The Transition: AR News and Updates
Friday, July 17, 2026
ARWS Junior Adventure Racing World Championship
The first Junior Adventure Racing World Championship starts July 23. The race aims to encourage a new generation of adventure racers and recognize the best young adventure athletes in the world.
Teams of two in both U18 & U25 categories will race a regional youth prologue, followed by two days of multi-sport adventure incorporating trail running, mountain biking, canoeing, swimming, ropes climbing, and map and compass navigation. There will be an overnight camp in a remote location between the two days of racing amongst the lakes and forests of Temiscamingue.
The race will feature mutliple teams from the United States:
U18-Men
Full Steam Ahead Racing: Logan Kisselbach, Branton Miles
U18-Mix
Base Six: Maya Grogean, Jeremy Bel
U18-Women
Full Steam Ahead 1: Vivian Alexander, Lillian Chessman
Full Steam Ahead 2: Jossalyn Henry, Katharine Virgilio
U25-Men
GMARA: Samuel Yager, Jackson Yager
U25-Mix
Psyched USA: Hunter Sykes, Patrea Sykes
Donations Lead to New Bike for Junior Championship Racer
Donations from the Adventure Race community provided a new bike for a racer set to race at the ARWS Junior Adventure Racing World Championship.
Read about how the community rallied together and be sure to cheer all the racers at the ARWS Junior Adventure Racing World Championship!
An Update on Team Rosters and Race Integrity for the 2026 USARA National Championship
Jason Magness, Race Director of this year’s USARA National Championship, has crafted the following statement regarding the racers representing the Bend Racing organization at this year’s nationals.
To be clear: USARA has been working closely with Jason on developing this year’s course, and our relationship is built on a foundation of trust. Additionally, USARA has never had an official policy limiting a local race organizing team from fielding a team at the race.
This said, we also understand the optical question that has come up concerning who might represent the local team. As Jason has, we invite respectful discourse about this topic, and we will review the feedback with Jason and his organization.
For anyone uncomfortable engaging in public conversation, please feel free to send USARA an email regarding the topic.
-Brent Freedland
An Update on Team Rosters and Race Integrity for the 2026 USARA National Championship
As we get closer to October, we want to share an update regarding a team for the upcoming USARA National Championship at Diamond Lake, while directly addressing an important topic regarding the integrity of the event.
Following their recent win at the Rainier Raid, Team Bend Racing/4 Hour Fuel has finalized a roster for Nationals. The team will be Chelsey Magness, Dusty Caseria (who were on the winning team), Emily Caseria, and Matthias Arnbert.
Because the Bend Racing organization is hosting and directing this year's National Championship, we want to be entirely transparent. We fully recognize and understand the potential "optics" of having teammates, close friends, and training partners racing on a course we designed. In a sport as tight-knit as adventure racing—especially in the Pacific Northwest—these overlapping relationships are common, but they require us to hold ourselves to the highest possible standard of fairness.
To ensure a completely level playing field, we are implementing the exact same strict protocols we have successfully used for years when hosting high level World Series (ARWS) events and USARA regional championships where a Bend Racing squad is competing. They include (but not limited to):
Zero Course Knowledge:
No member of the racing team has had—or will have—any access to the course design, maps, checkpoint locations, race logistics, TA locations, Start/Finish locations, discipline order or elevation details; unless that information is public and available to all racers.
Segmented Roles:
Course design, mapping, and vetting are kept completely separate from the athletes. This includes password protected maps, passport sheets and route book information.
Mitigation of the "Local Factor":
While no team has inside information, we acknowledge that PNW locals and racers who have frequently participated in Bend Racing events will naturally have a familiarity with the regional terrain, navigation styles, and climate. This is a standard aspect of regional racing and other Nationals events, but we've structured the course to ensure that local knowledge does not translate into unfair advantages.
We love this sport, and we value the trust of this community above all else. Our goal is to deliver a challenging, world-class, and fair championship for every single team on the start line.
If you have any questions, concerns, or simply want to chat about these protocols, our door is always open. Please feel free to reach out to Jason Magness or Darren Steinbach directly.
