Diamond Lake Resort Hosts 2026 Adventure Race National Championships

March 13, 2026

March 13, 2026 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The USARA National Championships are coming to Diamond Lake Resort in Southern Oregon October 23-24, 2026. The 30-hour race will crown the National Champions in three divisions: mixed gender (premier category), all-women and all-men, racing on teams of four. The race will also serve as the Adventure Race World Series (ARWS) North American Championship.

This is the first time since the inaugural event in 2000 that USARA Nationals has been held in the Pacific Northwest. Nestled between Mount Thielsen and Mount Bailey in Oregon’s Cascade Range, Diamond Lake Resort is surrounded by the Umpqua National Forest, a place known for spectacular scenery, including thundering waterfalls and old growth forest.

The race will be directed by Bend Racing, with course design by renowned international adventure racer Jason Magness. “The chance to host USARA Nationals and ARWS North American Championships is finally in our hands and we could not be more excited!” said Magness. “This year’s course will truly test athletes, but also give them a taste of the majestic beauty of the mountains, singletrack and whitewater we get to train on day in and out.”

USARA Executive Director Brent Freedland reflected, “Our goal every year is to highlight what makes the host venue special, and to have the local Race Director stamp their personality on the course. For 2026, this means teams will be paddling packrafts for the first time, which is a Bend signature. We’re delighted to have Bend on board as we collaborate with them to produce a championship-caliber event.”

“ARWS is thrilled to be collaborating with USARA in producing such a prestigious event. Both organizations play a vital role in growing the sport and spreading the glow of AR as far and wide as we can,” said Heidi Muller, CEO of ARWS. “It’s so important to showcase to the world the strength of AR in the USA, and we are pleased to offer the North American Championship as that platform.” The winning team in the premier category will receive a free entry to the following year’s ARWS World Championship.

More information about the race can be found at www.usara.com. More information about Bend Racing can be found at www.bendracing.com. More information about ARWS can be found at www.arworldseries.com.

Contact Information:

Stephanie Ross
USARA
859-619-6464
nationals@usara.com