US-based short-course triathlon event specialist Cal Tri Events has announced its 2026 race schedule, featuring 18 triathlons across the United States.
The event organiser expects to generate more than 10,000 athlete registrations during the season, with a projected 50% of participants being first-time triathletes.
The 2026 calendar marks a significant expansion, with the addition of a race in Lake Havasu City, AZ, ensuring the series now has a footprint in all four US time zones. Other new developments include an event in Houston, TX, as a new venue for the Dallas-Forth Worth market, and the return of two races each in Austin, TX, and Charlotte, NC.
The season is scheduled to begin on March 15, 2026, at Cal Tri Lake Havasu and will conclude on November 1, 2026, with the Optimism Cal Tri Newport Dunes. Most stops on the circuit include 18 different event options, such as triathlon, swimrun, and swimbike, offered at Olympic, sprint, and youth sprint distances.
Cal Tri Events differentiates itself through a focus on athlete preparation and accessibility. Around 20%–25% of athletes register for free pre-race skills camps, and the organisation adds that it will be athlete-facing for 50 days in 2026. This includes 18 race days, 18 clinic days, and 14 days of skills camps across seven markets.
According to the company, it aims to remove traditional barriers to entry through ‘all-in’ early bird pricing of US$85 and a policy that allows for free race transfers or deferrals as late as the day before an event. It also maintains a ‘Divine Intervention Policy’ where registration fees are refunded in full if a race is cancelled due to incidents outside of human control.
The 2026 schedule includes:
- 2026 Cal Tri Lake Havasu – March 15, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Austin – March 29, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Lake Perris – April 12, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Charlotte – April 19, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Culpeper – April 26, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Ventura – May 3, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Richmond – May 17, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri DC – June 14, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Castaic Lake – June 20, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri La Crema – June 28, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Williamsburg – July 19, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Charlottesville – August 30, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Houston – September 13, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Austin – September 20, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri DFW – September 27, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Charlotte – October 10, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Los Angeles – October 18, 2026
- 2026 Optimism Cal Tri Newport Dunes – November 1, 2026
Cal Tri Events is a non-profit organisation based in Lexington, VA. It adds that its business model is dedicated to promoting health and wellness through affordable and accessible multisport events.
