Numerical benchmark studies on drag and lift coefficients of a marine riser have been organized by the 27th ITTC Ocean Engineering Committee. The purpose of the studies was to benchmark the capabilities of CFD methods through quantitative comparisons and validation studies against the model test results of a circular cylinder by MARIN. Studies were focused on the drag crisis phenomenon for the stationary smooth cylinder in the critical Reynolds number regime. Eight organizations have participated in the studies by using RANS, DES and LES methods. An overview of the model test results, test cases, submissions and comparison results are presented in this paper. Conclusions and recommendations are made for future studies.