The Norwegian athlete will attempt to repeat her victory in the 126-kilometer Classic modality
The Frenchman makes his island debut after nearly clinching victory at the MIUT Madeira Island Ultra-Trail in 2024
Their names join the already confirmed Tom Evans, Katharina Hartmuth, Josh Wade, and Maite Maiora in the long-distance race
The North Face Transgrancanaria continues to strengthen its elite lineup with two prominent names from the international circuit: Norwegian Henriette Albon and Frenchman Martin Kern. Both runners will start the Classic modality from the iconic Las Canteras beach at midnight on Friday, March 6, ready to deliver a strong performance across the 126 kilometers and over 7,000 meters of positive elevation gain that traverse the island of Gran Canaria.
Albon returns to the island with the goal of repeating the victory she achieved in the 2025 edition, when she completed the course in just 15 hours. The Isfjorden IL team runner, who holds an ITRA index of 761, arrives in exceptional form after claiming another significant victory this year at the Trail du Saint-Jacques by UTMB.
The 34-year-old Norwegian athlete has consolidated her place among the world’s best with a track record that includes prestigious wins such as the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB in 2024 and the Festival des Templiers in 2023. Her consistency in long distances and her ability to manage effort on technical terrain make her one of the top favorites for the podium.
STATEMENTS BY HENRIETTE ALBON “When I crossed the finish line of The North Face Transgrancanaria in 2025, I felt very relieved because in a trail race, anything can happen until you actually cross that line. You can get heatstroke, twist an ankle, or something similar. In 2026, it will be a tough battle for the win, and maybe people wonder why I’m coming back if I already won last year, but I’m very happy to return because I won a real race against the best female runners in the world. I hope it will be an exciting race in the women’s category as we saw with the men in 2025, so I hope other great runners join me at the starting line.”
Henriette Albon. Ian Corless
On his part, Martin Kern will debut at The North Face Transgrancanaria with the ambition of delivering a major performance. The Arc’teryx team runner, with an ITRA index of 852, has proven his level in the best events on the international circuit. In 2025, he finished near the top 10 at the TDS in 11th position and narrowly missed the podium at the MaXi-Race, where he finished fourth.
The 37-year-old Frenchman arrives in Gran Canaria backed by an impressive resume that includes a second-place finish at the MIUT Madeira Island Ultra-Trail in 2024, another scoring event for the World Trail Majors international circuit. His career also features a fourth place at the TDS in 2022, victory at the Marathon du Mont-Blanc in 2021, and at the Swiss Canyon Trail in 2019, as well as wins at the Great Southern Endurance Run and Northburn 100 Miller—two races of 180 and 162 kilometers in Oceania, both won in 2017.
The names of Albon and Kern join the list of favorites for the Classic modality, where UTMB champion Tom Evans, Germany’s Katharina Hartmuth, Britain’s Josh Wade, and the Basque country’s Maite Maiora are already confirmed. Additionally, Sara Alonso and Robert Pkemoi, both previous winners of the 47-kilometer distance, will compete in the Marathon modality.
The North Face Transgrancanaria will be held between March 4 and 8, 2026. Organized by Arista Eventos, the race is sponsored by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria through Turismo de Gran Canaria and the Instituto Insular de Deportes; the Government of the Canary Islands with Islas Canarias Latitud de Vida; the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria through the Municipal Sports Institute; and the Town Councils of Teror and Tejeda. It also receives support from The North Face, Hospitales Universitarios San Roque, Lopesan Hotel Group, ExpoMeloneras, 226ERS, Fred. Olsen Express, Sonocom Audiovisuales, and Aguas de Teror.
