Originally published at: We Noticed: Challenge Family’ 2025 Numbers and 2026 Schedule, World Triathlon Schedule and More - Slowtwitch News
Challenge Roth. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
IRONMAN isn’t the only series that saw substantial growth in 2025 (we reported on some of those numbers here.) Challenge Family reports that the series saw an 18% increase in athlete participation in 2025 compared to 2024.
The Challenge Family series included 32 events around the world last year. This year’s “confirmed” schedule includes 29 events:
| Date | Event | Location |
| Jan 30, 2026 | Challenge Israman | Eilat, Israel |
| Jan 31 – Feb 1, 2026 | Challenge Sir Bani Yas | Abu Dhabi, UAE |
| Feb 21, 2026 | Challenge Wānaka | Wānaka, New Zealand |
| Apr 18, 2026 | Challenge Mogán-Gran Canaria | Gran Canaria, Spain |
| Apr 19, 2026 | Challenge Florianópolis | Florianópolis, Brazil |
| Apr 19, 2026 | Gdańsk Marathon | Gdańsk, Poland |
| Apr 23–26, 2026 | Challenge Taiwan | Taitung, Taiwan |
| May 10, 2026 | Challenge Cesenatico | Cesenatico, Italy |
| May 10, 2026 | Challenge Salou-Costa Daurada | Salou, Spain |
| May 24, 2026 | The Championship | Šamorín, Slovakia |
| May 31, 2026 | Challenge St Pölten | St Pölten, Austria |
| Jun 21, 2026 | Lotto Challenge Gdańsk | Gdańsk, Poland |
| Jun 28, 2026 | Challenge Kaiserwinkl-Walchsee | Walchsee, Austria |
| Jun 28, 2026 | SAIL Challenge Québec | Québec, Canada |
| Jun 28, 2026 | Challenge Sandefjord | Sandefjord, Norway |
| Jul 5, 2026 | DATEV Challenge Roth | Roth, Germany |
| Jul 26, 2026 | Challenge Turku | Turku, Finland |
| Aug 30, 2026 | Challenge Fortaleza | Fortaleza, Brazil |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Challenge Almere-Amsterdam | Almere, Netherlands |
| Sep 13, 2026 | Challenge Samarkand | Samarkand, Uzbekistan |
| Sep 13, 2026 | SAIL Challenge Esprit Montréal | Montréal, Canada |
| Oct 4, 2026 | Challenge Sanremo | Sanremo, Italy |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Challenge Vieux Boucau | Vieux Boucau, France |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Challenge Peguera Mallorca | Mallorca, Spain |
| Oct 25, 2026 | Challenge Barcelona | Barcelona, Spain |
| Oct 25, 2026 | Challenge Forte Village | Sardinia, Italy |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Challenge Xiamen | Xiamen, China |
| Nov 22, 2026 | Challenge Canberra | Canberra, Australia |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Challenge Florianópolis | Florianópolis, Brazil |
World Triathlon 2026 Calendar
It seems a bit late, but World Triathlon has announced the site for this year’s World Triathlon Winter Championships – Padola, Italy will host the event from February 27 to March 1. The races include the Winter World Duathlon (run and ski) and Triathlon (run, mountain bike and ski) Championships, along with Para events and the 2 x 2 Winter Triathlon Mixed Relay (two athletes who do two run, bike and ski races continuously).
The full World Cup schedule has now been announced as well, and it includes new stops in Lanzarote, Spain (March 14), Haikou, China (March 21 and 22), and the Dubai Women’s Cup on December 5 and 6.
The full 2026 World Triathlon Schedule includes no events in the US and three races in Canada – there’s a World Cup and Mixed Relay event in Edmonton, a Paratriathlon race in Montreal and a T100 race in Vancouver.
