How to Watch the 2021 Rogue Invitational
The 2021 Rogue Invitational will take place on Oct. 29-31, 2021, at the 12,000-seat outdoor Dell Diamond stadium in Round Rock, TX. For the first time in the competition’s history, it will feature a strongman contest in addition to the CrossFit-sanctioned competitions.
All three days of the event will be live-streamed on Rogue Fitness’ YouTube channel. Edited features of the 2021 Rogue Invitational will air on CBS in three parts later in 2021. Part one will air at 1 p.m EST on Nov. 13, 2021, parts two and three will air on Dec. 25, 2021, at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. Here are the competitions to look forward to:
2021 Rogue Invitational Competitions
A total of 40 athletes — 20 male and 20 female — have been invited to compete in the elite CrossFit competition, including defending champions Patrick Vellner and five-time reigning Fittest Woman on Earth® Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr. In the Legends division, nine men and seven women are confirmed on the roster, featuring four-time Fittest Man on Earth®, Rich Froning.
The strongman contest features 10 of the world’s premier athletes in the sport, including four-time World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Brian Shaw and reigning WSM champion Tom Stoltman.
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Strongman Competition
The inaugural strongman competition at the Rogue Invitational has the largest prize pool of any strongman contest in the sport’s history. First place will be awarded $130,814 at the time of this article’s publication (prizes scale with ticket sales), and all 10 athletes will walk away with a minimum of $3,938.
Rogue Invitational — Strongman Roster
- Brian Shaw
- Tom Stoltman
- Luke Stoltman
- Martins Licis
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski
- Robert Kearney
- JF Caron
- Mikhail Shivlyakov
- Jerry Pritchett
- Oleksii Novikov
The 10 athletes on the roster are a who’s who of elite-caliber contenders. Four out of 10 men on the roster have previously won the WSM contest (Brian Shaw, Tom Stoltman, Oleksii Novikov, Martins Licis), another two have made it to the WSM podium (Mateusz Kieliszkowski, JF Caron), and all but one of made it to a WSM Finals — Rob Kearney is the only outlier. Additionally, the Rogue Invitational strongman contest features the long-awaited return of Martins Licis to competition after several years off, recovering from various injuries.
Rogue Invitational — Strongman Events
The strongman contest will consist of five events split over two days.
Day One — Friday, Oct. 29, 2021
- Rogue Elephant Bar Max Deadlift
- Cyr Dumbbell Ladder
Day Two — Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021
- The Wheel of Pain
- Yoke Carry & Overhead Log Lift Medley
- Stone Over Hitching Post
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2021 Rogue Invitational
The 2021 Rogue Invitational CrossFit competition will pay out the largest prize purse of any CrossFit-sanctioned contest aside from the CrossFit Games. The overall winner will receive $250,836. Like the strongman contest, every athlete will go home with bigger bank accounts as all participants are guaranteed $5,833. The prize pool for the CrossFit Legends competition has not been announced.
2021 Rogue Invitational Roster — Men’s Division
- Justin Medeiros
- Patrick Vellner
- Björgvin Karl Guðmundsson
- Saxon Panchik
- Guilherme Malheiros
- Alex Vigneault
- Lazar Đukić
- Travis Mayer
- Jeffrey Adler
- Cole Sager
- André Houdet
- Henrik Haapalainen
- Jayson Hopper
- Will Moorad
- Chandler Smith
- Ben Smith
- Alexandre Caron
- Uldis Upenieks
- Jason Smith
- Samuel Kwant
2021 Rogue Invitational Roster — Women’s Division
- Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr
- Laura Horvath
- Annie Thorisdottir
- Kristin Holte
- Haley Adams
- Gabriela Migała
- Mallory O’Brien
- Kristi Eramo O’Connell
- Amanda Barnhart
- Katrín Davíðsdóttir
- Danielle Brandon
- Emma McQuaid
- Thuridur Erla Helgadottir
- Arielle Loewen
- Emily Rolfe
- Sam Briggs
- Kari Pearce
- Emma Cary
- Carolyne Prevost
- Jacqueline Dahlstrøm
Pearce announced her retirement from competitive CrossFit on Oct. 22, 2021, but will compete at the Dell Diamond stadium. Likewise, Holte announced her retirement from the CrossFit Games on Aug. 4, 2021, and will also compete in Round Rock. Both Pearce and Holte remain two of the strongest competitors in the field and could make a run for the podium.
2021 Rogue Invitational Individual Events
A total of seven events spread over three days comprise the 2021 Rogue Invitational.
