WC26 applications have been open for two weeks now. The weighted lottery promotes diversity of all kinds, but it is the increased number of women and non-binary riders that is often highlighted.
2026 will be our sixth year running events and – as a majority women organising team – we can attest that it remains a challenge getting more women on start lines. There has been progress, but progress is rarely linear and TPA25 – with no women starting – is proof of this.
To this end, we thought we’d take a dive into the numbers to see what the direction of travel shows. After all, who doesn’t love a graph?
Our first chart shows the effect that the weighted lottery has on boosting women’s participation. As the event has grown, women and non-binary riders have actually made up a smaller proportion of applicants, but the weighted nature of the lottery has helped to correct for this – showing its value.
And while percentages are important, we’ve always felt that absolute numbers matter too. The second chart shows that as our events have grown in popularity, we have drawn far more women and non-binary riders to start lines.
2025 showed a small drop, but fluctuations are to be expected. And we know that many of these women have gone on to take part in other events – strengthening the sport as a whole beyond just our events.
The final chart shows that participation in percentage terms has stagnated, which could seem disheartening if you disregard the two previous charts. However, nuance is important and the nature of WWC means that a significant proportion of riders will always be new to ultra endurance – drawing more women and non-binary riders into the sport.
That’s not to say that we don’t face challenges. As you can see on the first chart, the percentage of women and non-binary applicants is lower than previous years. More work is required.
What can you do to help?
- If WWC26 is tempting you, let us know what is holding you back and how we can help
- If you know a woman or non-binary rider who is looking for a challenge, send them in our direction
- If you have a suggestion for making our events more inclusive, we’re all ears
