The 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon set off from the lighthouse at Faro de Fuencaliente at first light on Saturday, with the men's and women's elite fields striking north along the Cumbre Vieja's lava ridges in clear conditions and a stiff Atlantic breeze. The 73km point-to-point race climbs 4,350 metres before plunging into Tazacorte and Los Llanos de Aridane, and remains one of the most lung-burning ranking events on the Skyrunner World Series and World Trail Majors calendars.
American Ben Dhiman, fresh from his iRunFar pre-race interview, was the man marked tightest on the start sheet, with the Forsberg brothers from Sweden, Spain's Pablo Villa, and France's Thomas Cardin — winner of the Chianti Ultra Trail at the start of April — all expected to push the pace through the high-volcano section. Cardin's recent UTMB World Series victory has reset expectations for the European spring, and the Cumbre Vieja exposure traverse will provide a more punishing test of his climbing legs than the rolling Tuscan vineyards he carved up four weeks ago.
The women's race was billed beforehand as a duel between Russia's Ekaterina Mityaeva and Britain's Sophia L'Hirondel, both of whom have made the podium at Transvulcania in previous editions and arrive in race-sharp form. Mityaeva is chasing the Skyrunner World Series points lead, while L'Hirondel — who has spent the spring training in the Pyrenees — has talked about the second-half descent to Tazacorte as the section that will decide a tight finish. Local favourite Eva Moreda is also a danger over the technical El Pilar climb.
Conditions on La Palma should suit the climbers. The summit of Roque de los Muchachos was clear at dawn, with temperatures in the high teens forecast for the long descent, and organisers reporting that all aid stations along the volcanic ridge were in place. The race is being livestreamed on the official Transvulcania YouTube channel and tracked through the LiveTrail platform, with the leaders expected to cross the line in Tazacorte from around mid-afternoon island time. The half marathon and the 23km Marathon distance run alongside the ultra and finish in the same plaza.
Saturday's racing closes a four-day festival on the island that has already seen Kenyans Joyce Njeru and Richard Omaya Atuya sweep the Vertical Kilometer's course records on Thursday, signalling that the WMRA Mountain Running World Cup standings will tilt sharply in their favour. With the World Trail Majors and Skyrunner standings both up for grabs in Tazacorte, the Cumbre Vieja crossing is once again threatening to be the day that defines the European trail spring.