Is the 2022 Rogue Invitational Roster Finalized? Breaking Down Who’s in and Who’s Not

Earlier today Rogue published a finalized list of competitors on their website which we have also updated in our story, however we have yet to get confirmation this is the complete roster. 

Notable Missing Names in the Women’s Field

It’s probably not that surprising that six time champion, Tia-Clair Toomey, is not in the field given her recent back injury and upcoming appearance at the Down Under Championship in November. However, given Toomey’s absence (and that fact that she’s the only woman to have ever won the Rogue Invitational), it is a bit surprising that 2022 Games runner-up Mallory O’Brien, 2022 Games fifth place finisher Brooke Wells, 2022 Games ninth place finisher Haley Adams, and 2022 13th place finisher Kristi Eramo O’Connell also aren’t on the list.

We know Wells is teaming up with Toomey for the Down Under Championship, but the absence of Haley Adams is particularly notable because she was announced as competing on Rogue’s Instagram account on September 7.

After the CrossFit Games, Rogue is the biggest earning opportunity in the sport; especially if you’re able to win. It’s a bit surprising to say the least that all three of these women won’t be in the field. 

The Replacements

In the absence of those four women Rogue has done a bit of a makeshift job piecing together the final roster:

• One of the four open spots was given to Matilde Garnes, who finished 6th in the online qualifier. Rogue had specified that at least five would make it from the Q, but that there was the possibility for more depending on how many athletes accepted or denied invitation. 
• Three special invitations were sent out:
  • One was to 2021 Rogue runner-up (and 2021 CrossFit Games podium finisher) Annie Thorisdottir. She was actually the first announced athlete male or female back on September 3.
  • The second was to the 2022 CrossFit Games 17th place finisher Dani Speegle. (16th place finisher, Lucy Campbell, did receive an invite but will not be able to attend). Additionally, Speegle does have some history at the Rogue Invitational, having taken 8th place in 2019.
  • And lastly, 2022 CrossFit Games 23rd place finisher, Carolyne Prevost, who has twice previously competed at Rogue (6th online in 2020, 18th in person last year). Prevost also has some history with Rogue Record Breakers, holding down the title for most deadlifts at 225 pounds in a two minute window. She actually set that record in between events at last year’s Rogue Invitational. 
• The fifth available spot based after the declines has yet to be filled (and we’re not sure if it will be). Between Speegle and Prevost on the 2022 Games leaderboard are Ellie Turner, Matilde Garnes (already in through the backfill Q invite), Karin Freyova, Paige Semenza, and Thuri Helgadottir (like Prevost, Helgadottir had competed at Rogue each of the last two years).
• If Rogue goes a different route to fill the last lane, Dina Swift is next in line via the “Q” as she sits 7th, one spot behind Garnes.

There’s also the possibility that Rogue won’t round the field out to 20. In 2019 only 19 men were in the field. And during the 2020 online version of the Rogue Invitational both the men’s and women’s field were only 18. 

Full Men’s Field

For the men, it’s perfect attendance. All 15 of the top 15 finishers from this year’s Games will be in Austin. Joining them will be the top five finishers from the “Q”. However, there’s quite a bit of turnover from the 2021 roster:

• 12 of the 20 men who competed in 2021 are coming back, however, those 12 were 12 of the top 13 finishers last year (only 9th place finisher Alexandre Caron is missing). 

There’s a similar turnover rate on the women’s side, where only 10 of the 20 competitors from last year are returning. In the women’s case, it’s a bit more bleak. Half of last year’s top ten are missing (Toomey, Adams, Kristin Holte, Kari Pearce, O’Brien). 

Between the two divisions there is a 44% turnover rate, which seems high amongst such a prestigious field. 

The big picture: 

For the women who have accepted an invite, or earned a spot via qualification, this is a massive opportunity, and dream scenario. Not only will we have a new Rogue Invitational Champion for the women this year; whoever that happens to be will also earn more prize money for that win than any woman who hasn’t won the CrossFit Games has ever earned in a single season.

The men’s field is a dream scenario for the fans. The battle for the top of the podium between Justin Medeiros, Roman Khrennikov, and Ricky Garard is the best one we’ve seen since 2015. And we expect they won’t be the only ones battling for podium spots at Rogue. 

As expected, there are ample storylines heading into the premier offseason event. Stay tuned for more developments as we tick closer to the live competition in Austin Texas which begins October 28.