The municipality of Tejeda once again becomes the capital of one of the toughest trail running events in the world, serving as the starting and finishing location for the race
Luca Papi and Marco Gubert, two of the candidates for the overall victory, arrive on the island without pressure, with the main goal of enjoying the beauty of the race and crossing the finish line
84 international athletes from 18 different countries will start this Wednesday at 09:00 in the eighth edition of the 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria mountain race, organized by Arista Eventos, that will take place from November 15 to 19. For the second consecutive year, some of the best ultra-distance runners in the world will start from the urban center of Tejeda, which is also the planned finish line for this race that circumnavigates the island.
The presentation of the event took place on this Monday, where participants will have to cover a distance of 269 kilometers with a positive elevation gain of 14,000 meters. In addition to the challenging course, they will have to contend with the high temperatures expected in Gran Canaria this week.
Luca Papi, the four-time champion in seven editions, described the race as «a very beautiful race» but also «quite technical as it takes you to places on the island that you don’t know, giving you the opportunity to meet new people and discover new locations». He praised the high level of the other runners and admitted that this year his goal is simple: to finish—last year, only 39 athletes out of 70 who started crossed the finish line. «The toughest part is managing sleep hours because when you’re tired, it’s easy to take the wrong path,» he confessed.
He won’t have an easy time securing his fifth title, not only due to the toughness of the course but also due to the competition from other participants. Among them is Marco Gubert, the winner of the two editions held in 2021, who arrives on the island «without pressure or expectations» because this year his goal is to «enjoy the race and meet new people. Victory is secondary—admittedly, but if I see that I can go fast and contend for the win during the race, I will do it.»
In addition to the two Italians athletes, other notable participants include Romanian Claudiu Beletoiu, third in the 2022 and 2021 Challenges, and Canarian Javier Blanco, who led the race last year and finished third in the 2017 Transgrancanaria 360º. In the women’s category, standout names include French Claire Bannwarth, who has won the race three times in a row, and Slovakian Soňa Kopčoková, returning after finishing fourth in the women’s category last year.
This year also introduces the relay category, featuring two pairs: Iker Karrera and Zigor Iturrieta, and the Canarian duo Esteban García and Francisco Estévez.
Verónica Espino, the Sports Councilor of the Tejeda City Council, thanked Arista Eventos, the organizing company, for making the municipality the epicenter of the race, providing international exposure in the trail running sector. Tejeda is a municipality located in the center of the island, offering beautiful views and spectacular landscapes to participants, but the challenging elevations pose a significant challenge for the athletes.
Present at the presentation event were the Sports Councilors of the municipalities of Mogán, Luis Becerra, and Teror, Moisés Rodríguez, two of the locations where the life bases are located, along with the Villa de Moya and Santa Lucía de Tirajana. In these points, runners can replenish their strength, charge electronic devices, and access a bag with personal belongings they provided before the start. In addition to these, there are refreshment points in Ayagaures, La Aldea, and Valsequillo. The two municipal representatives invited the public to come to their towns to cheer on the participants and, in the process, enjoy the gastronomy and nature of these corners of the island.
Finally, Wendy Cruz, the director of 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria, pointed out that the organization has provided a large technical and human team for the proper functioning of this race, which, being a self-sufficiency test, «is one of the toughest in the world.» Cruz explained that the 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria is not marked, and each runner has to showcase their skills to complete the 269 kilometers and 14,000 meters of positive elevation gain in 101 hours. «The itinerary is new every year, and athletes know it ten days before the start of the race, which will take place this Wednesday at 09:00. The first runner will be at the finish line on Friday, and the last one will enter on Sunday,» she clarified.
360º The Challenge Gran Canaria is organized by Arista Eventos and is sponsored by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria through Turismo de Gran Canaria and Gran Canaria Isla Europea del Deporte, the Government of the Canary Islands with Promotur – Islas Canarias, Tejeda City Council, and Fred. Olsen Express; with the collaboration of Lorenzo González Automoción, Gofio La Piña, Inerza, and Provital.