Zwift’s 10-year anniversary celebrations will reach their crescendo on 12th November, when Stage 5 of the Tour of Watopia gets underway, and when it does, Zwifters will be in for a treat.
At the end of August, Zwift briefed the community about their upcoming events and noted that Stage 5 of the Tour of Watopia would be special. For many, myself included, this stage couldn’t come fast enough.
During group rides in previous stages, there has been a lot of discussion about what the new structure that was developing before our very eyes, in the virtual world of Watopia. Some Zwifters were quick to dismiss the notion that it was a velodrome, noting that it would be impossible to have thousands of riders on such a small space. The other theory was that it was the return of “Jarvis Island.”
What is Jarvis Island?
Zwift officially went live on 30th September 2014 with a map that most users are not familiar with. The map that the very first Zwifters used was called Jarvis Island.
It got that name because of Strava. This needs some explanation.
You see, many Zwift users intended to use Strava to log their indoor training rides, but the software didn’t detect their movement because their physical coordinates weren’t changing. Thus, Zwift discovered a loophole. They used the GPS co-ordinates for an uninhabited island located in the South Pacific Ocean, called Jarvis Island.
They gave the course the name “Zwift Island” and added a blimp, a fishing town, and a sequoia forest to its virtual landscape. Those early Zwift Beta testers rode 1 million miles (@1.6M km), 333K laps and climbed a total of 44M feet (@13.4M meters) on Jarvis before Watopia was unveiled to the world on April 24th, 2015.
A loop of the original Jarvis Island can be viewed below.
Incidentally, the real Jarvis Island is a US National Wildlife Refuge and is closed to the public.
Jarvis Island version 2.0
For the last four weeks, we have watched with anticipation as a new island has developed in front of our eyes and Zwift has now confirmed that it is in fact the original Jarvis Island!
“The rumors are true: that mysterious isle bubbling up in the seas of Watopia is Jarvis! Take a ride back in time and experience the early days of Zwift on the island that started it all. With new routes, there’s no shortage of ways, both classic and new, to explore the fresh tarmac and become a part of Zwift history!”
Zwift has been keen to highlight that as “Zwifters approach for the first time, Jarvis will be spectacularly unveiled. Zwifters should turn their game volume up and ease off the pedals for a moment to take things in – this unveil will take place for every Zwift the first time they enter the island – but one time only!”
The following pictures highlight the new expansion:
New routes
There are multiple new routes to try, these are:
- Deca Dash – Ten laps across 52.4km of climbs and sharp turns, pushing riders to the limit on every pedal stroke.
- Wasted 8 – An eight-lap, 30.7km route across deserts and ocean views, perfect for those craving flat yet scenic rides.
- Loopin’ Lava – A fiery 18.3 km ride around Watopia’s volcanic landscape, designed to keep the heat on for riders seeking a demanding climbing challenge.
- The Classic – Experience the timeless beauty of Watopia, combining elements of old and new, this route offers 8.8km km through Zwift’s origins and some of the most scenic roads on the island.
- Coast to Coast – A diverse 24.1km journey starting at the southern shore, encompassing the Sasquatch Sprint, Woodland Sprint, Jarvis KOM, and Jarvis Sprint to challenge Zwifters on every stretch.
- Triple Twist – Perfect for riders looking to test their speed over 24.4km, three tight loops with the Zwift and Jarvis KOMs and Jarvis Sprint and Lap segments for riders looking to improve their pace.
Faithful recreation
Zwift have confirmed that it’s an update to the original that brings it up to date with current graphics. The new expansion to Watopia has been faithfully recreated. Zwift noted that the “elevation profile, and segments are all faithful recreations of the original.” This allows those new to the platform the opportunity ride the roads where it all started. Familiar landmarks have returned better than ever, the eagle-eyed will even spot the odd nod to the blue bots that used to adorn the island, oh and as Zwift notes “it appears that Banjo Man has opened his own Cafe!” There is one difference, unlike the original Jarvis, you can ride the updated version in both directions!
The plan comes together
This has been in development for some time, with the idea firmly on Zwift’s roadmap for 2024, with this being a collective decision, with the 10-year anniversary being the perfect opportunity.
Summing up
The upcoming Stage 5 of the Tour of Watopia on November 12th will unveil the long-anticipated return of Jarvis Island, a nostalgic addition to Zwift that features seven new routes, allowing both new and veteran users to experience the origins of the platform. This expansion not only celebrates Zwift’s 10-year anniversary but also enriches the virtual cycling experience by connecting riders to the history of the game. Personally speaking, I couldn’t think of a more fitting thing for Zwift to do to celebrate their 10-year anniversary and I will look forward to riding these new roads.
