Along one of Southern California’s most recognizable coastlines, athletes, companies, supporters, and members of the Challenged Athletes Foundation community came together for the 2026 Zuma Beach Triathlon, turning a weekend of competition into an opportunity to create lasting impact.

Held September 19 and 20 in Malibu, the weekend welcomed athletes to swim at Zuma Beach, bike along the Malibu coastline, and run near the cliffs of Point Dume. From the Kids Triathlon on Saturday to the Zuma and Olympic distance races on Sunday, athletes of different ages, abilities, and experience levels had an opportunity to find their place on the course.

At the center of the weekend was a shared belief that sport has the power to bring people together.

As the beneficiary of the CAF Corporate Challenge, presented by Pepperdine University, CAF brought its mission directly to the course. Together, Corporate Challenge participants, teams, and individual fundraisers raised an incredible $157,874 for CAF, helping create more opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities to access adaptive equipment, training, community, and competition.

CAF Athletes Take on Malibu

CAF athletes were at the heart of race weekend.

Rudy Garcia-Tolson, Allison Prendergast, Allyssa Seely, Glenn Hartrick, Willie Stewart, Emily Gray, Rob Balucas, Adrian Broca, Scott Faulkenberg, and Angelo Sanchez all competed, bringing the CAF community to the start line and onto the course.

CAF athlete Samuel Nehemiah added another memorable moment to the weekend by performing the national anthem before the competition began.

Each athlete arrived at Zuma Beach with a different story and connection to sport, but together, the group demonstrated what access and opportunity can make possible.

Having CAF athletes race alongside the broader triathlon community also created opportunities for connection throughout the weekend. Participants could experience CAF’s mission not only through fundraising, but by competing alongside athletes who continue to challenge perceptions of what is possible through sport.

As CAF Co-Founder Bob Babbitt shared ahead of the event, “Triathlon is about discovering what’s possible and the Zuma Beach Triathlon brings athletes of all abilities together on the same course.”

At Zuma Beach, that belief was on display throughout the weekend.

Building Community from the Kids Race Forward

The connection started before Sunday’s main races.

On Saturday, Morgan Pixley participated in the Kids Triathlon, an event created for young athletes ages 9 to 14. Longtime CAF athlete and Paralympian Rudy Garcia-Tolson was there as young competitors took on their own swim, bike, and run.

The moment represented something bigger than a kids race.

One of the most powerful parts of CAF is the opportunity for athletes to meet others who understand their experiences. For a young athlete with a physical disability, meeting someone further along in an adaptive sports journey can expand the idea of what the future might hold.

Those relationships help athletes recognize that they are not alone. There is a community around them, people with similar experiences, and possibilities in sport that may extend far beyond what they initially imagined.

At Zuma Beach, athletes from different generations were part of the same community, sharing the same weekend and the same love of sport.

The Corporate Challenge Turns Miles into Impact

The Corporate Challenge has deep roots in Malibu. The first challenge was launched by Zuma Beach Triathlon founder Michael Epstein in 1997, creating a model that paired competition with philanthropy.

That legacy continued in 2026 through the CAF Corporate Challenge.

Participants completed the same course as the Zuma Distance, featuring a half-mile swim, 16-mile bike ride, and four-mile run, while fundraising to help CAF empower individuals with physical disabilities through sport.

This year, that effort resulted in $157,874 raised for CAF.

Leading individual fundraising was Pooja Bommarajpeta with $23,200, followed by CAF athlete Allison Prendergast with $7,559 and Gilbert Tong with $4,846.

Corporate teams also rallied around the mission. Minimed led the way with $55,005, followed by UTA with $15,715 and Bank of America with $14,223.

Those numbers represent much more than a fundraising total.

The support helps CAF remove financial barriers that can stand between an athlete and an active lifestyle. It can help provide access to adaptive sports equipment, training, mentorship, programs, and opportunities to compete.

Every contribution can become part of an athlete’s next chapter, whether that means receiving a first piece of adaptive equipment, trying a new sport, meeting another athlete with a similar disability, or pursuing a competitive goal.

More Than a Finish Line

The 2026 Zuma Beach Triathlon showed what happens when competition, inclusion, and community come together.

It happened when CAF athletes lined up alongside the broader triathlon community. It happened when Morgan took on the Kids Triathlon with Rudy there to support the next generation. It happened as companies transformed teamwork into meaningful fundraising..

A finish line can mark the end of a race, but experiences like Zuma Beach can also be a beginning.

They can introduce someone to a sport, an athlete to a mentor, or a family to a community they did not know was waiting for them.

CAF is grateful to the Zuma Beach Triathlon, Pepperdine University, Corporate Challenge participants, athletes, volunteers, fundraisers, and supporters who made the weekend possible.

Together, we are creating more opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities to get in the game, find their community, and discover just how far sport can take them.