How to hit Gold on every Skyriding race in the Kalimdor Cup

At 12:01 am on Tuesday, February 25 (Pacific time, not server), the Kalimdor Cup returns to World of Warcraft for the first time since 2023, and lasts until 11:59 pm on Monday, March 10. With only two weeks to earn your Kalimdor Racer title (and pick up your Drake Racer’s transmog set if you missed it last round), there isn’t a lot of time to mess around, which is why I’m going to show you how to hit Gold on every single race.

Before we get started, keep in mind that while your World of Warcraft character can fly tirelessly, you cannot. Do your stretches, keep your arms parallel to each other, and resist the urge to tense your body as you race.

In fact, it might be a good idea to review these tips from a safety-minded shrimp before you spend a couple hours hunched over your keyboard. (Also, don’t hunch. Back straight, soldier!)

Rocketway Ride

Type: Vigor conservation, Agility, Memorization

Located in picturesque Azshara, the Rocketway Ride is a literal roller coaster of a Skyriding race. It’s a bit of a long one, so take note of where you need to conserve vigor and where you need to fly all out.

/way #76 67.17 26.22 Rocketway Ride

Winter Wander

Type: Agility, Memorization

This race through the frosted trees of Winterspring will test your reflexes to the limit. Pay particular attention to how I handle the arch at the end of the dead-end canyon.

/way #83 68.99 68.44 Winter Wander

Nordrassil Spiral

Type: Vigor Conservation

While really more of a double figure-eight, the Nordrassil Spiral will take you up and around the branches of Mount Hyjal’s world tree, testing your ability to complete a run using a single, strategically-placed Vigor charge. Make sure you’re using Skyward Ascent at a steep angle to gain the most speed from it.

/way #198 56.60 27.67 Nordrassil Spiral

Felwood Flyover

Type: Agility

If you like nose-to-the-ground speed and a million blind turns, the Felwood Flyover is the race for you. While it’s possible to practice this course until you know every ring, you might still need to adjust your mouse sensitivity to keep from running smack into every other tree. The Reverse difficulty is particularly trying, but at least you don’t have to go under the bridge in that direction!

/way #77 58.04 11.4 Felwood Flyover

Hyjal Hotfoot

Type: Vigor Conservation, Agility, Memorization

One of the longer courses in the Kalimdor Cup, the Hyjal Hotfoot requires patience and persistence in equal amounts. You will definitely get set on fire at least once, so keep lots of water on hand (for hydrating yourself, not your computer), and make sure to rest those wings … er, wrists … if you start feeling tired. Sometimes the best way to improve your time is to step away for a minute and come back later.

/way #198 22.49 52.9 Hyjal Hotfoot

Ashenvale Ambit

Type: Memorization, Agility

Few zones in Kalimdor possess quite the ambience that Ashenvale does. It’s perhaps unfortunate that you’ll be moving too fast to take most of it in, though you will get up close and personal with some of its architecture … and maybe some of its denizens. This is another race where you may benefit from a rest in the middle (and maybe some ice for your mount’s bruised nose).

/way #63 36.38 28.71 Ashenvale Ambit

Webwinder Weave

Type: Agility, Memorization

I hope you’re not afraid of spiders, because you’re likely to see a fair few while completing the Webwinder Weave.

There are two skills which will serve you well here: a knack for timing your Vigor expenditure perfectly on a sharp turn, and the ability to perform a quick up and down using Skyward Ascent. The latter is done by pointing your nose downward as you hit the button. As for the former … well, maybe just watch the video.

/way #65 66.64 87.33 Webwinder Weave

Great Divide Dive

Type: Speed

When I first saw the mark Deathwing left on one of the most iconic zones in Kalimdor, my jaw was on the floor for a good five minutes. Once insurmountable (until you could afford your first wyvern), the Great Divide is now the site for perhaps the simplest race of the Kalimdor Cup. Sure, it’ll take some fireball dodging, and you might run into a vine-covered tree or two, but this short and sweet course should take little time to master.

