The race was held in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the Tri Santa Cruz race series.

National titles were awarded in each of the five sports classes on the 1500-metre swim, 40-kilometre bike and 10-kilometre run course.

After only racing for about a year, Ashley Eisenmenger took the gold medal in the women's PT5 sport class with a time of 1hr 30min 56sec.

"I started the sport about a year ago, so being here now is kind of amazing - to see my growth," Eisenmenger said.

"I didn't really expect the day to go as well as it did, so I'm beyond stoked."

Andrea Walton was the only athlete to defend her title from a year ago as she claimed her second-consecutive PT3 title with a time of 1:36:23.

Many of the other 2015 champions weren't present in Santa Cruz as they are putting the final touches on their preparations for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Paralympic Games, which begins next month.

"I raced National Championships last year and won second right behind Paralympian Grace Norman," said Ruth Ann Reeves, this year's PT4 women's champion.

Athletes like Brian Norberg, who races in the PT2 sport class, turned the disappointment of not making Rio into a positive as he won his division with a time of 1:16:33.

Para-triathlon is set to make its Paralympic debut in the Rio 2016 programme next month but Norberg said he had other things on his mind.

"I'm really excited and proud to be national champion," Norberg said. 

"Rio didn't work out so this was my main goal for the year. 

"I'm really happy to win. 

"It means a lot."

Others reclaimed titles that had escaped them from previous years.

"I was national champion in 2011 and 2012, so it's great to be national champion again," Geoffrey Kennedy of Puerto Rico said.

"I did not make the cut to the Olympics, so this is one of the highlights of my year."

Kennedy came across the line in 1:17:28 to earn the gold medal for the PT1 men. 

Mary Kate Callahan won the women's PT1 title in 1:35:58 while Omar Bermejo was the top PT3 male.

Rounding off the top finishers were Joel Rosinbum, whose 1:11:57 was the top time for the PT4 men, and Aaron Scheidies who stood atop the podium in the PT5 sport class with a time of 1:06:07.