The Northrend Cup Guide: WoW Skyriding Races and Rewards

Key Takeaways

The Northrend Cup is one of World of Warcraft's rotating Skyriding Cups (the system was called Dragonriding when the cup debuted in Dragonflight). When it is active, it sends you racing through the frozen skies of Northrend for badges, transmog and achievements.

• The Northrend Cup features 12 races, not 13, each playable in Normal, Advanced and Reverse formats.
• It is a recurring rotating event run by the Riders of Azeroth, returning to the live game roughly every six months rather than running on one fixed date.
• You start it from Lord Andestrasz in Valdrakken, near the Rostrum of Transformation.
• Beating par times earns Riders of Azeroth Badges, spent with Maztha in Valdrakken or Dathendrash in the faction capitals.
• Clearing every race on Gold unlocks the Northrend Racer title, the Frosted Riders of Azeroth Tabard and the Icy Drake Racer's transmog set.

Here is how the event works, from the start quest to the full reward list.

What the Northrend Cup Is

The Northrend Cup is a Skyriding racing event set across the icy continent of Northrend. It is part of a rotating series of continental cups, alongside the Outland, Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor cups, that Blizzard cycles through the live game over the course of the year. Because it rotates, treat it as a limited window: when the Northrend Cup is active, you have roughly two weeks to chase its rewards before the slot passes to the next cup.

The courses reward clean Skyriding far more than raw mount speed. Vigor management, tight cornering and reading the next ring early are what separate a Bronze run from a Gold one, so the same tracks stay worth re-running as your flying sharpens.

How to Start the Northrend Cup

Travel to Valdrakken and speak with Lord Andestrasz near the Rostrum of Transformation. He gives you the opening quest, "The Northrend Cup Circuit," and directs you to the courses. Each race is timed against Bronze, Silver and Gold par marks, and hitting those across the Normal, Advanced and Reverse versions is what fills your badge wallet.

You spend Riders of Azeroth Badges with Maztha in Valdrakken, or with Dathendrash if you are based in Stormwind City or Orgrimmar. A single character can earn up to 108 badges from the races themselves, plus another 80 from the Circuit questline.

The 12 Northrend Cup Races

Here are the twelve courses and the Northrend zones that host them:

With the full circuit in front of you, the next thing to understand is how each course splits into three different challenges.

Race Formats: Normal, Advanced and Reverse

Every course comes in three versions. Normal eases you in with wide rings and forgiving routing. Advanced tightens the rings and rewards shortcuts that demand sharper vigor use. Reverse flips the track back-to-front, so the line you memorised no longer applies and you have to read the course fresh. Because all three award their own par-time achievements, the completionist goal is really 36 clears across the twelve races.

Northrend Cup Rewards

The chase is built around three completionist achievements: Northrend Racing Completionist in Bronze, Silver and Gold tiers. The Gold tier is the prize, earned by taking every race to Gold, and it grants the headline cosmetics:

• The Northrend Racer title.
• The Frosted Riders of Azeroth Tabard.
• The Icy Drake Racer's transmog set, an eight-piece armor set themed around the cup.

If you are stuck just short of the Gold par times, you can book a WoW achievement carry and have the title, tabard and set delivered without grinding every Reverse split.

Badges also buy mount customizations and a couple of extras:

• Four drake customizations for your Skyriding mounts, in line with the other continental cups.
• The Vial of Endless Draconic Scales, a toy that randomizes your Skyriding mount's appearance each time you mount up.
• The Checkered Pennant cosmetic for race fans.

If you want more rare flying mounts to apply those customizations to, you can browse WoW mount services to expand your stable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many races are in the Northrend Cup?

There are 12 races in the Northrend Cup, spread across Northrend from Grizzly Hills to Icecrown. Each one is available in Normal, Advanced and Reverse versions.

Where do I start the Northrend Cup?

Speak to Lord Andestrasz in Valdrakken, near the Rostrum of Transformation, to pick up the quest "The Northrend Cup Circuit" and begin the event.

Is the Northrend Cup still in the game?

Yes. The Northrend Cup is a recurring rotating event, not a removed one. It returns roughly every six months, so check the in-game event schedule for the current window.

What rewards does the Northrend Cup give?

Finishing every race on Gold unlocks the Northrend Racer title, the Frosted Riders of Azeroth Tabard and the Icy Drake Racer's transmog set. Badges also buy drake customizations, the Vial of Endless Draconic Scales toy and the Checkered Pennant.

What currency does the Northrend Cup use?

Riders of Azeroth Badges. You earn up to 108 from the races plus 80 from the Circuit questline, and spend them with Maztha in Valdrakken or Dathendrash in Stormwind City and Orgrimmar.

Do I need to beat every race format for the rewards?

Gold completionist requires Gold par times across the races, and the Normal, Advanced and Reverse formats each carry their own achievements, so full completion means 36 Gold clears across the twelve courses.

Last reviewed 2026-06-23 against Patch 12.0.5 Lingering Shadows — Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.