First ARWS Junior World Championship Debuts in Quebec

The inaugural ARWS Junior Adventure Racing World Championship runs July 23-26 in Témiscamingue, Quebec, with 38 junior teams from 10 countries. The event is designed to build the sport’s future by creating a clearer pathway for younger athletes into adventure racing.

Why it matters: - The first ARWS Junior Adventure Racing World Championship is designed to pull the sport’s talent pipeline younger. - Adventure racing has traditionally skewed toward participants who discover the sport in their 30s or 40s. - The championship aims to give national federations a model for youth development and to help produce future athletes, coaches and leaders.

What happened: - The inaugural championship takes place July 23-26 in Témiscamingue, Quebec, Canada. - Thirty-eight junior teams from 10 countries are competing in pairs across Under-18 and Under-25 divisions. - The countries represented are Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Uruguay and the United States. - France is sending eight pairs across every age group and division. - Canada, as host nation, and the United States also have strong representation.

The details: - The race is part of the Adventure Racing World Series Championship structure. - Teams will compete across trail running, mountain biking, canoeing, swimming and rope challenges. - Thursday, July 23 includes registration and the opening ceremony. - Friday, July 24 features the Desjardins Youth Raid Prologue, a 10-20 km stage that pairs international athletes with local schoolchildren. - Saturday, July 25 is World Championship Race Day 1, covering 50-60 km. - Sunday, July 26 is World Championship Race Day 2, covering 40-50 km, followed by the closing ceremony. - The event is set in Témiscamingue’s boreal forests, lakes and rivers. - Raid Témiscamingue includes local indigenous culture at the opening ceremony. - The event’s course runs through forests and among thousands of lakes in the region.

Between the lines: - ARWS CEO Heidi Muller said launching a junior world championship was a long-term goal and required finding event partners, funding, junior teams and affordable international travel. - Muller said Temiscamingue and Endurance Aventure were the right partners for the event. - The recently established International Adventure Racing Association helped coordinate team selection through member national associations. - National associations selected, trained and fundraised for their junior athletes. - The championship signals a broader effort to make adventure racing more accessible to younger competitors and to deepen the sport’s international base. - Daniel Poirier, founder of Endurance Aventure and organizer of Raid Témiscamingue, said the event is a dream project and that regional authorities supported youth participation and outdoor activity. - Poirier said previous Raid Témiscamingue editions included a youth prologue that paired local schoolchildren with international athletes.

What's next: - Fans can follow live tracking at live coverage. - ARWS will post updates, video and photos on its social channels and on @raidtemiscamingue. - More information and the full team list are available on the official event website. - The championship is expected to serve as a template for future junior development in adventure racing.