The star power was at Transgrancanaria on the Canary Islands of Spain this weekend. The event includes competitive races across a number of distances.
You can also check out our race coverage from the weekend:
Transgrancanaria – Gran Canaria, Spain
It’s a big event, and we’ll take the races in chronological order.
KV El Gigante
The Wednesday, February 19 Vertical Kilometer was the event’s earliest. That gave some top runners the chance to double back to longer distances later in the week.
Judith Wyder (Switzerland) went full throttle to the top, almost two minutes faster than any other woman. Wyder hit the high point finish in 45:27. Naiara Irigoyen (Spain) and Jennifer Lichter (U.S.) were second and third in 47:12 and 47:37, respectively.
Judith Wyder, the 2025 Transgrancanaria Vertical Kilometer women’s winner. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Caros Díaz-Recio
Uphill all-star Henri Aymonod (Italy) took the men’s win in 39:22, but he had to work to beat second-place Alain Santamaria (Spain). Santamaria was really close in 39:35. Third-place Yoel De Paz (Spain) was a little further back in 41:35.
Henri Aymonod, the 2025 Transgrancanaria Vertical Kilometer men’s winner. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Caros Díaz-Recio
Half 21k
A day after the Vertical Kilometer, the half marathon went off. Judith Wyder took her second crown in as many days, running 2:01 to finish five minutes better than second-place Marta Martínez (Spain). Irigoyen came back from the Vertical K to finish third here in 2:07.
Antonio Martínez (Spain) won the men’s race in 1:43, and that made Santamaria second for the second-straight day. Martínez finished in 1:43 and Santamaria in 1:47. Adrian Ivars (Spain) ran 1:48 for third.
Maraton 47k
Francesco Puppi (Italy) unseated two-time defending champion Robert Pkemoi (Kenya). The two were only 18 seconds apart, Puppi in front, both at 3:23 after Puppi surged to the lead with 300 meters to go. Tiago Nobre (Portugal) took third in 3:31.
Francesco Puppi, the 2025 Transgrancanaria Maraton 47k men’s winner. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Matías Novo
Two days after taking third in the Vertical K, Jennifer Lichter won the women’s marathon in 3:59. She won this race last year too. Sylvia Nordskar (Norway) took second in 4:07 and Celia Balcells (Spain) was a distant third in 4:28.
The race was part of the new World Trail Majors Short Series too.
Jennifer Lichter, the 2025 Transgrancanaria Maraton 47k women’s winner. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Matías Novo
Classic 126k
All of the races here are competitive, but the Classic distance stands at the top. The 126k race is a World Trail Majors event and packs in 6,800 meters of gain. That’s 78 miles and 22,310 feet.
Caleb Olson (U.S.) scored the biggest win of his young ultra career, and set a new course record too. Olson was near the front throughout and gained the ultimate lead near the 80k mark. He finished in 12:17. Jon Albon (U.K.) chased to second in 12:25 and early pacesetter Josh Wade (U.K.) was third in 12:40.
Caleb Olson, the 2025 Transgrancanaria Classic men’s champion. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Miguel Travieso
As with men’s winner Olson, women’s winner Henriette Albon (Norway) had a breakthrough win too. She dominated the women’s field, running over an hour faster than anyone else. Albon finished in 15:02. Claudia Tremps (Spain) was second for the second-straight year, finishing in 16:09. Martina Klančnik Potrč (Slovenia) was a close third in 16:11.
Henriette Albon, the 2025 Transgrancanaria Classic women’s champion. Photo: Transgrancanaria/Miguel Travieso
Advanced 82k
Raul Butaci (Romania) ruled the 51-mile run in 7:48. Oswaldo Medina (Spain) pipped the 8-hour mark in 7:59 for second, and Tomás Hudec (Czech Republic) was third in 8:03.
The women’s race had a breakaway front two too. Ida Nilsson (Sweden) and Anna Tarasova (Neutral) led the group in 8:34 and 8:39, and Katarzyna Solinska (Poland) was third in 8:52.
