An intense immersion across Corsica for the 2026 Adventure Racing World Championship, featuring 11 sections combining mountain biking, trekking, packrafting and sea kayaking over a total of 500 km and 20,000 metres of positive elevation gain.
Between rugged mountains and a spectacular coastline, the course will link 3 MTB sections, 3 packraft sections, 3 trekking sections and 2 sea kayak sections, through varied environments that are often remote and fully committing.
What will set the tone? The Corsican terrain, of course: fast tracks, technical trails, sections requiring bikes to be pushed or carried… and dense maquis that will slow progress and demand focus and perseverance. Some trekking sections will also include rope-assisted passages and stunning canyoning sections, adding to the technical nature of the course.
On the water, conditions will dictate the pace. On rivers, teams will alternate between paddling and portaging depending on levels, with rapids up to Class 3+. At sea, sections of around 30 km in double kayaks will follow wild, exposed coastlines.
A complete, raw and demanding course where physical commitment meets strategy. Terrain reading, effort management and adaptability will be key to moving forward.
Pascal Bahuaud, who has already designed two World Championships and around ten World Cups, is enthusiastic:
“The course is now largely defined, and close collaboration with local partners will allow teams to reach those ‘WOW’ locations that remain preserved and rarely visited. The constant transitions between mountains and sea will shape the rhythm of the race, creating unforgettable moments. Sun on one side, moon on the other, sunsets with colours almost unreal, rocks sculpted like works of art, crystal-clear pools deep in canyons, and the intoxicating scents of maquis and pine forests… And then there are the villages, each unique, perched on the slopes that the course occasionally crosses — places where calm and respect are essential, and where the locals are incredibly welcoming.”