Spring Challenge Women's Adventure Race 2026

The Merrell Spring Challenge is an all-women adventure race in New Zealand for teams of three. Teams select a 3-hour, 6-hour, or 9-hour option, then move through outdoor stages that can include running, mountain biking, rafting, hiking, and orienteering. The entire team completes every part together; it is not a relay where one person waits while another handles a leg. The race is open to first-timers and experienced adventure racers, with the challenge scaled by time option rather than a fixed distance. The course moves to a new location each year, and the route is kept secret until the night before the race. Teams receive their map and instructions then, plan their strategy, sort gear, and during the race navigate through checkpoints in the correct order. The format changes with the course: one edition might have three stages, while another might have eight or more. Each team also needs a support crew, which meets them at transition areas to help with gear and the next discipline. More than 450 teams participate, so the race is large, busy, and built around teamwork from start to finish.