/way #199 41.50 12.93 Great Divide Dive

Durotar Tour

Type: Memorization, Agility, Vigor Conservation, Puzzle

Good old Durotar, land of cactus apples, sleepy orcs, and some ruggedly beautiful terrain. Horde players will experience a certain nostalgia here, while Alliance … well, just be careful where you head with that 5-minute PVP flag.

Straightforward is exactly the wrong word when it comes to the Durotar Tour. Its ups and downs will have you inventing new and interesting combinations of timing and keypresses, and maybe even a few curse words. It took me quite a bit of experimenting to find a rhythm which solved this puzzle, so don’t be afraid to save yourself some time and peek at my solution here.

/way #1 56.92 62.91 Durotar Tour

Thousand Needles Thread

Type: Speed, Puzzle, Memorization

Get ready for the speediest course in the Kalimdor Cup, because the Thousand Needles Thread doesn’t let up for a second. Fortunately there’s no shortage of Vigor to prevent you from zooming across this newly-flooded canyon at breakneck speeds, but unless you spend it precisely, you may find that your time keeps coming up short. Make sure not to overdo it, and maybe even catch a movie in the middle to give your hands a break. This might be a long haul.

/way #64 10.84 19.88 Thousand Needles Thread

Razorfen Roundabout

Type: Agility

The Razorfen Roundabout looks intimidating at first glance, with its thorny branches and narrow gaps, but it’s really not as difficult as it seems. First of all, it is relatively short. Second, you have quite a bit of leeway on time for even the advanced difficulties.

If you do have trouble navigating this briar patch, you might switch to a smaller mount (or even a smaller character), both for that marginal decrease in turn radius and so that your character isn’t blocking as much of the view.

/way #199 42.77 93.04 Razorfen Roundabout

Desolace Drift

Type: Memorization, Agility

The Desolace Drift is an eclectic mix of various course types, including blind dives, narrow canyons, open plains, and a jaunt through a forested ruin. Fortunately it is loose enough on time to still be fun. Watch out for the shallow drop-off at the start, and once you’ve mastered its crazy twists and turns, you should find this one an easy gold.

/way #66 28.06 63.48 Desolace Drift

Feralas Ruins Ramble

Type: Vigor conservation, Agility

Situated deep in an ancient jungle, the Feralas Ruins Ramble is a sharp reminder that we are far from the largest creatures on Azeroth. Try not to be overawed by the scale of these ruins as you cruise through the coliseum and its adjacent corridors.

/way #69 63.69 53.78 Feralas Ruins Ramble

Ahn’Qiraj Circuit

Type: Puzzle, Agility

There are many different uses for Skyward Ascent in the Kalimdor Cup, and the Ahn’Qiraj Circuit demands them all. To hit gold, you will need to master the double rise, the quick-up-and-down, the nose-down or “shallow” Skyward, the over-the-shoulder (aka whip turn), and the zig-zag ascent. Good luck.

/way #81 38.5 82.74 Ahn’Qiraj Circuit

Un’goro Crater Circuit

Type: Puzzle, Vigor conservation, Speed, Memorization

Probably the hardest race in any Skyriding Cup so far, the Un’goro Crater Circuit is best done with a low server population and maybe even reduced graphics settings. An efficient start is crucial to the Reverse course, so I recommend you save yourself a couple hours of frustration and take a peek at my solution.

/way #78 53.31 93.12 Un’Goro Crater Circuit

Uldum Tour

Type: Vigor conservation, Puzzle, Agility, Memorization

I think the Uldum Tour might be my favorite Skyriding race in the Kalimdor Cup. (Translation: The rest of you are going to hate it.) The nose-to-the-ground dip through the jungle and the thrilling, mountain-sized climbs will test your timing, reflexes, and problem-solving skills. The scenery ain’t bad, either.

Note: If you arrive in Uldum and do not see a race marker, you are in the wrong phase. To fix this, visit Zidormi in Ramkahen and ask her to send you back to the Cataclysm.

/way #249 54.77 41.09 Uldum Tour
/way #249 56.0 35.2 Zidormi

Happy racing, Blizzard Watchers, and don’t forget to spend your badges before the vendors vanish again at midnight on March 10th!