Morocco's Elhousine Elazzaoui successfully defended his Zegama-Aizkorri title on Sunday, repeating last year's victory in 3:45:07 at the head of a tightly contested men's field over the 42-kilometre loop of the Aizkorri massif. The 25th edition of the Basque classic, the curtain-raiser to the 2026 Golden Trail World Series, drew the largest international elite contingent in the race's history and was decided in the final kilometres after Elazzaoui shook clear of Italy's Daniel Pattis, who came home second. American Eli Stack rounded out the podium in 3:52:17 after a strong descent off the Aratz ridge.
Behind the leaders, Spain's Manuel Merillas was fourth and Kenya's Robert Pkemoi Matayango fifth, with France's Sylvain Bonnet sixth. The home crowd reserved its loudest reception for Kilian Jornet, the 11-time Zegama champion who had returned to his home race for the first time in five years as part of a build-up to a Western States 100 attempt. Jornet ran with the lead group through Aratz before dropping back over the second half of the course and crossing the line in 43rd, soaking up the traditional Basque txalaparta sendoff as he made his way through the finish chute in Zegama.
The women's race produced the headline performance of the weekend. Sweden's Tove Alexandersson, the multiple world orienteering champion now firmly established as a trail force, attacked from the gun and dismantled Nienke Brinkman's 4:16:43 course record that had stood since 2022. Alexandersson finished more than eight minutes inside the previous mark and beat second-placed Malen Osa of Spain by close to sixteen minutes, a margin that suggested the Swede had pushed harder than the conditions seemed to allow. The course was greasy on the Aratz climb after overnight rain and several lead athletes reported tricky footing on the technical descents.
The result extends Alexandersson's remarkable spring, which has included victories at the Transvulcania k55 and the Maratona del Cervino dress rehearsal. It also resets expectations for the Golden Trail World Series, where she is now the favourite ahead of the Sierre-Zinal and Pikes Peak stages. Osa's second place was the best Spanish women's result at Zegama since 2021, and the local crowd lined the final straight three deep as she came through the finish in 4:24:09. Switzerland's Maude Mathys was third in 4:26:01, holding off Britain's Holly Page by a little over a minute.
Race organisers said more than 25,000 spectators lined the course over the weekend, with the steepest climb at Sancti Spiritu producing the loudest scenes as Elazzaoui pulled clear. The 25th edition also marked the introduction of a tightened start-line tracking system that produced live splits for the first time, and broadcaster Eurosport added a 90-minute highlight package that will air across the Series. Attention now turns to the Mont Blanc Marathon in late June, the next major stop on the Golden Trail calendar, where Alexandersson and Elazzaoui will both be expected to start.