47 teams, spectacular conditions and plenty of adventure on the NSW South Coast!
Mollymook turned on a magnificent day for Explore Shoalhaven, with 47 teams joining us for the final event of the 2026 Explore Series.
With beautiful sunshine, offshore winds and glassy water, conditions couldn't have been much better for six hours of kayaking, mountain biking, trekking and navigation in one of the most beautiful corners of the NSW South Coast.
A Magnificent Day on the Water
The sheltered waters around Mollymook and Ulladulla Harbour were a real highlight, with offshore winds delivering beautifully calm conditions for the paddle.
Teams enjoyed some fantastic kayaking, with plenty of opportunities to collect checkpoints and explore the coastline.
A few adventurous teams even opted to swim back across the harbour after collecting bonus checkpoints on the other side, adding an unexpected aquatic adventure to their day!
Singletrack, Navigation and a Few Familiar Trails
The local mountain bike trails proved another highlight, delivering some fantastic riding through the coastal bushland.
Of course, it wouldn't be adventure racing without a few navigation challenges, and CP4, tucked away off the singletrack, certainly had teams searching!
It was also great to welcome back some familiar Terra Nova teams, several of whom found themselves revisiting trails they'd raced during previous events.
The general consensus? Those trails were much more enjoyable in daylight than at 2am!
The Next Generation of Adventure Racers
One of the most encouraging parts of the day was seeing so many young teams on the start line.
We had some fantastic junior teams racing competitively, along with families taking on other families and plenty of friendly rivalry out on course.
Watching young racers tackle navigation challenges, make decisions together and push themselves through six hours of adventure is exactly what makes this sport so special.
It's fantastic to see the next generation of adventure racers embracing the challenge, and we hope to see plenty more of them on the start line in 2027.
A Huge Thank You
Events like Explore Shoalhaven rely on the generosity and support of some wonderful people and organisations.
A particularly big thank you goes to the Caged Bulls, who arrived early to help unload the kayaks before the race and then pitched in again to help load them throughout the event. That sort of support makes an enormous difference, and we're incredibly grateful.
Our thanks also go to Shoalhaven Council and Maritime Safety for their support and for helping us deliver an event in such a spectacular part of the world.
A big shout out to Squirt for continuing to support our events with prizes and giveaways. Their generosity is always appreciated.
And of course, a massive thanks to Sim for helping pull the course together, along with everyone else working behind the scenes to support our events and this incredible sport.
That's a Wrap for 2026!
Explore Shoalhaven brought the curtain down on another year of the Explore Series, with events taking us from Canberra and Sydney's Northern Beaches to the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane and finally the beautiful Shoalhaven.
A huge thank you to every team who joined us throughout the year. From experienced racers to complete newcomers, junior teams and families, it's been fantastic sharing these adventures with you.
Congratulations to all our Explore Shoalhaven category winners and everyone who crossed the finish line!
Full Explore Shoalhaven Results
Looking Ahead to 2027
The 2027 Explore Series is already open for entries, with another six events planned across Australia.
We'll kick things off in Canberra on 30 January, followed by Sydney's Northern Beaches on 20 March.
Whether you're returning for another adventure or looking to take on your very first race, we'd love to see you out there.
