Following an exhilarating Uphill race on Thursday evening, in which both the women’s and men’s course records fell to Joyce Muthoni Njeru (KEN, Atletica Saluzzo) and Richard Omaya Atuya (KEN, Run2gether On Trail) respectively, the second instalment of the 2026 WMRA Mountain Running World Cup double header at Transvulcania concluded today with the Long Distance event.

The race marked the first long-distance contest of the 2026 World Cup season, contested over a 25-kilometre course featuring 2,100 metres of ascent. Setting out from the island’s iconic Faro de Fuencaliente lighthouse, the route traversed the celebrated Ruta de los Volcanes before concluding at Refugio de El Pilar.

Competitors faced a formidable opening 17 kilometres of sustained climbing, gaining 1,800 metres of elevation to the high point at Las Deseadas, before a testing eight-kilometre descent brought them to the finish line at El Pilar, situated at 1,445 metres above sea level. The course profile rewarded those with the endurance to hold strong on the extended uphill sections, though the prolonged descent to the finish equally offered opportunities for the more accomplished downhill runners to make their mark.

DOWN TO THE WIRE ON THE DOWNHILL

Race day started cold and misty but soon started to warm up. It was no surprise to see the Kenyan Run2gether On Trail trio of Richard Omaya Atuya, Philemon Ombogo Kiriago and Ephantus Mwangi Njeri striking out from the start in the men’s race. They arrived at the Canarios aid station at 7.5 kilometres just 15 seconds apart. By this point the runners had climbed 700 metres in just 35 minutes. Behind the leading trio Anthony Felber (FRA Brooks) led the chase, 2.30 minutes behind, with Linus Hultegard (SWE Craft) and Tyler McCandless (USA).

It also remained very close in the early stages in the women’s race, with one of this year’s World Cup breakout stars, Ruth Mwihaki Gitonga (KEN Run2gether On Trail) taking an early lead. But initially she couldn’t shake Kirsty Skye Dickson (GBR Carnethy Hill Runners), who took a brilliant second place in the Uphill race on Thursday, and Joyce Muthoni Njeri (KEN NNormal), winner of the Uphill, as all three passed through the Canarios timing point within 40 seconds. Benedetta Broggi (ITA La Recastello – FUGA) led the chase 1.45 behind, with local Moana Lilly Kehres Kehres (ESP CD Hilera), Sara Willhoit (GBR Rab Scarpa) and Lara Hamilton (AUS Carrerasdemontana).

The next timing point was at the highest point of the course at Las Deseadas at 1873 metres. Would it still be as close in both races here, or would that long climb have created more gaps? For the men it was Atuya who reached the summit first and it became clear that he had indeed managed to open quite a gap on Kiriago and Njeri. Kiriago reached the summit 2.24 behind him, alongside Njeri. Behind them there was a smaller gap of 1.30 to Felber and Hultergard, with a trio of Spanish runners – Guillermo Ramos Munoz (Gaikar Kirolak), Daniel Osanz Laborda (Adidas) and Alvaro Escuela Perdomo (Club Arista/Volbe Trail Team) behind them.

The climb to the summit also proved decisive in the women’s race, with Gitonga arriving three minutes before Njeru, who had now overtaken Skye Dickson and opened a gap of a minute on her. Gitonga was starting to look like she couldn’t be caught and it also looked like the podium was decided as Broggi, in fourth, was almost six minutes behind them, and Kehres Kehres and Willhoit still chasing a minute and two minutes behind, respectively. It was all going to come down to the descent.

Unfortunately in the men’s race Njeri fell and sustained an injury on a small uphill after the beginning of the descent. He was helped by runners from the marathon and had to retire.

The finale of both races delivered high drama. In the men’s race Kiriago showed his dominance on the downhill, running a perfect final section, overtaking teammate Atuya and opening the smallest of gaps. Felber also overtook Atuya and pushed Kiriago all the way to the finish at El Pilar. But Kiriago couldn’t be beaten and he won in 2.07.43, a new course record, with Felber second in 2.07.47. There was a photo finish worthy of a track race between Atuya and Hultegard for third, with the Atuya getting the third place and Hultegard the fourth.  

Gitonga showed similar level of dominance on the descent in the women’s race and also demonstrated what a rising star she is on the circuit, winning in 2.22.50, another new course record. Njeru maintained second place and didn’t manage to claw back time on Gitonga, finishing in 2.25.39. Skye Dickson held strong in third, finishing in 2.33.21. Kehres Kehres was two minutes behind in fourth, with Broggi another 1.30 behind in fifth. The same top five as for the Uphill race, but in a different order.

