Jessie Graff in the Chicken costume she wore in American Ninja Warrior 5
Jessie Graff (ジェシー・グラフ) is a stuntwoman who competed in Episode 10 of Wipeout. Placing second in the first two events, but then being eliminated on the dreadmill.
American Ninja Warrior Appearances
American Ninja Warrior 5
In American Ninja Warrior 5, she managed to make her way through most of the obstacles, but was one of many to fail on the Flying Nunchucks, however her result was good enough for 30th place as she is in the Venice finals, the first time to happen on American Ninja Warrior. In the Venice finals, she became the second woman to reach the Warped Wall only to fail it. She came to the Las Vegas Finals as a wildcard and became one of the 2 women to reach the Jumping Spider but she didn't get a good enough jump and failed.
American Ninja Warrior 7
Jessie attempting the Hourglass Drop in the Venice Qualifying
In American Ninja Warrior 6, Jessie was unable to compete due to a tear in her ACL, MCL, and meniscus. However, Jessie made her triumphant return in American Ninja Warrior 7 and competed in the Venice qualifying course. On the course, Jessie flew past the first four obstacles. On the Hourglass Drop, Jessie was able to transverse through the first board. However, she had a poor jump on the trampoline and failed to get her hands on the other board. But once again, Jessie finished in 28th place and managed to qualify for the Venice finals. By doing so, she becomes the fifth woman to qualify to a city finals.
In the Venice finals, Jessie put on an outstanding performance. She was able to get her revenge on the Hourglass Drop and even topped that by completing the Warped Wall. On the second half of the course, Jessie was able to destroy the Salmon Ladder and the Rumbling Dice and became the first person to reach the brand new obstacle, the Clear Climb. Due to her lack of knowledge on the obstacle, she took the lower route of the obstacle and wasn't able to maneuver through the wall causing her to fail. However, she clinched 6th place in the finals earning her ticket to Vegas. By doing so, Jessie becomes the second woman behind Kacy Catanzaro in American Ninja Warrior history to qualify for the Vegas finals.
In the National Finals in Las Vegas, Jessie came in as one of the favorites of the females to complete the first stage. On the course, she completed the first three obstacles with finesse. Then, on the Jumping Spider, Jessie got her revenge from two years prior and completed the obstacle. She then cleared the next obstacle, the Sonic Curve becoming the second woman only behind Meagan Martin to reach the Warped Wall in the Vegas finals. On the Warped Wall, Jessie had trouble building up speed and momentum to scale up the wall. Unfortunately, she ended up timing out. In the post-interview, Jessie stated she hasn't done a lot of speed workouts and that she would love to compete again.
American Ninja Warrior 8
In American Ninja Warrior 8, Jessie competed in the 2016 Los Angeles Qualifying Round at Universal Studios. On the Qualifying Course, She made history as she blazed through all six obstacles and making her not only the first woman this season to complete the qualifying course, but the first woman to complete the newly modified 14.5-foot Warped Wall as she finished the course in 11th place with 4:27.84.
Jessie put on a phenomenal performance in the city finals. She was able to transverse through the first seven obstacles with finesse and even became the first competitor to complete the new and drastic The Wedge. Matter of fact, she was only one of two competitors to complete that obstacle. She ultimately failed the 9th obstacle, Double Helix inches to the finish. However, she was second on the leader board and clinched her spot to Vegas for the second consecutive year.
Jessie Graff attempting the Giant Ring Swing in stage 2 of the National Finals.
In the National Finals, Jessie put on a historic performance and became the first woman in American Ninja Warrior history to complete the upgraded (14'6") Warped Wall. Not only did she conquer the Wall, but she became the first woman to conquer Stage One of the finals in American Ninja Warrior history. In Stage Two, she took too much time on the Giant Ring Swing and Down Up Salmon Ladder which caused her to be fatigued to attempt the Wave Runner.
Jessie Graff’s Record-Breaking Run - American Ninja Warrior- USA vs. The World
USA Vs. The World 2017
Jessie Graff got to compete in the USA vs. the World competition in 2017 making history as the first woman ever to do so. She shockingly failed Snake Run during her run on Stage One when she lost her balance (despite beating it in the regular season). However, The Team Captain, Drew Drechsel gave up his spot on Stage Two to Jessie, During her run on Stage Two, Jessie redeemed herself by clearing the Giant Ring Swing in a fast enough time and won two points for Team USA she also got her revenge on the Wave Runner and made history as the first woman ever to hit the buzzer on Stage Two and was granted POM Run Of The Night. The USA Team eventually won the competition.
