2026 XTERRA WETSUITS Mission Bay Triathlon & San Diego 5K

Mark your calendars for event #3 of the San Diego Triathlon Series & the Triple Crown of Triathlon

Sunday, October 11, 2026

San Diego, CA – Mission Bay

Proud Host of the 2026 USAT State Championships

The XTERRA WETSUITS Mission Bay Triathlon is proud to once again host the 2026 USA Triathlon State Championships — featuring Age Group, High School, and Club Championships!

Olympic Distance / Sprint Distance / Duathlon / Aquabike / Aquathlon

What This Means for Racers:

State Champion Titles

Compete for the honor of being crowned California State Champion in your triathlon division (Sprint or International), as well as in High School and Club categories. Olympic Distance / Sprint Distance 

Coveted State Champion Jersey

1st place winners in each age group, high school, and special category earn the exclusive right to purchase and wear the official California State Championship jersey.

Club State Championships

All State Championships also serve as the Club State Championships. Clubs (age group & high school) can earn the designation of Top Club in California and win a Club State Champion banner from USA Triathlon.

️ Qualification for Nationals

Sprint Triathlon → Qualifies you for Sprint Nationals

International Triathlon → Qualifies you for Olympic-Distance Nationals

Top 35% of finishers or top 5 athletes (whichever is greater) qualify.

State Championships after June 1, 2026, qualify athletes for both 2026 AND 2027 Nationals.

High School Championships

Eligibility: Any student currently enrolled in high school and up to six (6) months post-graduation.

Exemption: All athletes who finish a State High School Championship race will automatically qualify for Sprint Nationals, provided they are age 15 or older by December 31, 2026.

Open to all athletes — residency in California is not required.

Why Race Mission Bay?

Race in San Diego’s iconic Mission Bay, claim your place on the podium, and showcase your achievement in the California State Championship Jersey. ‍♂️‍♀️‍♀️

Don’t miss your moment to race, win, and represent — Register today!

Join us at the birthplace of the sport for the XTERRA Wetsuits Mission Bay Triathlon!

2026 is the 38th annual XTERRA Wetsuits Mission Bay Triathlon benefitting Life Sports Foundation. San Diego is the Birthplace of Triathlon! In 1974, the first Mission Bay Triathlon was as a run-bike-swim-run event on Fiesta Island by the San Diego Track Club. Every year competitors from around the country and from around the world, come to Mission Bay to celebrate the birthplace triathlon.  We invite you to become part of this wonderful legacy event and become part of history!

The event offers races for adults and kids,  from complete beginners to seasoned Professionals. There are many different races going on simultaneously, and while a traditional Triathlon is Swim / Bike / Run, KOZ Events, the organizer of the San Diego Triathlon Series,  offers more of a Multisport Race. Our race is very inclusive and we make triathlon accessible to as many people as possible. We have the traditional Swim/bike/ Run Triathlon but we offer so much more. If you do not like swimming, we have the Duathlon which is a Run/ Bike/ Run, if you don’t want to bike then choose the Aquathlon Swim / Run, or if you don’t want to run choose the Aquabike  Swim/Bike. We even have a Mini Distance Triathlon for beginners that want to try out the sport. We even offer free training groups every week to help people get started, train, and get connected to the San Diego Triathlon Community.