Dragon Fly Triathlon & AquaBike will host the Mississippi Age Group and High school State Championship
State championships will have the following qualification criteria for Age Group Nationals:
State championships will qualify the top 35% or top five (5) finishers in an age group (whichever is greater). You may only qualify for Olympic-distance Nationals by placing in the Olympic-distance State Championship race or Sprint Nationals by placing in the sprint distance State Championship race.
High School Championship Awards:
1st Overall High School Club (based on score - lowest score wins)
1st Overall High School Club Participation (highest participation number wins)
¨ High School State Championships Exemption: All high school athletes who finish any of the State High School Championships will automatically qualify for Sprint-distance (pending they are at least age 15 as of December 31, 2026.)
Club State Championship Awards:
1st Overall USAT Club (based on score - Lowest score wins)
1st Overall USAT Club Participation (highest number of participation wins)
Scoring will follow standard cross-country scoring, in which the lowest point total among qualifying teams will be the winner.
¨ Host nor athletes need to do anything to confirm their qualification. USAT will notify athletes of qualification after Host submits results through the sanctioning process.
The 36th Annual DragonFly Sprint and Olympic Triathlon will have two distances to choose from 1500 meter swim, 40K Bike, 10K run and 750 meter swim, 20K bike, 5K run. The DragonFly Triathlon is located at Cypress Point on the Lower Lake at Sardis Lake Reservoir. The swim is always cool, refreshing and you will have a sandy beach entrance and exit. The bike course goes through farm land and is flat, flat, flat! The run is on pavement for 2 miles and on trails.
Race day registration is available but get there early!
Finishers Medals for all, pizza, watermelon, chips & ice cream by Prairie Farms; this will make a great early summer triathlon for your 2026 season.
Awards to overall Female and Male, Age Groups and Relays.
Packet Pickups & registration
Thursday July 23rd, 2026 -3:30 p.m. -6:00 p.m. Located at Bikes Plus - 7124 Stage Rd #115, Bartlett, TN 38133
Friday July 24th ; 4:00 pm-6:00 pm
Dragon Fly Sprint Triathlon Race Site
Cypress Creek Point
Lower Lake Sardis
Sardis, MS 38666
Saturday July 25th; 6:00 am -7:30 am
Dragon Fly Sprint Triathlon Race Site
Cypress Creek Point
Lower Lake Sardis
Sardis, MS 38666
Join us for the Heatwave Half Marathon, 10K, & 5K!
A sun-soaked summer challenge that’s perfect for the whole family.
The fun includes –
Great Swag – designer shirt & custom medal
Chip-timing with live results and awards
Free photos
FREE ice cream at the finish to help you cool off
Plenty of hot fun in the summer sun!
Grab your friends and family—you won’t want to miss this one!
Can’t make the race? No problem! We offer a virtual race option where you can run anywhere, at any time, and still earn the fun swag!
Youth-based pricing is available: ages 12 & under are only $17!
Half Marathon/10K/5K registration includes a custom bib, designer shirt, and an awesome finisher medal!
1 Mile registration is untimed and includes a custom bib, designer shirt, and an awesome finisher medal!
Kid’s Dash is a fun, untimed dash for ages 10 and under. Registration includes a mini bib, youth-sized shirt, and a specially crafted medal for our youngest runners! (If your child wants to run the kid’s dash without swag, they’re welcome to run free on race day!)
Register by midnight on Thursday, two Thursdays before race day, to guarantee your shirt!
The Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce will host the 19th annual BBB cycling event on Saturday, August 1, 2026. The rides begin in historic downtown Greenwood, home to Viking Range Corp and major site of Milwaukee Tool. Mississippi's BIKES BLUES & BAYOUS has averaged almost 800 riders for the last 5 years and was selected as a "Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event Winner" for 2018, 2019 & 2021. Join us to ride the fast and flat alluvial plains of the Delta and discover "the BEST Southern Hospitality on Earth".
Robbie’s Run is a powerful unity run designed to bring people together from all walks of life in the spirit of movement and community. We welcome runners and walkers both local and beyond to be part of this meaningful experience.
Join us for a one-mile walk or a 5K through the beautiful streets of Downtown Memphis as we move with purpose, connection, and unity.
All proceeds help support The Gloria Smith Foundation and their efforts to better serve Memphis communities in need.
North Mississippi’s Premier Cycling Event
Oxford, MS
Saturday
August 8th, 2026
The wait is over. Oxford MS has experienced the historic ice storm last Winter. Clean-up work for the streets is coming to an end. We welcome you back to the 2026 Velvet Ditch Grand Fondo cycling event. This year we have moved the date to August 8th and thank you to the Lafayette County and city of Oxford, we have a new road riding out this year. It will be a less hilly start.
