A total of 120 athletes from 22 nationalities will face the 265 kilometers in self-sufficiency and will celebrate the anniversary with a route that returns to the capital
The Press Room of the Gran Canaria Arena today hosted the official presentation of the tenth edition of the 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria, a self-sufficiency ultra-distance race that has consolidated itself as a world benchmark in its category. The race, which will take place from November 5 to 9, will bring together 120 runners from 22 different nationalities who will face a demanding 265-kilometer route around the island. The presentation event was attended by Aridany Romero, Minister of Sports of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria; Carlos Álamo, Minister of Tourism of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria; Francisco Juan Perera, Mayor of the Tejeda Town Council; Javier Prieto, Director of Institutional Relations for Turismo de Islas Canarias; the athlete José Bordón, second classified in the 2023 edition; and Wendy Cruz, director of the 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria. Representatives of the sponsors Joma and Fred. Olsen also attended, as well as representatives of all the town councils involved in the route’s life bases: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; Guía de Gran Canaria; La Aldea de San Nicolás; Mogán and San Bartolomé de Tirajana.
An event consolidated as a world benchmark Aridany Romero, Minister of Sports of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, highlighted the dimension reached by the race: “A race that is consolidating itself as a world benchmark with several of the best ultra-distance participants. An event that validates this industry which promotes physical activity and sport. An industry that also generates wealth, jobs, and employs many men and women to make it possible.” The minister expressed his “satisfaction as a minister with the different elements revolving around the 360º.” For his part, Carlos Álamo, Minister of Tourism of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, emphasized the tourist projection of the event: “A different sports race that works very well to promote our tourist destination with participants from more than 20 different nationalities who are going to travel through different municipalities of Gran Canaria, being able to show the biodiversity that our multi-product island destination has.” Álamo wished “good luck and success to participants and organizers” and highlighted that “Arista Eventos is a company that has been focusing on this type of race for many years and has contributed to making Gran Canaria a benchmark for outdoor sports.”
Tejeda, protagonist of the start and finish As in previous editions, the municipality of Tejeda will be the setting for the start and finish of the race. Francisco Juan Perera, Mayor of the Tejeda Town Council, expressed his satisfaction: “As in previous years, the start and finish will be in Tejeda. It is a source of pride that our municipality is taken into account, with Roque Nublo and Roque Bentayga as witnesses.” The mayor underlined the growth of the race: “It is noticeable that this is a race that gains more prestige every year because the interior of our island of Gran Canaria is sold more and better. We make our municipality visible to the outside.” Javier Prieto, Director of Institutional Relations for Turismo de Islas Canarias, added: “We pursue several objectives, including generating greater projection and optimization of the Islas Canarias brand. Gran Canaria has managed to consolidate itself within an attractive, top-level agenda, as is the case of 360º, a deeply rooted race that has become one of the most extreme events in the world.”
Self-sufficiency and orientation: the real challenge Wendy Cruz, race director, explained the unique characteristics that define the 360º: “It is a tenth edition with a spectacular route with unique self-sufficiency characteristics. They will have five life bases, but between base and base they must manage their resources, food or sleep. It is an unflagged race, which is a very important point, they have a track that they must follow with GPS and maps. They are experts in orientation, navigation and ultra-distance, very prepared runners.” The director also highlighted the human component of the race: “The emotions experienced that week… you see a runner leaving Tejeda at 9 in the morning on a Wednesday and some arrive on Sunday. You live with them from the moment they start until they return to Tejeda, we follow all the runners so that there are no safety problems, so we live together in the life bases and know the name and surname of all of them, that is the most beautiful thing. That, added to the fact that the island of Gran Canaria has everything: coast, arid areas, and we touch them all, even the capital, which we return to after several years. We will see them in the middle of Triana street with their backpacks, poles and even covered in mud. It’s a very nice contrast.”
The experience of a local runner José Bordón, 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria runner and second classified in 2023, shared his enthusiasm: “It is an absolute luxury to be able to participate, especially in this tenth edition, and this year we have trained as hard as we could. The route is very beautiful, especially the city areas with a lot of population, we are going to cross paths with a lot of people and that is very attractive for the runner.”
An anniversary bib and the return to the capital To celebrate its tenth edition, the race has designed a special bib that features some of the most emblematic places in Gran Canaria through which the race has passed over the years. This commemorative element symbolizes the deep connection that the 360º has established with the island’s geography. One of the great novelties of this edition is the return of the race to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, something that has not happened since 2018. Participants will cross iconic places in the capital such as Plaza de Santa Ana, Triana, Mesa y López or Paseo de Las Canteras, which will allow citizens to be direct witnesses of one of the most demanding competitions on the international scene. The 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria is thus preparing to celebrate a historic tenth edition that will once again demonstrate why Gran Canaria is one of the world’s leading destinations for ultra-distance and outdoor sports events. The sports event is organized by Arista Eventos, with the sponsorship of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria through Turismo de Gran Canaria and the Insular Sports Institute; the Government of the Canary Islands with Promotur – Islas Canarias; Tejeda Town Council; Joma and Fred. Olsen Express; and the collaboration of the companies Aguas de Teror, Pepsi, Lorenzo González Automoción, Emicela, Gofio La Piña, Bonflex, Provital and Inetel, as well as Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council through the Municipal Institute for the Promotion of Physical Activity and Sport (IMD), Guía de Gran Canaria City Council, Mogán City Council, La Aldea de San Nicolás City Council and San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council.