The new Hard Enduro World Ranking (HEWR) system sends a strong signal with a prize fund of at “least” $100,000 already secured for the 2026 season as major international races are signed up — or are they?

Only launched and “live” one month ago, the Hard Enduro World Ranking system — proposed chiefly by the race directors of Red Bull Romaniacs and Red Bull Erzbergrodeo — remains a hot topic in the sport as it undergoes a period of transition and we hope development.

The HEWR system is, in their words, a “global, open, transparent, and fair” framework within which riders at international events can score points and with the lure of prize money for the top 10.

The big news here is some races within the Hard Enduro World Championship have signed up, or rather have been signed in by HEWR, who say it can already boast a prize pot to $100K.

Hard Enduro World Ranking Events (as of March 3, 2026)

As of early March 2026, a total of 18 races across four continents and 14 countries are listed: two Supreme, six Premium, three Masters and seven Challenger.

  1. Supreme Events

    1. Red Bull Erzbergrodeo (Austria, June 4–7, 2026)

    2. Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania, July 28–August 1, 2026)

  2. Premium Events

    1. Alestrem (France, April 17–19, 2026)

    2. Silver Kings (USA, June 18–20, 2026)

    3. Abestone Rodeo Miravale (Italy, July 10–12, 2026)

    4. Forza Orza (Sweden, August 20–22, 2026)

    5. Wild Woods Extreme (Italy, September 12–14, 2026)

    6. Hixpania (Spain, October 23–25, 2026)

  3. Masters Events

    1. Rochepaule Extreme Enduro (France, June 19–20, 2026)

    2. Wildwood Rock Extreme Enduro (Australia, November 7–8, 2026)

    3. AvandaRocks Hard Enduro (Mexico, November 13–15, 2026)

  4. Challenger Events

    1. Hellsride Hard Enduro (Austria, May 1–3, 2026)

    2. I Do Hard Enduro (Estonia, June 12–14, 2026)

    3. Jacots Ranch Hard Enduro (USA, June 13–14, 2026)

    4. Enduro Bung Extreme Race (Kosovo, November 7–8, 2026)

    5. Uran Enduro (Bulgaria, September 11–13, 2026)

    6. Ukupacha Extreme (Ecuador, November 6–8, 2026)

    7. Isegrim Enduro (Germany, September 26, 2026)

We’re a little confused

On the face of it we can see HEWR is inclusive with events in Hard Enduro World Championship listed yet we also know that some were not aware they would be included. Ales Trem for example.

To our knowledge it is also part of the contract for Hard Enduro World Championship events that they cannot be part of another series which muddys the water somewhat. 

It does appear elitist to some that the two people behind HEWR are also directors of the only two events listed as Supreme, Karl Katoch and Martin Freinademetz.

They of course argue that the classification is based on measurable criteria such as the number of top riders, participation levels, organisational standards and media reach which all mark their races above the rest. To that end, they also state there is “no favouritism, just hard facts” behind the listings.

What’s going on WERA?

The other major talking point is the World Enduro Riders Association (WERA), which announced it will contest only six of the nine Hard Enduro World Championship rounds in 2026. Championship promoters have stated they will proceed with a nine-round season, leaving the door open for non-WERA riders in HEWC to contest the full world championship and have an easier route to an FIM title.

At the time of writing, having spoken to both riders and promoters, Enduro21 understands the situation remains fluid and could yet change on that side. 

It is also not entirely clear which riders are in or out of WERA and that could be crucial come the end of the season in terms of who is chasing prize money or a world title primarily.

A quick piece of maths shows the 100,000USD between the top 10 splits up to nicely, but not into a life-changing way for the Pro riders who will largely be doing all of the above “Supreme” and “Premium” events listed in any case (paid for by their teams). 

Today’s statement from HEWR also makes clear they respect WERA and will automatically include the HEWC races they confirm riders will contest (at the moment the six of nine). If nothing else, it suggests there is at least a bridge — rather than a barrier — between the parties but we’re pretty sure this one is rumbling on.

Just ride and score – what it means for riders

A feature of the Hard Enduro World Ranking is the claim of zero bureaucracy for riders: no registration, no expensive licence, no ranking entry fee. All of that responsibility sits with the HEWR organisers and event promoters.

As a rider, you do not need to sign up anywhere or pay anything — simply enter one of the listed HEWR events and compete as normal. Your results automatically feed into the ranking. That’s it.

You can read a little more about how it works here: New Hard Enduro World Ranking system launching with $100,000 prize money

Classification into Supreme, Premium, Masters and Challenger follows the rules published on the website: www.enduroworldranking.com

 

Photo Credit: Red Bull