TOP 5

Women

1. Ruth Mwihaki Gitonga (KEN Run2gether On Trail) – 2.22.50 (course record)
2. Joyce Muthoni Njeru (KEN NNormal) – 2.25.39
3. Kirsty Skye Dickson (GBR Carnethy Hill Runners) – 2.33.21
4. Moana Lilly Kehres Kehres (ESP C.D Hilera)
5. Benedetta Broggi (ITA La Recastello – Fuga)

Men

1. Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (KEN Run2gether On Trail) – 2.07.43 (course record)
2. Anthony Felber (FRA Brooks) – 2.07.47
3. = Richard Omaya Atuya (KEN Run2gether On Trail)
4. Linus Hultegard (SWE Craft) – 2.08.15

5. Guillermo Ramos Munoz (ESP Gaikar Kirolak) – 2.10.28 

NEXT WORLD CUP RACE

There’s now a break for the World Cup until we switch continents again for Broken Arrow on 19^th June.

The fourth stage of the 2026 WMRA Mountain Running World Cup kicked off on Thursday evening as competitors gathered on the island of La Palma for the Uphill race at Transvulcania, the latest instalment of the competition on one of the sport’s most demanding but most beautiful circuits.

La Palma, widely regarded as the steepest island in the world, provided an uncompromising backdrop for the competition. A high-calibre elite field took to the start line in the Port of Tazacorte for a 7.3-kilometre course demanding 1,200 metres of vertical ascent.

The opening kilometres offered a steep start as athletes wound their way along zig zags overlooking the sea, through verdant terrain along the GR131 long-distance hiking trail in the warm evening sunshine. Then there was some brief respite in the form of a gentle road section. However, the course’s character shifted markedly as the field progressed beyond the El Time Viewpoint at 513 metres and the Hungarian House at 624 metres. Beyond those landmarks, the route became considerably more hostile – rocky underfoot and unrelentingly steep – while descending cloud cover brought cooler temperatures and added a further dimension of difficulty to proceedings.

None of the athletes had it easy as they battled their way to the finish line at the forest lookout tower.

NAIL-BITING UPHILL RACE

With a women’s field including Joyce Muthoni Njeru (KEN Atletica Saluzzo), Ruth Mwihaki Gitonga (KEN Run2gether On Trail), Philaries Jeruto Kisang (KEN Run2gether On Trail) and Camilla Magliano (ITA Kailas Fuga), and a men’s start line boasting Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (KEN Run2gether On Trail), Richard Omaya Atuya (KEN Run2gether On Trail) and Martin Nilsson (SWE), we knew this was going to be a highly competitive race. But with such a deep field, and some athletes new to the World Cup this year, we also knew that we’d probably see some surprises.

They all set off at a furious pace to take advantage of the brief stretch of flat road before the climb began. The elite field started at one minute intervals in a time trial format, adding to the drama at the finish line, where conditions continued to deteriorate as the race went on.

The two runners who set an early mark were Kirsty Skye Dickson (GBR Carnethy Hill Runners) with 55.37 and Tyler McCandless (USA) with 50.09. But they had a nail-biting wait to see if they could hang on to their positions.

Kiriago and Atuya have had so many close battles in World Cup uphill races, and this was no different. Kiriago set off last, and the chase was on. Ephantus Mwangi Njeri (KEN Run2gether On Trail) took a chunk off McCandless’s lead, finishing in 47.39 but then Atuya reached the summit in a new record time of 45.01. Only Kiriago and Nilsson could beat him but Kiriago fell short for once, making do with second place in 47.33 and Nilsson ended up in fifth place in 48.46. Anthony Felber (FRA Brooks) took a strong fourth place in 48.20.

In the women’s race it looked as though Skye Dickson could hang on as Gitonga, one of the major threats and our winner from Sāo Brás Cross, reached the finish line in 58.00. But we still had the dual threat of Njeru and Kisang out on the course. Njeru showed the form we saw in the last stage of the World Cup in Changping and took the win in 55.02, a new record. Skye Dickson maintained a strong second place, Gitonga kept third, Benedetta Broggi (ITA La Recastello – Fuga Mountain Club) was fourth in 58.30 and Moana Lilly Kehres (ESP CD Hilera) was fifth in 58.35. Kisang did not finish.

LONG DISTANCE RACE

On Saturday it’s the first long-distance race of the 2026 World Cup season, again from Transvulcania. The 25-kilometre course sets off at 7:30am from the island’s iconic Faro de Fuencaliente lighthouse and the finish line is at Refugio de El Pilar.

Stay tuned to WMRA channels for live coverage and updates.

Following an impressive double header in Beijing Changping, the 2026 WMRA Mountain Running World Cup now turns its attention to Europe, with the competition’s next chapter set to unfold on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands.

