JOINING THE Gravel FAMILY
FRIDAY August 21, 2026
Branched Oak Lake, NE
USAT GRAVEL NATIONALS
Triathlon & Duathlon
OR
“THE TRIPLE”
3-DAY ULTRA-GRAVEL-TRI
A homegrown gravel multisport experience. A National Championship and World Championship qualifying event.
Elevate your race experience by leaving the pavement behind and taking on the rolling hills in the heart of the US. Centered around Branched Oak State Recreation Area—just outside Lincoln, Nebraska—the Gravel Worlds Triathlon & Duathlon welcomes athletes of all abilities to swim, run, ride, and explore Nebraska’s gravel roads and trails.
Choose the traditional swim/bike/run triathlon or take on the run/bike/run duathlon. Sprint and intermediate-distance options are available for both races.
Gravel Worlds Triathlon and Duathlon will be the 2026 USATri Gravel National Championships!
All age groups and category podiums will receive USATri Medals!
INTRODUCING
“THE TRIPLE”
The Triple: Three Days. Three Disciplines. One Big Adventure.
Why race one event when you can take on the whole weekend?
The Triple is a multiday Gravel Worlds challenge for athletes who want the full adventure: water, gravel roads and trails across three consecutive days of racing.
Start Friday with one of three opening events, return on Saturday for the gravel bike race, and finish on Sunday with a gravel run. Each day brings a different test. Each discipline asks something different of you. Together, they create one unforgettable Gravel Worlds experience.A three-day Ultra Gravel Triathlon like nothing else!! Designed for the ultimate gravel athlete!
FRIDAY: SWIM
SATURDAY: BIKE
SUNDAY: RUN
FULL TRIPLE
The Full Triple is the ultimate Gravel Worlds endurance challenge: three days of racing, long miles and the full test of recovery, resilience and grit.
FRIDAY: 3km Swim
SATURDAY: 150 Mile Bike
Sunday: 50k Run
Half TRIPLE
The Half Triple is built for athletes ready to take on the full Gravel Worlds weekend with a strong but manageable multiday challenge.
FRIDAY: 1.5km Swim*
SATURDAY: 75 Mile Bike
Sunday: 25k Run
*If you would like to participate in the USAT Gravel National Championship, your intermediate 1.5km swim time can be used for the Half Triple
SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, AUG 21, 2026
ALL FRIDAY ACTIVITIES AT BRANCHED OAK LATE STATE PARK: GOOGLE MAP LINK
5:30AM- 7:00AM
Athlete Check-in
Check-in also available at Sandhills Global Event Center Thursday August 20th.
5:30AM
Transition Zones Open
7:45am
Athlete meeting
8am-1pm
Take on the Gravel Worlds Triathlon! Swim/bike/run or just bike/run!
Rolling starts after 8am for all distances.
Branched Oak Lake
Timing, Results, Awards, and World Championship Qualification
This is the USA Triathlon Gravel National Championships — a chance to race for a national title, test yourself on Nebraska gravel, and earn your spot on the world stage.
The event will use chip timing.
Eligible age-group and category podium finishers will receive USA Triathlon medals. Category winners will earn the title of USA Triathlon Gravel National Champion.
Final divisions, award depth, championship eligibility, and ceremony timing will follow official USA Triathlon criteria.
The top 18 athletes in each age group will qualify for the Cross World Championships in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in July 2027.
Qualified athletes will receive an email from USA Triathlon with instructions to accept their qualification and join Team USA. Team fees will apply.
The Gravel Worlds Triathlon & Duathlon are USA Triathlon-sanctioned events. Participants must provide a current USA Triathlon membership number or purchase a one-day license during registration.
Welcome to Gravel Worlds Gravel Triathlon/USA Triathlon Gravel National Championships for Triathlon and Duathlon!!
Gravel Triathlon
Gravel triathlon combines swim/bike/run with the strategy, self-reliance, and shared experience that make gravel racing different.
Once athletes leave the water, the race becomes more than an individual test against the clock. The bike course is draft-legal, which means athletes may find a group and share the work to move efficiently across the Nebraska landscape.
Athletes may form groups and work together on the bike, but the final 5K or 10K trail run then asks athletes to finish the race on their own legs after the gravel has already tested their judgment and adaptability.
Sprint Triathlon — Swim/Bike/Run
Swim: 750 meters
Bike: Approximately 13 miles*
Run: 5K*
Intermediate Triathlon — Swim/Bike/Run
Swim: 1,500 meters
Bike: Approximately 28 miles*
Run: 10K
Gravel Duathlon
The Gravel Worlds Duathlon follows the same gravel ethos in a deliberately nontraditional run/bike/run format.
This duathlon is organized around the defining component - the gravel bike.
The opening run is shorter than a conventional duathlon first leg: 1 mile for the sprint and 2 miles for the intermediate race. Its purpose is to start the competition, establish position, and spread the field before athletes enter transition and begin the draft-legal gravel bike course.
Similar to the triathlon, the course may reward cooperation one moment, but the final 5K or 10K trail run then asks athletes to finish the race on their own legs after the gravel has already tested their judgment and adaptability.
Sprint Duathlon — Run/Bike/Run
Run 1: 1 mile*
Bike: Approximately 13 miles*
Run 2: 5K*
Intermediate Duathlon — Run/Bike/Run
Run 1: 2 miles*
Bike: Approximately 28 miles*
Run 2: 10K*
*Gravel course distances are approximate and may be adjusted based on final course conditions and permitting.
Final Routes will be added no later than 10 days prior to the event.
Full Week Of Fun!!
Be sure to also join in all the Gravel Worlds week activities! We'll have an expo, group rides/runs, activations, and more happening Wednesday thru Sunday! Come to Lincoln early and enjoy the entire experience!
What’s it all about?
A homegrown gravel multisport experience. A National Championship and World Championship qualifying event.
Elevate your race experience by leaving the pavement behind and taking on the rolling hills in the heart of the US. Centered around Branched Oak State Recreation Area—just outside Lincoln, Nebraska—the Gravel Worlds Triathlon & Duathlon welcomes athletes of all abilities to swim, run, ride, and explore Nebraska’s gravel roads and trails.
Choose the traditional swim/bike/run triathlon or take on the run/bike/run duathlon. Sprint and intermediate-distance options are available for both races.
What’s included?
State of Nebraska Game and Parks Day-use pass
Post-race food and beverage
Gravel Worlds finisher medal
Age-group awards with National Gravel Champion titles
Opportunity to qualify for Team USA at the 2027 World Championships in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
A one-of-a-kind opportunity to race Nebraska gravel
The Gravel Worlds Triathlon is a USAT-sanctioned race and participants will be required to enter their USAT member ID or a one-day license ($15 value) number.
Presented by GoodlifeBrands and CertifiedPiedmontese.