Ulta runner Courtney Dauwalter has a way of getting people who've never even owned a pair of trail running shoes to sit up and take notice of off-road events – especially after last year's unprecedented triple crown of winning the UTMB, Hard Rock 100 and Western States. Now, her magic seems to have rubbed off on the Transgrancanaria race.
The Colorado-based runner kicked off 2024 with another win at the 126 km Canary Islands event, coming in two hours ahead of the next female runner and placing seventh overall. Her victory may have helped boost interest in the event, as organizers announced on Tuesday that all bibs have sold out six months in advance for the first time ever.
Last year, there were still bibs available in November, but now in its 26th year, all 4,600 bibs of the Transgrancanaria have been snapped up by elite runners willing to make the daring dash from the northeast of Gran Canaria to the southern tip across rocky, mountainous terrain. The course entails 22,526 feet of elevation gain, and last year's participants faced high winds and driving rain overnight.
According to the official press release, 55 percent of the registered runners are from outside the Canary Islands and athletes from 70 different countries will travel to the island to compete. There's no word yet on which runners will be competing, but we're expecting another great race.
Of course, word may just have gotten out about how beautiful Gran Canaria is. We explored the trails there this spring and discovered a paradise for hiking and trail running. If you were hoping to compete in the race, you'll have to wait until 2026, but you can always pack your hiking boots and check out the Gran Canaria walking festival this October in the meantime.
The North Face Transgrancanaria is scheduled to take place from February 19 to 25, 2025.
