ARWS North America Championship to be part of 2026 USARA National Championships in Oregon

Bend Racing to host the combined event, bringing together top adventure racing teams from across North America

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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The ARWS North America Championship will be hosted by the USARA National Championship race in Oregon on October 23/24th, 2026. The event will be organized by Bend Racing, a leading adventure racing team and event organizer, and will feature a variety of disciplines including packrafting, mountain biking, and navigation challenges. The race will be open to teams from Canada, the USA, and Mexico, with the winners receiving a free entry to the Adventure Racing World Championship.

Why it matters

This partnership between the ARWS North America Championship and the USARA National Championships represents a significant opportunity to bring together the top adventure racing talent from across North America. The event will showcase the beautiful landscapes of central Oregon and challenge teams with a variety of technical and navigational skills. It also marks the 25th edition of the USARA National Championships, making it a historic milestone for the sport in the United States.

The details

The ARWS North America Championship will be a 4-person team event, aligning with the standard format of the Adventure Racing World Series. Traditionally, the USARA National Championships have been a 3-person team event with canoeing as the water discipline. For 2026, the race will transition to a 4-person format to accommodate the ARWS Championship. Bend Racing, an experienced adventure racing organizer, will design a course that includes packrafting, mountain biking, and other technical elements to test the skills of the competing teams.

  • The 2026 USARA National Championships will take place on October 23-24, 2026 in Bend, Oregon.
  • The ARWS North America Championship will be hosted as part of the USARA National Championships on those same dates.

The players

ARWS

The Adventure Racing World Series, a global organization that sanctions and promotes adventure racing events around the world.

USARA

The United States Adventure Racing Association, the national governing body for adventure racing in the United States.

Bend Racing

An experienced adventure racing team and event organizer that will be hosting the combined USARA National Championships and ARWS North America Championship in 2026.

Heidi Muller

The CEO of the Adventure Racing World Series.

Brent Freedland

The Executive Director of the United States Adventure Racing Association.

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What they’re saying

“We are excited to partner with ARWS to host the North American regional championship, and looking forward to welcoming Canadian teams to the race for the first time!”

— Brent Freedland, Executive Director, USARA (EINPresswire.com)

“We are super excited to host the USARA National Championship, to show teams the awesome high desert scenery in Oregon and to welcome them to our home town of Bend.”

— Jason Magness, Race Director, Bend Racing (EINPresswire.com)

“This is a wonderful opportunity to bring the two Championships in North America together and I would like to thank the USARA for hosting us. We know Bend Racing will put on an exceptional race for all of the competitors who travel to Oregon, and with two titles and significant prizes to compete for, it's going to be a high stakes race in October!”

— Heidi Muller, CEO, ARWS (EINPresswire.com)

What’s next

Teams can begin registering for the 2026 USARA National Championships and ARWS North America Championship in early 2026. The event will be a major draw for top adventure racing talent across North America, with the winners of the ARWS Championship earning a free entry to the Adventure Racing World Championship.

The takeaway

The partnership between the USARA National Championships and the ARWS North America Championship represents a significant milestone for adventure racing in North America. By bringing together the top teams from the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the event will showcase the growth and popularity of the sport while challenging competitors with a world-class course designed by the experienced organizers at Bend Racing.