Forty-eight teams are gathering at Diamond Lake Resort for the 2026 USARA National Championship, hosted by Bend Racing and USARA.
Forty-eight teams are gathering at Diamond Lake Resort for the 2026 USARA National Championship. Hosted by Bend Racing and USARA, this marks the event's Pacific Northwest debut, bringing racers to Oregon's volcanic peaks, rushing rivers, and varied ecosystems. Joining them are two Canadian racers and one, Hiroki Nakata, who has traveled all the way from Japan to join Strong Machine Adventure Racing.
This year’s event combines with the North American Regional Championship for the Adventure Racing World Series, and the champion will earn free entry into next year’s World Championship in beautiful Croatia. With such a prize in the mix, competition will be fierce.
Team 4 Hour Fuel will be one of the team’s undoubtedly looking to punch their ticket to Croatia. Arguably the race-favorite with two prior National Champions on their roster, the team is one of the local favorites. While a different lineup from the squad that finished top ten at the World Championship in Corsica earlier this month, this team is no less capable and will be looking to win their second national title in the last four years.
Sunrise Quest, boasting former champions Brent Molsberry and Scarlett Graham, also poses a major threat. So too will The Wolpertingers. Perhaps not the most well-known name on the circuit, the team is formidable with Abby Broughton and Jason Popilsky combining for three national championships themselves. With legs forged in the Tetons and more big race experience than most, they should be pushing the pace and gunning for the podium if not the overall win.
While there is impressive national championship pedigree across these three teams, no team brings more Nationals experience to the race than WEDALI, winners of six National Championships dating back to 2019 with four in the last five years. This year they are without their normal teammate Mari Chandler, but navigators Brian Mayer and Justin Bakken still boast eleven National Championship trophies between them. They may not be racing in their home environment, but the team will be hard to beat as always.
Other strong contenders in the premier mixed category include Highpoint Racing, Rib Mountain Racing, Strong Machine AR, 4 Hour Fuel Red Line Ultra, South by Northwest, and Tower Racing.
In the all-female division, back-to-back champions Women of AR seek a third title against a competitive field led by Mountain Goat Adventure Girls.
The open all-male division features contenders like Deschutes Adventure Syndicate, Broad Run Off Road, Toporadicals, and LoneStAR United (with past champion Kyle Nossaman).
Six teams will compete for the Masters title, led by Norcal Contours and 361 Athena Adventures, including two all-female squads vying for the overall division win.
Whether competing for a podium spot or aiming to cross the finish line, every team faces a challenging course filled with complex navigation, cold whitewater, steep climbs, and technical scrambles. Their efforts will be rewarded with cascading waterfalls, breathtaking vistas, starlit nights, and the unforgettable camaraderie unique to the USARA Nationals—all set against the striking backdrop of southern Oregon.
Follow live coverage on USARA, Bend Racing, and ARWS social channels, at www.usara.com and https://www.arworldseries.com/live
