the fastest non-winners who advanced to the runoffs.
Race results
Winners Losers
Result Competitor Competitor Result
Completed Austin Gray Josiah Pippel Epic Air Surfer
Completed Caleb Bergstrom Kyle Soderman Falling Shelves
Completed Elijah Browning Kaden Lebsack Epic Air Surfer
Completed Jera Boyd Joe Moravsky Jawbreakers
Completed Hans Hertz Flip Rodriguez Jawbreakers
Completed Naccsa Garemore Jackson Twait Epic Air Surfer
Completed Noah Meunier Alex Romer Epic Air Surfer
Completed R.J. Roman Ben Behrends Epic Air Surfer
Falling Shelves Daniel Gil Isaiah Thomas Jawbreakers
Falling Shelves Ethan Bartnicki Vance Walker Falling Shelves
Falling Shelves Jonathan Bange Evan Andrews Jawbreakers
Epic Air Surfer Enzo DeFerrari Wilson Luke Dillon Epic Air Surfer
Non-winner Runoffs
Completed Kyle Soderman Josiah Pippel Epic Air Surfer
Completed Vance Walker Alex Romer Swing Surfer

Stage 3

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Stage 3 retained its format from the previous seasons, so only the competitors who pass it advance to the final stage. 2 new obstacles were introduced this season: Pressure Cooker and Road Signs. Slam Dunk made its Stage 3 debut.

Advancing
Competitor
Nacssa Garemore
Daniel Gil
Ethan Bartnicki
Caleb Bergstrom
Vance Walker
Hans Hertz
Noah Meunier
R.J. Roman
Not advancing
Competitor Furthest obstacle
Enzo DeFerrari Wilson Road Signs
Austin Gray Road Signs
Elijah Browning Road Signs
Jera Boyd Road Signs
Jonathan Bange Ultimate Cliffhanger
Kyle Soderman Ultimate Cliffhanger

Stage 4

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Daniel Gil became the third (fourth recorded) American Ninja Warrior and the second runner-up to achieve Total Victory, while Vance Walker became the fourth (fifth recorded) American Ninja Warrior and the second (third recorded) to win $1,000,000.

Results
Rank Competitor Time
1 Vance Walker 00:26.75
2 Daniel Gil 00:27.99
Failed
3 Noah Meunier 00:33.50
4 Caleb Bergstrom 00:37.51
5 Nacssa Garemore 00:40.18
6 Hans Hertz 00:42.32
7 Ethan Bartnicki 00:46.40
8 R.J. Roman —

Production

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The series was officially announced by NBC in late March,[3][4][5] though the applications were being accepted from November 19, 2022, until December 16, 2022. The full list of competitors was published on March 15, 2023.[6] Filming for qualifiers moved to Los Angeles, California, where the semifinals remained. Filming for national finals remained in Las Vegas, Nevada.[7]

Filming for the season began on March 15, 2023 and wrapped in early May 2023.[7]

Release

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Broadcasting

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On March 30, 2023, NBC revealed the premiere date and timeslot for the season.[4][5] The timeslot of previous seasons, Monday 8:00, was kept (however most episodes are reduced to one hour, with notable exceptions), with reruns scheduled regularly on Sunday 7:00 (except for conflicts with the three consecutive Sundays of conflicts with the USGA U. S. Open and NASCAR Nashville and Chicago rounds, all of which were in prime time) and on select weeks on Thursday at 9:00 and Friday at 8:00. The season airs on NBC.

Ratings

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Episode Air Date
Timeslot (ET) Rating
(18–49) 		Viewers
(Millions)
1 Qualifiers #1 & #2 June 5, 2023 Monday 8:00 PM 0.5[8] 3.09[8]
2 Qualifiers #3 June 12, 2023 0.4[9] 3.08[9]
3 Qualifiers #4 June 19, 2023 0.5[10] 3.09[10]
4 Qualifiers #5 June 26, 2023 0.4[11] 3.02[11]
5 Qualifiers #6 July 10, 2023 0.3[12] 2.84[12]
6 Qualifiers #7 July 17, 2023 0.4[13] 3.14[13]
7 Qualifiers #8 July 24, 2023 0.3[14] 3.15[14]
8 Semifinals #1 July 31, 2023 0.4[15] 3.17[15]
9 Semifinals #2 August 7, 2023 0.4[16] 3.23[16]
10 Semifinals #3 & #4 August 14, 2023 0.4[17] 3.04[17]
11 National Finals #1 August 21, 2023 0.4[18] 3.04[18]
12 National Finals #2 August 28, 2023 0.4[19] 3.30[19]
13 National Finals #3 September 4, 2023 0.4[20] 2.98[20]
14 National Finals #4 September 11, 2023 0.3[21] 2.93[21]

References

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  1. ^ Manno, Jackie; White, Jessica (September 5, 2023). "Everything to Know About American Ninja Warrior Season 15". NBC Insider Official Site. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  2. ^ White, Jessica (July 25, 2023). "American Ninja Warrior 2023 Qualifiers Recap: Who Is Advancing?". NBC Insider Official Site. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  3. ^ Peter White (March 29, 2023). "American Ninja Warrior Lands Bumper Renewal Order At NBC With Taller Mega Wall Among Format Changes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "NBC Races Toward Summer with Returning Powerhouse Favorites and Two New Series" (Press release). NBC. March 30, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023 – via The Futon Critic.
  5. ^ a b Katie Campione (March 30, 2023). "NBC Announces Summer Premiere Dates For America's Got Talent, American Ninja Warrior, Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  6. ^ "List of ninjas compeating in 2023". Ninja Guide. March 15, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  7. ^ a b ""American Ninja Warrior Season 15": All you need to know". Ninja Guide. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Salem, Mitch (June 6, 2022). "Monday 6.5.2023 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (June 13, 2022). "Monday 6.12.2023 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  10. ^ a b Salem, Mitch (June 21, 2022). "Monday 6.19.2023 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Mitch Metcalf (June 27, 2023). "Monday 6.26.2023 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (July 11, 2023). "Monday Ratings: ESPN Projected to Top the Night with MLB Home Run Derby". Programming Insider. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (July 18, 2023). "Monday Ratings: USA Network to Lead in Key Demos with WWE Raw, All-Rerun CBS Tops in Total Viewers". Programming Insider. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (July 25, 2023). "Monday Ratings: Canadian Comedies Son of a Critch and Children Ruin Everything Premiere on The CW". Programming Insider. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (August 1, 2023). "Monday Ratings: Canadian Comedy Run the Burbs Makes U.S. Debut on The CW". Programming Insider. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (August 8, 2023). "Monday Ratings: USA Network to Top Demos, CBS Led in Total Viewers with All-Rerun Lineup". Programming Insider. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (August 15, 2023). "Monday Ratings: ABC and NBC in Close 18-49 and 25-54 Broadcast Demo Battle as American Ninja Warrior Extended to Two Hours". Programming Insider. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (August 22, 2023). "Monday Ratings: ABC Tops Big-4 with The Bachelorette Hitting Season-High in Season Finale". Programming Insider. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (August 29, 2023). "Monday Ratings: Claim to Fame on ABC Reaches Six-Week High in 18-49 with Season Finale". Programming Insider. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  20. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (September 5, 2023). "Monday Ratings: ESPN Expected to Dominate Labor Day Evening with College Football". Programming Insider. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  21. ^ a b Douglas Pucci (September 12, 2023). "Monday Ratings: Monday Night Football Kicked Off its 54th Season on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2". Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  1. ^ A modified version of The Cubes
  2. ^ Soderman reached Cargo Net faster than the others but could not refrain, therefore it was not considered he has reached it.
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