COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Six U.S. Elite Triathletes will line up this Sunday, Sept. 13, on the 2026 World Triathlon Championship Sequence Karlovy Differ in Czechia. 

Taylor Spivey (Redondo Seaside, Calif.) returns on Sunday after inserting second, incomes a silver medal in 2025. Spivey might be joined by Erika Ackerlund (Helena, Mt.) and up-and-comer and 2025 Pan American Champion Naomi Ruff (West Chicago, Ailing.). 

John Reed (Virginia Seaside, Va.), who posted a season-best seventh place at WTCS Weihai on Aug. 29, additionally returns to Karlovy Differ after racing in 2025, and profitable the World Triathlon Cup in 2024. Reed is joined within the males’s race by Chase McQueen (Columbus, Ind.) and Keller Norland (Corvallis, Ore.), who might be racing in his first WTCS occasion. 

Whereas they aren’t racing this yr, the U.S. has a robust historical past of success in Karlovy Differ. 2016 Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen (Boulder, Colo.) and fellow Olympian Morgan Pearson (New Vernon, N.J.) every received the 2023 race in Karlovy Differ. Gina Sereno (Madison, Wis.) additionally earned a medal in 2023, operating to bronze. 

Karlovy Differ is without doubt one of the hardest Olympic-distance races on the WTCS calendar, starting with a two-lap, 1.5-kilometer swim in Rolava Lake earlier than athletes tackle a grueling 40.8-kilometer bike course that includes seven technically difficult laps and a 20% ascent in each lap. With steep climbs, quick descents and tight turns by way of the historic city, the bike course calls for each power and technical ability. The race concludes with a 10-kilometer run consisting of 4 laps by way of Karlovy Differ’s hilly terrain. 

Followers can watch all WTCS occasions stay or on-demand on TriathlonLIVE.television. The platform is on the market on all browsers at www.triathlonlive.television and the TriathlonLIVE app for Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. TriathlonLIVE is suitable with Chromecast, Apple TV, and Android TV. 

Ladies’s Race: 10 a.m. native time on Sunday, Sept. 13 (4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT) 

Males’s Race: 3 p.m native time on Sunday, Sept. 13 (9 a.m. ET/ 6 a.m. PT) 

For all U.S. elite triathlon information, go to @usatrielite on Instagram. 

WTCS Samarkand | April 26 | Outcomes 

WTCS Yokohama | Might 16 | Outcomes 

WTCS Alghero | Might 30 | Outcomes 

WTCS Quiberon | June 20-21 | Outcomes 

WTCS Hamburg | July 11-12 | Outcomes 

WTCS London | July 25 | Outcomes 

WTCS Weihai | Aug. 29 | Outcomes 

WTCS Karlovy Differ | Sept. 13 

Championship Finals Pontevedra | Sept. 23-27 

WTCS Abu Dhabi | Postponed to Nov. 13-14 

USA Triathlon is proud to function the Nationwide Governing Physique for triathlon, in addition to duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and digital multisport occasions in america. Based in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions greater than 3,500 occasions and races and connects with and helps greater than 300,000 distinctive lively members every year, making it the most important multisport group on the planet. Along with its work on the grassroots degree with athletes, coaches, and race administrators — in addition to the USA Triathlon Basis — USA Triathlon supplies management and assist to elite athletes competing at worldwide occasions, together with World Triathlon Championships, Pan American Video games and the Olympic and Paralympic Video games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of World Triathlon and america Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).