Well that was an intense two weeks.
The first season of ‘Australian Ninja Warrior‘, the show that wowed an increasingly unfit nation – 63.4% of Australians are overweight according to the ABS – and probably motivated at least one person to get off their arse and go outside, is officially over.
It’s been a huge ratings success, scoring 2.3 million viewers for its first episode, and has inspired enough Twitter controversy to fuel a small wind farm. We didn’t get Roy & H.G. as commentators though. Sad!
What we did get was a Grand Final course that even elite athletes could not overcome – and even if they did manage one stage they’d probably be struck down anyway.
Australia noticed:
All of Australia looking at the Grand Final course … #NinjaWarriorAU @NinjaWarriorAU pic.twitter.com/CyEA7hmYIz
— David Campbell (@DavidCampbell73) July 25, 2017
Looking at the #NinjaWarriorAU course like ?? @NinjaWarriorAU #NinjaWarrior #ninjawarriorfinal @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/6IFpyXbjdE
— Jalisa Gilbert (@JalisaG15) July 25, 2017
Eight of the 21 total contestants did in fact make it through by the skin of their teeth, but none managed to conquer Stage Two.
27-year-old Fred Dorrington was almost disqualified because his foot may have just barely brushed the water in Stage One – just like he was from the British season last year. But he ended up making it the furthest, the fastest in the second stage, and won Oz’s first season. He had finished the first stage with more than 20 seconds to spare.
Put your hands together for Fred Dorrington, who made it the furthest, fastest in our first season of #NinjaWarriorAU! ?? pic.twitter.com/Bxch20vL02
— Ninja Warrior (@NinjaWarriorAU) July 25, 2017
He did not achieve ‘Total Victory’, which requires completing the final stage of the course – although in his defence the first time an American pulled that off was in season seven.
Fun story: Geoff Britten became the first American Ninja Warrior by completing stage four in 2015, only to be surpassed by another contestant, Isaac Caldiero, who also finished the course, but did it faster. He went home with a cool million, Britten with nuthin’. Brutal.
Dorrington ran out of time clinging to the Unstable Bridge in Stage Two:
Just Fred, our green and gold Ninja, doing his thing on the #NinjaWarriorAU course. ?? pic.twitter.com/gkABHgAvAi
— Ninja Warrior (@NinjaWarriorAU) July 25, 2017
Poor 24-year-old Tom O’Halloran was also a contender, having completed the first stage with almost a minute up his sleeve, but fell from the same bridge with less than three seconds left to finish his run.
It’s all water under the Unstable Bridge for Tom! #NinjaWarriorAU pic.twitter.com/hObH6AVnGl
— Ninja Warrior (@NinjaWarriorAU) July 25, 2017
And 23-year-old Ashlin Herbert just couldn’t beat the Salmon Ladder after he had finished the first stage in the fasted time, with one minute and 20 seconds to go.
The man with the headband hits the buzzer with the fastest time of the night! #NinjaWarriorAU pic.twitter.com/V2Sy2i5jzO
— Ninja Warrior (@NinjaWarriorAU) July 25, 2017
Poor bloke.
Still, the people have spoken and they’re decidedly into ‘Australian Ninja Warrior‘. And Dave Hughes is shook.
I’m shell shocked. #NinjaWarriorAu
— Dave Hughes (@DHughesy) July 25, 2017
#NinjaWarriorAU We have enjoyed every minute! Yew! Brilliant competitors and such an awesome series!
— Jade Jones (@YesSixes) July 25, 2017
Ninja Warriors
Putting it all on the line
Thank you for the fun#haiku #NinjaWarriorAU pic.twitter.com/9gbxxYwPHX— Kumi Taguchi | ???? (@kumitaguchi) July 25, 2017
When does season 2 start?? #NinjaWarriorAu pic.twitter.com/xE5Vwxr2N0
— Matt (@mattleo218) July 25, 2017
Photo: Twitter.
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