Welcome to the fifth annual SUNDAY PAPER CLASSIC, held at the beautiful Stampede Club in Aurora, CO.

Do YOU have what it takes to prove you're the strongest athlete in Colorado? Sign up now and come find out who the mightiest athletes in Colorado are on Saturday, August 1st, 2026!

ALL athlete fees and proceeds for this show will go directly to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: "The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay" (See more at https://www.stjude.org). 

We are blessed as athletes to use our bodies for competition, and it is therefore our responsibility to use our talents to bless those less fortunate than us. Please see the link below if you wish to donate directly to St. Jude's: https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=7412811&fr_id=162731&pg=personal

Since 2022, this show has raised over $60,000 in support of the children of St. Jude - money that goes directly towards the research and advancements of cures to childhood cancer. Last year, we fell short - for the first time since 2022, we did not reach my fundraising goal, raising $11,000 of my $20,000 goal. This year, the goal remains the same - to raise $20,000 or more for St. Jude by donating ALL athlete registration and spectator fees straight to the research hospital, pushing us closer to the elusive $100,000 goal!

News story on SPC IV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQSu-BZZDwk

Article: https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/strongman-show-sunday-paper-classic-aurora-raises-money-for-st-jude/

Bass Creative Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/bc93ShirtsnStuff?ref=condensed_trust_header_title_sold

RAFFLE INFORMATION

Available prizes:

• Completely CUSTOM Pioneer Powerlifting belt - $250 value (excludes exotics)

To enter:

1. Donate directly to St. Jude at the following link: https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=7412811&fr_id=157663&pg=personal
   • For both items: 1 entry for $35, 2 for $55, 3 for $70.
   • Must use a valid email address when entering. Must leave a message stating which prize you are donating towards (entries count separately)
2. Sign up for the show. Athletes will receive two entries towards the prizes just for signing up. Athletes are free to purchase more tickets at the link above.
3. Donate directly at the show. This option is only available during the event on 8/1/26

Unlimited entries per person. Online entries will end on 7/28/2026. Winner will be chosen after the show is completed

NO SURRENDER MAX MAMMOTH BAR PRIZE

For this year's SPC, the best pound-for-pound male and female deadlifts will win a $500 gift card to use for any custom creation from No Surrender Fabrication!! Whether it's a circus dumbbell or a Conan's Wheel, Caesar can make it all - do you have what it takes to take home the prize?

SUNDAY PAPER STUD PROGRAM

Each year, the community will be able to nominate a Sunday Paper Stud - someone they think has made a difference in the local Colorado strongman community. This will be done via the attached Google Poll. Responses will be accepted until early July. Please be candid as responses will be shared at the end of the SPC. Nominees will receive the following...

• Trophy
• FREE LIFETIME ENTRANCE TO ANY SPC EVENT
• Standing ovation
• Big hug

2026 Poll: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekBOD4hfwuqzMnenY9gZsAsxcGi2OSkjXUa8KDNRWy7BIWYA/viewform?usp=header

EVENT DAY INFO

The event will be held inside and outside of the Stampede Club off Parker Road and Havana in Aurora. The lifter's meeting will be held in the building at 8:00 AM, and lifting will start promptly at 9:00 AM. Athletes will have the chance to warm-up between the completion of the rules meeting and the event start, and are able to warm-up in between events (this will be done on their time - no additional warm-ups will be allotted for unless the show is ahead of schedule).

Colorado weather can vary daily, and we will be doing this show rain or shine - please be prepared for anything from blazing, unbearable heat to bone-chilling cold. Athletes will be provided with indoor and outdoor warmup areas and private areas for retreating in between events (please keep family and friends out of these areas - coaches and handlers are fine).

Indoor bathrooms will be for available for everyone. I know how this community loves to tarnish restrooms so I beg you to please be kind to the septic system.

PHOTOGRAPHY INFO

The main photographer for the SPC will be SStils by Linnea Ming. Linnea and her team will be taking photos all day, and will over singles to individuals who wish to purchase photos. Please be on the lookout for an email from Linnea as the show gets closer. You can find her on Instagram here

PARKING

Stampede has an agreement with Kaiser to share their lot on weekends, so all of that parking is available for athletes. Parking in front of Stampede is reserved for Sponsors and Volunteers. Overflow may be allowed, but PLEASE park in front of Kaiser if able. Last year, people ignored my cones and almost drove on to the competition floor - please don't make me yell at the elderly again and make sure your family knows where to park. One of the events will be in the Kaiser lot - DO NOT PARK INSIDE OF THE CONES!!!

