Arna Westfjords Way Challenge

Our Adventure Day is a perfect time to check over your bike and catch up on some sleep before the midnight start of Stage 4

Nature’s best aid stations. Throughout our course, you’ll find plenty of places to fill up your water bottle. No filter or treatment is needed, this water is naturally filtered through ancient lava rock.

Did you know that a portion of your registration fee goes to planting trees in Iceland? When we decided to plan a bike race in the most remote corner of the world, we knew we needed to weigh the environmental costs. Last year, our participants planted 554 trees through and . That’s almost 8 trees per participant. How about that?

REGISTRATION IS OPEN! Are you ready to take on the 2024 Arna Westfjords Way Challenge? Head to our website (link in bio) to register for five days of community, connection, and unforgettable riding. Be sure to read the handbook thoroughly beforehand, and we'll see you in the Westfjords next summer! https://www.corsa.is/138/register

OPIÐ FYRIR SKRÁNINGAR! Ertu tilbúinn að takast á við 2024 Örnu Vestfjarðar Áskornunina? Farðu inn á síðuna okkar (sjá linka fyrir neðan), lestu handbókina vandlega og skráðu þig svo í fimm ógleymanlega daga af hjólreiðum, menningu og vináttu. Sjáumst á Vestfjörðum næsta sumar! https://www.corsa.is/138/register

Arna WFWC Stories // Slava Gudzenko

“In a nutshell, smiles, rainbows and unicorns all round, except, that this was the exact opposite. This race is the most dismal experience I have had to this day. Never previously have I been so profoundly miserable for so long, and all bravado aside, it was bloody hard. On paper, not an otherworldly effort power-wise. But in all fairness after spending several hours being cold down to the core, it’s the most my body could muster. There were a lot of stronger guys than me, and if it came down to being a good cyclist, I would not be on the podium. It took a combination of dumb luck, pure suffering and accumulation of marginal gains to get to second. As it turns out, there comes a point where marginal gains stop being so marginal after all.”

2nd place winner .gudzenko tells it like it is: this race is a lot of things to a lot of people, but one thing is always true: “It’s bloody hard.” Slava was holding his own for the entire race, but a blown tire on the infamous Svalvogar low-tide road ended the duel for first.

This year’s conditions were brutal. Lots of mechanicals, relentless headwind, rain, and sometimes low temps made for a truly testing week of riding. The distances of these stages are deceptively long, and even the most prepared and competitive riders find moments of feeling under-prepared. The beauty of this race is that community is built into the fabric of the experience. Coming together at the end of the day for a meal, and spending time together at cultural connections is a constant reminder that all the ranges of experiences, from suffering to awe, are shared.

2024 registration opens in just two days! Get ready – read the handbook so you know what you’re in for – and we’ll see you at the start line.

Just 6 more days til registration opens! And don't forget, our BIPOC scholarship application will end at 7 AM GMT on October 9. Get your applications this weekend, and send the info on to anyone who is ready to take on the Challenge!

Arna WFWC Stories // Nicole Sin Quee

“I have been trying to outride grief for a year and the race was the capstone of my efforts. What a privilege to have this epic opportunity to succeed and fail. I am so emotional from how I got here, the friends I made, the magnitude of the event, how much I learned about myself and others. And I am so appreciative of this body. I asked a lot from me and I delivered. But I didn’t deliver alone. I had the dream team of cyclists with whom I rode at stages—Ryan, Matteo, James, Alex, Stephen, Weronica, and Liv by proxy. We laughed, we hammered, we soaked, we ate loads of salami sandwiches and hot dogs off the clock. I straight up love all of you. At some point when the winds were particularly gusty and trying to blow my lil Jamaican ass off the mountain I had to dig deep and rely on me. And that wasn’t enough. You don’t know Iceland wind. I pulled out the ultimate trick that I used for the last 80 miles of this 600 mile race. I repeated,”I am Sheila’s daughter, Jonathan’s wife, Simon’s mom. “ Every time something wanted to break me I said it aloud. And after I triumphed I said it again and added,”f**k your race Tyler.” You don’t build character and grit from staying comfortable. Oh and I placed third behind the strongest and loveliest of badass women, Weronica and Iris.I fought so hard for this one and am so proud of myself. Iceland, you returned some joy in my life- your people and your stunning scenery. Even your harsh conditions added beauty. Lynee, Dora, and Tyler, this was everything. The hardware from this race is in honor of Ma, Dad, Rachel, Jonathan, and Simon. I love you all deeply.”

