CHALLENGED ATHLETES FOUNDATION RAISES MORE THAN $2 MILLION THROUGH SAN DIEGO TRIATHLON CHALLENGE, TOUR DE COVE AND CAF CYCLING CLUB

Three days of adaptive sports, Paralympian mentorship and community celebration in La Jolla expand access to sport for people with physical disabilities.

San Diego, CA, Oct. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Under warm, sunny skies at La Jolla Cove, athletes with physical disabilities, Paralympians, families, and supporters came together Sunday for the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s (CAF) San Diego Triathlon Challenge fueled by Toyota. The celebration capped three days of adaptive sports and community connection, with SDTC, Tour de Cove presented by EōS Fitness and the CAF Cycling Club raising a combined $2,136,346 to date to expand access to sport for people with physical disabilities.

The San Diego Triathlon Challenge fueled by Toyota raised $1,280,370, while Tour de Cove presented by EōS Fitness raised a record-breaking $250,000, the highest fundraising total in the event’s history. The CAF Cycling Club raised $605,976 to date through its fundraising efforts this year. Those dollars will create opportunities far beyond the weekend, helping athletes access adaptive equipment, coaching, training, and competition.

Hundreds of participants and supporters contributed to the weekend’s fundraising success, with top individual fundraisers surpassing $80,000 and leading teams raising more than $170,000. Their efforts will help create more opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities to pursue sport.

Throughout the weekend, CAF awarded grants to athletes, turning the community’s fundraising into tangible opportunities to pursue sport. From adaptive equipment to support for training and competition, the presentations demonstrated how donor generosity helps athletes take their next steps in sport.

“This weekend is a glimpse of what happens when access meets opportunity,” said Bob Babbitt, CAF Co-Founder. “A child sees an athlete who looks like them. Someone tries a running prosthesis for the first time. A grant opens the door to a sport that once felt out of reach. Our fundraisers, partners, and volunteers make those moments possible, and their impact continues long after everyone leaves La Jolla Cove.”

A Weekend of Sport, Recognition and Connection
Friday evening, CAF’s Heroes of Sport Awards honored athletes, advocates, volunteers, and supporters whose achievements and contributions demonstrate the power of sport to transform lives. Honorees included the Roth Family, Mohamed Lahna, Kate Delson, Susannah Scaroni, Michelle Pinard, Nicole Ver Kuilen, Kyle Stepp, Beauden Baumkirchner, Dennis Pinn, and the Switchfoot BRO-AM Foundation.

Saturday’s programming brought CAF’s mission to life through the Össur + CAF Running and Mobility Clinic, adaptive pool swimming, and wheelchair tennis and pickleball. Participants with a range of experience learned alongside experienced coaches and mentors, building skills, confidence, and connections through sport. 

La Jolla Cove Comes Alive
Sunday’s San Diego Triathlon Challenge fueled by Toyota featured a duathlon format, a 5K run, 30-mile bike ride, and eight-mile run, with relay, bike-only, and run-only options. Athletes using racing wheelchairs, handcycles, and running prosthetics demonstrated the direct impact of access to adaptive equipment. Throughout the day, Paralympians and Paralympic hopefuls joined young athletes and first-time participants, creating opportunities for mentorship, connection, and shared experiences through sport.

The Jami Marseilles Challenged Athlete Kids Run + Roll presented by Philadelphia Insurance Companies delivered some of the day’s most memorable moments as children using prosthetics, walkers, and wheelchairs crossed the finish line surrounded by cheers from the CAF community. For participating children and their families, the event celebrated achievement, movement, and the joy of being active together.

The Tour de Cove presented by EōS Fitness brought energy and purpose to the stationary cyclethon, with participants powering the event to its best fundraising year ever. The 5K Walk + Roll presented by Nike welcomed participants of all ages and abilities, adding to a day filled with movement, connection, and celebration.

Toyota’s partnership helped expand opportunities throughout the weekend through the Toyota Sports Festival, athlete experiences, and grant presentations supporting athletes with physical disabilities. Together with CAF’s many partners and supporters, Toyota helped make a weekend of sport, connection, and community possible.

Funds raised support CAF’s work to remove financial barriers to participation in sport—helping children and adults with physical disabilities experience the confidence, independence, and connection that come from being active.

Media Kit: 2026 SDTC Media Images

Sponsors of the weekend’s events include:
Toyota, 100%, Alaska Airlines, EoS Fitness, LAZ Parking, Nike, Ossur, Philadelphia Insurance Companies, XTERRA, Athletic Brewing, Hanger Clinic, Luna Grill, Quintana Roo, Stretch Affect, Badges & Medals, Coast Recreation, Landscape Structures, Designer Wellness, FitKing, Independent Trading Company, San Diego Foundation, ServiceNow, Whole Champion, Access Trax, Cavignac, GU, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Kaiser Permanente, Lakeshore Foundation, Rainbow Sandals Foundation, SDG&E, Accessibility Advocates, Sycuan, Dr. Bronner's, Sock Guy and USOPC.

About Challenged Athletes Foundation
The Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF) stands as a global leader in empowering individuals with physical disabilities to embrace vibrant, active lives. CAF firmly believes that engaging in physical activity fosters self-esteem, encourages independence, and enriches the quality of life. CAF has been at the forefront of the adaptive sports movement for more than three transformative decades, catalyzing change and redefining possibilities. Since 1994, CAF has raised more than $200 million and fulfilled 60,000+ grants for athletes with physical disabilities across all 50 states and 70+ countries, impacting another 60,000 individuals annually through its outreach efforts. From providing essential equipment like handcycles to offering mentorship and encouragement, CAF's mission is clear: to provide opportunities and support to those who aspire to lead active, athletic lifestyles. To learn more, please visit www.challengedathletes.org.

Attachments

• oung Athletes Celebrate at CAF’s Kids Run + Roll
• CAF Community Comes Together at the 2026 San Diego Triathlon Challenge

Christy Fritts
Challenged Athletes Foundation
858.442.9570
christy@challengedathletes.org