The event presented a unique work of art to the winners of the Classic and distributed €36,000 in prize money among the top three finishers in the Classic, Advanced, Marathon, and Half modalities.
The live broadcast produced by Arista Eventos broke records with more than 220,000 views in both Spanish and English. More than 30,000 people visited the spectacular Trail Zone at ExpoMeloneras between Tuesday and Friday.
The North Face Transgrancanaria celebrated a gala closing for its 27th edition this Sunday with an awards ceremony that recognized the brilliant champions. The stage at the ExpoMeloneras auditorium once again brought together the best athletes in the world, the protagonists of a race that has delivered unique moments and, for another year, has shattered its own ceiling.
The North Face Transgrancanaria celebrated a gala closing for its 27th edition this Sunday with an awards ceremony that recognized the brilliant champions. The stage at the ExpoMeloneras auditorium once again brought together the best athletes in the world, the protagonists of a race that has delivered unique moments and, for another year, has shattered its own ceiling.
The event was attended by the counselor of Tourism for the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Carlos Álamo, who congratulated the runners and recognized both the relevance of the race and the work carried out to make it an event capable of carrying the image of Gran Canaria far beyond its borders. “You have once again turned Gran Canaria into the headquarters of world trail running; I can only say thank you and tell you that I am very proud. I have just arrived from Berlin, and on the streets, I saw runners wearing Transgrancanaria t-shirts; I felt pride seeing that this race, which was born here, has become an international showcase,” he celebrated.
In addition to the representative from the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, the event was attended by Ramón Suárez (councilor of Sports for San Bartolomé de Tirajana), Naima Sow Santana (representing Fred. Olsen), Carlos González and Fernando González.
Without their support, Transgrancanaria could not have surpassed itself in a 2026 edition that has exceeded all expectations. 6,000 runners of all ages from more than 70 countries participated in an edition that saw another increase in female participation: 1,671 women took on the challenge, representing a 70% increase since the 2024 edition. To this, of course, must be added the record for children’s participation in the Transgrancanaria Kids Abora by Lopesan Hotels, which gathered nearly 500 children at Las Canteras beach.
Another record placing this event in the global spotlight is the one regarding the broadcast. Nearly 40 people worked tirelessly to offer more than 20 hours of streaming. With live commentary in both Spanish and English, along with the participation of luxury guests such as Hayden Hawks, Stephanie Case, and Naiara Irigoyen, the event’s reach exceeded 220,000 spectators. These figures are limited only to the great production work of Arista Eventos, as they are joined by the collaboration of local, national, and international media, with more than 100 accredited journalists and photographers from countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, China, and Finland, among many others.
The organization’s tribute to Cristina Santurino, an athlete who passed away last June, also reached the entire world during the awards ceremony. Her close friend and fellow athlete, Yasmina Castro, was responsible for collecting a trophy in honor of a runner who will always accompany us in every kilometer of this great race.
Third edition of the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors and the second of the consolidated Short Series
The North Face Transgrancanaria 2026 was part of the international Gran Canaria World Trail Majors circuit for the third consecutive year. This edition also served to consolidate the Marathon race within the Short Series by Gran Canaria World Trail Majors circuit. Additionally, this year the event once again distributed €36,000 in prizes among the top three male and female runners in the Classic, Advanced, Marathon, and Half modalities.
Albon and Olson, dominators in the Classic
The Albon couple—Norwegian Henriette Albon and Briton Jon Albon—were the winners of the Classic, which did not disappoint with an unprecedented spectacle across the Gran Canarian terrain. The female champion reached the finish line at Parque Sur after 15 hours, 16 minutes, and 33 seconds, revalidating her victory and achieving, in addition to first place among women with a lead of over an hour, a meritorious tenth position overall.
For his part, Jon Albon won a closely contested male edition to succeed Caleb Olson on the throne. With a time of 12 hours, 17 minutes, and 25 seconds, the Briton decided the equal battle fought against Hannes Namberger (Dynafit) and Josh Wade (The North Face) following the retirement of Tom Evans (Asics).
The rest of the races that began on Wednesday the 3rd offered thrills in every corner of Gran Canaria. Madlen Kappeler and Henri Aymonod were the strongest in the El Gigante Vertical Kilometer; Estel Roig and Alain Santamaría shone in the Half; once again Madlen Kappeler and Daniel Galán dominated the Promo; Ikram Rharsalla and Antonio Martínez won the Marathon, and Tereza Hudcova and Julen Calvó did the same in the Advanced.
A new work of art as a trophy
Designer Óliver Sánchez is responsible for the trophy presented to the winners of this edition. Titled ‘Ventana del Nublo’, it features the silhouette of the renowned view crafted in jatoba, pino europeo, and Arucas stone. “For this year, they told me they wanted something different… and I soon had that impressive image from the Ventana del Nublo in my mind, but I wanted to capture it from the Ventana de la Gañifa, as it turned out,” the artist highlighted.
Success of the Trail Zone with thousands of visitors
Parallel to the competitions, the Trail Zone runner’s fair was held between Tuesday and Friday, where some 30,000 people visited the shops and tourist information booths set up at ExpoMeloneras. Additionally, the finish line at Parque Sur featured a family leisure space with food trucks and a concert on Saturday night by artist Stefan Navarro and the group Fijo Discontinuo. All of this falls within the race’s “Kilometer 0” philosophy—a decisive commitment by Arista Eventos to involve Canarian companies and promote products from this land.
The CEO of Arista Eventos, Fernando González, took the end of the event to thank institutions, sponsors, and collaborators for their support, as well as to value the enormous work deployed by volunteers and staff to have successfully completed a new edition of The North Face Transgrancanaria.
