Yokohama will host the second stop of the World Para Series 2026 on Saturday, with racing scheduled to begin at 06:50 local time and live coverage on TriathlonLive. The Japanese event follows the season opener in Devonport, but its significance goes beyond competition: it forms part of a calendar that confirms the expansion of Para triathlon within the international structure of World Triathlon.
The 2026 season includes four World Para Series events and nine World Para Cup rounds, a structure that expands competitive opportunities and consolidates different levels within the circuit. Yokohama maintains its role as a reference venue, while the calendar incorporates more events integrated with the World Triathlon Championship Series -WTCS-, a model that allows Para triathlon to share venues, production, audiences and visibility with elite triathlon.
More venues and greater integration with World Triathlon
The World Para Series circuit will visit Devonport, Yokohama, Montreal and Hamburg this year, while the World Para Cup includes stops such as Abu Dhabi, Samarkand, Besançon, Tegernsee, Tata, Alhandra and Chiba. The latter is a significant addition to the global calendar after hosting Asian Para triathlon events in previous seasons.
One of the main new features will be Hamburg, which will integrate a World Para Series event into its WTCS weekend for the first time. The move strengthens an increasingly visible trend in the calendar: placing Para triathlon within events of greater international scale, with stronger links to national federations, sponsors, media, spectators and audiovisual platforms.
What Para triathlon is and how it is structured
Para triathlon groups athletes according to functional classifications and is usually contested over the sprint distance: 750 metres of swimming, 20 kilometres of cycling and 5 kilometres of running. The PTWC category is for wheelchair athletes, who use a handbike for the cycling segment and a racing chair for the run; the PTS2-PTS5 classes bring together ambulant athletes with different levels of impairment; and PTVI is reserved for athletes with visual impairment, who compete with a guide and use a tandem in the cycling segment.
World Triathlon governs the discipline internationally and structures the circuit through Series events, World Cups, and continental and world championships. The growth of the 2026 season points to a broader objective than simply expanding the calendar: strengthening development pathways, offering more competitive opportunities to athletes, improving connections with member federations and consolidating Para triathlon within the major events of global triathlon.
Pontevedra as the joint conclusion to the calendar
The season will culminate at the World Triathlon Championship Finals, which will take place in Pontevedra from 23 to 27 September. The grand final will bring together elite, under-23, junior, Para triathlon, age-group, aquabike and mixed relay competitions, a format that places Para triathlon within the international federation’s main annual event.
After Yokohama, the World Para Series will continue in Montreal and Hamburg, while the World Para Cup will remain active across several venues before the world championship finale in Pontevedra. The calendar leaves a season with more entry points, greater integration with the main circuit and a broader presence for Para triathlon on World Triathlon’s international agenda.
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