Spartans from around the world will converge on Lake Tahoe once again this year for the 2018 Spartan World Championships. This marks the fourth year at the Olympic venue of Squaw Valley. With the village, ski resort, and outdoor activities all around Lake Tahoe the location makes an ideal championship location.
Despite recent rumors of a new location in 2018, Spartan is back and looking to build on past successes. The world championship event is set to talk place on September 29-30, 2018. For those looking to qualify for the Spartan World Championship race, they must meet qualifying criteria for elite or age groups.
Qualifiers are held throughout the world, to find an event near you check out the Spartan Calendar. Additional open heats will be available for those who just want to challenge themselves and take on the World Championship Course.
BOSTON, MA (January 24, 2018) – The 2018 Spartan World Championship returns to North Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev., Sept. 29-30, drawing some of the world’s best endurance athletes to the rugged mountains of Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows—host of the 1960 Winter Olympics. The seventh annual event is the culmination of Spartan’s 2018 Global Championship Series, which will see competitors battling obstacles on five continents for the largest cash purse in obstacle racing (OCR) history.
The World Championship attracts qualifiers from more than 50 countries to stake their claim on more than $125,000 in prize money. Saturday’s main event plays out across a Spartan “Beast” course, delivering more than 30 obstacles across 12+ miles of technical, mountainous terrain at varying elevations.
The second annual Spartan World Team Championship, Sunday, September 30, features country-specific co-ed teams of three competing on a Spartan “Super” course across more than eight-miles of terrain and 25+ obstacles, with a $10,000 prize purse on the line. Sunday also features a Spartan “Ultra” with more than 30-miles of terrain and 60 obstacles.
“Every year, the competition at the Spartan World Championship gets stronger and as a result, we need to push these athletes harder than ever before to ensure only the best of the best are crowned,” said Spartan Founder and CEO Joe De Sena. “The rugged terrain, unpredictable weather and 9,000-feet of elevation at North Lake Tahoe creates the most challenging and grueling race of the Global Championship series, testing the athleticism, mental toughness and pure grit of the best endurance athletes in the world.”
Last year’s event saw an upset in the women’s category as Canadian Lindsay Webster placed first over the Czech Republic’s Zuzana Kocumova while underdog Cody Moat (USA) overtook the UK’s Jonathan Albon and USA’s Robert Killian who placed second and third respectively in the men’s field. Team USA placed first in the World Team Championship, with the Czech Republic and Canada trailing behind.
The Global Championship Series features events on five continents, with National Championship series leading to Regional Championship events that qualify racers for the World Championship. To qualify for regional championships, competitors must place top 10 in any regular season or National Championship Series event. To qualify for the World Championship in North Lake Tahoe, racers must finish top 10 in a National Championship Series event or a Regional Championship.
In addition to the elite field, the 2018 Spartan World Championship features the sport’s first Age Group categories. This allows racers across six age groups to measure their performance on a level playing field with the opportunity to step onto the podium. Similar to the elite field, age group competitors must qualify through Global Championship Series events. Open heats for competitors of all ages and skill levels take place throughout the weekend.
“North Lake Tahoe is once again honored to host the Spartan World Championship's world-class athletes during the vibrant fall season,” said North Lake Tahoe Resort Association CEO Cindy Gustafson. “Each year, the dedication and determination exhibited by Spartan athletes inspires our community. North Lake Tahoe is a high-altitude training ground for both pro and recreational athletes, and the Spartan Race exemplifies the natural challenge of the region’s unique terrain.”
Known throughout the world for its pristine lake and impressive panoramic mountain peaks, North Lake Tahoe provides the perfect setting for the grueling Spartan Race World Championship. The region's high elevation, varied terrain and endless opportunity for human-powered sports make North Lake Tahoe the ideal high-altitude training ground for elite athletes and fitness enthusiasts. After the race, Spartan athletes can celebrate with locally-sourced mountain cuisine, human-powered sports and wellness experiences throughout the region.
Spartan events focus on sport and athleticism, pushing the bodies and minds of competitors to the limit across miles of unforgiving terrain while they conquer signature obstacles such as the Spear Throw, Bucket Brigade, monkey bars and Barbed Wire Crawl. With more than one million annual participants and more than 200 events across more than 30 countries, Spartan is the world’s largest obstacle race and endurance brand.