The Ironman 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley triathlon has been selected to host the 2026 Ironman 70.3 North American Championship.

The event, which will return to the central Pennsylvania destination on June 14, 2026, will offer a North American Championship title, an elevated professional prize purse and increased age group qualifying opportunities for the 2026 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice, France.

“We are thrilled to bring the Ironman 70.3 North American Championship race to State College and the Happy Valley Community to showcase this beautiful venue,” said AJ Sills, Northeast Regional Director for Ironman. “State College has been a phenomenal host since the event was launched in 2023, and we could not be prouder to see this event host some of the best athletes from around the world next June with this prestigious designation.”

The 2026 Ironman 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley North American Championship race will take athletes on a 1.2-mile swim in Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir at Bald Eagle State Park, a 56-mile bike ride through the hills of Centre and Clinton counties and a a 13.1-mile run on the campus of Penn State University including a finish line experience alongside Beaver Stadium, home to the Penn State Nittany Lions.

“Being selected to host the Ironman 70.3 North American Championship race is a tremendous opportunity for Happy Valley,” said Eric Engelbarts, executive director of the Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance. “This event will bring thousands of athletes, families and fans to our region, creating a powerful economic impact for our local businesses while showcasing Happy Valley as a premier sports tourism destination. We are proud to continue building a reputation that puts our region on the global stage.”

“We are thrilled that the Ironman 70.3 Series is returning to Happy Valley in a big way,” said Fritz Smith, president and chief executive officer of The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. “From a visitation perspective, hosting the North American Championship is of course wonderful news. But it means more than that. For the past three years, the community has fully embraced the event – from turning out in large numbers to volunteer or to simply cheer on these elite athletes. This announcement is equally fantastic news for residents, whom I am confident will be ready to show competitors and their families true Happy Valley hospitality.”

Tarragona, Spain, will host the 2026 European Triathlon Championships with the Port of Tarragona serving as the event’s epicenter.

“This sporting event will once again place Tarragona on the international sports map,” said Tarragona Councillor for Sports and Sports Tourism, Mario Soler. “It is a shared challenge that will become reality thanks to joint work between institutions and organizations.”

The Tarragona bid was led by the Spanish Triathlon Federation and supported by others including the Catalan Government’s Department of Sports, Catalan Triathlon Federation and the Spanish Sports Council.

“From the very first moment we received the proposal from the Catalan and Spanish Triathlon Federations, we knew it was an extraordinary opportunity,” said the Catalan Government’s Minister for Sports, Berni Álvarez. “This designation is the result of joint work and a firm commitment to promoting triathlon and positioning Tarragona as a European sporting benchmark. I am convinced that in 2026 we will experience a memorable event that will leave both a sporting and social legacy for years to come.”

The Olympic distance event could be held in June 2026 and include a program of competitions featuring Elite, Age-Group (Sprint and Standard distance) and Para Triathlon categories.

“It is an honor to award Tarragona the organization of the 2026 European Championships,” Europe Triathlon President Marc d’Hoodge said. “We are convinced that in June 2026 we will witness a landmark championship that, at the start of a new Olympic cycle, will project Tarragona and Catalonia across Europe and leave a lasting sporting and social legacy.”

As the New Mexico city of Ruidoso prepares to host the 30th anniversary of the Xterra World Championship, the mountain village hosted hundreds of athletes from August 15–17 for the inaugural Xterra Ruidoso triathlon event.

The Xterra World Championship will celebrate its 30 years by returning to the United States in Ruidoso from October 8–11, 2026.

The 2025 event began with a 1.5K swim in Grindstone Lake. The 30K bike course opened with a full lap around Grindstone Lake before launching into a 5.5K climb toward Grindstone Mesa. The final 10K run circled the lake twice before a last push into Wingfield Park.

The Sprint Distance Triathlon doubled as a Youth World Championship Qualifier, giving athletes the chance to test themselves on the trails where they could return for the Youth Worlds in 2026.

Xterra Americas Tour Manager Steve Andrus described the weekend as “a chance to unwind and just focus on having a good time, specifically focusing on adventure, active lifestyles, engaging with outdoor communities.”

“This event represents a new chapter for our community, one filled with hope, celebration, and the kind of outdoor adventure that defines who we are,” read the official statement from the Village of Ruidoso.

American Amanda Felder took the women’s Elite victory one year after winning the inaugural Xterra North American Championship. Former Xterra World Champion Josiah Middaugh claimed the men’s elite title.

