Two occasions from the 2022 Rogue Strongman Invitational are again within the fold.
With 10 of the world’s premier athletes scheduled to sq. off at Dell Diamond Stadium on Oct. 27-28, 2023, there’s loads of anticipation surrounding the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational. A stacked roster headlined by reigning champion Oleksii Novikov can have a chance to not solely impress the group in Spherical Rock, Texas, but additionally safe a record-setting prize purse of $133,785.83, as of the time of this publication.
To emerge victorious, individuals like Novikov and 2023 World’s Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper should undergo a grueling gauntlet of six challenges over the course of the two-day contest. And with competitors date inching nearer, Rogue Invitational formally launched the complete lineup of strongman occasions on Oct. 10, 2023.
Day One (Friday, Oct. 27, 2023)
The primary day of the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational will characteristic three occasions, all of which is able to check the athletes’ energy, energy, and conditioning. Right here’s a breakdown of every occasion, beginning with an ultra-demanding deadlift problem that made its debut in 2022.
Occasion 1: Tower of Energy – Deadlift for Reps
Rogue ramped up its annual strongman competitors a yr in the past by placing collectively the Tower of Energy occasion. Ukrainian former powerlifter Pavlo Nakonechnyy proved to be essentially the most proficient on the newly unveiled occasion by finishing 12 reps of 18-inch barbell deadlifts through the 60-second time allotment.
As if lifting 900 kilos (408 kilograms) as many occasions as attainable in a single minute wasn’t difficult sufficient, opponents needed to cope with a lot totally different leverages because of the peak of the tower platform. Again once more for the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational, this occasion ought to deliver one of the best out of Nakonechnyy and 2023 North America’s Strongest Man Trey Mitchell, who accomplished 10 reps in his first encounter with the Tower of Energy. Beginning the day with a deadlift for reps competitors will definitely set the tone for occasion No. 2.
Occasion 2: The Iron Bull Sled Pull
No specifics had been supplied about this occasion. Nevertheless, sled pulls are undoubtedly one of the vital standard feats of energy followers take pleasure in watching, particularly when autos are concerned.
Occasion 3: Final Log Medley
Though we don’t know precisely what the Final Log Medley will entail, the 2022 Rogue Strongman Invitational included an occasion referred to as “Yoke Carry, Overhead Log Raise Medley” that consisted of carrying a 1,000-pound (453.5-kilogram) yoke for 50 ft, adopted by performing three reps of an overhead press with a 360-pound (163-kilogram) log. Mitchell Hooper simply outpaced the remainder of the pack by finishing the circuit in simply 32.69 seconds.
In the meantime, 2022 Canada’s Strongest Man Maxime Boudreault took one other 14.1 seconds to wrap up the No. 2 spot. If the ultimate occasion of the primary day of the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational options the log press once more, that may very well be an opportunity for 2022 America’s Strongest Man Bobby Thompson to earn some precious factors. Coming off consecutive third-place finishes on the Arnold Strongman Traditional, Thompson showcased his upper-body energy on the 2023 occasion by hitting three reps of a 430-pound (195-kilogram) log press on the Austrian Oak problem, which tied for second with Hooper.
Day Two (Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023)
Day Two of the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational will kick off with one other occasion that captivated final yr’s viewers and wrap up with one that might have some CrossFit inspiration behind its identify.
Occasion 4: Rogue-A-Coaster
Similar to the opponents, the Spherical Rock crowd will probably be locked in for 90 seconds through the dynamic Rogue-A-Coaster occasion. Significantly taxing on the lats and rear delts, it takes pull day to a different stage — after which some. The athletes will begin their Saturday morning by sitting on the backside of a piece of a rollercoaster and trying to tug 600 kilos (272 kilograms) price of sandbags loaded onto a cart as much as the highest and dump them over throughout the 90-second restrict.
This 54-inch incline rope pull didn’t pose a lot bother for Nakonechnyy (38.51 seconds) or Novikov (39.04 seconds) in 2022. Nevertheless, neither might outdo 2021 Rogue Strongman Invitational champion Martins Licis (33:83 seconds), who will not be at this yr’s occasion.
Occasion 5: Apollon’s Wheels
No specifics had been supplied about this occasion. Nevertheless, it’s protected to say all of the individuals ought to have some thought of what’s to come back.
Made well-known by French strongman Louis “Apollon the Mighty” Uni, Apollon’s Wheels was his 366-pound (166-kilogram) barbell loaded with a pair of railway automotive wheels. That includes a thick diameter of practically two inches, it requires wonderful grip energy simply to deal with the bar. It takes unimaginable coordination to energy clear it off the ground and get it right into a entrance rack place And it takes critical energy to press that weight overhead.
The fifth occasion (additionally named Apollon’s Wheels) on the 2018 Arnold Traditional Strongman Traditional utilized a duplicate reproduced by Ivanko Barbell Firm that weighed 400 kilos (181 kilograms). Hafþór Björnsson, who went on to win the World’s Strongest Man title later that yr, took residence first place by performing 4 full reps of a clear and press within the two-minute timeframe. Rogue actually appears to be paying homage to the well-known barbell in 2023 based mostly on the identify of the penultimate occasion.
Occasion 6: The Duel
“The Duel II” was an elimination-style, multi-round occasion on the 2022 CrossFit Rogue Invitational that consisted of a legless rope climb, 10 overhead squats, and a sandbag carry. Though CrossFit and Strongman opponents could not cross paths typically, the ultimate occasion of the 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational might have an identical really feel as “The Duel II” however with a unique array of workouts and far heavier masses.
Full 2023 Rogue Strongman Invitational Roster
- Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine)
- Mitchell Hooper (Canada)
- Trey Mitchell (USA)
- Luke Stoltman (UK)
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski (Poland)
- Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine)
- Bobby Thompson (USA)
- Tom Stoltman (UK)
- Evan Singleton (USA)
- Maxime Boudreault (Canada)
Novikov’s marketing campaign to turn out to be a back-to-back Rogue Strongman Invitational champion will come all the way down to his potential to dominate each new and repeat occasions. Whether or not he can fend off the likes of Hooper and Mitchell stays to be seen when the strongest males on this planet reunite at Pink Rock.
Featured Picture: @rogueinvitational / Instagram
