Mayhem Classic adds sandbag-heavy Dirty 30s to 2026 Semifinal opener

Mayhem Classic opened its 2026 semifinal week with a test that looks built to reward the athletes who can keep moving when their legs are full of sandbag squats and their shoulders are already smoked. Dirty 30s asks for 30 sandbag squats at 150/125 pounds, 30 or 24 ring muscle-ups, another 30 sandbag squats, 30 or 24 bar muscle-ups, and a final 30 sandbag squats. That adds up to 90 sandbag squats before the workout is done, which turns the event into a pacing and recovery contest as much as a strength test.

That combination changes the leaderboard conversation right away. The athletes most likely to surge are the ones who can absorb volume without losing the ring and bar muscle-ups, especially the compact, repeatable grinders who do not need a perfect setup to stay in the game. Colten Mertens is the obvious name to circle. CrossFit lists him in Hillsboro, Iowa, says he finished 12th at the 2025 CrossFit Games, and had him first on the 2026 Quarterfinals leaderboard when his profile was crawled. A workout like this looks tailor-made for that kind of athlete, someone who can keep the engine steady while the sandbag keeps coming back.

The flip side is just as interesting. Dirty 30s can expose anyone who relies on pristine gymnastics when fresh but fades once the lower body is taxed. The event puts a premium on athletes who can move from sandbag squats into muscle-ups without a long reset, which is why names like Jeff Adler, Roman Khrennikov, Jayson Hopper and Austin Hatfield are worth watching from the opening rep. If the sandbag volume forces bigger breaks, the leaderboard could tilt toward the athletes who handle ugly reps and stubborn fatigue better than the specialists who usually look smooth in cleaner tests.

The timing raises the stakes even more. CrossFit’s 2026 Semifinals schedule lists Mayhem Classic as the first in-person semifinal, set for April 17-19 in Cookeville, Tennessee, with competition beginning at 7:00 a.m. April 17 and ending at 3:00 p.m. April 19. CrossFit says the event will send three men and three women to the 2026 CrossFit Games, and Mayhem Classic says its 2026 return is part of the official Games season. The roster, announced February 18, includes 20 men and 20 women, among them Jeff Adler, Roman Khrennikov, Jayson Hopper, Austin Hatfield, Colten Mertens, Saxon Panchik, Arielle Loewen, Gabi Migala, Emma Lawson, Emily Rolfe, Lucy Campbell and Haley Adams.

The field is invite-only, with invitations tied to the Rogue Points System and five wild-card spots reserved, according to The Barbell Spin. That same report put the prize purse at $59,000, with $12,000 for first and payouts through fifth place. Mayhem Athlete lists its headquarters at 601 Rich Froning Way in Cookeville, and the Online Mayhem Classic will let athletes worldwide tackle the same programming. For a weekend that starts the season, Dirty 30s already feels like a clean warning: the first qualifier is going to favor the athletes who can keep their shape after the legs are gone.