The anniversary 360º The Challenge ultramarathon is starting in Gran Canaria with a record number of women.
The anniversary edition of the 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria ultramarathon will take place in Gran Canaria with a record number of female participants, who will have to overcome 264 kilometers with an elevation gain of 12,786 meters.
From November 5th to 9th, Gran Canaria will host the tenth, anniversary edition of the 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria race. This year, it will feature a record number of women – as many as 11! And registration is still open, so there may be even more.
The town of Tejeda will once again host one of the most challenging ultramarathons in the world. Participants will have to overcome 264 kilometers with an elevation gain of 12,786 meters. The route will not be marked, so more than 100 runners will only be able to rely on their maps and navigation skills.
The race will feature true stars of ultradistance running. Frenchwoman Claire Bannwarth, who has won the 360º The Challenge five times in a row, will return to Gran Canaria to claim her sixth victory. Her rival will be German Katharina Hartmuth, who took third place at UTMB and won the Tor des Géants.
Also among the participants will be well-known names such as Swiss Anita Lehmann, who was second twice (in 2021 and 2022); Italian Marina Plavan, who was third in 2021 and second in the same year; and Peruvian Marta Ccorahua Huallpa, the current champion of Backyard Ultra 'El último león' and winner of 101K Peregrinos (2023) and 100K Canfranc (2017).
In addition, the race will feature Moroccan Kautar Bendamou, who took third place at the Trail Amizmiz (Morocco) in 2023, and Canarian Guacimara Suárez, who was third at the 50K Brama Stage Run 2024, entered the top 40 at the Advanced The North Face Transgrancanaria, the top 50 at the Marathon des Sables (Morocco), and the top 20 at the Riaño Trail Run. Also worth noting is Swiss Stephanie Straub, who finished third at the Swiss Irontrail 2023.
The list of participants is completed by Romanian Roxana Gabriela Dîrvareanu and Spaniards Nira Rosa Castro and Montserrat Caso.
The 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria is organized by Arista Eventos with the support of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria through Turismo de Gran Canaria and the Insular Institute of Sports; the Government of the Canary Islands with Promotur – Islas Canarias; Ayuntamiento de Tejeda; Joma and Fred. Olsen Express; as well as in collaboration with Aguas de Teror, Pepsi, Lorenzo González Automoción, Emicela, Gofio La Piña, Bonflex, Provital and Inetel.