BLOG: 2026 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize Awards Reception

On Thursday 17th September, we returned to Foyles on Charing Cross Road to host the 2026 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize Awards Reception.

Marking ten years of discovering, championing and supporting adventure writing, guests from across the world joined us (in person and online!) to celebrate, and to find out the winners of the £10,000 Adventure Writing Prize, New Voices award and Author of Tomorrow award. They are: 

£10,000 Adventure Writing Prize: 

The Fertile Earth by Ruthvika Rao

New Voices Award

A Loving Gaze by Nicholas Gauthier
The Grit of Cordelia Stratton by Joyanna Lovelock
World Without End by Siân Marlow
A Distant Glint of Silver by Holly May
This Tender Soil by Nayela Wickramasuriya

Author of Tomorrow Award

11 and Under: Last Lantern on the Crouch by Hari Vasireddy
12–15 years: A Thousand Lamps by Aarna Jakkal
16–21 years: Come Back by Famya Faiz
Highly Commended by Niso Smith: Fire Season by Ho Min Ru

We were honoured to be joined on stage by record-breaking polar explorer, army officer and 2026 judge Captain Preet Chandi MBE. Delivering an inspiring keynote speech, Preet spoke about stepping outside comfort zones, breaking the rules of what is expected, and challenging long-held assumptions about who belongs in adventure. If you would like to listen to Preet's speech, or rewatch the prize giving, you can do so on our YouTube channel. 

Our congratulations once again to all of our 2026 winners and shortlisted authors, and a huge thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with us, and especially to the readers, libraries and bookshops across the country who brought this tenth anniversary year to life! You can read the press release here and scroll on for photos of the night. 

All photographs ©Adam Duke Photography. 

Please contact Charlotte if you would like a high-resolution copy of any of the photographs.