“I was very intrigued and excited by the announcement that Worlds would be held in Ruidoso in 2026,” Felder said. “I had never been to Ruidoso in particular, but I’ve always appreciated New Mexico’s raw natural beauty, culture and rugged trails. This race was the perfect excuse to preview the new Worlds venue and I’m glad I raced here.”

Sometimes a destination and a specific event fit: The competitors are happy, the event organizer is thrilled and the city benefits financially.

That’s the case with Milwaukee and the USA Triathlon Sprint and Olympic Distance National Championships. The 2025 edition, taking place August 8–10, marks the seventh time Milwaukee has hosted the event since 2013. It will also host the 2026 version.

“It’s an ideal, and pretty darn close to perfect, venue,” said Brian D’Amico, USA Triathlon director of events. “It’s protected within Lake Michigan, within the breakwaters. So that provides a really docile swim. There’s a spectator bridge that goes over the swim that gives a good viewing standpoint for spectators.

“From an athlete standpoint, it’s a really challenging course, but at the same time it’s a course that some athletes have become familiar with. From a spectating and ease of access standpoint, it’s super easy and straightforward. The proximity of the hotels offers the unique ability for athletes and spectators to walk to the venue and back.”

Milwaukee first hosted the event in 2013, the result of a few in the city having a business connection with USA Triathlon and recommending the city. USA Triathlon liked it so much it came back in 2014 and 2015. Visit Milwaukee welcomed the event back from 2021–2023 and now will be the site the next two years.

“Once we realized how well our lakefront worked for an event of this caliber and size, it just became an easier relationship and partnership,” said Marissa Werner, director of Sports Milwaukee. “When we hosted it the second year, we saw our registration numbers grow about 25–30 percent because everybody caught wind of how amazing our lakefront is and how wonderful Milwaukee is as a host.”

August 8 will feature the 750-meter Open Water Swim in Lake Michigan, open to all who register, with no qualification required. August 9 will see the Olympic Distance National Championships (1,500m swim, 40k bike, 10k run) take place. August 10 will feature the Sprint National Championships (750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run) and the USA Paratriathlon National Championships.

Athletes will swim in Lake Michigan, bike along the Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge and Lake Freeway, and run through Milwaukee’s Veterans Park, finishing along the pathways of Lincoln Memorial Drive.

A Lot of Moving Parts

With more than 3,800 entrants and thousands more friends, family and fans coming into Milwaukee, this is not a normal event from a hosting standpoint. All of these athletes are swimming, biking and running many miles all around the county, making it quite a logistical challenge.

“What makes this event so unique is we have to garner permits and approval from numerous entities and districts,” Werner said. “We work with Milwaukee County Parks, Port of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Police, Milwaukee Fire, St. Francis, Cudahy, our Wisconsin State Department of Transportation, because the competitors go over our Home Bridge. So in all, there are about 13 or 14 different entities that we have to work with and get them to collaborate on the success of an event of this size.”

D’Amico added it takes upward of 20 different permits since USA Triathlon is working with three cities.

“Overall, we’re working with probably 25 or 30 different agencies,” he said. “Everything from Union Pacific Railroad to Coast Guard, police, you name it. We’re working with all those groups and it really trickles down even to businesses and residences, just making sure they’re aware of the event.

“We make sure we’re good community partners. Not just restricting access to the places where people need to go, but providing solutions and helping them so they see the event as a value and hopefully come out to watch.”

USA Triathlon has four people in its events department, so organizing an event of this size requires all hands on deck from the NGB’s 40-plus full-time employees to help with the event in some form or fashion.

“It’s probably between 15–20 full-time staff members going to the event,” D’Amico said. “But then we have an additional 20 or so contractors that will help supplement with course leads and course assistance, who we try to keep consistent event over event just to provide that continuity and so they know all of our protocols with Sports Milwaukee.”

For the city, this event is different from the volleyball, hockey, basketball or fencing tournament that frequents Milwaukee.

“And that’s what makes it so unique,” Werner said. “You’re not just working with one building. You’re not just working with a few hotels. You are really leading the way to make sure it is a safe event for all athletes involved. We were the first city to host this event three times in a row. Not every city has a body of water next to their downtown that would allow them to host an event of this size and give that kind of experience.”

Building a Successful Partnership

The first time Milwaukee hosted the event 12 years ago, nobody involved could’ve predicted how successful the partnership would become.

D’Amico says during those first three years, a lot of the athletes had never been to Milwaukee. However, after spending some time in the city, participants were “overwhelmingly glowing” in their reviews.

“The city’s growing like crazy and they’re really putting a huge emphasis on the sports and tourism market,” he added. “Milwaukee has so many things you can do and it’s just so openly friendly to endurance sports and athletes. We are treated — from an athlete standpoint and a federation standpoint — as a premier event, which is really rewarding to see.”

