With just six months to go until the opening of the third edition of the World Mountain and Trail Running Championship in CanfrancPirineos (Spain), expectations are excellent regarding both participation and quality. More than 1,400 athletes from over 75 countries are expected to compete for the ten world titles on offer.

The small town of Canfranc, located in the Aragonese Pyrenees (Spain), is preparing to host the Championship from September 24 to 28. It will be the first time that Spain and the Pyrenees host this level of international competition. Canfranc, with just 600 inhabitants, is ready for the challenge.

This is confirmed by its mayor, Fernando Sánchez, who states, “everything is going according to plan… we continue to look for new sponsors and private collaborators.”

Recently, the Government of Spain, through the Higher Sports Council, announced a €400,000 grant for the event. The Championship is organized under World Athletics, with support from the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA), International Trail Running Association (ITRA), International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU), and the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA).

Alessio Punzi, Head of Running at World Athletics, expressed excitement: “We can’t wait… there won’t be shortage of drama and entertainment… the landscape is a protagonist.”

Sarah Rowell, representing WMRA, ITRA, and IAU, said, “both excitement and expectations are high.” She highlighted the courses as true tests of mountain and trail running skills and praised the collaboration with Alex Varela, his team, and the Royal Spanish Federation.

Alex Varela, Event Director of CanfrancPirineos 2025, emphasized the volunteers’ involvement, town enthusiasm, and the high technical level of the circuits: “These are very demanding trails… requiring the maximum effort from the athletes.”

The Championship will feature more than 1,400 athletes from over 70 countries across five categories: ‘Uphill,’ ‘Classic –senior and U20–,’ ‘ShortTrail,’ and ‘LongTrail’.
Spain and the Pyrenees will host this major event for the first time in Canfranc, home to the iconic International Railway Station, soon to celebrate its 100th anniversary.