SALT LAKE CITY — Last night, 41 ninjas vied for the coveted title of “American Ninja Warrior,” and despite their valiant efforts, the season came to a close without an official winner — as usual.
In the season finale that NBC aired Monday, Sept. 18, the ninjas attempted to navigate Stage 2 of the national finals — a course with six obstacles, expected to be completed within four minutes.
More than half of the bunch fell victim to the fifth obstacle of the course, Wingnut Alley, including gym owner Karson Voiles from West Haven, Utah. The obstacle involved swinging horizontally and jumping to each of the four wingnuts, separated by about 10 feet, before making it safely to the landing platform.
Only three of the 41 competitors completed the course and advanced to Stage 3. Both Sean Bryan and Najee Richardson got eliminated halfway through the 8-obstacle course.
Joe Moravsky, who has been competing on the show every year since season five, went the farthest of anyone this season and set his own personal record, making it to the seventh of eight obstacles before falling into the water and bringing season nine to a close.
In the show’s history, only two competitors have made it all the way through Stage 4 and achieved “total victory.” Stage 4 is a 75-foot rope climb that must be completed in under 30 seconds. In season 7 of “American Ninja Warrior,” Geoff Britten completed the climb with a second to spare, but it was Isaac Caldiero who walked away with the grand prize of one million dollars and the title of “American Ninja Warrior” for completing the climb with a faster time, according to Entertainment Weekly.