The Spanish Joma runner arrives on the island after winning two international medals in 2025, while the Italian The North Face athlete returns to conquer his “triple crown” in the opening event of the Gran Canaria race spectacle
The 27th edition of The North Face Transgrancanaria will feature two more major stars: the debut of Spain’s Ikram Rharsalla in the Marathon and the return of Henri Aymonod, who will attempt to defend his title at KV El Gigante following his victories in 2024 and 2025.
Ikram Rharsalla: Gran Canaria Debut After a Dream 2025
The Joma team runner, with 780 ITRA points, faces her debut in the Gran Canaria race after closing a spectacular 2025 season that established her among the best international trail runners. At 30, Rharsalla is a versatile athlete who has excelled on both asphalt and mountain trails, becoming the first trail runner to qualify to represent Spain in road racing. Her honors include a European team bronze in the half marathon held in Belgium this year.
In 2025, the Spaniard secured a silver medal in the World Team Championship and finished eighth in the Short Trail World Championships in Canfranc. Additionally, she proved her consistency with a 7th place at the OCC, 3rd at Hoka Val d’Aran by UTMB, 6th at Zegama-Aizkorri, and a victory at the Domusa Teknik half marathon. Her record also includes wins at Sky Gran Canaria (2023), the 3 Días Trail Ibiza half marathon (2022), the Transvulcania Marathon (2022), ETC by UTMB (2022), and Tenerife Bluetrail (2021).
Henri Aymonod: Aiming for the Hat-Trick at KV El Gigante
The Italian The North Face runner (896 ITRA points) returns to the Agaete Valley with a clear goal: a third consecutive win at KV El Gigante. In 2024 and 2025, he dominated this demanding vertical climb of over 1,000 meters, while in his 2023 debut, he already reached the third step of the podium. Last year, he also secured a notable 9th place in the Marathon category.
Aymonod arrives in Gran Canaria after a solid 2025, with a victory at KV Chiavenna in his home country, a podium at Zmeu X-Fest, and a standout performance at The Broken Arrow Skyrace in the United States. His resume includes great performances in benchmark races such as ETC (5th in 2024), Sky Gran Canaria (5th in half marathon and 4th in Uphill in 2023), several podiums at The Broken Arrow Skyrace, and a victory at Ultramarathon du Fallere (2019).
Two Weeks Until Competition Starts
KV El Gigante will kick off the 27th edition program this Wednesday at 15:30 from the Agaete Valley. This is a pure power race where runners face extreme vertical gain in a unique environment. Meanwhile, the Marathon—the most popular event of The North Face Transgrancanaria—will start Friday at 09:30 from Tejeda, finishing in Maspalomas. Its 46 kilometers are known for their speed, as seen in the previous edition, which was decided in a thrilling sprint in the men’s category.
The North Face Transgrancanaria is organized by Arista Eventos and 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 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council through the Municipal Sports Institute; and the Town Councils of Teror and Tejeda. Furthermore, it enjoys the support of The North Face, Hospitales Universitarios San Roque, Lopesan Hotel Group, ExpoMeloneras, 226ERS, Fred. Olsen Express, Sonocom Audiovisuales, and Aguas de Teror.
