Cal Tri Events, the US-based non-profit and leading short-course triathlon series in the USA, is reporting a 20% increase in participation for the 2026 Cal Tri Austin event, when compared to its spring 2025 edition.
The latest Cal Tri Austin took place on September 21, 2025. Cal Tri notes that growth on the March 2025 edition was largely driven by first-time multisport athletes, with 274 of the 610 registrants, or 45%, being first-timers. The September event, taking place in Austin, TX, will be the largest for Cal Tri Events outside of California.
The organiser attributes this growth, in part, to its participant-friendly policies, which it includes in what it calls ‘the best 15 words in triathlon’…. ‘Free race transfers, deferrals & participant transfers as late as the day before the race.’
The event offers 18 race options, covering both sprint and Olympic distances in various disciplines such as triathlon, duathlon, swimbike, swimrun, swim, and run. Athletes from 18 US states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, were represented this September.
Registered athletes took advantage of the free Athletica Free Swim & Coaching Clinic on Saturday, September 20, 2025. This 90-minute session provided instruction and practice on the five focals of faster swimming, followed by dryland instruction.
Cal Tri Events adds that it focuses on providing safe, affordable, and accessible triathlon experiences, with early bird pricing starting at US$85 all-in, including free youth races for ages 7–17 and free pre-race swim clinics.
The 2026 Cal Tri Events southwest calendar includes:
- 2026 Cal Tri Austin – March 29, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Houston – September 13, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Austin – September 20, 2026
- 2026 Cal Tri Fort Worth – September 27, 2026
