Changes Coming in 2027: Senior Nationals Moving to the Rogue Strength Stage

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COLORADO SPRINGS—Changes are coming in 2027 to the national competition schedule. The USA Weightlifting National Championships are returning to Columbus, Ohio, for the first time since 2012 and will run alongside Virus Weightlifting Series 1 March 4-7. The National Championships will put the top-12 athletes in each weight category on the largest platform in the United States: The Rogue Strength Stage. All athletes who qualify for the National Championships will compete in front of one of the largest strength-sport crowds in North America. The 2027 editions of the Youth, Junior & U25 National Championships will take place at Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs, with tentative dates set as June 22-27.


Additionally, the entirety of Virus Weightlifting Series 1 will now be contained within the Union Station Ballroom of the Columbus Convention Center to give all registrants the same exact experience when they compete. We’re eliminating the use of the auxiliary “C Pod” area at the other end of the center.


These changes address several points of feedback we’ve heard from our members in recent years: The desire to make the summer national event shorter and more affordable; the desire to elevate the prestige of the National Championships and put weightlifting in front of larger crowds; the desire to give younger non-senior lifters the opportunity to shine brighter at their respective championships; and the desire to give a uniform experience to competitors at Virus Weightlifting Series 1.


What to Know About 2027 Competition:

  • The official name for the USA Weightlifting event happening March 4-7 in Columbus, Ohio, remains “Virus Weightlifting Series 1,” and this event remains capped at 1,000 athletes. When referring to the competition on the Rogue Strength Stage at this event, that is “The USA Weightlifting National Championships at Virus Weightlifting Series 1,” and 180 additional spaces are allocated for this competition.
  • There will be an adaptive athlete National Championship session on the Rogue Strength Stage. It will feature the top-12 adaptive athletes and will be a mixed-gender session.
  • Nationals at Series 1 and VWS1 will be one combined event sanction. Everyone registers under the same event. No one has to register twice or pay twice. This singular sanction will be listed as “2027 USA Weightlifting National Championships & Virus Weightlifting Series 1” in Bars/Sport80.
  • The registration and competition process at VWS1 and the Youth, Junior, and U25 National Championships remains largely unchanged. Those competitions will each retain their own qualifying totals, and competition will operate similar to years past.

Qualifying for the National Championships and earning the opportunity to lift on the Rogue Strength Stage will follow this flow:

1) First, athletes must hit the National Championships qualifying total for their respective bodyweight category at a valid qualifying event (international competition, local USAW-sanctioned competition, USAW national competition, or the USAW online qualifier) within the qualifying period (February 4, 2026 to Feb 4, 2027). This puts athletes in position to be ranked for the National Championships.


2) Then, athletes who have achieved the National Championships qualifying total will be sorted based on their best competition total during the qualifying period to see who is top-12* within each bodyweight category. A preliminary ranking list will be released one month before the close of registration so athletes know who is top-12 in each bodyweight category. Updated rankings will be released every two weeks after that.

* Due to the number of athletes historically achieving the national qualifying total, two bodyweight divisions will be merged with up to 6 & 6 athletes: the 60kg & 65kg men, and the 49kg & 53kg women.


3) Following the close of registration and any changes at Verification of Final Entries (VFE), the final top-12 athletes will be notified of their ranking and will be assigned to the Rogue Strength Stage. THIS IS NOT AN “INVITATION TO THE ROGUE STRENGTH STAGE.” THERE IS NO MECHANISM WHERE A TOP-12 ATHLETE DOES NOT LIFT ON THE ROGUE STAGE AND INSTEAD LIFTS IN THE UNION STATION BALLROOM. THE ONLY OPTION FOR AN ATHLETE IN THE TOP-12 WHO DOES NOT WISH TO LIFT ON THE ROGUE STAGE IS TO COMPLETELY WITHDRAW FROM COMPETITION.


4) If an athlete achieves the National Championships qualifying total and registers for the event with the intent of lifting at the National Championships but ultimately does not make the final cut to be on the Rogue Strength Stage, they will lift in the Union Station Ballroom as part of VWS1. The USA Weightlifting National Championships at Virus Weightlifting Series 1 only refers to the athletes competing on the Rogue Strength Stage and does not at any time extend into the Union Station Ballroom. Registered athletes who are not lifting on the Rogue Stage are not competing at the National Championships. Likewise, athletes on the Rogue Stage are solely competing in the National Championships and their results will not be reflected in the VWS1 final results. It is not possible to record results in both competitions.


Full timeline for Virus Weightlifting Series 1 and The USA Weightlifting National Championships at Virus Weightlifting Series 1:

  • October 1, 2026: Wave 1 registration opens for everyone who has achieved a National Championships qualifying total
  • November 10, 2026: Wave 2 registration opens for Virus Weightlifting Series 1. “Series” qualifying totals apply here
  • January 5, 2027: The preliminary top-12 rankings for the National Championships are released. Only registered athletes will be ranked! Updated rankings will be released every two weeks afterward until registration closes.
  • February 4, 2027: Registration closes at 2:00 p.m. MT
  • February 17, 2027: Verification of Final Entries occurs for 2027 USA Weightlifting National Championships & Virus Weightlifting Series 1
  • February 19, 2027: The final top-12 list of National Championship competitors is released.

Note for National Team-Focused Athletes:

We understand this change removes a summer qualifying opportunity for many senior-aged athletes hoping to make a national team. Our Sport Performance team is committed to hosting an additional qualifying opportunity for those athletes in conjunction with the summer championships in Colorado Springs. Whether that means including athletes as extra lifters or running a super session has not yet been determined. Details on how athletes become eligible for that opportunity will be released in the coming weeks.


Please connect with USAW at usaw@usaweightlifting.org with any questions or concerns.