Open 26.2 WOD: Athletes and analysis by Calum Clements and Tiago Luzes

The second week of Open 26.2 is in the books! After the stunning live announcement from Cascais, Portugal, where VELITES had the honor of being the official sponsor, the challenge is set.

The atmosphere at CrossFit Black Edition was electric. Beyond watching the world's best athletes battle through the WOD, we took the opportunity to unveil Velites' best-kept secret: the new MINIMAL shoes. Designed to let you feel the ground like never before and give you that extra agility this WOD demands.

Curious? Discover them here:

https://eu.velitessport.com/pages/minimal-1-0

It’s time to go all out! Here is all the information you need to dominate the second round.

The WOD 26.2 revealed 

Dave Castro didn’t disappoint. Here is the official layout that will put us to the test this weekend:

We’ve got the WOD!!

For time:

80-foot dumbbell overhead walking lunge

20 alternating dumbbell snatches

20 pull-ups

80-foot dumbbell overhead walking lunge

20 alternating dumbbell snatches

20 chest-to-bar pull-ups

80-foot dumbbell overhead walking lunge

20 alternating dumbbell snatches

20 muscle-ups

TIME CAP: 15 minutes

Women: 35-lb (15-kg) dumbbell

Men: 50-lb (22,5-kg) dumbbell

Schedule, venue and submission window guide for completing the WOD

So logistics won’t be an issue and you can focus solely on your strategy, here are the key details for this 26.2:

Note: You have until Monday 9 March at 01:00 CET to register your result on the CrossFit Games website. As always, you can attempt the WOD multiple times, but only the last score you submit counts.

Where to watch the live stream: Official CrossFit channels / CrossFit Games YouTube

The Stage and the Protagonists: Women's showdown in Portugal

The show in Cascais promises to be historic. In this second week, the women's showdown features three world-class elite athletes:

• Mirjam von Rohr 🇨🇭: La undisputed queen of the Open, winner of the 2024 and 2025 editions and seventh at the 2025 CrossFit Games.
• Lucy Campbell 🇬🇧: Runner-up at the 2025 Games and winner of Wodapalooza 2025. 4th in the 2025 CrossFit Open.
• Aimee Cringle 🇬🇧: The rising star, 8th at the 2025 Games and an athlete with strong progression.

Expert Predictions: Calum Clements & Tiago Luzes (Velites athletes)

On this occasion, we asked two of our athletes who participated in recent CrossFit Games to tell us how they experienced this second week of the Open in previous years. Calum Clements and Tiago Luzes have reviewed the wods from 23.2, 24.2 and 25.2 and they also give us a prediction about what they think we might face.

• Tiago's bet: based on previous years, he predicts a 15-minute AMRAP combining 15 calories on the rower, 10 toes-to-bar or chest-to-bar and 5 clean & jerks (61kg men / 43kg women). He also bets that from 15 to 20 minutes we’ll have a window to attempt a PR of clean & jerk.

• Calum's bet: he believes we will find a classic-style WOD that combines: 8 burpee shuttle runs, 16 toes-to-bar and 8 thrusters with 50kg.

Velites Kit prediction for 26.2

We don't know if our athletes will be right or not, but what we do know is that you can be fully equipped from head to toe to face whatever comes.

Based on past years, these are the products that can make the difference:

HOLO Line (Technology and Comfort): 

In a long-duration WOD (15-20 min), sweat management and freedom of movement are non-negotiable.

• For her: The HOLO crop tops and leggings have been designed with support and durability in mind. They are built to withstand bar friction and provide the necessary hold without restricting your range of motion in the toes-to-bar.

• For him: Our HOLO shirts and shorts offer superior breathability to keep you cool even when the thrusters or cleans start to get heavy.

Hybrid 1.0 Shoes: 

If 26.2 combines gymnastics with heavy weightlifting (as Tiago predicts), the Hybrid 1.0 are your best choice. A stable shoe that gives confidence under a heavy bar, yet is versatile so you can move with agility during transitions and gymnastic movements.

Weightlifting Belt: 

If the prediction of an RM Clean & Jerk comes true, don't risk it. Accumulated fatigue in the final minutes of the WOD is when technique starts to fail. Our belt will give you that extra stability in the core so you can tackle heavy repetitions with safety and power.

Anything else? The "Ace up the sleeve"

Although this is the fundamental kit to perform at your best on Friday, we have a surprise reserved for you. At VELITES, as official sponsors of 26.2 in Cascais, we will unveil during the live stream our most ambitious innovation to date.

We can only tell you that if the WOD involves fast transitions and movements where the connection to the ground is vital, this launch will change the game.

Don't miss a minute of the live stream, because you won't want to hear about it secondhand.