Race Director - Jason Magness:
Phone: 541.350.8021 email: bendracingor@gmail.com
Assistant RD and course tester - Darren Steinbach
Phone: 360.751.2627 email: darrensteinbach@gmail.com
See you in Diamond Lake,
Jason Magness & Darren Steinbach / USARA Nationals Organizing Team
MRS Adventure Race Bundles
Racers competing at USARA National Championships can receive a FREE "Adventure Race Essentials" bundle from sponsor MRS packrafts with every packraft purchase.
To claim the free bundle, racers should add both a packraft and the bundle to their cart, and then use code “USARA”, which will adjust the price of the bundle to FREE!
Gear Shed
The $50 yearly membership to USARA drops up to 65% off Mammut gear at ExpertVoice!
REMINDER: A screenshot of the USARA membership from run signup will suffice for joining ExpertVoice. Directions are available on our membership page.
USARA annual members receive a 30% discount on custom apparel from PACTIMO and up to two free revisions on initial designs. To get started, email us at info@usara.com and we'll get you connected!
News from the Adventure Race/Endurance World
Summer race brings adventure to Greenwood
TDZ 164 – The Endless Mountains Podcast, Episode 4: Journey to the Crossroads
Adventure Racing Is Inspiring a New Era of Endurance Sports
Vail Kids Adventure Games 2026: Family Guide to Youth Adventure Racing
The trails got smoother and the bikes got burlier. Something has to give.
Upcoming USARA Sanctioned Events
Tracking Links by Adventure Enablers
Visit the Community Race Calendar
for More Races
July 2026
ChattARnooga Adventure Race, TN, Jul. 18
The Longest Day -- 24hr, NY, Jul. 25 RQ (TRACKING LINK) REGISTRATION ENDS JULY 12
Teton Ogre -- 24hr, ID, Jul. 25 RQ (TRACKING LINK)
August 2026
The Kids Adventure Race, CO, Aug. 6-9
Cowboy Tough, WY, Aug. 7 (REGISTRATION ENDS AUG 2)
After Dark Adventure Race, KY, Aug. 22 (REGISTRATION ENDS AUG 17)
Quarry Mountain Quest, CO, Aug. 22
Shenandoah River Adventure Race, VA, Aug. 22 (REGISTRATION ENDS AUG 8)
The Kids Adventure Race, CA, Aug. 28-30
Creve Coeur 4 Adventure Race, MO, Aug. 29
Unbridled Women Adventure Race, KY, Aug. 29 (PRICE INCREASE JULY 31)
September 2026
East Fork Challenge, OH, Sept. 12
Greenhorn Adventure Race, MD, Sep. 12 (PRICE INCREASE AUG 12)
VentureQuest Adventure Race, MD, Sep. 12 (REGISTRATION ENDS 9/12)
Gold Rush Adventure Challenge, CA, Sep. 19 (REGISTRATION ENDS 9/12)
La Pine Loop Race Weekend, OR, Sept. 19-20
Blue Hills Adventure Race, MA, Sept. 19
La Pine Loop Family Race, OR, Sept. 20
Reservoir Ramble, IN, Sept. 20 (PRICE INCREASE AFTER 7/26)
Coastal Traverse, DE, Sept. 26 (PRICE INCREASE AFTER 7/26)
DASH Adventure Race, UT, Sept. 26 (REGISTRATION ENDS 9/20)
October 2026
Central Indiana Adventure (CIA), IN, Oct. 3 (PRICE INCREASE AFTER 8/31)
Wild Driftless Adventure Race, IA, Oct. 3 (PRICE INCREASE AFTER 7/31)
Fall Foliage Adventure Race, VA, Oct. 10 (PRICE INCREASE AFTER 7/23)
USARA National Championships, OR, Oct. 23-24
Off Road Rage Adventure Race, MO, Oct. 24
November 2026
Rocktown Adventure Race, VA, Nov. 7 (PRICE INCREASE AFTER 8/1)
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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