The Transition: AR News and Updates
Friday, March 13, 2026
USARA ANNOUNCES NATIONALS HOST VENUE AND WELCOMES INTERNATIONAL TEAMS WITH CASH PRIZE
USARA is excited to announce the host venue for the 2026 USARA National Championships will be Diamond Lake Resort, in the Umpqua National Forest of Southern Oregon. Visit the USARA website for more details about the location, including directions, lodging options, airport shuttle, and more.
The name will be familiar to teams who raced Expedition Oregon in 2021, but rest assured Bend Racing is serving up something special for the USARA National Championships and ARWS – North America Championship. The winning Mixed Gender team of any nationality will win a free entry into the ARWS World Championship for 2027.
To qualify for the USARA National Championship podium and prizes, teams must meet the US citizenship standards or an exception, as outlined on the registration page. The top US team in the Mixed Gender category will win free entry into 2027 Nationals and $1,500 worth of race credits for USARA-sanctioned races for the following year. 2nd in the Mixed Gender category will win $1,000 worth of race credits and 3rd will win $500 worth of race credits. The top team in the All-Women and All-Men categories will each win $500 worth of race credits, as will the top Masters team from across all categories. All US teams will qualify for points in the USARA National Rankings, and Mixed Gender teams will qualify for ARWS points, as well.
International teams are welcome to race and qualify for ARWS points. Additionally, USARA will allocate a portion of the entry fee from every international team to a prize pool that will be shared among the top three international teams. USARA will “jump start” the pool with a cash prize of $500.
Garmin is a Stage Sponsor at the 2026 USARA National Championship.
Garmin GPS watches with “Adventure Racing Mode” are the only GPS-enabled watches (including “smart watches”) approved for use at USARA Nationals. They may be used provided they are registered with the race organization, and checked before and after the race to confirm AR mode is in use throughout the race.
Gear Shed
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REMINDER: A screenshot of the USARA membership from run signup will suffice for joining ExpertVoice. Directions are available on our membership page.
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Upcoming USARA Sanctioned Events
Tracking Links by Adventure Enablers
Visit the Community Race Calendar for More Races
March 2026
Great Owl, OH, Mar. 14 (LIVE TRACKING LINK)
Frozen Foot Challenge Adventure Race, VA, Mar. 14
Lake Kissimmee Endurance Challenge, FL, Mar. 21
LBL Challenge, KY, Mar. 28 (REGISTRATION CLOSES 3/20)
April 2026
2026 Shenandoah Epic, VA, Apr. 11 **RQ** (LIVE TRACKING LINK)
Stubborn Fool, WI, Apr. 11
Crooked Compass (Rogaine), PA, Apr 18 (REGULAR REGISTRATION CLOSES 3/1)
Knox Xtreme Adventure Race, TN, Apr. 25 (REGISTRATION CLOSES 4/20)
Spring Bloom Adventure Race, VA, Apr. 25
Sufferfest in the Styx, FL, Apr. 25 **RQ** (REGISTRATION CLOSES 3/29)
SunRiver Scramble, OR, Apr. 25
SunRiver Family Race, OR, Apr. 26
May 2026
Midwest Championship Adventure Race--24-hr Ozarks Challenge, MO, May 2 **RQ**
Rock, Roll & Rattlesnake Challenge Adventure Race -- 16hr, TX, May 2 **RQ** (REGISTRATION CLOSES 4/28)
Eastern Shore Sprint 6-Hour AR, DE, May 2
Mission Adventure Race, IN, May 2 (PRICE INCREASE AFTER 3/31)
Cerberus 3 Day Stage Race, VA, May 8 (REGISTRATION CLOSES 4/26)
New River Rush, WV, May 16
3ROC’s Pay What You Want Adventure Race, PA, May 16 (REGISTRATION CLOSES 5/16)
Rib Mountain Adventure Challenge, WI, May 23
Brake the Habit, WV, May 30 **RQ** (PRICE INCREASE AFTER 5/3)
Tug Hill Extreme -- 24hr, NY, May 30 **RQ**
June 2026
Rainer Raid -- 30hr, WA, Jun. 6 **RQ**
Summer Sizzle Adventure Race - Saturday, VA, Jun. 13
Summer Sizzle Adventure Race - Sunday, VA, Jun. 14
Union Bay Weeknight Adventure Race, WA, Jun. 16
Endless Mountains Adventure Race, VT, Jun. 22-27
Endless Mountains Lite, MA, Jun. 26
Stubborn Mule, WI, Jun. 27 **RQ**
July 2026
Maine Summer Adventure Race - 24hr, ME, Jul. 11 **RQ**
Seven Bends Adventure Race, VA, Jul. 11
Pocket Gopher Extreme, MN, Jul. 17
ChattARnooga Adventure Race, TN, Jul. 18
The Longest Day -- 24hr, NY, Jul. 25 **RQ**
Teton Ogre -- 24hr, ID, Jul. 25 **RQ**'
August 2026
Cowboy Tough, WY, Aug. 7
After Dark Adventure Race, KY, Aug. 22
Quarry Mountain Quest, CO, Aug. 22
Creve Coeur 4 Adventure Race, MO, Aug. 29
September 2026
East Fork Challenge, OH, Sept. 12
Greenhorn Adventure Race, MD, Sep. 12
VentureQuest Adventure Race, MD, Sep. 12
San Francisco Adventure Race, CA, Sep. 19
La Pine Loop Race Weekend, OR, Sept. 19-20
La Pine Loop Family Race, OR, Sept. 20
Coastal Traverse, DE, Sept. 26
October 2026
Wild Driftless Adventure Race, IA, Oct. 3
Central Indiana Adventure (CIA), IN, Oct. 3
Fall Foliage Adventure Race, VA, Oct. 10 EARLY REGISTRATION DEADLINE Apr. 1
USARA National Championships, OR, Oct. 23-24
Off Road Rage Adventure Race, MO, Oct. 24
November 2026
Rocktown Adventure Race, VA, Nov. 7
The Fig, KY, Nov. 7
December 2026
Rib Mountain Adventure Challenge—Winter Edition, WI, Dec. 5
Have an adventure story, race report or an article to share with fellow adventure racers? Send it to social@usara.com for inclusion in the Transition.
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