The city expects the economic impact for this year’s event to be around $6.7 million. But that won’t be the only money generator for Milwaukee from August 8–10, as the Wisconsin State Fair takes place over the same weekend just west of the city. Add that to a Brewers’ homestand against the New York Mets and it is a full weekend of events for the county.

“It’s an amazing event for our city and for all of the businesses, because when these athletes are done participating, they are out and about exploring our city,” Werner said. “Even days before the event, they come in and take bike rides to get the lay of the land throughout our city and come to our restaurants and check out the attractions. It’s an large influx of money into our downtown area.”

Trying Something New

While Milwaukee is a veteran of hosting the USA Triathlon Sprint and Olympic Distance National Championships, the city will experience something new this year. For the first time, USA Triathlon is co-hosting the Para Triathlon National Championships, an event with 75 athletes that has typically been standalone.

“The Para athletes will be competing for a $36,000 prize purse and we’re very excited to be bringing that event into the fold,” D’Amico said. “Fans can expect a huge amount of community camaraderie and high energy throughout the whole weekend.

“We’ve really tried to festival-ize our expo area, where we’ll have 40-plus expo vendors and five or six food trucks. So we’re trying to pull in the community and we want them to come out, have a bite to eat and catch a little bit of the race and really just expose them to the event as a whole.”

Werner says it’s important for her and her team to make sure Milwaukee leaves the best impression.

“We want to ensure that every aspect of the event is a good experience,” Werner said. “We know we can’t control Mother Nature, but we can control the experience that these athletes have when they aren’t on the race course, and to inform them of everything that Milwaukee has to offer. So even if their race didn’t go exactly as planned, we know they’re still going to leave thinking Milwaukee is a unique and cultured city with a variety of restaurants and activities.”

Ironman will host its first event in Nebraska with the addition of the Ironman 70.3 Omaha triathlon on June 7, 2026, the opening year of a three-year contract with the city that will take athletes through Omaha and the Midlands Region of Nebraska.

“We are incredibly excited to partner with and welcome an Ironman 70.3 race to Omaha for 2026 through 2028,” said Lindsay Toussant Brown, Omaha Sports Commission executive director. “Hosting this world-class event showcases our city’s vibrant sports scene and incredible spaces — our downtown, lakes and trail systems. This event extends our commitment to supporting athletes at the highest level. We can’t wait to introduce the Ironman community to an unforgettable experience while in Omaha and the state of Nebraska for the first time.”

The Ironman 70.3 Omaha triathlon starts with a 1.2-mile swim in Lake Cunningham, a 390-acre reservoir. Once out of the water, athletes transition to the 56-mile bike course throughout Douglas County and Omaha. The 13.1–mile two–loop run course will take athletes on paved trails along the Missouri River, followed by the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge into Council Bluffs. Athletes will run on the bridge back to Omaha before finishing near downtown.

“Securing an Ironman 70.3 brand race each year for the next three years highlights Omaha’s strength in attracting and sustaining world–class events,” said Deborah Ward, executive director of Visit Omaha. “We expect 2,500 to 3,000 athletes and their families to visit Omaha each year of the competition, generating an estimated $4 million in economic impact for our community annually.”

The 2026 Ironman 70.3 Omaha triathlon will offer qualifying slots to the 2026 Ironman 70.3 World Championship race in Nice, France. Omaha hosted the 2025 USA Triathlon Multisport National Championships Festival in June this year.

“We’re thrilled to introduce the Ironman 70.3 Omaha triathlon to the race calendar in 2026,” said Ryan Richards, Ironman regional director. “Omaha offers a dynamic mix of Midwest charm, a rich tradition in hosting world-class sporting events, and a vibrant local culture that makes it a standout destination for athletes and their supporters. We’re proud to partner with the city to bring this new race experience to life and look forward to welcoming athletes to discover everything that makes Omaha a memorable place to race and visit.”

Maine will host two big sporting events in the next two weeks, with Ironman Triathlon and an international soccer friendly coming to the state.

The Kennebec Valley will welcome the Ironman 70.3 Maine triathlon on July 25–27 for its fourth consecutive year. The event is expected to bring more than 5,000 people from around the globe to Augusta and the surrounding communities. Next month, the Halifax Wanderers of the Canadian Premier League will be part of an international friendly with Maine’s new professional soccer team, the Portland Hearts of Pine, on August 6 at Portland’s Fitzpatrick Stadium.