Our 2023 3rd place finisher, is another veteran of both the 2022 and 2023 races. This past year, she came back even stronger – but beyond securing her podium spot, she has been a shining example of what the race is all about: coming together in community, building each other up, and taking on the challenge in the way that is most meaningful and true to the individual. Thank you Nicole for sharing your story and joy with us!

Our 2024 accommodation guide is now available! Everything you need to know about where to stay after each stage can be found in this document. Head to the link on the race website!

Arna WFWC Stories // Weronika Szalas

“I found out about this race around May when I was bikepacking through Spain and told me she will participate. It sounded like a really cool route with cultural connections along the way to get to know Icelandic culture. The time spent on those stops didn't count into the final result. The seed has been planted to do a bikepacking trip together in Iceland. After two weeks of logistics over the phone we worked out it will be the easiest if I participate too and then we get a week on the road together after the race. I didn't read much into it but the words 'semi-supported' and 'challenge' made it sound pretty easy going. Reality? The beauty of Iceland came with its price. 5 days of rain, strong cross and headwinds and pretty low temperatures... I pushed as strong as I could. I never train or ride in the group and I learned my lessons the hard way while getting dropped on a long headwind section and then tremendously slowing down as I was fighting the wind seeing the group riding away... It was as much about the strength of the body as it was about the strength of mind. I've managed to finish as the first woman. The reward came from somewhere else though. It came from meeting an amazing bunch of people along the way, bonding over the cultural stops and dealing with the hard conditions together (thanks guys ).”

The WFWC was .szalas’ first ultra race, and she pushed HARD to take first place in the women’s category. Thanks .szalas for sharing your story with us!

Registration opens on October 11 – the Westfjords are waiting!

2024 Arctic Fish Midnight Special registration will open on October 25 at 14:00 GMT. Be sure to read the handbook if you are thinking about joining this epic 1-day event that covers the best of the Westfjords!

Our 2024 BIPOC scholarship is now open!

Applications will be open until October 9 [7:00am GMT]. This year, two recipients will be selected at random from a lottery to receive a race entry, €1,000 for travel, camping, and a bus ticket to/from the international airport and Ísafjörður.

So if you’re up for five days of winding fjords, hot springs, coffee and waterfalls – head over to our website to tell us about yourself and your cycling career! We’re proud to welcome back as our BIPOC scholarship advisor. Together, we will notify all applicants of their status before registration opens on October 11 at 14:00 GMT.

Note: If you have applied before, you will need to submit a new application for this year. In order to be considered for the scholarship lottery, we will be looking for applicants to show that they are mentally and physically capable of completing the event. Feel free to email or message us with any questions you may have!

About the scholarship: Our vision is to host a welcoming event for everyone pushing their limits on bikes around the world, which means working to remove barriers for those who are often excluded by the cycling and outdoor recreation communities. With this in mind, the Arna WFWC will sponsor two riders that identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color) with a travel support and race entry scholarship. Visit our website to learn more!

RACE UPDATES:

☀️ Our 2024 race handbooks are now updated for the Arna WFWC and Arctic Fish Midnight Special. Thinking of joining us next year? Be sure to read these from cover to cover so you fully understand what our race is all about! Link in bio.

☀️ The 2024 BIPOC rider scholarship opens tomorrow! Stay tuned for more information on how to apply.