2026 Leaderboard: Week 10

What a way to finish the 2026 Nomad Overland Rally! After ten weeks of challenges, strategy, exploration, and relentless competition, the final leaderboard delivered the kind of ending that could not have been scripted. In a stunning final-week surge, Team 101 Mercer stormed into the lead and captured the Nomad Rally championship with 5,168 points, completing one of the most dramatic comebacks in Rally history.

For nine straight weeks, Team 117 Lucas has occupied the top spot, establishing themselves as the team to beat and appearing to have the championship firmly within their grasp. But Week Ten changed everything. Team 101 Mercer found those last few PhotoQuests when it mattered most, closing the gap and ultimately slipping past Team 117 Lucas by just six points. With 5,162 points, Team Lucas finished an agonizingly close second, bringing their remarkable nine-week reign at the top to an end in the final moments of the competition. After spending most the Rally with a sizable lead, they were finally caught at the virtual finish line.

And just behind them, Team 110 Smigiel delivered a tremendous final push of their own to secure third place with 5,078 points. With all three podium finishers breaking the 5,000-point barrier, the strength of the competition at the top of this year’s field was extraordinary. The final numbers tell the story of just how competitive this Rally became: the top three teams surpassed 5,000 points, the top five broke through 4,000, and eight teams finished above 3,000. Ten teams cleared 2,000 points, while an impressive 15 teams finished the Rally with more than 1,000 points. Those numbers represent ten weeks of effort, but more importantly, they reflect just how deep and competitive this year’s Teams truly were.

Yet the Nomad Rally has always been about more than points, rankings, and the race to the podium. At its heart, this competition is about getting out there, exploring wild places, challenging yourself, learning new skills, and becoming a better steward of the landscapes that make these adventures possible. That spirit of stewardship deserves its own spotlight, and this year we are thrilled to once again recognize Team 111 Potter as our TreadLightly! Stewardship Winner.

Lisa Potter demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to responsible recreation throughout the Rally and well beyond it. Her efforts included organizing a major trail cleanup, coordinating trail clearing and maintenance projects, participating in trail openings, and continually putting the principles of responsible land use into action. More than a single event or a single season, Lisa’s dedication to TreadLightly! principles reflects a sustained commitment to protecting and improving the places we all love to explore. Her example represents exactly what stewardship in the overland community should look like: not simply enjoying public lands, but actively giving something back to them.

And with that, Week Ten brings the 2026 Nomad Overland Rally to a close. Ten weeks ago, the leaderboard was wide open and every team was chasing the opportunity to make its mark. Week by week, the standings shifted, strategies evolved, unexpected contenders emerged, and familiar names battled to stay ahead. Some teams climbed steadily, others made spectacular late-season pushes, and more than a few kept us guessing right up until the very end.

But ultimately, there can only be one champion. Congratulations to Team 101 Mercer on an incredible final-week comeback and a well-earned Nomad Rally championship! Congratulations as well to Team 117 Lucas on an extraordinary nine-week run at the top, and to Team 110 Smigiel for fighting their way onto the final podium. And congratulations to Team 111 Potter for demonstrating that some of the most important victories on the trail cannot be measured in points.

Most of all, congratulations to every team that took part in the 2026 Nomad Overland Rally. Whether you finished on the podium, chased the leaders from the middle of the pack, made a late-season surge, or simply pushed yourself to explore farther and learn more, you helped make this Rally what it was. The competition may be over, but the adventures certainly aren’t.

Thank you for an unforgettable ten weeks. Congratulations to our champions, our award winners, and every single team that made the 2026 Nomad Overland Rally one for the history books!