One of the highlights of the trail running calendar takes place this weekend – the 25th edition of Zegama-Aizkorri, or simply Zegama.
The iconic mountain marathon returns – its 42.195km packing in a staggering 2,736m of elevation as it crosses the Aizkorri-Aratz Natural Park and the mythical Basque ridgeline.
It’s a technical challenge as well as an endurance one so it’s no surprise that the great Kilian Jornet has an unmatched record in the event and he’s back this year.
It not only kicks off his season but also the 2026 Golden Trail World Series and both defending champions – Elhousine Elazzaoui and Sara Alonso also return in what promises to be a race for the ages.
Date, start time and how to watch live
The race will take place on Sunday 17 May, with a joint start at 09:00 (CEST) from Zegama, in the heart of the Basque Country.
That’s 08:00 BST, 03:00 Eastern and 00:00 on the West Coast.
The race will be broadcast live across WBD platforms, including HBO Max, Eurosport and TNT Sports, as well as through an extensive global network.
Highlights will also be available afterwards on YouTube.
You can get a flavour of it via the teaser below…
The route and course
The route includes legendary segments such as Otzaurte (km 7), Ultzama–Atabarreta (km 13) and the fearsome ascent to Aratz (km 16), before reaching Sancti Spiritu (km 20), where the crowd’s roar meets an unforgiving climb.
From there, the ridgeline toward Aketegi (1,551 m) and the treacherous Aitxuri descent (km 23–25) demand absolute focus.
The final section cuts through more runnable terrain at Oltze and Urbia, climbing once more to Andraitz before the descent to the finish.
Men’s elite field
The GOAT is back and the Instagram post below underlines the astonishing record of Kilian Jornet at Zegama – 12 appearances and 11 wins.
The Spaniard’s schedule in 2026 has been determined by doing the races “where everybody shows up”. He added Zegama to that, explaining: “This year marks 25 years of @zegamaaizkorri. A quarter century of one of the most iconic mountain races in the world: 42 kilometers, 2,736 meters of vertical, technical terrain in an atmosphere unlike anywhere else on the planet. For the 25th edition, it felt impossible not to come back. So…four races now! Zegama. Western States. Sierre-Zinal. UTMB. The season just got more interesting!”
He’s up against friend and fellow NNormal athlete Elhousine Elazzaoui, the defending champion.
Jornet beat him by eight minutes on his last appearance here in 2024 but the Moroccan has moved up a level since then, winning the overall at the Golden Trail World Series in each of the last two seasons and the long downhill finish into Zegama plays to his strengths. It should be some battle.
Rémi Bonnet (SUI) also merits plenty of respect as does 2023 winner Manuel Merillas (ESP) who heads here in form but it’s hard to see past the big two.
Women’s elite field
No one knows this course better than last year’s winner Sara Alonso (ESP) who is local to the area and also won in 2022.
She comes here in form too after two victories in the Skyrunner World Series.
But she’s up against Tove Alexandersson (SWE) who beat her in the Trail World Championships ‘short’ race last year by a massive 34 minutes.
Alexandersson too is already a winner in 2026, thanks to last month’s success at the Grand Raid Ventoux 50k.
Judith Wyder (SUI) was runner up here last year on what was her debut in the race.
And Basque favourite Malen Osa is another top contender in a formidable line-up – she’s raced it twice before and made the podium both times.
