Where are the Kiwis?!?
Where Are the Kiwis? Looking Ahead to ARWC 2027, 2028, and the Next Generation of NZ Powerhouses.
We all know that Kiwis in the wild are shy, and that a commotion usually sends them back into deep cover. Is that is what is happening on the world adventure racing scene now?
With the 2026 AR World Championship roster finalized, there is a glaring detail that anyone in the global adventure racing community immediately notices: a distinct lack of New Zealand teams on the start line. There is only one team flying the flag, and while they'll certainly make a decent showing (they are Kiwi after all), they are untested at international racing.
For over a decade, Aotearoa has been the gold standard of expedition racing. From legendary squads dominating the global stage to an endless pipeline of world-class navigators, mountain bikers, and paddlers, Kiwi racers have set the pace for the rest of the world. Even just last year, two relatively unknown New Zealand teams stepped onto the world stage and powered their way into the Top 10 at ARWC (The Sardines - 4th, and Forever Forests - 8th), proving just how deep the talent pool runs in NZ.
Seeing a World Championship field without a strong presence feels surreal. Even in the years where there was only one Kiwi team on the start line - it was a team (The Team) that carried the weight and experience of legends that helped define the sport.
Financial hurdles, travel logistics, and the sheer cost of long-haul expedition racing have certainly taken a toll. But while the international field gets a brief moment to shine out of the long-standing shadow of NZ dominance, the tide is already turning.
The NZ comeback story is already being written:
Oceania Champs Locked In: Team Forever Forests has already secured their golden ticket to ARWC 2027 in Croatia by winning the 2026 ARWS Oceania Championship.
The Magnificent 2026 (Dec 2026): The upcoming edition of The Magnificent in Te Anau offers a premier free entry spot to ARWC 2027 for the winning team. The battle for that ticket is going to be fierce with both Fear Youth, the Magnificent Youth will be there. And rumor has it that Chris Forne, Stu Lynch, and Emily Wilson may drop their hat into the ring again.
The Road to Croatia: With the 2027 Oceania Championship offering another direct qualification route, expect a stacked field of Kiwi and Aussie teams stepping up to claim their place on the world stage next year.
ARWC Returns Home in 2028: After 25 years, the AR World Championship returns to New Zealand in 2028. The world will finally see the true, undeniable depth of Kiwi power on home turf.
As the World Series affiliated races slowly come back to New Zealand, there are more opportunities, and hopefully enticements, for local teams to travel abroad and test themselves against the broader global community of the sport. And we for one find that exciting. But here it the catch - teams winning an entry to World Champs can't pass it down to the next team if they are unable to attend - so even when a team like RAB (half of the 7x world champs team Avaya) wins an entry - if they do not go, that entry does not pass down to the next kiwi team in line.
But with 2028 looming - there will be no travel logistics or long haul flights in the way, and we predict that will be the year that every other nationality will be vying for one of a precious few spots in the top 10 that aren't claimed by Kiwis. Because at a normal World Champs, we get used to seeing the same names at the top - Estonia Ace, 400 Team, VidaRaid, SAFAT, Brazil MultiSport, Bend Racing...but the question I keep asking myself about 2028 is whether any of those teams will make it to the top 5.
So to the rest of the world's awesome teams - enjoy the spotlight while it lasts - the Kiwis are building back, and the next wave is ready to make noise. With all eyes on the 2026 World Champs, the kiwi teams at home are watching and planning and quietly preparing for what I think will be a very eye opening return to the sport's top podiums in 2028.
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