The National Orienteering League is the sport’s premier domestic series, fought out over forest and sprint races across the country from December to May, with separate men’s and women’s titles in each discipline. The 2026 season came down to the final weekend at The Auckland Triple Crown competitions, and it delivered four champions and a string of finishes settled by the narrowest of margins.

Zara Stewart finished the 2026 National Orienteering League as its standout athlete, winning both the women’s forest and women’s sprint titles to cap a season decided on the final weekend in Auckland. Doubling up across two disciplines that demand almost opposite skills is rare, and Stewart managed it while the races behind her stayed remarkably close.

The sprint women’s title was the closest contest of the series. Stewart edged Zara Toes by a single point, 392.3 to 391.3, after a summer of near-identical results. Kaia Joergensen took third, with sisters Orla and Niamh Hoare close behind.

The men’s sprint left less to argue about. Joseph Lynch won all four of his starts for a perfect 400 points. Sam Carryer and Blake McKinnon filled the other podium places, with Fergus O’Neill and Felix Hunt not far off the pace.

“You need to get the rhythm correct right from the first control: ‘catch the wave’. Reading the next leg and then staying one step ahead in the navigation takes the stress away and helps minimise mistakes.” – Joseph Lynch

The Forest men’s title turned on consistency rather than headline wins. Zefa Fa’avae set the early pace, taking three of the opening rounds, with Lynch and Hunt also prominent. None of the three started the Woodhill double-header that closed the season, and Jake McLellan, who raced every round, made it count. He took the title by 15 points, with the top four covered by less than 20. Cameron Bonar finished second and Fergus O’Neill third.

Stewart led the forest women as well. Sisters Katherine and Anna Babington claimed second and third, ahead of Zara Toes, Briana Steven and Lara Molloy. Rachel Baker won every forest race she entered but did not contest the full series, leaving an obvious question mark over what a complete campaign might have produced.

The standings point to a young and deepening field. McLellan, Toes, McKinnon, the Hoare sisters, and Carryer are all early in their careers, and the top three in the forest league have earned automatic selection for the 2026 World Cup rounds.

That sets up a tighter season next year. The early-season leaders will return looking to convert fast starts into titles, the consistent performers know exactly how much every round is worth, and on this year’s margins, there is little to separate the contenders.

Get the dates in your diary early, because you will not want to miss a minute of it.

Full Forest Results – Click Here

Full Sprint Results – Click Here