<P> On May 29, 2016, prior to the premiere of season eight, NBC aired a two - hour all - star special in which hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja - Biamila chose their own all - star teams composed of three veterans, one rookie, and one woman . Teams competed on stages two, three, and four of the regular season finals course, Mt . Midoriyama, as well as competitions on a supersized course by testing their skills in competitions on the giant pegboard, 40 - foot Salmon Ladder, Flying Shelf Grab, and Jump Hang, concluding with a race to the top of the "Mega" Warped Wall . </P> <P> The all - star winners were Team Akbar who won the team competition, beating Team Matt 5 - 3 . Additionally, competitor Joe Moravsky completed Stage 2 in a record time of 1: 08: 52 . </P> <P> On February 20, 2017, NBC aired a second two - hour all - star special . Like the previous year's competition, ANW hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja - Biamila chose their own all - star teams, this year composed of one veteran, one breakout star, and one woman . Team Matt featured Chris Wilczewski, Najee Richardson, and Jesse "Flex" Lebreck . Team Akbar featured Grant McCartney, Neil "Crazy" Craver, and Meagan Martin . Also, sideline interviewer Kristine Leahy got to pick her own team, which consisted of Jessie Graff, Flip Rodriguez, and Nicholas Coolridge . Teams competed as a relay race to finish sections of stages one, two, and three of the regular season finals course, Mt . Midoriyama . Next, was the skills competition on a supersized course where individual contestants tested their skills in competition on the 75 - feet tall Endless Invisible Ladder, the 4 - story high Super Salmon Ladder, Supersonic Shelf Grab, Striding Steps, and the Mega Wall, which is now 20 feet high . </P> <P> The all - star winners were Team Kristine, who won the team relay race competition, beating Team Matt and last year's champions Team Akbar . Their highlight of the night was completing Stage 3 in a record time of 5: 30: 62, making this the POM Wonderful Run of the Night . </P>

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