The Big Finale: US South National Series
Spartan Fayetteville | May 2, 2026 (Beast)
Pressure is a baseline in the US South, but the series finale at the Boca Raton-based course turned it up to a boiling point. The unrelenting 21K Beast required flawless pacing and a dialed hydration strategy to survive the suffocating Florida humidity.
The day belonged to the undisputed heavyweights of the region: Adam Beach and Cassandra Gill. Gill defended her perfect season by a heart-stopping 26 seconds, securing a flawless 600-point championship score. Beach similarly dominated the men's division, while early series-hopeful Brent Trail crossed in a quiet sixth place, still holding onto second overall for the series.
Top 3 Women's Elite: 1st place: Cassandra Gill USA 2:04:24), 2nd place: Imogen Cross USA (2:04:50), 3rd place: Jessica Sheppard USA (2:18:53).
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Adam Beach USA (1:43:08), 2nd place: Chapman Bowers USA (1:45:02), 3rd place: Paul Massey USA (1:48:07).
Related: How Explosive Finish Lines in Fayetteville Won the 2026 U.S. South National Series
European Series Launch & Dramatic Duels
Spartan Verőce | May 2, 2026 (Super)
The Central Europe Regional Series kicked off in the breathtaking Danube Bend of Hungary, a village rich with Roman history. Slovakian powerhouses swept the top steps as Ján Vladár (1:08:54) and Eszter Hortobágyiová (1:20:14) out-dueled a stacked international field on the scenic riverside trails.
Top 3 Women's Elite: 1st place: Eszter Hortobágyiová SVK (1:20:14), 2nd place: Veronika Drinkova SVK (1:26:20), 3rd place: Denisa Razakova (1:27:02).
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Jan Vladar SVK (1:08:54), 2nd place: Pavel Hrdina CZE (1:09:48), 3rd place: Bendeguz Kives HUN (1:10:38).
Spartan Carcassonne | May 9, 2026 (Beast)
Set against the stunning backdrop of Lac de la Cavayère, the France National Series served up an aquatic and natural playground. French veteran Grégory Basilico made a surprise last-minute entry and ignited an epic duel with Dutch rising star Stijn Lagrand, pulling away for the win (1:37:16) after Lagrand missed his spear throw. In the women's heat, Perrine Abbadie (2:17:46) used her signature running speed to lock down her second consecutive series victory.
Top 3 Women's Elite: 1st place: Perrine Abbadie FRA (2:17:46), 2nd place: Mallaury Cabaud FRA (2:20:29), 3rd place: Clémence Mérou FRA (2:24:39).
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Gregory Basilico FRA (1:37:16), 2nd place: Stijn Lagrand NLD (1:39:25), 3rd place: Thibault Jean FRA (1:45:49).
Spartan Madrid | May 10, 2026 (Super)
The Sierra de Madrid threw steep climbs, river crossings, and deep mud at the Spain National Series openers. The men's race ended in pure theatre: the leading trio arrived at the spear throw side-by-side, all three missed, did their burpees simultaneously, and sprinted to a finish separated by barely a minute, with Pau Nacenta Merinas (1:05:51) clutching the win. Meanwhile, defending champ Jessica Velasco Ruiz utterly dismantled the women's field, winning by a massive 20+ minute margin (1:29:13).
Top 3 Women's Elite: 1st place: Jessica Velasco Ruiz ESP (1:29:13), 2nd place: Eider Simon ESP (1:50:37), 3rd place: Rebeca Gómez Robles ESP (2:06:01).
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Pau Nacenta Merinas ESP (1:05:51), 2nd place: Patrick Laqueche Saralegui ESP (1:06:17), 3rd place: Albert Soley ESP (1:07:06).
Climbing Mountains, Conquering Cities
Spartan Big Bear | May 16, 2026 (Beast)
Welcome to the most punishing course in North America. Operating at a dizzying 8,200 feet/2500 meters above sea level, the US West National Series stop required athletes to redline through thin air on relentless climbs before plummeting down 1,200-foot descents.
The Dominators: Tyler Mitchell Veerman lunged into first for the men in 2:26:14, while Kaci Calaway continued her reign of terror on the West Coast, winning the women's elite race in 3:06:13.
Watch as Tyler made it count, taking home the top spot in the 2nd leg of the US West National Series
Top 3 Women's Elite: 1st place: Kaci Calaway USA (3:06:13), 2nd place: Rachel Munoz USA (3:12:43), 3rd place: Rebecca Cerra USA (3:32:52).
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Tyler Mitchell Veerman USA (2:26:14), 2nd place: Jhovany Mendoza MEX (2:37:54), 3rd place: Ethan Brown USA (2:43:05).
Spartan London West | May 16, 2026 (Beast)
The UK National Series opener was a game of seconds. Roman Tóth (1:40:06) and Tom Tweddell traded blows for 21 kilometers before Tóth clinched it in the final stretch. The women's race was even closer: Czech star Blanka Adamova (2:08:34) fended off a late-charging Becky Neal by a mere 11 seconds.
Women's Elite: 1st place: Blanka Adamova CZE (2:08:34), 2nd place: Becky Neal GBR (2:08:45), 3rd place: Federica De Caria GBR (2:19:00).
