The event will feature over 4,100 participants from 74 different nationalities, confirming the race as the main international event in the Canary Islands
“It is one of the great sporting events that allows us to export the best we have: our tourist destination”, highlights the Sports Counselor of the Gran Canaria Island Council
The upcoming The North Face Transgrancanaria, to be held between February 21st and 25th, will be a record-breaking edition with over 4,100 participants and 74 different nationalities, confirming Gran Canaria, the third stop of the international World Trail Majors circuit, as the world capital of trail running. These are some of the details explained this Tuesday at the Alboroto Hall in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria during the meeting of the race’s organizing company, Arista Eventos, with the institutions and sponsors of the event.
Carlos Torrent, director of The North Face Transgrancanaria, emphasized that the upcoming edition, the 25th in 21 years of the race, will be the best of all as it is expected to feature stars like Courtney Dauwalter, Zach Miller, Katie Schide, Andreas Reiterer, Azara García de los Salmones, or Andreu Simon, among others. They are joined by over 2,800 participants from outside the archipelago, confirming the event as the most international one held in the Canary Islands, which this year embraces the Kilometer 0 as its main theme to promote island-produced food and crafts among participants and the public.
Torrent also explained the return of The North Face as the main sponsor of the race for the next three years and the debut this year of the international World Trail Majors circuit, an alliance between several of the world’s best races that will allow the name of Gran Canaria to be present on all five continents.
Meanwhile, Aridany Romero, Sports Counselor of the Gran Canaria Island Council, highlighted that The North Face Transgrancanaria “is one of the great sporting events of the island of Gran Canaria that allow us to export the best we have: our tourist destination”. He also stressed that the sports industry “generates economy and jobs”, so public administrations support them to ensure the success of these initiatives. “Today, the work of Arista Eventos is valued, which works all year round on this event, we will continue to make efforts in sports events”, he concluded.
Héctor Mateo, General Director of Infrastructure, Sustainability, and Tourist Quality of the Canary Islands Government, congratulated the race organizers for creating an international event that is sustainable and respects the Canary Islands territory. “Sports tourism is essential because it respects and enhances the inland landscapes of the islands and is long-term, thus impacting the local economy”, he noted.
For Ramón Suárez, Sports Counselor of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council —the municipality that will host the Transgrancanaria Kids and will be the finish line for the Classic, Marathon, and Advanced races, as well as the starting point from Tunte for the Starter race—, The North Face Transgrancanaria “is a must-attend event for all mountain race enthusiasts” because it traverses the island’s trails and contributes to the promotion of the tourist destination of Maspalomas Costa Canaria. On the other hand, Carla Campoamor, Sports Councilor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, stated that The North Face Transgrancanaria “is a race marked in red by many runners” with the starting point of the main race being Las Canteras Beach, “the crown jewel of the city, with a spectacular start”. Also speaking was Verónica Espino, Sports Councilor of Tejeda, who commented that her municipality is “one of the towns that most supports trail running” and that up to 3,000 runners pass through it because it hosts the starting point of the Marathon and the finish lines of the Starter, Promo, Youth, and Family Trail races.
Finally, Fernando González, CEO of Arista Eventos, thanked the presence of the authorities and sponsors at the event for making the dream of two friends possible, which began in 2003 with a local race crossing the island. “When we started, the idea was to make the race known locally, then regionally, to evolve into a national and international event, and we have achieved it thanks to having passion for what we do”, he concluded.
The North Face Transgrancanaria is a race organized by Arista Eventos and is sponsored by the Gran Canaria Island Council, through Gran Canaria Tourism and the Insular Sports Institute; the Government of the Canary Islands with Canary Islands Latitud de Vida; Maspalomas Costa Canaria; the Municipal Sports Institute of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; and the Tejeda City Council. It also has the support of companies The North Face, Fred. Olsen Express, San Roque University Hospitals, Expomeloneras, Lopesan Hotel Group, 226ERS, Teror Waters, and Sonocom Audiovisuals.