Sara Alonso during the climb to Sancti Spiritu at the 2025 edition of Zegama-Aizkorri
/ © Roger Salanova
David Boti
Elite trail running has been growing as a spectacle for years, but the Golden Trail World Series has just taken a major leap forward. This Sunday, May 17, Zegama-Aizkorri celebrates its 25th anniversary and kicks off what promises to be the most competitive and media-driven season in the circuit’s history.
The big news for 2026 is structural: for the first time, the GTWS introduces a team classification. Eight international brands—Salomon, Brooks, ASICS, Nike ACG, New Balance, Run2Gether On Trail, Kailas Fuga, and Scott—will compete collectively throughout the season. The system works by adding together the positions of each team’s top two men and top two women per race. The lower the total, the better the ranking. The final standings are calculated using the four best results of the season plus the Grand Final.
Salomon enters as the favorite with the deepest roster: Tove Alexandersson, Rémi Bonnet, and Sophia Laukli are just the tip of an iceberg that can fight for wins in every event on the calendar. Run2Gether On Trail, with the Kenyan block led by Patrick Kipngeno and Philemon Kiriago—second and third in the 2025 overall standings—shapes up as the main collective threat.
Tove Alexandersson during the race
/ SALOMON
Brooks presents one of the most balanced teams, featuring Anna Gibson, Roberto Delorenzi, and Taylor Stack, while ASICS accumulates individual talent with Maude Mathys and Sara Alonso, the reigning Zegama champion.
**New Scoring System and 50% More Prize Money**
Beyond teams, the circuit also renews its individual scoring system. In 2026, uphill, downhill, and sprint segments are added with extra points for the general classification: the top five in each segment earn between 2 and 10 points. Additionally, each athlete counts their four best results from seven races, plus the Grand Final, which awards triple the points of a regular race. The maximum possible score is 1,250 points.
The 2026 prize pool reaches €451,000, a 50% increase over the previous season, with €30,000 each for the male and female overall winners. This reflects the circuit’s commitment to further professionalizing a sport that has been gaining followers across Europe for years.
The first race, Zegama-Aizkorri, promises a high-level battle. Defending champions Elhousine Elazzaoui and Sara Alonso face top contenders: Kilian Jornet, Manuel Merillas, and Rémi Bonnet on the men’s side; Tove Alexandersson, Judith Wyder, and Malen Osa on the women’s side.
The race will be streamed live on the Zegama YouTube channel, as well as broadcast on HBO Max, Eurosport, and TNT Sports.
