Spirited Women Join the Adventure Racing World Series

The Spirited Women All-Women’s Adventure Race in New Zealand has joined the Oceania calendar of the Adventure Racing World Series, with the next big race taking place in Twizel from February 20—22nd 2026.

“This event defines the spirit of a kiwi woman – her give-it-a-go attitude, sense of adventure, a strong belief in her girlfriends and a desire to help them through difficult times and celebrate the good times.” – The spirit of a kiwi woman."

The race is organised by Dare2Sweat Events and has been a firm favourite on the New Zealand race calendar since it launched in 2016, with the first race held in Rotorua. Since then, it has taken place in both the North and South Islands from Taupo, Whakatane, Gisborne, Alexandra, Whangarei, Marlborough, the Hawke’s Bay, Wānaka, Cromwell and Clyde. Having reached a whopping record 500 teams of four at the 2023 event in Wanaka, the 2026 entry limit in Twizel has been set at a refined 402 teams, with the next step in the event's evolution to join the dynamic global racing community of the Adventure Racing World Series.

ARWS CEO Heidi Muller commented; “As a female racer myself I know how much fun an all-women’s race is and I’m delighted to welcome Spirited Women to our global adventure racing family. Women’s racing is one of the fastest growing sectors of our sport, and as the ARWS expands and adapts we’ll include more women’s races in our regional calendars.

“Spirited Women is one of the biggest races in the world and is so well presented, making it a wonderful addition to the series, and through the global media platform of the Adventure Racing, the ARWS can share the incredible work they are doing and they can inspire others. I hope I can go and race with the Spirited Women in 2026!”

Event Manager Debbie Chambers explained the concept and success of the race. “Spirited Women is where women team up, train and have an absolute blast of an adventure together, side by side all the way.

Event Director Neil Gellatly loves to set challenging courses and dream up mystery activities that firmly but gently push participants out of their comfort zone. He believes this aspect of the Spirited Women events sets it apart from other similar events.

“It’s far more than creating an unforgettable event experience shared among girlfriends; it’s about women making time for themselves and prioritizing their health and fitness. For many participants, the journey to the event is the most cherished part. Regularly getting together as a team to train, learn new skills, and support one another to push their boundaries. The Spirited Women event strengthens bonds and relationships, bringing family, friends, and work colleagues together for a weekend of unadulterated fun.

“It’s also competitive! Some teams will be racing to win, others to beat their friends, to achieve a higher place or just to finish a challenge which is new, and which they wouldn’t have attempted without the support of their friends. Next year they will be racing for Oceania ranking points as well, and we are really looking forward to working with Heidi and the Adventure Racing World Series to give our future racers and event destinations an international showcase.”

In February next year an anticipated 1608 women racers (with over 1000 women having already signed up) will head for Twizel in the Mackenzie Region for the 13th Spirited Women race. They will have ample opportunities for adventure on the nearby lakes and in the mountains that fill the horizon, and the town is a perfect base, with a wide range of accommodation and eateries.

The race will feature 3 different courses with the ARWS racers contesting the long course. Covering roughly 80km of kayaking, mountain biking, trekking and navigating, plus including 4 mystery activities, the Long Course is expected to take the leaders 9 hours and will stay open for 18 hours.

The challenge is described on the race website as; “An epic adventure! Expect the unexpected, some hardcore/gnarly bits, but it’s by no means a mission impossible! You don’t need to be an elite athlete, but you do need to be fit and skilled in all aspects of adventure racing. Be prepared to be out there having fun for the best part of the day and some of the night!”

Find out more at https://www.spiritedwomen.co.nz and www.arworldseries.com

 About the Adventure Racing World Series

The Adventure Racing World Series (ARWS) is a global platform uniting professional adventure races in iconic locations to serve a worldwide community of adventurers and endurance athletes. The series includes multi-day expedition-style races in some of the most challenging and remote locations around the world and accessible regional races (lasting a day or weekend) on 6 continents.

Each year the ARWS brings together the best adventure racers in the world to compete for the title of Adventure Racing World Champion.

www.arworldseries.com and @arworldseries on all social channels