Record-Breaking Arafonche Trail Highlights Growth of Tenerife Sports Tourism

The Arafonche Trail reached a new milestone this weekend as its fifth edition drew a record-breaking crowd of over 600 athletes to Arafo. The event’s growing popularity highlights how trail running is becoming a key driver for tourism and local development in Tenerife’s mid-altitude regions.

As part of the KSeries Canarias circuit, this year’s race introduced a new 24-kilometer flagship category, raising the competitive bar while keeping the traditional 8-kilometer and 14-kilometer routes, alongside races for children. The event took place within the Siete Lomas Protected Landscape, requiring close coordination between the local council, event firm Gesport Canarias, and the Añavingo Trail Club, whose volunteers were essential for managing safety, signage, and aid stations.

Local officials emphasized the importance of keeping Arafo on the regional sporting map. Jonathan Gutiérrez González, the Councilor for Sports, noted the value of the municipality’s participation in larger circuits, while Bárbara Expósito of the Añavingo Trail Club praised the local community for their dedication to the event’s success.

Participation was well-distributed across the categories: 133 runners took on the long distance, 181 competed in the intermediate race, and 198 joined the 8-kilometer run, which saw the highest turnout.

Sustainability was a major priority this year. Organizers placed a strong emphasis on protecting the local environment, strictly enforcing waste management and biodiversity protection within the Siete Lomas area to meet modern environmental standards.

Safety was managed through a joint effort between the Local Police of Arafo and Güímar, the Red Cross, and Civil Protection. With this fifth edition, the Arafonche Trail has solidified its place as a staple of the region’s sporting calendar, successfully balancing challenging terrain for experienced athletes with accessible routes for the wider community.