Day 3 of the 2021 Rogue invitational kicked off with a classic ‘Chipper’. A type of event we’ve come to see at all events. Event 6 proved a lengthy one as athletes completed 45/40 calorie row, 35 box step-over with a feed bag (70/50), 30 strict handstand push-ups, 15 ring muscle-ups, Jerry can carry (100/70) followed by the same in reverse order.

The forever underrated and under the radar Bjorgvin Karl Gudmundsson maintained a consistent pace throughout to win his first event of the weekend with a time of 14:08:99. Competition leader Justin Medieros all but secured the overall victory preventing Pat Vellner of the substantial victory in the event he required to stay in the running.

While Tia-Clair Toomey was able to reduce the gap between herself and Thorisdottir with second and 6th place in the event respectively, it was Americas fittest women Kari Pearce who took the event win producing a heart-warming story in the process. The 2020 3rd place finisher recently announced this would be her last event before retirement from the competition side of Crossfit. 

 Pearce remained focussed on the competition following her win commenting “The second set of handstand push-ups and ring muscle-ups are where the workout is made so it doesn’t matter if you take a few breaks”

The 7th and final event of weekend titled ‘The Duel’ consisted of a rarely seen bracket style knockout event, in which we would lose a number of competitors after each round. To add to the confusion, those in the top 5 positions going into the event would receive a bye into the second round. Following multiple preliminary rounds in which athletes in rounds of 5 completed 60 heavy double-unders, 3 squat snatches (205/145) and 1 sandbag load (250/165), Guilherme Malheiros took his second victory of the weekend overcoming former Games podium finisher Samuel Kwant in the final with a time of 0:52:01.

Tia-Clair Toomey meanwhile became a 3-time undefeated winner of the Rogue Invitational by defeating Laura Horvath in the final of the women Duel and closing the points deficit. Previous leader Annie Thorisdottir lost in a previous round forcing her to watch from the sidelines as Toomey literally snatched the victory away from the Icelander.

Following the event and her victory, and her victory, Toomey said the following: “You just had to get yourself in the position where you have the chance to win an event like this and then it’s a case of the full send. I had to make sure I didn’t trip on the double unders because that’s how you’d lose but then just grip the barbell and off you go”

No final event victory for Justin Medeiros proved irrelevant as closest rival Pat Vellner also failed to reach the last stage. This means Medeiros claimed his first ever Rogue Invitational victory and a check for $250,000. Pat Vellner was able to hold off a late competition charge from Jeff Adler to hold onto second place with his fellow Canadians consistency placing him third. Elsewhere Tia Toomey remined the world that she is the greatest of all time despite the closest contest with Annie Thorisdottir we’ve had in recent times. Gabi Migala provided suggestions that the future could soon be upon up. The 21-year old overcame an experienced field of veterans to finish third overall in the weekend. 

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