Ninja Warrior France 5

Ninja Warrior France 5 is the fifth season of Ninja Warrior format in France, and the first season after the total victories of Jean Tezenas du Montcel and Nicolas Cerquant on the previous season. The show was taped at Vieux Port de Cannes in Cannes and premiered on January 2, 2021 on TF1. Denis Brogniart, Christophe Beaugrand and Iris Mittenaere returned as hosts and commentators this season, while Shane Griffin returned as the tester of the course. This season also marked the return of the show after missing out 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The Qualifications
There were a total of 4 qualification rounds, each course was made up of eight obstacles: with from the fifth to the seventh obstacle was added new compared to Ninja Warrior France 4. It was a version of the Power Tower named La Tour d'Acier (Steel Tower), 12 meters high. Compared to its past appearances on other shows such as American Ninja Warrior, instead of being used as a side-by-side obstacle race, only one competitor can attempt the obstacle per run.

Also, returning from Ninja Warrior France 4, competitors must indicate their choice between Route A or Route B, with two obstacles each to tackle, a very similar concept to the Crossroads in VIKING.

Compared to previous seasons, competitors now have to complete the first four obstacles within a certain time limit depended on each courses, with additional time added for women competitors.

The Mega Wall is making a comeback, but it works different this time and now very similar to American Ninja Warrior 11:


 * Competitors were given 3 attempts to complete either the regular Warped Wall or Mega Wall.
 * If they decided to attempt the Mega Wall and failed to complete it after 3 attempts, they couldn't return to the regular Warped Wall this time.
 * The cash prizes for completing the Mega Wall would decrease as competitors used up more of the attempts. The cash prizes were listed as followed:
 * Completion on the first attempt: €5,000.
 * Completion on the second attempt: €2,500.
 * Completion on the third and final attempt: €1,000.

Fifty competitors would attempt each qualification round. At the end of each of the four qualifications, the top 12 would advance to the semifinals. However, competitors who completed the Mega Wall on their first attempt would be not counted to the leaderboard as they gain an automatic pass to the finals. But, if they cleared the Mega Wall on their second or third attempt, their run would still be counted into the leaderboard.

Also, with the announcement of its own Obstacle Design Challenge from the previous season, in which fans created obstacles and the best would be modified and used in the course. This year's winner was the Inclined Cylinder (Le Cylindre Incliné), created by Dorian, an 18-year-old engineer student from Savoy.

Obstacles
Timed

① Shrinking Steps (Les Cinq Marches)

② Rolling Log (Le Rouleau Compresseur)

③ Curved Body Prop (Le Piège de Cristal) (A) or Barrel Roll (Le Double Barillet) (B)

④ Ferris Wheel (Les Disques J'ai Eu) (A) or Giant Cubes (Les Cubes de Cristal) (B)

Time Limit: 150 seconds (180 seconds for female competitors)

Untimed: Power Tower (La Tour d'Acier)

⑤ Cliffhanger (Les 3 Reglettes d'Escalade)

⑥ Two Rings (Les 2 Anneaux Suspendus)

⑦ Sideways Cargo Net (Le Filet de Chargement)

Untimed: Walls (Le Murs)

⑧ Warped Wall / Mega Wall (Le Mur Classique / Le Méga Mur)

Obstacles
Timed

① Shrinking Steps (Les Cinq Marches)

② Lunatic Ledges (Le Double Pendule)

③ The Hinge (Le Volte-Face) (A) or Grim Sweeper (Les Trois Griffes) (B)

④ Dangerous Curves (Les Tapis Volants) (A) or Doorknob Arch (La Grande Roue) (B)

Time Limit: 150 seconds (180 seconds for female competitors)

Untimed: Power Tower (La Tour d'Acier)

⑤ Cliffhanger (Les 3 Reglettes d'Escalade)

⑥ Two Rings (Les 2 Anneaux Suspendus)

⑦ Sideways Cargo Net (Le Filet de Chargement)

Untimed: Walls (Le Murs)

⑧ Warped Wall / Mega Wall (Le Mur Classique / Le Méga Mur)

Results

Obstacles
Timed

① Shrinking Steps (Les Cinq Marches)

② Spinning Bowties (Les Nœud Papillon)

③ Barrel Roll (Le Double Barillet) (A) or Grim Sweeper (Les Trois Griffes) (B)

④ Dangerous Curves (Les Tapis Volants) (A) or Giant Cubes (Les Cubes de Cristal) (B)

