Participants will depart this Wednesday, November 15, starting from 09:00 from the town center
You can track the GPS position of the runners through the link https://chronorace.tracktherace.com/es/eventos-deportivos/trail-running/360-the-challenge-gran-canaria/carrera
Everything is ready in Tejeda for the eighth edition of the 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria, where the 84 registered athletes have been coming to the municipality since this Tuesday to pick up their bib and runner’s bag, allowing them to start this Wednesday from 09:00. This eighth edition will once again be a demanding event where participants will have to circumnavigate the island over a distance of 269 kilometers with a positive elevation gain of 14,000 meters. To this challenging mix is added the heat expected in Gran Canaria this week, with temperatures that could exceed 30 degrees.
The organization’s prediction is that the first runner will cross the finish line, also located in the urban center of Tejeda, in the evening of next Friday, about 55 hours after the start of the race. The rest of the participants will have until Sunday at 2:00 PM, 101 hours after the start of the race, to complete the entire distance. As race director Wendy Cruz explains, the route is not marked, and athletes only become familiar with it ten days before the start of the race.
This is a test where athletes will have to demonstrate orientation techniques, readiness to endure changing natural conditions, the ability to assist other runners, as well as cope with lack of sleep and race fatigue. Additionally, the route must be covered in semi-self-sufficiency, as participants will manage their supplies and rest periods as they see fit. For this, the race has four life bases located in Mogán, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, Teror, and Fontanales (Moya). These points will be the only ones where external assistance is allowed, and participants can use a backpack with their belongings, which they will deliver before the start, in addition to food, rest areas, a place to charge their electronic devices, and showers. Likewise, the route has water supply points in La Aldea de San Nicolás, Ayagaures (San Bartolomé de Tirajana), and Valsequillo.
In the women’s category, five athletes will start, with French Claire Bannwarth as the main favorite, having won the last three times and finishing fourth overall last year. Also vying for victory are Canarian Sandra Moreno, Slovak Soňa Kopčoková, Hungarian Szilvia Lubics, and Catalan Montserrat Caso.
In the men’s category, 75 athletes will participate. The king of the race is Italian Luca Papi, who has started in every edition and has won four times, most recently last year. His compatriot Marco Gubert, who won the race in the two editions held in 2021, will also be present. They will be joined by Romanian Claudiu Beletoiu, who was third in the 2022 and 2021 Challenges, or Canarian Javier Blanco, who led the race last year and finished third in the Transgrancanaria 360º in 2017.
This year also sees the debut of the relay category, with two pairs competing: Iker Karrera and Zigor Iturrieta, and Canarians Esteban García and Francisco Estévez.
Over the next five days, the public can follow the progress of the ultradistance race with daily videos posted on the social media of 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria, summarizing the events of the last 24 hours. Similarly, through the website https://chronorace.tracktherace.com/es/eventos-deportivos/trail-running/360-the-challenge-gran-canaria/carrera, live tracking of the GPS positions of the runners will be available.
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, the City Council of Tejeda, and Fred. Olsen Express; and with the collaboration of companies Lorenzo González Automoción, Gofio La Piña, Inerza, and Provital.