Maine Summer Adventure Race to host 2027 Adventure Racing World Series North America Championship

Press Release / 03.11.2026

BETHEL, Maine – In its 11th year, the 2027 Maine Summer Adventure Race will step onto the world stage as it plays host to the Adventure Racing World Series (ARWS) North American Championship.

The 24-hour race, scheduled for July 10-11, 2027, and starting at Maine’s Mt. Abram ski resort in Greenwood, Maine, is expected to be the event’s largest-ever edition, welcoming teams from across the continent as they battle to win a free entry into the 2028 World Championship in New Zealand, the birthplace of adventure racing.

The ARWS North American Championship is open to teams from the United States, Canada and Mexico and is hosted by one of the 30 races within the ARWS North America Series each year. Besides the enticement of a free entry to the world championship, all participating teams earn double points in the ARWS rankings.

The Maine Summer Adventure Race is hosted annually by Strong Machine Adventure Racing, a nationally and internationally ranked adventure race team led by adventure racing wife and husband Kate and Cliff White. For the third straight year, they will be joined as race directors by longtime Greenwood residents Evan and Emily Moreshead.

“I’m excited to announce the Maine Summer Adventure Race as next year’s ARWS North American Championship,” said ARWS CEO Heidi Muller. “The race is always one of the most popular in the USA, and is on the calendar for many Canadian teams as well.

“As the ARWS N. America Series Manager Cliff has helped us grow and develop the North America Series so it’s fitting the Championship will be at his race next year. Strong Machine are regular international competitors as well, so they are well known to the wider ARWS family around the world. They will put on a fantastic race for next year’s Championship.”

The 2027 race will once again explore the wilds around Bethel, Maine -- recently named one of Outside Magazine's "Top 9 Small Adventure Towns in the US" -- by foot, bike and boat. 

Bethel is nationally celebrated as one of the premier outdoor adventure hubs in North America, highly decorated for its world-class four-season recreation opportunities, authentic New England charm and surging economic vitality.

“We love bringing our racers off-the-beaten track, to places they would never otherwise visit. Every one of them gets a real taste of Maine,” race co-director Kate White said, noting previous versions of the event have featured checkpoints with oyster shucking and chugging of Moxie, Maine’s state soft drink. “We’re working to make this year’s race the best one we’ve ever put on.”

Besides the 24-hour race, participants can alternatively choose a shorter 3-hour or 8-hour adventure. Each course is designed to be completed by all racers, with optional checkpoints added to provide an extra challenge for top teams. Teams of two, three or four are welcome, with solo racers considered upon request. Only four-person teams are eligible for the ARWS grand prize of a World Championship place.

“We aim to design our races so that everyone gets a fun but manageable challenge, from the first-timers to the best teams in the world,” race co-director Cliff White said. “Our unique ‘scavenger hunt’ race format makes this possible, where teams get as many checkpoints as they can in their allotted time. Because of this, strategy can be a huge difference-maker in the final standings. But no matter where teams end up in the rankings, it’s a celebration for everyone at the finish, where huge burritos and cold local beer await!”

All finishers qualify for a massive prize raffle featuring giveaways from OutThere Packs, L.L. Bean, Squirt Cycling Products, Sap Hound Maple Syrup, Zanfel, Katana Adventure Gear and more.

More information on the race can be found at www.MaineSummerAR.com, and more information regarding ARWS can be found at www.ARWorldSeries.com.