2026 National Team Applications

Please fill out the application(s) below for each distance that you're interested in racing on the National Team. The USAOCR Selection Committee will determine the 2026 National Team based on the Selection Criteria found below. Please note that there are minimum requirements to be considered for the 2026 USA OCR National Elite Team.  

To apply to be a member of the Elite Team, at least one result must score 10 points from the criteria spreadsheet.

As this is for representation in the 2026 USA OCR National Team, each application will be treated with the highest respect and reverence owed to each of the applicants. All applications will be reviewed in accordance with USAOCR's nondiscrimination policy. USAOCR does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, military status, or any status prohibited by applicable law. USAOCR will follow all local, state, and federal laws in accordance with this policy.

The number of elite athletes selected to the 2026 USA OCR National Team will be based upon the maximum number of participants allowed to attend the 2026 World Obstacle Championships in Ireland.  Alternates will also be selected by the Selection Committee.

Application Deadline 

Jan 1, 2026 @ 12:00 AM EST

2026 USAOCR XC National Team Criteria
Elite / Age Group

The criteria for applying for the Short Course and Standard Course 2026 USA OCR National Teams have been formalized by the USAOCR Athlete Committee and approved by the USAOCR Board of Directors.

The selection process will be based upon a points system with the winners at the Short Course and Standard Course FISO OCR World Championships gaining an automatic entry as a member of the Short Course and Standard Course USA OCR National Team. 

As of this announcement, Elite Athletes, Age Group Athletes and Para-Adaptive Athletes are subject to the application/points system. The Selection Committee Points Criteria Chart follows this announcement and is designed to show the points system. 

The Age Group classifications are as follows (an athlete’s age is determined by their age on December 31st in the year of competition):

A detailed chart for the Short Course and Standard Course criteria is below. 

1.  All applicants must submit two events for review with a third event submission to be used by the Selection Committee in case of ties or other potential reviews.

2.  To apply to be a member of the Elite Team, at least one result must score 10 points.  

See the points chart below at the bottom of the page for each event.

3.  Athletes may apply with a waiver if they do not have two events or the proper points as needed.  A detailed reasoning for the waiver will be expected.

2026 USAOCR Short Course Qualifiers

2025 calendar year events only

TIER 1	TIER 2	TIER 3	TIER 4	TIER 5
World Obstacle OCR World Championships 3K Event Gothenburg, Sweden	Midwest OCR 10K Skull Division	National Federation / Continental Championships Outside of the US 3K to 10K Only	Abominable Snow Race 10K Competitive	Bear Crawl OCR 10K Competitive
	UIPM Obstacle World Championships 3K Competitive Division	Spartan World Championships - Sprint Hvar, Croatia	Frontline OCR Special Forces Division	Hildervat OCR 5K / 10K Competitive
	UNAA 3K OCR Championships 3K Competitive Division	Spartan World Championships - Super Mammoth Lakes, CA	Barbarian Challenge OCR Competitive	Conquer the Gauntlet Elite Wave
		Spartan Trifecta World Championships - Sprint / Super Glen Jean, WV	Mythic Race 5K Competitive	Murder Creek Mud Run Competitive
			Savage Race PRO 10K Competitive	Scenic City OCR Competitive
			Spartan US National Series Sprint / Super	Tuscaloosa Gauntlet Competitive

2026 USAOCR Standard Course Qualifiers

2025 calendar year events only

TIER 1	TIER 2	TIER 3	TIER 4	TIER 5
World Obstacle OCR World Championships 12K Event Gothenburg, Sweden	Midwest OCR 10K Skull Division	National Federation / Continental Championships Outside of the US 10K to 15K Only	Abominable Snow Race 10K Competitive	Bear Crawl OCR 10K Competitive
	War-X OCR 10K Competitive Division	Spartan World Championships - Super Mammoth Lakes, CA	Barbarian Challenge OCR Competitive	Highlander Assault 8-Mile Elite Wave
		Spartan World Champsionships - Beast Abu Dhabi, UAE	Frontline OCR Special Forces Division	Hildervat OCR 10K Competitive
		Spartan Trifecta World Championships - Super / Beast Glen Jean, WV	Savage Race PRO 10K Competitive	Murder Creek Mud Run Competitive
			Spartan US National Series Super / Beast	Scenic City OCR Competitive
			Spartan Pan-American Championship - Super Seattle, WA	Tuscaloosa Gauntlet Competitive

2026 USAOCR 100-Meter National Team Criteria
Elite / Age Group

The criteria for applying for the 100m 2026 USA OCR National Teams have been formalized by the USAOCR Athlete Committee and approved by the USAOCR Board of Directors.

The selection process will be based upon a points system with the winners at the 100-Meter FISO OCR World Championships gaining an automatic entry as a member of the 100-Meter USAOCR National Team. 

