Estonia’s Ace La Sportiva wins 2026 Adventure Racing World Championship

Estonia’s Ace La Sportiva team won the 2026 Adventure Racing World Championship in Corsica after more than 125 hours of nonstop racing across a 500-km course. The victory ends a two-decade chase for a world title and caps a dramatic final push past two French teams.

Why it matters: - The win gives Estonia’s Ace La Sportiva team its first Adventure Racing World Championship title after two previous runner-up finishes. - The result ends a 20-year pursuit of a world championship in one of endurance sport’s hardest formats. - The race covered about 500 km across Corsica and took more than 125 hours.

What happened: - Ace La Sportiva crossed the finish line in L’Île-Rousse, Corsica, at 14:45:22 after a final packraft run along the coast. - The team beat French squads Luberon MUC and 400Team Altore after a late-race lead change. - The 2026 Adventure Racing World Championship continued after the winner finished, with other teams still on course for two more days.

The details: - The Estonian team alternated trekking, mountain biking, kayaking, rafting, ropes, orienteering and canyoning. - The course crossed some of Corsica’s most iconic natural sites, including mountain terrain and the Agriates coastline. - Team members are Rain Eensaar, Reeda Tuula-Fjodorov, Timmo Tammenae and Tauno Riiback. - Ace La Sportiva had just won the ARWS European Championship in Denmark and ranked second in the world standings. - The team already had multiple expedition race victories before the world championship. - The team led on the second day, then slipped behind the French leaders before closing the gap on a long trek over Corsica’s highest peaks. - The critical move came during the sixth night, when the Estonians passed a struggling Luberon MUC team and then capitalized on a navigation error by 400Team Altore. - The final 39-km trek along the Agriates coastline featured difficult nighttime navigation and a route where many map-marked paths did not exist.

Between the lines: - The finish capped a comeback for a team that had repeatedly been close to the title but had not finished the job at worlds. - Tauno Riiback’s addition appears to have strengthened an already experienced lineup after he replaced the usual teammate, Silver Eensaar. - Reeda Tuula-Fjodorov said the team’s European title and the move to Corsica prompted fresh questions about why they were racing and what they were seeking from the sport. - The race’s difficulty underscores how navigation, endurance and decision-making can matter as much as speed in adventure racing.

What’s next: - The Adventure Racing World Championship will keep running for two more days as the remaining teams make their way to L’Île-Rousse. - Live satellite tracking and social media updates will continue to follow the race. - More information is available at the event website and the Adventure Racing World Series.