The Ironman competition has made an economic impact on the Augusta region over the past three years and brought an estimated $12 million to the local economy. Since the event debuted in Augusta in 2022, it has drawn 14,739 visitors from 26 countries and 49 states. Ironman has extended its partnership with the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce through 2027.

“Our partnership with Ironman has been a tremendous success, contributing not only to the economic growth of our region but also in showcasing the Kennebec Valley as an ideal place for world-class events,” said Katie Doherty, president and chief executive officer of the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce. “We look forward to continuing this momentum for this year’s event, and in the years to come.”

The course for the Ironman 70.3 Maine triathlon begins with a 1.2-mile swim in the Kennebec River. Athletes transition near the Maine Capitol building to the 56-mile bike leg and finish the course with a 13.1-mile run that traverses the Kennebec River Rail Trail, Augusta and surrounding communities.

“We applaud the businesses and community organizations in the region for embracing this opportunity,” said Sheila Brennan Nee, strategic director for the Maine Sports Commission. “Events like the Ironman 70.3 introduce Maine to people who might not have thought of visiting otherwise, and we often see athletes and families return to stay in our state, amplifying Maine as a four-season destination.”

Diplomacy Leads to Soccer

The soccer friendly in Portland will be the first international match for the Portland Hearts of Pine, which is celebrating its inaugural season in the United Soccer League.

The match is a direct result of Maine Governor Janet Mills’ trip to Atlantic Canada in June, during which she discussed hosting the international friendly match with Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston during their meeting in Halifax.

“I am thrilled to welcome the Halifax Wanderers to Maine for this historic match with the Hearts of Pine,” said Mills. “I wish to thank Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston for his gracious hospitality during my visit last month, which we look forward to extending to the Wanderers in August. I also thank the leadership of the Hearts of Pine for their extraordinary efforts to bring this match to Maine in support of stronger international ties.”

The Hearts of Pine play at 6,000–seat Fitzpatrick Stadium and sit eighth on the USL League One table. The Halifax Wanderers compete in the Canadian Premier League, the top tier of Canadian soccer, where they sit fourth on the table.

“Soccer has this incredible ability to unite communities, which is at the heart of everything our club does,” said Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, founder and chief community officer of Portland Hearts of Pine. “Maine and Nova Scotia are neighbors with generations of shared history, which is why we felt they were a perfect fit for our first-ever international friendly. We can’t wait to welcome the Halifax Wanderers and their supporters, create an electric atmosphere at Fitzpatrick Stadium, and hopefully start a tradition that brings our clubs together for years to come.”

USA Triathlon and the USA Triathlon Foundation have announced the appointment of Jason Rizzi as the Foundation’s new chief development officer.

Rizzi will play a leadership role in securing philanthropic investment to advance USA Triathlon’s Elevate 2028 Focus Forward Strategic Plan. His focus will include expanding USA Triathlon Foundation’s impact on triathlon in the U.S.

Rizzi previously served as senior director of development at UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute, where he led a national fundraising strategy. Prior roles include leadership positions at JUST Capital, Columbia University, Hackley School and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation, where he was instrumental in growing the Team Behind the Team initiative for the Rio 2016 and PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“When I watched the debut of paratriathlon at the Rio 2016 Games, I had the incredible opportunity to bring donors along to witness our Team USA women sweep the podium,” Rizzi said. “Today, as we prepare for a once-in-a-generation opportunity with a home Games at LA28, there is an urgent need to build a strong, sustainable pipeline of philanthropic support. Funding is critical, not just for our Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, but for the next generation of youth, collegiate and age group athletes discovering the sport. I’m honored to join USA Triathlon at this pivotal moment to help ensure that cost is never a barrier to excellence or access and that we deliver a movement as inclusive and high-performing as the athletes who represent it.”

The USA Triathlon Foundation’s mission includes increasing access and opportunities for youth and underrepresented communities, strengthening collegiate development pipelines and supporting para-athlete engagement. The Foundation drives investment for innovation in high-performance programming as Team USA prepares for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Jason is not only a strategic, accomplished fundraising leader with a proven track record of securing transformational gifts, but also a passionate triathlete who deeply understands the power and potential of our sport,” said Victoria Brumfield, USA Triathlon chief executive officer. “His unique combination of personal connection and professional expertise will be critical as we work to expand the Foundation’s reach and impact in support of our athletes, programs and multisport community.”

The Professional Triathletes Organization will have a T100 Triathlon World Tour event on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia, starting in 2026.

Queensland joins Singapore, San Francisco, London, Lake Las Vegas, Vancouver, Dubai and Qatar as T100 Tour host locations. The inaugural Gold Coast T100 Triathlon weekend will take place over March 21–22, 2026, with the pro swim leg slated for Surfers Paradise Beach and the bike and run legs taking to the Gold Coast streets, including the oceanfront Esplanade.

