The Swiss runner, reigning champion after her 2025 victory, will once again take on one of the major challenges in international ultradistance running in the eleventh edition
Anita Lehmann will once again put herself to the test at 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria. The Swiss runner, winner of the event in 2025, will return to Gran Canaria from 4 to 8 November to take part in a new edition of one of the major challenges in international ultradistance running. It will be her fourth participation in the race, after finishing runner-up in 2021 and 2022 before finally claiming victory last year.
Lehmann won last year’s edition in a time of 55:15:11, completing the 222-kilometre course with more than 10,000 metres of positive elevation gain. Her victory came after maintaining a consistent pace and precise navigation throughout a race characterised by its difficulty and self-sufficiency.
With an ITRA ranking of 613 points, the Swiss runner also arrives at this new edition having achieved another outstanding result in one of her country’s major ultradistance events in 2026. Lehmann finished third in the Montreux Trail Festival Crossing Switzerland, a demanding 393-kilometre challenge with 25,000 metres of positive elevation gain.
Her return to Gran Canaria will therefore provide another opportunity to take on a challenge she knows in depth and in which she has already demonstrated her ability to manage courses involving enormous distances and elevation gain. After reaching the second step of the podium twice and finally claiming victory last year, Lehmann will once again attempt to complete a new edition of 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria.
Among her main achievements are four consecutive victories at the SwissPeaks Trail (2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021), victory at the Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB in 2023 and sixth place overall at the TrailCAT 200, a 317-kilometre race with 13,750 metres of positive elevation gain. Her experience also includes participation in major challenges such as Crossing Switzerland, Tor des Géants and Muntanyes de Prades Epic Trail Costa Daurada.
More than 100 registered runners and 13 nationalities
The presence of the champion adds to an edition that continues to grow and has already surpassed 100 registered runners. So far, the race has attracted participants from 13 nationalities, including France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Romania, as well as nine women on the starting list.
The eleventh edition will also introduce an important change to the course, with the start taking place in Gáldar, which becomes the new starting point for this self-sufficient, unmarked challenge. The final route will only be revealed 10 days before the start.
360º The Challenge Gran Canaria will take place from 4 to 8 November, with registration still open through the event’s official website for runners looking to take on one of the most unique challenges in ultradistance running.
360º The Challenge Gran Canaria is organised by Arista Eventos, with the support of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria through Turismo de Gran Canaria and the Instituto Insular de Deportes; the Government of the Canary Islands through Promotur – Islas Canarias; the Ayuntamiento de Gáldar; the Ayuntamiento de Tejeda; Joma and Fred. Olsen Express. The event is also supported by Aguas de Teror, Pepsi, Gofio La Piña, Bonflex, Provital and Inetel.