Here’s the full 2026 schedule:
WTCS
- Abu Dhabi, UAE – March 27, 2026
- Samarkand, UZB – April 25–26, 2026
- Yokohama, JPN – May 16, 2026
- Alghero, ITA – May 30, 2026
- Quiberon, FRA – June 20, 2026
- Hamburg, GER – July 11, 2026
- London, GBR – July 25, 2026
- Weihai, CHN – August 29, 2026
- Karlovy Vary, CZE – September 13, 2026
- Pontevedra, ESP – September 24–27, 2026
Mixed Relays
- Abu Dhabi, UAE – March 28, 2026 (Mixed Relay Series)
- Chengdu, CHN – May 10, 2026 (Mixed Relay Cup)
- Alghero, ITA – May 31, 2026 (Mixed Relay Series)
- Quiberon, FRA – June 21, 2026 (Mixed Relay Series)
- Hamburg, GER – July 12, 2026 (Mixed Relay World Championships)
- Edmonton, CAN – July 19, 2026 (Mixed Relay Cup)
- Rome, ITA – October 4, 2026 (Mixed Relay Cup)
World Cups
- Lievin, FRA – March 7, 2026 (Indoor)
- Lanzarote, ESP – March 14, 2026
- Haikou, CHN – March 21–22, 2026
- Chengdu, CHN – May 9, 2026
- Huatulco, MEX – June 14, 2026
- Tiszaujvaros, HUN – June 27–28, 2026
- Edmonton, CAN – July 18, 2026
- Rio de Janeiro, BRA – August 1–2, 2026
- Asuncion, PAR – August 8–9, 2026
- Lima, PER – August 22–23, 2026
- Rome, ITA – October 3, 2026
- Tongyeong, KOR – October 24–25, 2026
- Iquique, CHI – October 31, 2026
- San Pedro de la Paz, CHI – November 7–8, 2026
- Hong Kong, HKG – November 7–8, 2026
- Miyazaki, JPN – November 14–15, 2026
- Tauranga, NZL – November 2026
- Jeddah, KSA – November 28–29, 2026
- Dubai, UAE – December 5–6, 2026 (Women’s Cup)
Para triathlon
- Devonport, AUS – March 13, 2026 (Para Series)
- Abu Dhabi, UAE – March 27, 2026 (Para Cup)
- Samarkand, UZB – April 25–26, 2026 (Para Cup)
- Yokohama, JPN – May 16–17, 2026 (Para Series)
- Besancon, FRA – June 20–21, 2026 (Para Cup)
- Montreal, CAN – June 27–28, 2026 (Para Series)
- Tegernsee, GER – July 4–5, 2026 (Para Cup)
- Hamburg, GER – July 11–12, 2026 (Para Series)
- Tata, HUN – July 18–19, 2026 (Para Cup)
- Alhandra, POR – September 5–6, 2026 (Para Cup)
- Pontevedra, ESP – September 25–27, 2026 (Para World Championships)
- Chiba, JPN – October 10–11, 2026 (Para Cup)
- Alanya, TUR – October 24–25, 2026 (Para Cup)
- San Pedro de la Paz, CHI – November 7–8, 2026 (Para Cup)
Multisport
- World Triathlon Winter Championships – Padola, ITA – February 27 – March 1, 2026
- Long Distance Duathlon – Zofingen, SUI – September 6, 2026
- World Triathlon Multisport Championships – Abu Dhabi, UAE – November 13–22, 2026
T100 Triathlon World Tour
- Qatar Finals – December 11–12, 2026
- Gold Coast, Australia – March 21–22, 2026
- Singapore – April 25–26, 2026
- Spain – May 23–24, 2026
- San Francisco, CA – June 6–7, 2026
- Vancouver, CAN – August 15–16, 2026
- French Riviera, FRA – September 19–20, 2026
- Dubai, UAE – November 12–13, 2026
- Saudi Arabia – November 2026
More on the Retirement Front
After 11 years of pro racing, New Zealand’s Amelia Watkinson has decided to call it a career. Over the years Watkinson managed quietly win IRONMAMN Cairns (2020), take nine 70.3 titles, along with six Challenge wins in addition to a couple of wins at the Hervey Bay 100 and a win at the Laguna Phuket Triathlon. As you can see from her post below, Watkinson was always a serious competitor, but managed to keep a wonderful perspective on the opportunities available to a pro triathlete.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSl31zyEYfU
2008 Olympic swimmer Lukasz Wójt (he represented Poland, but lives in Germany) has also announced his retirement from triathlon. The 43-year-old didn’t turn to the sport until he was 36 after an incredible swimming career that included Polish national records in the 200 (1:54:81) and 400 (4:03:20) IM events, but certainly made the most of his time. Routinely the leader after the swim, his first win came at IRONMAN 70.3 Luxembourg and he would go on to a podium finish at IRONMAN Austria in 2022.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DS9aZMtjDLy