Looking Back on an Incredible 2026 Season

As the 2026 triathlon season comes to a close, we want to take a moment to look back on another busy year of racing, training and triathlon across Alberta, and most importantly, to thank everyone who was part of it.

It was a big year for triathlon in our province, with opportunities to swim, bike, run and race throughout the year.

The season got underway during the winter months with a number of aquathlons hosted by the Edmonton Triathlon Academy and Cochrane Triathlon Club. These events gave athletes a chance to race through the colder months and provided another way to stay involved in multisport while waiting for the outdoor season to arrive.

In April, Triathlon Alberta hosted a successful paratriathlon camp in collaboration with Triathlon Canada and the Steadward Centre. The camp brought athletes together for an opportunity to train, develop their skills and connect with others in the sport, while continuing to build opportunities for paratriathletes in Alberta.

We also saw new opportunities for athletes away from the traditional race calendar. A brand new swim program launched in Fort McMurray this year, helping create more opportunities for athletes in northern Alberta to develop their swimming and get involved in the sport.

As the weather warmed up, the outdoor racing season got underway.

In Calgary, Kronos Triathlon Club once again put on two important events for young and developing athletes. The Lott Creek Draft-Legal Triathlon kicked off June racing, followed later in the month by another successful Calgary Kids of Steel. Both events provided athletes with opportunities to race, develop their skills and spend time with the triathlon community.

July was another exciting month for the sport in Alberta.

Edmonton once again welcomed athletes from around the world for the World Triathlon Cup hosted by Do North Events. International racing returned to Hawrelak Park, giving Alberta athletes, families, volunteers and spectators the chance to experience world-class triathlon right here at home.

Later in the month, another successful IRONMAN event returned to its location in Cochrane, bringing athletes, volunteers and supporters together for a major weekend of long-distance racing.

Throughout the summer, there was also plenty happening away from race day. Tri-CHAMPS hosted a summer full of camps in Edmonton, giving young athletes the chance to swim, bike and run while developing their skills and having fun with the sport.

Race weekends continued across the province throughout August, with athletes travelling to events in communities across Alberta.

The season finished on a high note with a brand new event in Sherwood Park hosted by the Edmonton Triathlon Academy. The Sherwood Park Triathlon was a great addition to the Alberta race calendar and provided a fitting way to cap off the summer, including the final stop of the Youth & Junior Cup.

For our younger athletes, the Youth & Junior Cup once again provided a summer of racing and development across the province. It has been great to watch athletes progress throughout the year, reconnect with friends at each event and welcome new athletes into the Alberta triathlon community.

Of course, none of what happened this season would have been possible without the people behind it.

Thank you to our athletes for showing up, putting in the work and continuing to challenge yourselves. Whether you stood on a podium, completed your first race, achieved a goal you had been working toward all year, or simply enjoyed another summer of swimming, biking and running, thank you for being part of triathlon in Alberta.

Thank you to our coaches for the hours spent planning practices, supporting athletes, travelling to races and helping create positive environments for people to train and compete.

Thank you to the parents and families for the early mornings, long drives, equipment checks, meals on the road and hours spent cheering from the sidelines. The support you provide makes a huge difference, particularly for our young athletes.

We are also incredibly thankful for our officials, race organizers and volunteers. Putting on a triathlon takes a tremendous amount of work. Course setup, transition, timing, aid stations, officiating and cleanup are just some of the jobs happening before the first athlete starts and long after the final athlete crosses the finish line.

Thank you as well to Alberta's triathlon clubs, event organizers, partners, communities, spectators and everyone who came out to support an event this year.

Results and finish times are an important part of our sport, but they are only part of what makes a season memorable. It is also the people you train with, seeing familiar faces at races throughout the summer, cheering for another athlete on the course and catching up with friends after a race.

That sense of community is what makes triathlon in Alberta special.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the 2026 season possible. We hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy some well-earned recovery, and we look forward to seeing you back at the pool, on the roads, on the trails and at the start line in 2027.