Time Limit: 150 seconds (180 seconds for female competitors)

Untimed: Power Tower (La Tour d'Acier)

⑤ Cliffhanger (Les 3 Reglettes d'Escalade)

⑥ Two Rings (Les 2 Anneaux Suspendus)

⑦ Sideways Cargo Net (Le Filet de Chargement)

Untimed: Walls (Le Murs)

⑧ Warped Wall / Mega Wall (Le Mur Classique / Le Méga Mur)

Obstacles
Timed

① Shrinking Steps (Les Cinq Marches)

② Lunatic Ledges (Le Double Pendule)

③ Curved Body Prop (Le Piège de Cristal) (A) or Walk the Plank (La Planche à Bascule) (B)

④ Ferris Wheel (Les Disques J'ai Eu) (A) or ~Inclined Cylinder (Le Cylindre Incliné) (B)

Time Limit: 135 seconds (150 seconds for female competitors)

Untimed: Power Tower (La Tour d'Acier)

⑤ Cliffhanger (Les 3 Reglettes d'Escalade)

⑥ Two Poles (Les 2 Mikados Suspendus)

⑦ Sideways Cargo Net (Le Filet de Chargement)

Untimed: Walls (Le Murs)

⑧ Warped Wall / Mega Wall (Le Mur Classique / Le Méga Mur)

~ - Fan-created Obstacle (Obstacle Design Challenge Winner)

The Semifinals
There were a total of 4 semifinals, with each semifinal took place right after the Qualification it represents. The functioning was the same with Ninja Warrior France 4, with 12 semifinalists would be divided into 6 matches, the fastest qualifying will face the 12th qualifying, the 2nd will face the 11th, the 3rd the 10th, etc. 2 competitors in each match would race on the same course, one at time, and the one did better would earn a spot to the Final, while the other would be eliminated.

Among 6 competitors that won in each Semifinal, the one with the best performance would earn a "joker", allowing him/her a chance to start an obstacle again in the Final if he/she fails; however, there was no more the € 5,000 cash prize.

Obstacles
① Floating Steps (Le Grand Escalier)

② Swinging Frames (Les Cadres à Coulisses)

③ Spinning Bridge (Le Boulier)

④ Spring Forward (Les Tiges à Ressorts)

⑤ Chimney Sweep (La Cheminée de L'Extrême)

The Finals
The Finals consisted of 28 competitors, 24 of them advanced from the Semifinals, 3 of them competitors automatically advanced to the Finals by completing the Mega Wall in the first attempt during the Qualifications, and a wildcard for Maurane Jelic - who was the best women competitor during the Semifinals. They would battle it out to become the next winner of Ninja Warrior France and earn €100,000 cash prize. If no one could complete the course, the furthest fastest one would be awarded €20,000 cash prize.

Also, similar to the previous season, the Final featured a "Joker", which gave competitors who got it a chance to redo the obstacle they had just failed during Stage 1 and timed part of Stage 2. Compared to the Safety Pass, competitors didn't need to redo the whole stage, but they only had a little time to rest before attempting the obstacle again, the timer would continue to count from the time competitors failed before, and no other competitors would run the course during the rest.

Obstacles
① Hazard Cones (Le Piège de Diamants)

② Rolling Steel (Les Cadres à Coulisses)

③ Double Twister (Le Double Twister)

④ The Clacker (Les Clackers)

⑤ Warped Wall (La Rampe de Lancement)

⑥ Doorknob Drop (Les Équerres)

⑦ Wall Flip Tower (La Tour de Plomb)

Time Limit: 250 seconds (280 seconds for female competitors)

Obstacles
Timed

① Roulette Row (Les Volants)

② Devil Steps (L'Everest)

③ Salmon Ladder (L'Échelle d'Hercule)

④ Flying Shelf Grab (Les Hauts Plateaux)

⑤ Leaps of Faith (Les Volets Aériens)

⑥ Spider Trap / Chimney Sweep (La Cheminée de L'Extrême)

Time Limit: 210 seconds

Untimed

⑦ Ultimate Cliffhanger (La Muraille des Titans)

⑧ Slingshot (Les Sauts à L' Élastique)

⑨ Hang Climb (Le Plafond de Verre)

⑩ Snap Back (La Souricière)

Obstacles
① Rope Climb (23 meters)

Time Limit: 32 seconds