PRE-RACE TRANSGRANCANARIA: WORLD-CLASS LINE-UP FOR THE MOST EAGERLY ANTICIPATED EDITION

With the competition level surpassing all the previous 24 editions, The North Face Transgrancanaria is back with a bang to open the season of big races in Europe. New developments have been taking place over the last few months, including the return of prestigious sponsor The North Face, as well as the inclusion of the race in the World Trail Majors series. This will be the third race in the series following the Hong Kong 100 and the Black Canyon Ultras. The World Trail Majors series is causing a stir amongst the press and trail/ultra running fans all over the world. This is the pre-race of Transgrancanaria 2024.

Race week in Gran Canaria

Transgrancanaria has for years been much more than one race. It has grown to be a 5-day event of 7 races that has made the island of Gran Canaria the focus of attention for trail/ultra running worldwide every February and this year it brings together over 4,000 runners looking to achieve their goals.

Starting on Wednesday with the uphill only, shortest, and most explosive race of the week, the Vertical Kilometre-KV El Gigante (5.5 Km, +1060 m). The Women’s entry list features runners such as Katie Schide (USA, The North Face, ITRA 808), Dominika Stelmach (Poland, Team Stelmach/Suunto, ITRA 756) and the Men’s entry list includes Henri Aymonod (Italy, The North Face, ITRA 870), Peter van der Zon (Netherlands, Hoka, ITRA 850) and Rob Krar (USA, The North Face, ITRA 697).

Building the excitement and distances, on Thursday is the Starter (21 Km, +1400 m) with, among others, Brittany Charboneau (USA, The North Face, ITRA 762) and Eleanor Davis (UK, The North Face, ITRA760). featuring in the men’s category there will be a Spanish duel between the recent signing by Asics Antonio Martínez (ITRA 909) and Yoel de la Paz (Wild Trail Project, ITRA 883).

Friday is the day of the Marathon (46 Km, +1900 m) where many of the world’s elite start to fine tune their preparation and performance for the year ahead. Runners such as Jennifer Lichter (USA, The North Face/Spring Energy, ITRA 789), Henriette Albon (Norway, Arcteryx, ITRA 731) and Gemma Arenas (Spain, Joma, ITRA 766), Maite Maiora (Spain, Vibram, ITRA 749) and Rosa María Lara (Spain, Compressport, 746). In the men’s field, ones to watch include Robert Pkemoi (Kenya, ITRA 918), Kris Jones (United Kingdom, Hoka, ITRA 889), Juho Ylinen (Finland, Hoka, ITRA 880) and Simon Guignard (France, Merrell, ITRA 877).

Saturday. The Advanced (84 Km, +4800 m) Traversing the Island starting in the North at Agaete and finishing in the South at Maspalomas, the heart of The North Face Transgrancanaria event. In the women’s race highlighted runners include Martina Klačnik Potrč (Slovakia, On, ITRA 727). Kathrin Goetz (Switzerland, Hoka, ITRA 725), Lena Laukner (Germany, The North Face, ITRA 721) and Tara Fraga (USA, The North Face, ITRA 712). In the Men’s race we will be following closely Andrzej Witek (Poland, Asics, ITRA 905), Davide Cheraz (Italy, New Balance, ITRA 882), Borja Fernández (Spain, Scott, ITRA 858), Christian Meier (Canada, Chance, ITRA 858), Matteo Anselmi (Italy, Scarpa, 856) and Mark Darbyshire (UK, Scarpa, ITRA 850).

Robert Pkemoi in Transgrancanaria @Carlos Díaz-Recio – World Trail Majors

A star-studded entry list at The North Face Transgrancanaria

The Transgrancanaria Classic, the race that gives the event its name and part of World Trail Majors is 126 Km and 6800 m of elevation. Midnight local time on Friday night, 23^rd February. The beach of Las Canteras in the capital of the island, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria hosts the startline, the race passes through areas that are already folklore to many trail runners: Teror, Artenara, Tejeda, Tunte and of course, the famous photo opportunity of Roque Nublo, the charismatic summit of the race at 1813 metres altitude from which, on a clear day, the whole island can be viewed. The finish is in Maspalomas, near the islands famous sand dunes and the hub of the event throughout the week, the first runners are expected to arrive early afternoon local time on Saturday 24^th.

Start of Transgrancanaria 2023 @The Adventure Backery – World Trail Majors

Courtney Dauwalter, aiming to repeat the win

Undoubtedly the big star in the women’s race is American Courtney Dauwalter of team Salomon. She leads the ITRA Performance Index with 852 points and won Transgrancanaria 2023, adding the knowledge of the terrain to her known quality, puts her at the top of the table. Last year Courtney won Western States 100, Hardrock and UTMB, a feat never done by a woman or a man in the history of this sport. For many, Courtney is the G.O.A.T and she has decided to open her account for the 2024 season in the Canary Islands with this legendary event. She is, by far, the favourite for most, but this is just the pre-race, we will see in the Transgracanaria race.