“Whenever we’ve asked the triathlon community where they’d like us to add events, Australia is consistently at the top of the request list,” said Sam Renouf, Professional Triathletes Organization chief executive officer. “So we are thrilled to be able to announce this long-term agreement to host the T100 on the beautiful Gold Coast, and to accelerate the growth and visibility of triathlon in the build up to the hosting of the 2032 Olympics.”

The two-day triathlon multisport festival features a mass participation 10km run as well as 100km and Sprint distance triathlons for amateur athletes. The festival will also include the newly created National Club Championships, in partnership with AusTriathlon, the national governing body for triathlon in Australia.

“It’s an absolute honor for the city to be chosen as host for T100 which will be followed by a mass participation triathlon where local, national and international amateur athletes can emulate their triathlon heroes in a Sprint and 100km triathlon and a variety of shorter distance events,” said Paul Donovan, chairman of Events Management Queensland. “This is one of the most exciting events to come to this city and is another opportunity to celebrate our sporting culture and passion ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.”

The 2025 T100 Triathlon World Tour got under way in Singapore last month. The next leg of the 2025 T100 Tour will be in San Francisco on May 31, when the 20 female and 20 male triathletes take on the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon.

“This is a great opportunity for Queensland and the Gold Coast to again step onto the global stage to deliver a world class event and demonstrate our professionalism and depth of skill and talent in major event management,” said Queensland Minister for Tourism Andrew Powell. “The T100 will bring an international focus to Queensland and the Gold Coast, provide a great economic boost to the local economy and tourism sector whilst fostering and celebrating sporting talent from grassroots to professional levels.”

Ironman has announced that beginning in 2026 the Ironman World Championship will return to its roots of Hawaii, with Kona hosting men and women racing on the same day.

For the first time in its history, the Ironman World Championship moved to split locations in 2023. After three years of the men and women having different events — one in Kona and the other in Nice, France — both will come back together in Kona in 2026.

“Kona has always been the heart and soul of the Ironman World Championship and we are excited to see this iconic event return to its roots in 2026,” said County of Hawaii Mayor Kimo Alameda. “This championship is more than just a race; it’s a celebration of athletic excellence and unity, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen the bond between Hawaii Island and the global Ironman ʻohana.’”

The 2026 event will take place on October 10, 2026, with nearly 3,000 triathletes from around the world. Ironman conducted research and received feedback across athletes, with the sentiment from competitors that the World Championship should return to Kona after three years away.

“We understand the importance of the Ironman World Championship, both its history and legacy in the sport of triathlon as well as what it means for the future of our sport and to our community,” said Ironman Chief Executive Officer Scott DeRue. “Over the past year, we have listened to our community, engaged thousands of athletes from around the world and learned a great deal about what our athletes aspire to, what they need and want, and ultimately how we can evolve the Ironman World Championship to best serve our athletes and the future growth of the sport.”

Ironman has also announced an extension of its partnership for world championship events with the city of Nice through 2028 as the host for the 2026 and 2028 Ironman 70.3 World Championship as well as a mutual option to host the event in 2030.

USA Triathlon will hold its inaugural Youth and Junior Cross National Championships from July 12–13 on the mountain biking trails in Hagg Lake, Oregon.

The inaugural youth event will take place in conjunction with USA Triathlon Cross National Championships, offering multisport athletes of all abilities the chance to compete in cross triathlon on a national stage. The event is hosted in partnership with Why Racing Events and the Hagg Lake Triathlon and Trail Festival.

“We’re thrilled to introduce Youth and Junior Cross Nationals as part of Cross Nationals,” said Brian D’Amico, USA Triathlon director of events. “This dynamic new race gives our youth athletes an incredible opportunity to try a new format and experience cross triathlon at a premier venue.”

Mountain bike racing has been increasing in youth athletes, with an estimated 35,000 participating in mountain biking leagues across the country. The USA Triathlon Youth and Junior Cross National Championships provides a bridge between mountain bike riding and multisport racing.

Youth and junior athletes will compete in three age groups: 7–10, 11–14, and 15–17, with champions for each division. Athletes ages 7–10 will complete a 50–meter swim, 2–mile mountain bike, and half–mile run, while 11–14-year-olds will complete a 100–meter swim, 3–mile mountain bike, and a half–mile run. Athletes ages 15–17 will compete in the Sprint Distance Cross Triathlon Race, which consists of a 750–meter swim, 14–mile mountain bike and 5k run.