SPECTATORS

The venue is multi-level and there will be plenty of indoor seating available. There will be multiple bars open and food available for athletes and spectators. There will not be seating provided for the outdoor event, so please plan accordingly. From 9 AM to 4 PM, the event will be ticketed in order to raise more money for St. Jude - spectator fees will be $15, and children under 12 get in for free. Spectator fees can ONLY be paid in cash at the door or through the St. Jude donation link (link) - if you donate ahead of time, you can show that at the door as proof for your entry (this method is preferred).

WEIGH-INS & APPAREL 

Weigh-ins will be held at Iron Warrior Gym in Englewood, CO on 7/31 from 8 AM to 12 PM. After-hours accomodations can be made for anyone unable to make that time slot. Day-of weigh-ins will be held at the venue from 7 AM to 8 AM. If you do not weigh-in, you do not get to compete. If you foresee any issue with these two time slots, please contact me directly.

You MUST wear your competition shirt unless the event allows you to wear a different shirt. You are welcome to cut the sleeves, but I ask that you do not remove any sponsors or the logo from the shirt. The sponsors invest a lot into this show, and so does Bass Creative when designing the logo - please respect that.

 SIGN-UP BY 7/7 TO GUARANTEE A SHIRT IN YOUR SIZE - OTHERWISE YOU MAY NOT RECEIVE ONE!

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION & REFUNDS

To get the best rate, please sign-up before 7/6/2026. After this date, the price to compete jumps to $100.

There are no refunds. Life happens and there can be extenuating circumstances, so please reach out if your situation is dire and we can see what can be done. 

EVENT RULES AND DESCRIPTIONS

Weights/equipment are subject to change up to and during the contest. In the event of a tie, there will be a tie breaker event which will not be announced until the day of the show.

HEATS for events 3 and 4 will be released in July and sent directly to athletes.

CIRCUS FREAK MEDLEY:

Athletes will have 60 seconds to get as many reps as possible alternating between the LOG and the CIRCUS DUMBBELL. Athletes will be given a DOWN command from the judge when the elbow is locked, knees are locked, feet are parallel, and eye contact with judge is maintained. After a down is received, the athlete can move to the other implement. IF AN ATHLETE DOES NOT GET A DOWN COMMAND, THEY CANNOT MOVE TO THE OTHER IMPLEMENT. All forms of press are allowed (jerk, push, strict), but dumbbell must be pressed with one hand - second hand must be away before the bell is pressed. The bell and log must be CLEANED and PRESSED for all reps. All competitors in the same weight class will use the same dumbbell and log. You can start with hands on the bell or the log - the athlete can choose which implement they start with. Drops from ANY height are disallowed - accidents will receive a single warning before being zeroed, but egregious drops (i.e., from lockout or throwing the bell/log in excitement) will results in a zero and potential DQ from the show.

                        -Commands given: DOWN

                        -Time limit: 60 seconds

                        -Allowed equipment: soft belt, hard belt, knee/elbow sleeves, wrist wraps, any shoes, chalk

                        -Disallowed equipment: grip shirts, tacky, spray tacky, grip shorts, knee wraps, wrist straps, suits, briefs

BELLS/LOGS:

• Men:
  • Novice/Open: 12" Harambe log, 12" Batbell (2" handle)
  • Masters: 12" Harambe log, 10" MBPC bell (1.5" handle)
  • Teen Men: 10" Rogue log, 10" baby blue bell (2" handle)
• Women:
  • Open: 10" Rogue log, 10" MBPC bell (1.5" handle)
  • Masters/Novice Women: 10" Rogue log, 10" baby blue bell (2" handle)

COLORADO DISCOUNT NUTRITION MAX MAMMOTH BAR DEADLIFT:

Athlete will have 30 seconds to perform a max attempt deadlift using the mammoth bars. The mammoth bars will be on tires but the athlete will be on a platform raising them to standard height - this means we will be able to set state records with this event. Athlete will be allowed to strap in before time starts, but don't push it - I don't need the whole song and dance routine before you get yourself to the bar. Weigh will be RISING BAR for men and women and you can jump in at any time, but you only get 3 ATTEMPTS - this event will run by Wessel's Rule (3 attempts, miss one and you're done). In the event there is only 1-2 athletes left in a weight-class, the athletes may elect to choose a larger or smaller jump unanimously.

                        -WOMEN'S STARTING WEIGHT:

                                           -200 lbs, 20 lb jumps

                        -MEN'S STARTING WEIGHT

                                           -400 lbs, 20 lb jumps

                        -Commands given: DOWN

                        -Time limit: 30 seconds

                        -Allowed equipment: soft belt, hard belt, knee/elbow sleeves, knee wraps, wrist wraps, any shoes, chalk, suits, briefs, straps

                        -Disallowed equipment: grip shirts, tacky, spray tacky, grip shorts,

BASS CREATIVE RELAY OF RUIN:

Athletes will start behind the line with all three sandbags upright. When the judge gives the signal, the athlete will load the bags into the bed of a truck 40 ft away. After loading the truck, the athlete must take the rope and run 40 ft to the line and pull the truck back to the start. Once the back of the truck crosses the line, the judge will yell "TIME." The athlete will get 75 seconds to complete the entire relay. The vehicles will be determined closer to the show - expect a full-size pickup or mid-size/compact truck depending on the class (some men using the mid-size will have the parking brake engaged). In the event an athlete cannot complete the entire relay, an aggregate distance will be taken including the distance each bag was carried.