Moab’s Red Hot Ultra – Moab, Utah
50 Mile
It was the second year for the 50-mile distance and Kyle Curtin nearly ran down Tyler Veerman. Veerman won and held off his chaser by four seconds, both finishing in 7:49. Olin Dykshom was third in 9:29.
The small group of 50-mile women was led by Ashlie Ferguson (Canada), Marlee Stevens, and Georgia Parks in 10:56, 11:08, and 11:40, respectively.
55k
This distance is typically more competitive, but Jon Rea was all alone at the front this year in 3:57. Alex Johnson and Brian Babyak were second and third in 4:11 and 4:32.
Emily Evans beat out Chloe Painter and Regan Sikes in the women’s race. The three podium getters finished in 5:21, 5:29, and 5:35.
Additional Races and Runs
Taipei Ultramarathon – Taipei, China
The 48-hour race was an International Association of Ultrarunners Gold Label contest. Bartosz Fudali (Poland) won the men’s race with 441.069k, or 274 miles, and Tsai Wen-Ya (Taiwan) went 360.405k, or 224 miles, to win the women’s race. Fudali’s mark was a new Polish national record.
Bartosz Fudali, the 2025 Taipei Ultramarathon 48 Hour men’s winner. Photo: Chinese Taipei Association of Ultrarunners
Tsai Wen-Ya, the 2025 Taipei Ultramarathon 48 Hour women’s winner. Photo: Chinese Taipei Association of Ultrarunners
Seville Marathon – Seville, Spain
Twelfth at the 2023 Sierre-Zinal, Matthias Kyburz (Switzerland) ran 2:06:48 for fourth. Third at the 2023 World Mountain Running Championships Up and Down race, Philemon Abraham (Germany) ran 2:08:11. The 2024 Comrades Marathon winner Piet Wiersma (The Netherlands) ran 2:21:19, and multiple world record-holder Aleksandr Sorokin (Lithuania) ran 2:28:28. The 2014 Hardrock 100 runner-up Julien Chorier (France) finished in 2:36:39. Full results.
Orcas Island 100 Mile – Orcas Island, Washington
Lon Freeman and Katie Laco won the Rainshadow Running race in 22:42 and 23:11. Full results.
Lord Hill Trail Run 50k – Snohomish, Washington
Race winners Craig Coon and Joanna Brewer (Canada) went 4:31 and 5:38. Full results.
Hagg Lake 50k – Forest Grove, Oregon
The race was pushed back from last week’s scheduled date due to icy conditions. Mike Rosling and Julija Soryte won in 4:24 and 4:36. Full results.
Montara Mountain 50k – Pacifica, California
Adam Wolf and Beverley Anderson-Abbs won in 4:53 and 5:01. Full results.
Salmon Falls 50k – Pilot Hill, California
The 200-mile pro Haroldas Subertas won for the men in 3:39 and Emily Hawgood (Zimbabwe) led the women in 4:08. Full results.
Sean O’Brien – Malibu, California
The event had three ultra distances. Ryan Kiewiet and Lauren Mitchell won the 100k in 10:32 and 11:18. The 50-mile winners Jesse Haynes and Holly Ryerson ran 7:22 and 9:41, and Taylor Morris and Erin Knipe led the 50k in 4:38 and 5:23. Full results.
Copper Corridor 50k – Superior, Arizona
Michael Tomchaney and Lindsay Prescott were best in the 50k in 3:48 and 4:21. Full results.
Cowtown Ultra 50k – Fort Worth, Texas
Brent Williams and Kristen Beiza won the road ultra in 3:19 and 3:59. Full results.
Lake Ouachita Trail Vista Trail – Mt. Ida, Arkansas
Jeff Browning and Ashley Nordell won the 100 miler in 17:57 and 20:15. It was Browning’s 31st 100-mile win. Full results.
Mt. Cheaha 50k – Delta, Alabama
A group of 230 finishers was led by Kyle Kraeft and Ana Watters in 4:34 and 5:43. Full results.
Space Pirate 100 Mile – Port Canaveral, Florida
Lucas Hathaway and Caryn Lubetsky finished in equal 18:26 times at the top of the leaderboard. Full results.
Call for Comments
What else happened at the weekend and deserves a shout out?