Event One — GORUCK | Friday, Oct. 29
For time:
- Wheelbarrow pull to Zeus
- 10 over-under log on Zeus
- Five rope climbs
- Three sandbags to top of hill | Men: 50 pounds/Women: 35 pounds
- 10 over-under log on Zeus
- Wheelbarrow push to finish with GORUCK pack | Men: 30 pounds Women: 20 pounds
Event Two — Bella Complex | Friday, Oct. 29
Establish max load of the following barbell complex:
- One clean
- One shoulder-to-overhead
- One front squat
- One shoulder-to-overhead
Event Three — Echo Burner | Saturday, Oct. 30
For time:
- 20 thrusters | Men: 115 pounds/Women: 75 pounds
- Echo bike | Men: 40 calories/Women: 32 calories
- 20 thrusters
Event Four — Concept2 | Saturday, Oct. 30
Four rounds for time:
- SkiErg — 21 calories
- 21 medicine ball GHD sit-ups | Men: 14 pounds/Women: 10 pounds
- Hill run
Event Five — The Mule | Saturday, Oct. 30
21-15-9 reps of:
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Event Six — Chipper | Sunday, Oct. 31
For time:
- Row | Men: 45 calories/Women: 40 calories
- 35 box step-ups w/feed bag | Men: 24-inch box, 70-pound bag/Women: 20-inch box, 50 pound bag
- 30 strict handstand push-ups
- 15 ring muscle-ups
- Jerry Can Carry | Men: 100 pounds/Women: 70 pounds
- 15 ring muscle-ups
- 30 strict handstand push-ups
- 35 box step-ups w/feed bag
- Row
Event Seven — TBD | Sunday, Oct. 31
The final event of the 2021 Rogue Invitational will remain a mystery until competition time.
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The Legends event schedule has been released but the details of the three events have not. There will be one event on each day of the competition, Oct-29-31, 2021.
2021 Rogue Invitational — Men’s Roster | Legends
- Chris Spealler
- Dan Bailey
- Jason Khalipa
- Josh Bridges
- Josh Everett
- Matt Chan
- Mikko Salo
- Rich Froning
- Tommy Hackenbruck
Khalipa is the reigning Legends division champion, earning the top overall spot in 2019.
2021 Rogue Invitational — Women’s Roster | Legends
- Annie Sakamoto
- Julie Foucher
- Kristan Clever
- Margaux Alvarez
- Rebecca Voigt Miller
- Tanya Wagner
- Stacie Tovar
Sam Briggs won the Legends contest in 2019 but is vacating the title to compete in the elite division at the 2021 Rogue Invitational.
Rogue Record Breakers
The 2021 Rogue Record Breakers event features six events where athletes will attempt to rewrite the history books. A total of eight records will be challenged by athletes who emerged victorious in the online qualifying stage.
Editor’s Note: All events except for the Women’s Dumbbell Press are on the official Rogue Invitational schedule. However, Rogue did post that the event was taking place on Instagram.
Anvil Grip
Athletes will lift a designated weight using only a Rogue Anvil Grip — a cone-shaped metal attachment. The current men’s world record is Eric Dawson’s 240 pounds. The current women’s world record is Sarah Chappelow’s 170 pounds.
Women’s Dumbbell Press
A strongman classic. The heavy dumbbell event challenges athletes to establish their one-rep max with an oversized dumbbell. The current women’s world record is shared by Kristin Rhodes and Donna Moore at 180 pounds.
Women’s Bag Over Bar
Tossing a bag over a bar of a certain height is a mainstay of elite strongman competition. It is often interchanged with weighted kegs or other implements. For this particular event, the women’s world record stands at 40 pounds tossed over a 15-foot bar by Hannah Linzay.
Dinnie Stone Hold
The Dinnie Stones are made of granite and have a combined weight of 332 kilograms (733.1 pounds):
- Stone One, left hand — 144.5 kilograms (318.6 pounds)
- Stone Two, right hand — 188 kilograms (414.5 pounds)
The current world record hold belongs to Mark Felix, who held them for 31.40 seconds.
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Thor’s Hammer
Thor’s Hammer event is a static front hold with a large hammer that has weighed 30 kilograms (66.1 pounds) in other events involving the implement, though the weight used for the Rogue Record Breakers event has not been disclosed. There is no established record for this event, meaning a new world record holder is guaranteed to be crowned at the Rogue Record Breakers event.
Deadlift for Reps
The current deadlift for reps world records held by Austin Malleolo and Carolyne Prevost are 61 and 62 reps, respectively. The men will pull 315 pounds, and the women will pull 225 pounds.
On to the Dell Diamond
The 2021 Rogue Invitational is shaping up to be one of the most significant events of the year for both CrossFit and Strongman. The biggest names in both sports will compete from some of the largest prize purses ever, and the potential for multiple world records to fall is looming. We’ll see if Vellner and Toomey-Orr can defend their crowns and if Licis’s big return to strongman competition will conclude with raising a trophy overhead. Tune into the Rogue YouTube channel on Oct. 29, 2021, to catch all the action.
Featured image: @pvellner on Instagram