Beijing has been selected to host the first four editions of the Obstacle World Championships, a new event organized by the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM), from 2025 to 2028. The announcement was made by World Pentathlon on Friday.
The inaugural championships will take place in October 2025 at the iconic sports complex built for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. This marks a significant moment for the sport, as obstacle racing becomes an official discipline in modern pentathlon starting November 2024.
“The creation of the UIPM Obstacle World Championships is an important step in the ongoing integration of this popular urban sport into our movement,” said UIPM President Rob Stull. “Having successfully introduced Obstacle as a new pentathlon discipline, it’s key that we also provide exciting opportunities for existing OCR athletes to test their skills in a high-quality competitive environment. It’s going to be amazing to see how pentathletes measure up against their OCR specialist counterparts in October.”
The event is expected to bring together athletes from around the world, offering a platform for both seasoned pentathletes and obstacle racing specialists to showcase their talents. The integration aims to enhance the appeal of modern pentathlon to younger audiences by incorporating the fast-paced and challenging nature of obstacle racing.
With Beijing set to host, the championships promise to be a thrilling addition to the international sports calendar, fostering global interest and participation in the evolving sport of modern pentathlon.
