[6] The Los Angeles Finals featured two new obstacles, Swinging Peg Board and Elevator Climb.
The "Papal Ninja" Sean Bryan just edged out concrete worker Adam Rayl (5:07.92) to earn the fastest finish of the night with a time of 5:07.22.
Both ANW veteran Brent Steffensen and former Olympic gymnast Jonathan Horton returned to full form by completing the course and moving onto the next round.
ANW trainer Daniel Gil earned the "POM Wonderful Run of the Night" with the fastest time (1:43.24).
[9] The Daytona Beach Qualifying had two new obstacles, one designed by tennis instructor and walk-on competitor Kevin Carbone.
Gym owner Drew Drechsel earned the "POM Wonderful Run of the Night" with the fastest time (1:10.49).
Allyssa Beird was the first woman to complete the course this season; she and Jesse Labreck were the first two women to hit the buzzer during the same qualifier.
It was also the first time that two couples (Jesse Labreck and Chris DiGangi, and Allyssa Beird and James McGrath) completed the course during the same qualifying run.
"Captain NBC" Jamie Rahn was the first to hit the buzzer, earning the "POM Wonderful Run of the Night" with a time of 8:39.85.
James McGrath's streak of six Nationals appearances ended when he fell on the dismount from the Nail Clipper, as Joe Moravsky knocked him out of the top 15 and finished the course even faster with a time of 7:24.10.
Ian Dory continued his city finals completion streak, earning the "POM Wonderful Run of the Night" as the only finisher with a time of 6:56.33.
[19] Note: The competitors of Denver Finals were also given free tickets to the premiere of The Lego Ninjago Movie.
Highlights from the first half included school teacher Allyssa Beird who made ANW history by becoming only the second woman (also the third worldwide, the first two being Chie Tanabe in Sasuke 2 and Jessie Graff in the eighth season of ANW) to complete Stage One, earning her the POM Wonderful "Run of the Night".
Also, at only 5 feet tall, gymnastics coach Barclay Stockett became the second woman to get past the Warped Wall on Stage One.
Stage 2 featured three new obstacles, the Criss Cross Salmon Ladder, the Swing Surfer, and Wingnut Alley.
Alyssa Beird, the lone female to advance to Stage 2, was eliminated on the Criss Cross Salmon Ladder.
Stage 3 featured three new obstacles, the Nail Clipper (from the Cleveland Finals), the Peg Cloud, and the Time Bomb.