In competition she will face a select group of runners who will try to make it difficult for her. On the local side, Spanish athletes Azara García (Sport HG/Aml Sport, ITRA 787), Claudia Tremps (On, ITRA 760), and Sandra Sevillano (Millet, ITRA 722). International competition will come from Dominika Stelmach (Poland, Team Stelmach/Suunto, ITRA 756), Yuri Yoshizumi (Japan, Scarpa, ITRA 755), Ida-Sophie Hegemann (Germany, The North Face, ITRA 747), Jingyan Tang (China, Salomon, ITRA 734), Emma Stuart (Ireland, Scarpa, ITRA730) and María Mercedes Pila (Venezuela, Cárnicas Serrano, 727).

Courtney Dauwalter winning Transgrancanaria 2023 @Jordi Saragossa – World Trail Majors

Claudia Tremps, one of the major contenders for the win in 2024 The North Face Transgrancanaria @Ian Corless – World Trail Majors

Men field, open race

With 6 runners above 900 ITRA points and 39 above 800 gives an idea of the competition that will be seen in Gran Canaria. In strict order of ITRA points the top ten are:

Shen Jiasheng (China, The North Face/Coros, ITRA 915). Finishing fourth in the Western States 100 and second in the CCC-UTMB behind Jonathan Albon in 2023, he continued the season to win two local races. Unfortunately, he dropped out of last year’s Transgrancanaria, he will be out for redemption. With an impeccable athletic style, he is possibly the best Chinese mountain runner of the moment and the spearhead of the country’s best with an excellent international reputation.

Miguel Arsénio (Portugal, Sport HG/Aml Sport, ITRA 915). Last year he won Salomon Ulta Pirineu and MaXi-Race, in 2022 he was second in Lavaredo. Miguel was second in Transgrancanaria 2023 after Andreu Simón, so apart from his ability he knows the terrain. A fearsome rival, no doubt.

Andreas Reiterer (Italy, La Sportiva, ITRA 914). With impressive results including two podiums at the World Trail Running Championships in Thailand and Austria, podium at the CCC-UTMB and fifth place at the MIUT – Madeira Island Ultra-Trail, he is coming off a string of good training, making him a rival to be considered.

Zach Miller (U.S.A, The North Face, ITRA 913). A win in Tarawera 2023, second at UTMB and 6^th at the Innsbruck World Championships. In the past he has won Andorra 100, Lavaredo and MIUT – Madeira Island Ultra-Trail which places him as one of the best American runners on the world circuit. Zach is one of the most loved runners by the fans and is coming to Transgrancanaria for the first time.

Zach Miller one of the favourites for 2024 Transgrancanaria @The North Face – World Trail Majors

Miguel Heras (Spain, Joma, ITRA 910). At 48, he is not only a benchmark for his age, but it seems that he bathes in the fountain of youth, as year after year he proves why he is one of the best trail runners in the world. In 2023 he won Epic Camí de Cavalls, and Valhöll Ultra Trail, 2022 he won Transvulcania and was second in Ultra Pirineu. He has been on the podium at UTMB, won Festival des Templiers, Penyagolosa Trails, Andorra Ultra Trail and The North Face Endurance Challenge California. Miguel has also already won Transgrancanaria… fourteen years ago!

Andreu Simón (Spain, Asics, ITRA 908). Winner of Transgrancanaria 2023. He has also won Asics SaintéLyon, Val d’Aran by UTMB and the Transgrancanaria marathon. He has already opened his account on the Island winning the Pilancones Tunte Trail and the question is whether he will achieve the Island double.

Andreu Simon winning 2023 Transgrancanaria @The Adventure Bakery – World Trail Majors

Seth Ruhling (U.S.A, The North Face, ITRA 895). Seth generally competes in 40 to 80 Km races, so Transgrancanaria 2024 will be his longest race. Sixth in CCC-UTMB 2023, victory in MaXi-Race and sixth in Black Canyon Ultras 2023 are his best results.

Huohua Zhang (China, Salomon, ITRA 895). With excellent results in his home country, Zhang took part in the Anta Hong Kong 100, the first World Trail Majors race, but had to drop out, so he will participate in Transgrancanaria in a good shape and the desire to score points in the series.

José Ángel Fernández (Spain, Kailas, ITRA 893). Winner at Penyagolosa, Reventon Trail and Ultra Trail Bosques del Sur. His best international result was 4^th at the Trail World Championships in Thailand.

Ionel Cristian Manole (Romania, BigK/226, ITRA 889). The Romanian based in Spain has top 5 finishes in Penyagolosa, Salomon Ultra Pirineu, Val d’Aran by UTMB and Andorra 100 by UTMB. Out of five starts in Transgrancanaria he has only finished one, but nobody doubts his quality as an athlete.

Other notable runners include Tom Joly (UK, ITRA 878), Beñat Marmisolle (France, La Sportiva, ITRA 877), Min Qi (China, Salomon, ITRA 873), Raul Butaci (Romania, BigK, ITRA 872), Simen Hjalmar Wästlund (Sweden, Asics, ITRA 868), Sangé Sherpa (Nepal, Kailas, ITRA 842), Gabriel Santos Rueda (Argentina, ITRA830) among many others…

We are facing a dream edition of one of the best trail running races in the world, 4000 runners will experience it from the inside and many thousands more on the trails and in the villages through which the race passes as it crosses the island of Gran Canaria from North to South.