The Island Cup is back for another big year of grassroots cross country and enduro racing in 2026. The Vancouver Island-based series will host six cross country races, seven enduro events and, new for 2026, an XC Marathon on the Sunshine Coast.

With an ever-rotating cast of venues, both enduro and XC head to untapped trails this year. Port Alberni is a rapdily growing riding area on the island and will host events for the cross country and more gravity-fed racers.

2026 Island Cup enduro series

Island Cup’s wildly popular enduro series gives riders seven opportunities to race in 2026, if you’re quick on the registration button. That includes classic venues like Cumberland, Hornby Island, North Cowican and the technically challenging Sooke stop. Port Alberni makes its enduro debut, as well as the return of newer venues, Jordie Lunn bike park the greater Victoria area and the chairlft-fuelled freedom of Mount Washington.

Enduro racing runs from April to mid-September this year, giving riders consistent opportunities to race all season.

Logan Sadesky racing the Island Cup series in Victoria, B.C.
Island Cup cross country

The Vancouver Island series is always an early opportunity for Canadian racers to get between the tape while the rest of Canada might still be digging out from under snow. The series starts in Victoria with the Jordie Lunn weekend. This venue hosted Canadian XCO nationals in 2025 and will again in 2026. This Canada Cup weekend is an early opportunity for riders to get familiar with the course if they’re planning on heading west later in the year.

2026 Canada Cup XC and DH calendar released

From there, Island Cup XC heads over the hump to Port Alberni, back to the iconic Cumberland trails and then up to the easy speed of Campbell River. The only Sunshine Coast stop this season will be a non-series XC Marathon in Powell River in May. The series resumes with the most classic of classic venues, Hammerfest, before wrapping up back in Victoria in late June.

Island Cup 2026 Calendar
Cross Country

Jordie Lunn – March 15
Port Alberni – April 5 [NEW]
Cumberland – April 12
Campbell River – April 26
Powell River XC Marathon (non-series) – May 3
Hammerfest – June 7
Victoria – June 21

Enduro

North Cowichan – April 16
Sooke – May 3
Port Alberni – May 31 [NEW]
Hornby – June 14
Jordie Lunn – July 12
Mount Washington – TBD
Cumberland – Sept. 13