The 100m classifications are as follows (an athlete’s age is determined by their age on December 31st in the year of competition):

As of this announcement, Elite Athletes, Age Group Athletes and Para-Adaptive Athletes are subject to the application/points system. The Selection Committee Points Criteria Chart follows this announcement and is designed to show the points system. 

A detailed chart for the 100-Meter criteria is below. 

1.  All applicants must submit two events for review with a third event submission to be used by the Selection Committee in case of ties or other potential reviews.

2.  To apply to be a member of the Elite Team, at least one result must score 10 points.  

See the points chart below at the bottom of the page for each event.

3.  Athletes may apply with a waiver if they do not have two events or the proper points as needed.  A detailed reasoning for the waiver will be expected.

2026 USAOCR 100-Meter Course Qualifiers

2025 calendar year events only

TIER 1	TIER 2	TIER 3	TIER 4
World Obstacle OCR World Championships 100M Event Gothenburg, Sweden	Spartan 100M Championships Hvar, Croatia	UIPM 2025 Obstacle World Championships Beijing, China	Ninja Sport Network Youth Championships Pinellas Park, FL
		100M OCR USA World Obstacle Series Competition Colorado Springs, CO	Ninja Sports Network Season 4 Championships Apex, NC
		Fitset Ninja Canadian 100M World Series Edmonton, AB, Canada	FINA Championships (Speed) - Ninja - Tier 3 Dallas, TX
		All Other International World Obstacle/UIPM Approved Events	FINA Championships (Head to Head) Dallas, TX
			UNAA World Series Finals Season 10 Dallas, TX
			World Ninja League Premier Series Finals Lee's Summit, MO

2026 USAOCR Para-Adaptive National Team Criteria

100-Meter / 400-Meter / Short Course / Standard Course

Athletes in this category must qualify as an Adaptive Athlete per the classifications listed in the World Obstacle Competition Rules and must provide up to five completed OCR events. 

Para-Adaptive athletes will be selected based upon the following classifications:

PO1 (Wheelchair-user athletes)
Para athletes in this class use a handbike or racing wheelchair for run sections. This class includes athletes with, but not limited to impairments of muscle power, range of movement, limb deficiency such as unilateral or double leg amputation, spinal cord injuries resulting in paraplegia, or tetraplegia.

PO2 - PO4 (Ambulant athletes)
Athletes in this sport class run with or without the use of an approved prosthesis and/or supportive devices. They fall into one of three sport classes which include but are not limited to: impairment of muscle power, range of movement, limb deficiency, hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis.

PO2
This sport class includes athletes with a severe degree of activity limitation such as, but not limited to: unilateral above knee amputees, double below knee amputee, athletes with a significant combined upper, and lower limb muscle power limitation or severe neurological impairment such as congenital hemiplegia and severe cerebral palsy.

PO3
This sport class includes athletes with a moderate degree of activity limitation such as athletes with, but not limited to: through-the-shoulder amputation, complete loss of range of motion in one arm, athletes with a moderate combined upper, and lower limb loss of muscle power, or moderate neurological impairments.

PO4
This sport class includes athletes with a mild degree of activity limitation such as athletes with, but not limited to: below-the-elbow arm amputation, below-the-knee amputation, partial loss of arm muscle power, lower limb deficiency, or mild neurological impairments such as ataxia or athetosis.

PO5 (Athletes with visual impairment)
Para triathletes in this sport class run and complete obstacles with a guide.

See https://www.worldobstacle.org/competition-rules/ for more info regarding classifications.

**NEW**

2026 USAOCR 400-Meter National Team Criteria

Elite / Age Group

After debuting at the 2025 European OCR Championships, 2026 the 400-Meter World OCR Championships event will debut in Limerick, Ireland. 

USAOCR is taking applications from Elite, Age Group, and Para-Adaptive athletes to compete in this new course. With the exception of the 2025 European OCR Championships - 400-Meter Course held in Limerick, Ireland and the 2025 UIPM Championships in Beijing, China, this is a new event for athletes in the United States. 

Athletes are recommended to provide 100-Meter and/or 3K Competition results. 

The selection of the the 400m 2026 USA OCR National Teams have been formalized by the USAOCR Athlete Committee and approved by the USAOCR Board of Directors.

More information to come.

Final number of athletes selected will be based upon the final number of athletes allowed by World Obstacle for entry in the 2026 OCR World Championships.

***There is a one-time $20 membership fee to join the 2026 USA OCR National Team***

2026 National Team Applications

Short Course Application
Standard Course Application
100m Application
400m Application
Para-Adaptive Application

2026 National Team Points Criteria

Short Course Points Criteria Spreadsheet.pdf

Standard Course Points Criteria Spreadsheet.pdf

100-Meter Course Points Criteria Spreadsheet.pdf