Men’s Elite: 1st place: Roman Tóth CZE (1:40:06), 2nd place: Tom Tweddell GBR (1:42:05), 3rd place: Samuel Castela POR (1:44:05).
Related: Race Report Reece’s London West Round Up
Spartan Beijing | May 16, 2026 (Beast)
Taking over the prestigious Yanqing Olympic Zone for the 3rd leg of the China National Series, international names rose to the top. Italy’s Davide Liu grabbed gold with a time of 1:47:14, while America's Fuli Xu asserted absolute authority in the women's division, crossing the line at 2:16:07.
Top 3 Women's Elite: 1st place: Fuli Xu USA (2:16:07), 2nd place: 藤鹤 赵 CHI (2:22:50), 3rd place: Aleksandra Smetanina (2:33:39).
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Davide Liu ITA (1:47:14), 2nd place: 龙省 代 CHI (1:52:48), 3rd place: 昌询 文 (1:53:09).
Beach Battles & Southern Hemisphere Dominance
Spartan Zandvoort | May 23, 2026 (Beast)
Ditching the traditional F1 track, the Netherlands Championship started right on the shoreline. Heavy coastal dunes, deep sand, and uncharacteristic heat hammered the calves of every contender. Fresh off his narrow loss in France, Dutch hometown hero Stijn Lagrand (1:48:16) redeemed himself by seizing the National Championship crown. Denmark's Margrethe Langhoff Thuesen captured the women's title in 2:24:43.
Top 3 Women's Elite: 1st place: Margrethe Langhoff Thuesen DEN (2:24:43), 2nd place: Claudia Bongiovanni ITA (2:27:44), 3rd place: Quinie Verheijen NLD (2:28:41).
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Stijn Lagrand NLD (1:48:16), 2nd place: Jeremie Gachet FRA (1:48:59), 3rd place: Matteo Pelizza ITA (1:53:54).
Spartan QLD Brisbane | May 23, 2026 (Beast)
At Ivory Rock, Australia witnessed something legendary. Joanna Hepton didn't just win the women's race—she reconfirmed her total supremacy over the entire sport by crossing the finish line in 1:44:50, nearly an hour ahead of the second-place female and beating every single male athlete.
Top 3 Women's Elite: 1st place: Joanna Hepton AUS (1:44:50), 2nd place: Jennifer Hynes AUS (2:33:02), 3rd place: Montana Jonker AUS (2:36:23).
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Oriol Torró ESP (1:47:49), 2nd place: Quentin Freret FRA (1:52:37), 3rd place: Adrian Jannenga AUS (1:55:23).
Watch the Highlights of the Day
Spartan Autódromo Panamá | May 23, 2026 (Super)
Switching dirt for a high-octane motorsport venue, the Panamá Championship pushed speed and grip strength to the absolute limit. In intense tropical heat, Alejandro Calderon conquered the fast tarmac and technical carries to take the men's top spot, while Reina Mejia paced her way flawlessly to secure the women's crown.
Top 3 Women's Elite: 1st place: Reina Mejia, 2nd place: Valeria Marin Leon
Top 3 Men’s Elite: 1st place: Alejandro Calderon, 2nd place: Hugo Godoy, 3rd place: Manuel Esteban Campogarcia.
May 30: The Ultimate Weekend Blockbuster
The month concluded with a multi-continental explosion of racing across Mexico, the Czech Republic, the Philippines, and Japan.
Spartan Dolní Morava (CEU Regional Series - Beast): Set under the beautiful Králický Sněžník mountain resort, local Czech athletes swept the gold. Jakub Kolář conquered the mountain in 2:02:50, and Lucie Černá topped the podium in 2:37:09.
Spartan Cavite (Philippine National Series - Super): Making its debut at Arden Trails, this off-road track turned into a slick, muddy, humid furnace. National icon Sandi Menchi Abahan took first (1:02:27) alongside Jobert Carolino (51:55). Notably, the event saw a massive influx of road runners moving into the Elite bracket, shaking up the age-group leaderboard.
Spartan Chiba (Japan National Series - Super): Easily the most picturesque race of the season, Spartans charged through blooming flower gardens and tangerine fields. Takuya Mikami won a razor-thin men's race in 54:32, while Honoka Jinzai claimed the women's crown in 1:09:03.
Spartan Michoacan (Mexico National Series - Super): Mexico's finest brought the fireworks to inaugurate their National Series. Eugenio Godinez put on a masterclass in pacing to finish in 55:27, while Claudia Pavia locked down a spectacular 1:11:35 win for the women.
What’s Next: June 2026 Highlight Schedule
The global schedule shows no signs of slowing down. As we head into summer, keep your eyes on these premier dates:
June 13: Spartan Sainte Croix (Switzerland National Series - Super)
June 14: Spartan Tremblant (Canada National Series - Super)
June 21: Spartan St. Pölten (Germany/Austria Series - Super)
June 27: Spartan Belluno - Nevegal (Italy National Series - Beast)
Whether it’s bleeding for seconds in a penalty loop or breathing thin air at 8,000 feet, May proved that the 2026 season belongs to the fearless. See you at the next starting line!
