San Diego, CA, July 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) today announced Alaska Airlines as the Official Airline Sponsor of the 2026 San Diego Triathlon Challenge fueled by Toyota, helping expand travel support for athletes with physical disabilities traveling from across the country to participate in CAF’s signature community event.
The sponsorship reflects CAF and Alaska Airlines’ shared commitment to connection, access and opportunity. For many CAF athletes, travel is an essential part of participating in competitions, clinics and community events that build confidence, independence and belonging through sport.
Each year, athletes with physical disabilities travel to San Diego from across the country to take part in the San Diego Triathlon Challenge, a weekend of sport, community and celebration. With Alaska Airlines’ support, more athletes will have the opportunity to experience the event alongside CAF supporters, families, volunteers and community partners.
“At CAF, we know that access to sport often begins with access to opportunity, and travel can be one of the biggest barriers athletes face,” said Bob Babbitt, Co-Founder of Challenged Athletes Foundation. “Alaska Airlines is helping us remove that barrier and bring athletes from around the country to experience the San Diego Triathlon Challenge, connect with this community and continue pursuing active lifestyles through sport.”
Alaska Airlines has already demonstrated its commitment to CAF athletes through Miles for Makes, a community initiative with the San Diego Sharks that turned success on the court into direct support for CAF. Throughout the Sharks’ 2026 season, Alaska Airlines pledged 10,000 ATMOS points for every three-point shot made by the team. Thanks to more than 100 made threes and Alaska Airlines’ generosity, 1 million ATMOS points were donated to CAF to help offset athlete travel costs.
“At Alaska Airlines, we believe in connecting people to what matters most,” said J’Keren Sears, program manager at Alaska Airlines. “Through our sponsorship with CAF, we are proud to support athletes with physical disabilities as they travel to compete, participate and be part of an empowering community. Miles for Makes showed how sport can create meaningful impact far beyond the game.”
With a growing network of nonstop routes from San Diego, Alaska Airlines is uniquely positioned to help remove travel barriers and expand access to CAF’s signature events and programs.
The 2026 San Diego Triathlon Challenge Weekend takes place October 25 at La Jolla Cove, will bring together athletes, supporters and community members for a day that celebrates community, inclusion and the transformative power of sport.
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 quality of life. For more than three transformative decades, CAF has been at the forefront of the adaptive sports movement, catalyzing change and redefining possibilities. Since its inception in 1994, CAF has raised over $200 million and fulfilled nearly 60,000 funding requests from people with physical disabilities across all 50 states and more than 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.
About Alaska Air Group
Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and McGee Air Services is a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines. Alaska is a global airline with hubs in Seattle, Honolulu, Portland, Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. The airline delivers remarkable care as it flies guests to more than 140 destinations throughout North America, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. Guests can book travel at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com. Alaska is a member of the oneworld alliance, with Hawaiian scheduled to join oneworld in spring 2026. With oneworld and additional global partners, guests can earn and redeem points for travel to more than 1,000 worldwide destinations with Atmos Rewards. Learn more at news.alaskaair.com. Alaska Air Group is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as “ALK.”
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Christy Fritts Challenged Athletes Foundation 858.442.9570 christy@challengedathletes.org
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