._Jesse_La_Flair_and_Nicholas_Coolridge_(Team_Ninja_Warrior_Season_2)..JPG){kind=link}
American Ninja Warrior 9
Jessie returned to compete in Daytona Beach in American Ninja Warrior 9. she looked strong, clearing the first four obstacles but she failed the Rolling Thunder inches to the landing pad. However, she placed 26th overall in the top 30 and moved onto the city finals. In the city finals, she got her revenge on the Rolling Thunder and did the splits to complete the Giant Cubes, she made it all the way to the Elevator Climb before falling, and she placed 4th overall, making it the third year in a row that she qualified for the national finals. This is currently the closest that a female competitor has to completing a finals course ever since Kacy Catanzaro's run in American Ninja Warrior 6. In the National Finals, it looked like Jessie was on her way to completing the first stage for the second straight year but made a shocking fall on the Flying Squirrel when she lost her grip on the cargo net, barely missing out on the buzzer. In her post-run interview, she stated that she should've made one more swing to firmly grip the cargo net, where in comparison to last season, she swung more to gather better distance.
SASUKE Appearance
According to the official website of SASUKE, Jessie Graff is included in the 100 competitors who competed in SASUKE 34, with her having #87.
In the First Stage, she breezed through the First Stage and became the second woman to clear the stage in SASUKE history since Tanabe Chie in SASUKE 2, and became the first woman in SASUKE history to complete the First Stage ever since the debut of the Soritatsu Kabe in SASUKE 5.
With added confidence because of her advancing to the Second Stage, she did the unthinkable, clearing all of the obstacles of the Second Stage with 4.44 seconds remaining, became the first ever woman to do so in SASUKE history.
Even with her lack of experience in the Third Stage, she completed the first half of the stage with ease, including the Flying Bar and Sidewinder Kai. Unfortunately, her strength ran out on the Ultra Crazy Cliffhanger, which she did not generate enough swing and momentum to transit to the second ledge. With her failing the obstacle, it has become the furthest point a woman made in SASUKE history.
Trivia
- Graff became the first woman to attempt a city finals course in American Ninja Warrior history in American Ninja Warrior 5.
- Graff became the second woman to qualify for the Las Vegas finals by being in the Top 15 in American Ninja Warrior 7.
- Graff was the first competitor to complete The Wedge.
- Graff has achieved the highest ranking of any woman in a city final, placing second in the Los Angeles City Finals of American Ninja Warrior 8.
- Graff became the first woman to complete Stage One in American Ninja Warrior history in American Ninja Warrior 8.
- Graff failed the Elevator Climb in the American Ninja Warrior 9 Daytona City Finals, making that the farthest point a woman has made in a city finals since Kacy Catanzaro's completion of the Dallas city finals in American Ninja Warrior 6.
- In SASUKE, some of the obstacles there are toned down so that it would be easier for women competitors to clear. But in SASUKE 34, Graff requested to attempt the obstacles without any modification whatsoever, with only the time limit being changed.
- Graff became the second woman to complete the First Stage in SASUKE history in SASUKE 34.
- Graff was the first woman in any SASUKE/Ninja Warrior international format to complete Stage One/First Stage since the introduction of the Warped Wall.
- Graff became the first woman to complete the Second Stage in any SASUKE/Ninja Warrior international format in SASUKE 34.
- Graff became the first woman to attempt the Third Stage in any SASUKE/Ninja Warrior international format in SASUKE 34.
- With her fall on the Ultra Crazy Cliffhanger in SASUKE 34, this has become the farthest point a woman made in SASUKE history.
Results
| ANW | # | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 68 | Failed Jumping Spider (First Stage) | |
| 7 | Failed Warped Wall (First Stage) | Timed out | |
| 8 | Failed Wave Runner (Second Stage) | Second woman to attempt Stage Two in either SASUKE and American Ninja Warrior. | |
| 9 | Failed Flying Squirrel (First Stage) | Transition to Rope Ladder |
| SASUKE | # | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 87 | Failed Ultra Crazy Cliffhanger (Third Stage) | First Transition. First woman to clear the Second Stage. First woman to attempt the Third Stage. |