The Velvet Ditch Gran Fondo is a non-competitive bicycle ride, meaning there will be no awards for fastest times. The ride will take place on open roads, so rider discretion is advised.
As long as you want to pedal, all bikes are welcome: Big Box Bikes, Commuter bikes, E-bikes, Gravel bikes, Mountain bikes, Recumbent bikes, Road bikes, Tandem bikes, etc.
What are new this year
Starting time: 7:00am to start for the Summer temperature
Start/Finish location: The concession stand of the mTrade park at 328 Old Sardis Rd, Oxford, MS 38655
Routes: All routes have updated due to new start/finish location
Packet pick up location: The pavilion at the mTrade Park
Pricing: Simplified and more affordable
2026 VDGF Merchandise
The 2026 VDGF jersey is available in the event store. It can be purchased during registration or after the registration.
Fundraising
Proceeds of this ride will support the North Mississippi Gnarmadillos Composite MTB Team. This team is made up of middle and high school mountain bikers from the Oxford and North Mississippi area. More information about the team can be found on their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/NorthMSGnarmadillos/. You can support the team by making a donation at https://raceroster.com/events/2026/122466/velvet-ditch-gran-fondo-2026/fundraising-organization/91963
A check will also be donated toward the on-going maintenance of the Tanglefoot Trail during the Tour de Bodock Bicycle Ride.
The Yalobusha Greenways Alliance (YGA) is working to build a connected, bikeable, walkable pedestrian trail that spans from Water Valley to Oxford to the north, Coffeeville to the south, and beyond. You can support this project by making a donation at https://www.yalobushagreenways.org/donate
Lodging and Dining
Check out Visit Oxford’s website for lodging, dining, and other attractions around town: https://visitoxfordms.com
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Registration
Online registration closes at 6:00AM on August 8th Central Time.
Registration includes an event T-shirt, a pair of socks, and some goodies from our sponsors. Don't forget to register early to guarantee T-shirt size.
Packet Pick-up
Location: The Pavilion at the mTrade Park
Time:
Friday, August 7th (5:00 PM - 7:00 PM)
Saturday, August 8th (5:30 AM - 6:30 AM)
Age Restriction
The 7th Annual Sweet Cheeks 5K is NOW the SUMMER FUN RUN 5K! This event is a family friendly event that aims to raise money for Sweet Cheeks Diaper Ministry and raise awareness for the issue of poverty and diaper need in Shelby County and surrounding areas. Register to run, walk, or dance your way across the finish line. Strollers are also welcome for the race! Sweet Cheeks Diaper Ministry is the only independently ran basic needs bank in the Mid-South recognized by The National Diaper Bank and partners with local social service agencies to provide diapers to low-income families while raising awareness of the basic health need for diapers. This year we are celebrating distributing over 1.5 MILLION diapers to families in need. 5k participants will receive Chip Timing, Live Results, Finisher Medal (whiles supplies last), Post Race Food and Drinks, Discount Coupons & Giveaways, and Custom awards for Overall and Age Group Winners. Kid's Fun Zone with games, face painting, and more. DJ Gibbs
will be back to bring the fun.
If you’ve done a traditional 5K, you know they can be a bit lackluster. But the BUBBLE RUN™ is like running through Willy Wonkas’ factory. Clad in white t-shirts, adults, kids and strollers run, walk, dance and play across up to 3 miles of absolute fun! Waves start every 3-5 minutes. Participants will run through the Foam Bogs where there is enough colored foam to cover you from head to toe!
Bubble-teers will also be there to help make sure you get your share of the frothy goodness. Each one of the Foam Bogs is represented by different colored foam. So what if you should accidentally “taste the whimsey?” They don’t taste as great as they are fun, but not to worry. The foam is 100% safe.
Event details and schedule
Please plan on arriving 30-45 minutes prior to your wave start to give yourself plenty of time to park, get your Bubble RUN™ swag, check in if needed, and to get situated.
Please be prompt for your Heat.
Once your heat has started, (the heat is the time you registered for) small waves will be released every 60-90 seconds. Your physical start time is based on a first come-first serve basis, so naturally you will start earlier if you enter the start chute earlier. The last wave within your heat will go out 30 minutes after your scheduled heat (i.e., if your registered heat is for 8AM, the last wave in your heat will leave at 8:30AM).
Bring some extra cash for parking and SWAG!
After you park, bring some extra cash! You'll want to check out our super sweet Bubble RUN store for t-shirts, tutus, and more!
There may be a parking charge of up to $20 for the event that is handled by the venue. With THOUSANDS of smiles present on race day, please have exact change and please don't cut your time too short before the race starts. Cram as many bubblers (legally) into your car to save some cash money money!