                        -Commands given: GO, TIME

                        -Time limit: 75 seconds

                        -Allowed equipment: soft belt, hard belt, knee/elbow sleeves, wrist wraps, any shoes, chalk, elbow wraps, gloves 

                        -Disallowed equipment: grip shirts, tacky, spray tacky, grip shorts, knee wraps, wrist straps, built-up belts     

NO SURRENDER FABRICATION GRIP GAUNTLET 2.0:

Athletes will start on the mat behind the any of the four implements. For the Rolling Thunder and the Pinch Block, athletes must pick the implement with one hand from floor to lockout - knees locked, shoulders back, eyes forward. For the Saxon Bar, a sumo stance is allowed using both hands to pick the implement. The axle deadlift must be performed in a CONVENTIONAL STANCE with both hands DOUBLE OVERHAND. Athletes are free to switch hands for the single hand implements. Lockouts will be STRICT - expect to be holding the weight for at least ~1 sec at the top. Fastest time to complete all 4 implements will win.

                        -Commands given: DOWN

                        -Time limit: 60 seconds

                        -Allowed equipment: soft belt, hard belt, knee/elbow sleeves, wrist wraps, any shoes, chalk

                        -Disallowed equipment: grip shirts, tacky, spray tacky, grip shorts, knee wraps, wrist straps, built-up belts

Equipment will be either Grip Genie or IronMind, so please see their website for sizing. The Saxon Bars will be 3" x 4" and the fixed axle bars will be 2.375" diameter.

REIGN BARON OF THE BAGS:

A fan favorite - this event will be a sudden-death elimination style event. Competitors will be lined up from lowest points to highest. Each competitor will load the sandbag to the prescribed height, and upon completion of the rep, will return to the end of the line. After all competitors have loaded to a given height, the bar will be raised 2", and the cycle will reset. This will be performed until no athletes remain. In the event that two or more athletes tie at a given height (i.e., 0 competitors left but finalists all got eliminated at the same time), the height will drop back 4", and the remaining athletes will load hot-potato style until only one athlete remains. The yoke crossbar CANNOT be used to assist with the loading of the bag (i.e., you cannot grab the crossbar to help you chest-bump the weight over the bar). The twist? The bag weight will INCREASE as more athletes load the bag successfully. This will be based on the number of athletes in a weight class:

                        -1-3 athletes per class -> Bag will change when all athletes have completed 5 reps

                        -4-6 athletes per class -> Bag will change when all athletes have completed 4 reps

                        -6-8 athletes per class -> Bag will change when all athletes have completed 3 reps

                        -8+ athletes per class -> Bag will change when all athletes have completed 2 reps

                        -Commands given: START

                        -Time limit: 30 seconds per rep per competitor

                        -Starting heights:

                                MEN: 52"

                                WOMEN: 46"

                        -Allowed equipment: soft belt, hard belt, knee/elbow sleeves, chalk

                        -Disallowed equipment: grip shirts, tacky, spray tacky, grip shorts, knee wraps, deadlift/squat suits, deadlift/squat briefs, wrist wraps, straps, built-up belts

Note: Events 3 and 4 will be ran simultaneously and will swap when each "heat" is finished. Depending on your division, you may be doing the medley or the grip gauntlet first. ONLY THE RELAY WILL BE OUTDOORS - ALL OTHER EVENTS WILL BE HELD INSIDE    

PRIZES & GOODIES:

All athletes, volunteers, and sponsors will receive goodie bags with St. Jude swag. First to Third place awards and prizes for all Open divisions.  First place awards for all Novice and Teen divisions. Teens will be a unified weight class for both men and women under the heavyweight class.

All Athletes:

• Gift bags
• Cerberus Discount Codes
• Valkyrie Strength gift certificates
• Airwaav Nasal Strips

Deadlift Winners:

• $500 gift card to No Surrender Fabrication
• Texas Power Concepts hat

Grip Gauntlet Winners:

• $50 IronMind gift card
• IronMind posters

Podium Winners:

• Trophy or Medal
• Airwaav mouthpiece
• Case of Reign Total Body Fuel
• Cerberus Gift Cards
• Kinetic Sports Medicine gift certificate

If you or someone you know is interested in sponsoring/supporting this event, please reach out to me directly using the contact info provided at the top of this page.