The Mississippi Gulf Coast will be the home to next year’s USA Triathlon Collegiate Club National Championship and related events.
CLASH Endurance, an endurance sports event company, announced Wednesday that the state’s coastal region will host the swimming, biking, and running event from March 27-29. In addition to some of the country’s most competitive collegiate athletes, folks with a competitive drive from across the U.S. and more than a dozen countries will take part in triathlons, duathlons, swims, and events varying in distance.
“Stay and Play” will be the triathlon’s theme, inviting the public to experience the various entertainment, culture, and history that coastal Mississippi has to offer.
Many have voiced the need for a more centralized location, as Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida has served as the home of the spring CLASH Endurance event weekend since 2021. The cities of Gulfport and Biloxi have become a southern tourism hub, offering more participants an international airport, along with accommodation and dining options ranging from budget-friendly to luxury.
Mississippi is proud to host the 2026 USA Triathlon Collegiate Club National Championships and CLASH Endurance on our beautiful Gulf Coast.
Looking forward to showing Americans from across the country why Mississippi is the perfect destination for world-class outdoor events! pic.twitter.com/7yBia9zdbq
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) October 22, 2025
“We are thrilled to bring this high-caliber event weekend to the area and for both athletes and spectators to experience the warmth its communities provide,” CLASH Endurance CEO Bill Christy said. “It is rare to find host venues that feel like home, but Coastal Mississippi does just that.”
The swim will utilize a protected saltwater course in the gulf adjacent to the newly rebuilt Gulfport Municipal Marina. The controlled bike course will take athletes east from Jones Park along Beach Boulevard toward Biloxi on a flat and fast ride. A scenic run will wind through a variety of Gulfport’s coastal neighborhoods.
“We’re proud to welcome CLASH Endurance to our Gulf Coast. This exciting event showcases the strength and determination of its athletes, as well as the unmatched beauty and hospitality of Coastal Mississippi,” Gov. Tate Reeves said. “We look forward to hosting competitors and fans from across the country, and showing them why Mississippi is the perfect destination for world-class outdoor events.”
Each year, USA Triathlon Collegiate Club National Championships bring together more than 100 clubs for two days of competitive racing and high-energy displays of school spirit. Races include Olympic-distance, draft-legal sprint, and the mixed relay, with all races counting toward the overall team scores. Winners of the individual races and the overall club title will be awarded, as well as top women’s, men’s, and military clubs.
Other honors will be recognized, including the annual spirit award for the collegiate club that shows the most school pride throughout the event, along with the winner of “Journey to Nationals,” a competition in which clubs submit short videos capturing their preparation, qualification, and travel to the national championship events.