Race Across China: Guiyang to host UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Championships

• Flagship competition to kickstart unique two-week multisport festival
• UIPM Executive Board approves dynamic changes to Laser Run and Swimming
• Kitty Chiller AM OLY appointed 1st Vice President of UIPM

MONACO: 28 January 2026 – The southern city of Guiyang will host Pentathlon’s flagship competition in August 2026, kickstarting a unique two-week festival of UIPM Sports in China styled ‘Race Across China’.

The UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Championships (24-30 August) in the capital of Guizhou Province will be followed closely by the second edition of the UIPM Obstacle World Championships, taking place 2,000km further north in the capital Beijing.

The selection of Guiyang to stage Pentathlon’s most prestigious competition outside of the Olympic Games was rubber-stamped by the UIPM Executive Board (EB) in its first online session of 2026, along with numerous other key decisions.

COMPETITION RULE CHANGES

Two of the changes to Modern Pentathlon Competition Rules proposed by UIPM last year were approved by the EB and will take effect immediately. A fifth shooting series will be added to Laser Run, while the Swimming distance will be reduced from 200 metres to 100 metres.

The changes follow a consultation call with National Federations on 9 December and subsequent tests carried out by athletes and leading coaches from three countries, with detailed feedback then provided to the EB to inform its decision-making.

Fencing tests were also carried out to assess the impact of a reduction in the duration of bouts from 60 to 45 seconds, but following the recent receipt of additional proposals, the current Fencing rules will remain in place for the 2026 season. Adjustments will be made to the piste structure in the meantime to optimise timings.

UIPM 1ST VICE PRESIDENT

The EB voted to approve the President’s appointment of Kitty Chiller AM OLY as 1st Vice President of UIPM. A distinguished sports leader and Pentathlon ambassador for several decades, Kitty Chiller is an influential figure in the 2032 Olympic Games host nation as an EB Member of the Australian Olympic Committee.

Kitty Chiller assumes the role vacated by International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr, who stepped down from the EB at the end of 2024, becoming the highest-ranking elected female in the history of UIPM.

RUSSIA AND BELARUS RESTRICTIONS

In alignment with IOC guidance, the UIPM EB voted to permit youth athletes (aged 19 and under) with Russian and Belarusian passports to compete for Russia and Belarus respectively in youth competitions, with no changes to the restrictions on Junior or Senior athletes that have been in place since 2023.

Meanwhile, restrictions on Belarus applying to host UIPM competitions have been lifted, but UIPM will continue to refrain from organising or supporting international events in Russia.

UIPM remains committed to supporting the Pentathlon community in Ukraine, which has suffered so much since 2021 when it first suffered a military occupation by Russia, supported by Belarus.

PRESIDENT’S REACTION

UIPM President Rob Stull OLY commented: “The Race Across China promises to be one of the most exciting festivals of sport we have ever seen in the Pentathlon movement. I’m thrilled that Guiyang will host our flagship Pentathlon World Championships for the first time, after which we go to Beijing for the second edition of the Obstacle World Championships that was born in spectacular style in October 2025.

“The Executive Board had an invigorating first meeting of 2026 and I’m delighted that our global sports family is moving forward as one unified community. This team spirit starts at the top and it was great to hear so many EB Members becoming the first to congratulate Kitty Chiller on her richly-deserved appointment to the coveted 1st Vice President position.

“The innovative changes to Laser Run and Swimming are designed to make Pentathlon a more dynamic spectacle for viewers and will be implemented in the coming 2026 season in the interests of adding compelling value to all future Olympic Games starting in LA28.”