Top 10 athletes earn automatic invitations, Sea Otter becomes the gateway
to the Grand Prix and seven-race calendar sees return of The Rad Dirt Fest
Life Time the nation’s premier healthy lifestyle brand and athletic events owner and producer, today announced a new qualification format for the 2027 Life Time Grand Prix, creating a more performance-focused pathway for athletes to earn a place in the world’s premier off-road racing series.
“We’ve listened closely to athletes, agents and partners, and one opportunity we identified to enhance the Series is to create a performance-driven path into the Life Time Grand Prix,” said Kimo Seymour, President of Events and Media at Life Time. “The Grand Prix is about identifying the best all-around off-road racers, and competing across gravel and mountain bike racing reflects that. Establishing the field earlier also gives athletes greater certainty as they plan their seasons and partnerships.”
Performance Based Qualifications for 2027
Beginning in 2027, entry into the 25-woman and 25-man Life Time Grand Prix fields will be determined primarily through performance. The top 10 women and top 10 men in the final 2026 Life Time Grand Prix standings will receive automatic invitations to return in 2027. The same invitation will be automatically extended to the top-performing woman and man from the 2026 U23 program. The remaining roster positions will be earned through the new Sea Otter Grand Prix Qualifier, held during the Life Time Sea Otter Classic.
SEA OTTER GRAND PRIX QUALIFIER
The new format evolves the Wild Card program introduced in 2025, moving qualification earlier in the season and bringing it entirely within the Sea Otter Classic weekend.
The remaining 14 spots for both the women’s and men’s field will be determined based on performances at two events during the 2027 Life Time Sea Otter Classic weekend: Life Time Sea Otter Classic Gravel on Thursday and Life Time Sea Otter Classic Fuego XL on Saturday.
All eligible riders in the Pro category who compete in both Life Time Sea Otter Classic Gravel and Fuego XL will have the opportunity to qualify. Full details regarding the Qualifier scoring system, tie-breaking procedures and eligibility will be announced ahead of the 2027 season.
Life Time Sea Otter Classic Gravel will also serve as the opening round of the seven-event Life Time Grand Prix championship, with points earned counting toward an athlete’s overall Grand Prix score upon qualification.
Should a qualifying athlete withdraw from the Series at any time, the available position may roll down to the next eligible athlete based on Sea Otter Qualifier results.
Life Time will also introduce a new Pro category vetting process in September, through which riders will apply for access to race in the Pro field at Life Time events in 2027. Additional details on this process will be announced separately.
SEVEN-RACE CALENDAR RETURNS IN 2027
The Life Time Grand Prix will return for its sixth edition with an expanded seven-race championship and the return of the Life Time Rad Dirt Fest.
The 2027 Life Time Grand Prix will include:
- Life Time Sea Otter Classic Gravel
- Life Time UNBOUND Gravel 200 presented by Shimano
- Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik
- Life Time Chequamegon Mountain Bike Festival
- Life Time Rad Dirt Fest
- Life Time Little Sugar MTB
- Life Time Big Sugar Gravel presented by Kenetik
The Rad Dirt Fest, which was part of the Life Time Grand Prix in 2023 and 2024, will return as the fifth round of the 2027 Series, taking riders back to the Spanish Peaks of Trinidad, Colorado.
“Following conversations with our athletes, it was clear The Rad remained a favorite because of the course and the kind of racing it creates,” said Seymour. “As we looked at returning the Grand Prix to seven events, bringing The Rad back into the championship was a natural fit.”
Athletes will be required to start a minimum of six Grand Prix events in 2027, with their six best results counting toward the overall championship standings. Athletes who compete in all seven events will be able to drop their lowest-scoring result.
The 2027 format is being announced ahead of the conclusion of the current season to give returning Grand Prix athletes clarity around what is at stake in the final 2026 standings, while providing athletes outside the Series time to prepare for the Sea Otter Grand Prix Qualifier and plan their early-season calendars.
“Our goal is to continue raising the competitive standard of the Grand Prix while creating a clear pathway into the Series for athletes to pursue,” said Seymour. “The top athletes from this season will earn their opportunity to return, the next group will have the chance to race their way in at Sea Otter, and from there we’ll have 25 women and 25 men taking on seven of the most demanding off-road races in the country.”
The remaining 2026 Life Time Grand Prix events are as follows:
- Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik – Saturday, August 15, 2026
- Life Time Chequamegon MTB Festival – Saturday, September 19, 2026
- Life Time Little Sugar MTB – Sunday, October 11, 2026
- Life Time Big Sugar Gravel – Saturday, October 17, 2026
To learn more about the 2026 Series, visit www.lifetimegrandprix.com.
Photos courtesy Life Time Grand Prix
