USA Triathlon has lifted the curtain on its 2026 National Championships schedule – a 12-race series that will test athletes across every discipline, distance, and terrain the sport has to offer. From the frozen lakes of upstate New York to the gravel roads of Nebraska, the 2026 season promises to be one of the most diverse and inclusive in recent memory.
The calendar opens in Lake Placid, New York (February 5–8), where the Winter National Championships will once again coincide with the Empire State Winter Games. Athletes will tackle the cold in Winter Triathlon and Winter Duathlon formats, with finishers earning their place at the 2027 Winter World Championships.
From there, the action heats up along the Gulf Coast as Gulfport, Mississippi (March 26–28) hosts the Collegiate Club National Championships in partnership with CLASH Endurance. The event will showcase Olympic-Distance, Draft-Legal Sprint, and Mixed Relay races, setting the tone for the collegiate season.
April brings a change of terrain with the Cross National Championships in Austin, Texas (April 18), hosted by Race Revolutions. Off-road athletes will compete in Cross Triathlon and Duathlon formats, vying for qualification to the 2027 World Triathlon Multisport Championships.
The multisport spirit continues in South Haven, Michigan (May 13–17), where the Multisport National Championships Festival – organized by Tris4Health – returns as one of the most anticipated stops on the circuit. The event brings together an array of formats including Standard Aquabike, Duathlon, Aquathlon, and a host of Draft-Legal and Super Sprint options.
Younger athletes take center stage on May 16 at XTERRA Oak Mountain in Pelham, Alabama, for the Youth and Junior Cross Nationals, featuring divisions for athletes aged 10–19.
In June, the spotlight turns to service and endurance. Hammond, Indiana (June 7) welcomes back Leon’s Triathlon for the Military and First Responders National Championships, honoring Active Duty Military, Veterans, and First Responders across Olympic and Sprint distances. A week later, the endurance specialists head to East Freetown, Massachusetts (June 13) for the Long Course National Championships at the Patriot Half, offering Long Course Triathlon, Duathlon, and Aquabike titles – and spots at the 2027 World Triathlon Multisport Championships.
The summer peak brings the nation’s youth to West Chester, Ohio (July 31 – August 2) for the Youth and Junior Nationals, a longstanding tradition that blends draft-legal racing for juniors with non-drafting events for younger athletes, including paratriathlon categories and a high-energy mixed relay.
All eyes then turn to Milwaukee, Wisconsin (August 7–9) for the marquee USA Triathlon Nationals, featuring the Olympic and Non-Draft Sprint National Championships. The event will also include Open Water Swim, Draft-Legal Sprint, and Mixed Relay options – plus the USA Triathlon Paratriathlon National Championships on August 9. Performances here can earn athletes qualification for the 2027 World Triathlon Championship Finals in Hamburg, Germany.
Rounding out the season, the Ultra National Championships head to Penn Yan, New York (August 16) for the legendary Peasantman Steel Distance Triathlon – a 2.4-mile swim, 116-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run that defines the word “endurance.” The series concludes in Lincoln, Nebraska (August 21), where the Gravel National Championships debut alongside the iconic Gravel Worlds event, featuring both triathlon and duathlon options.
Notably, many of the 2026 national-level events will remain open to all age-group athletes – no qualification required – allowing newcomers and veterans alike to chase a national title and the dream of representing Team USA on the world stage in 2027.