The venue is Transvulcania – set against a backdrop of volcanic ridgelines and ancient lava fields. Making its World Cup debut this year, the event will host two races: an uphill race and the first long distance contest of the 2026 season. La Palma is said to be the steepest island in the world, making it a perfect host for mountain running events.

These races will constitute the fourth and fifth stages of the World Cup, following the season opener at Sāo Brás Cross and the recent double header in China. With the season’s early stages now complete, the competition is entering a critical phase.

The standings are beginning to take shape. A number of athletes have already established themselves near the top of the rankings, while others are only now launching their campaigns – bringing fresh ambition to a field that is growing more competitive with every stage.

TWO RACES, TWO TESTS

The double header gets underway on Thursday 7th May, with the uphill race scheduled for 5pm local time. Athletes will depart from the Port of Tazacorte and face an unrelenting challenge – 1,164 metres of climbing across 7.3 kilometres, with the finish line waiting at the Forest Tower at El Time.

The route traces the GR 131 long distance hiking trail through two early landmarks: the El Time Viewpoint at 513 metres and the Hungarian House at 624 metres. From there, competitors briefly leave the main trail to take in the Viewpoint of Piedra del Guanche at 750 metres, before rejoining the GR 131 for the final push to the forest lookout tower. Those who reach the summit will be rewarded with sweeping views across the north-east of the island and the Aridane Valley.

Saturday 9th May brings the first long-distance race of the 2026 World Cup season. The 25-kilometre course sets off at 7:30am from the island’s iconic Faro de Fuencaliente lighthouse, following the celebrated Ruta de los Volcanes before concluding at Refugio de El Pilar.

The course is a race of two very distinct halves. The opening 17 kilometres present a sustained and demanding climb of 1,800 metres, all the way to Las Deseadas — a test of endurance, patience and strength. What follows is an eight-kilometre descent that will reward the bold and punish the reckless, with athletes able to make up significant ground on the way to the finish line.

WOMEN’S FIELD

The women’s competition includes a stellar line-up of athletes, including a dominant Kenyan contingent, all capable of making the podium. Familiar face of the World Cup, Joyce Muthoni Njeru (KEN Atletica Saluzzo) comes to La Palma straight off a win last weekend in the classic up and down race in China and will compete in both races. Ruth Mwihaki Gitonga (KEN Run2gether On Trail), pictured below, exploded onto the World Cup circuit with a win at Sāo Brás Cross and looks set to a real contender in this year’s competition. Philaries Jeruto Kisang (KEN Run2gether On Trail) starts her 2026 World Cup campaign at Transvulcania and, as she showed at the 2023 World Championships and through the 2024 and 2025 World Cups, she can never be underestimated.

Camilla Magliano (ITA Kailas Fuga), pictured below, leads the women’s World Cup rankings after three strong performances and will be looking to capitalise on her lead here. Ingrid Mutter (ROM), Sara Willhoit (GBR), Lara Hamilton (AUS Trail Team), Kirsty Skye Dickson (GBR Carnethy Hill Runners) and Silvia Lara (SPA Cimsalp) all take part in both races, with Martina Falchetti (ITA Sport Club Merano) competing in the uphill race.

Jedidah Chepkemoi (KEN Run2gether On Trail) is another debutante for this year’s World Cup, and with some recent wins in half marathon road races, it will be interesting to see how she fares on the trails.

 MEN’S FIELD

The men’s races also boast strong fields of Kenyan athletes. Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (KEN Run2gether On Trail), pictured below, is our defending World Cup champion and he starts his defence here. He is equally at home on uphill and long distance races, so Transvulcania should be ideal for him.  Richard Omaya Atuya (KEN Run2gether On Trail) was a very close fourth place last year, with four victories in the uphill races, and this will also be his 2026 debut in the World Cup. Ephantus Mwangi Njeri (KEN Run2gether On Trail) also had some strong results in the World Cup last year and could surprise people here.

Other men to watch include Martin Nilsson (SWE), who is tipped as an athlete to watch in 2026 by his ITRA Performance Index progression, Anthony Felber (FRA Brooks), who has achieved some great results particularly at the longer distance, Tyler McCandless (USA) and a strong contingent of Spanish runners including Manuel Anguita, Álvaro Escuela, Daniel Osanz (just in the long distance race) and Arezki Habibi.

TRANSVULCANIA

Around 3,600 runners are expected across all of the races at Transvulcania, for this sixteenth edition of the event. This small, but incredibly varied island has everything for runners – forests, volcanoes, ridges and rocky descents.

Stay tuned to WMRA channels for live coverage and updates as the winners of the first race are decided.