Everything to Play for as the 2026 GTWS Reaches its Grand Finale in Muju

After travelling across seven countries and three continents, the 2026 Golden Trail World Series (GTWS) reaches its climax this weekend with the Muju Trail Grand Finale in South Korea. The eighth and decisive race of the season will put the world’s best runners to the test on an exceptionally technical and demanding course, with both titles and several other key positions still up for grabs.

The women’s race will take place on Saturday 24 October, while the men will bring the season to a close on Sunday 25 October. The title remains wide open in both categories, but there is much more at stake in Muju. The battle for the podium remains tight, as does the fight for the positions that secure prize money and support for next season, setting the stage for an exciting finale right through to the finish line.

In the women’s category, defending champion Madalina Florea (Scott) arrives in South Korea at the top of the overall standings with 872 points and in a strong position to retain her title. After a remarkably consistent season, her biggest threat will be Caroline Kimutai (Salomon), second on 806 points, just 66 behind the leader, and ready to challenge for the crown after establishing herself as one of the standout performers of the season.

The men’s battle is even more open, with just 46 points separating the top three and the possibility of a new champion being crowned. Philemon Kiriago (Run2Gether On Trail) heads to Muju as the new overall leader with 870 points following the latest rounds in Japan and China, closely followed by his compatriot and teammate Patrick Kipngeno. Defending champion Elhousine Elazzaoui (NNormal) also remains firmly in contention, although he faces the challenge of overturning a 66-point deficit if he is to retain the crown.

A COURSE DESIGNED TO TEST THE VERY BEST

The Muju Trail Grand Finale features one of the most technical and demanding courses in GTWS history. At 28.65 kilometres with 2,313 metres of elevation gain, it will provide a major test of the athletes’ versatility and could completely upset the form book. On a course like this, the favourites will be more vulnerable than ever, while the contenders will have a unique opportunity to step into the spotlight.

Muju Trail combines climbs with gradients of up to 40% and technical descents where agility, confidence and concentration will be crucial, particularly as fatigue begins to take its toll.

The course also offers a journey of contrasts, taking athletes through high-mountain landscapes painted in vivid autumn colours, dense conifer forests and temples that reflect the region’s rich cultural heritage. Located in Jeonbuk Province, in the heart of South Korea, Muju is a destination closely connected to nature and mountain tourism. At the heart of the course is Deogyusan National Park, one of the country’s most outstanding natural reserves, renowned for the richness and diversity of its landscapes.

The start and finish will be located at Muju Deogyusan Resort, one of South Korea’s largest ski resorts and the only one in the country located within a national park. From Jumping Park, the athletes will immediately face a tough opening climb towards Seolcheonbong. Fans will also be able to follow the action from higher up the mountain, with the gondola providing access to the summit area, where a large fan zone will offer a prime location to experience the racing up close.

From Seolcheonbong, the race will head deep into the high mountains towards Hyangjeokbong, the highest point in Deogyusan National Park, at over 1,600 metres above sea level. It will be the first of several major challenges on a day when gaps could begin to open from the very first kilometres.

From there, the profile changes dramatically. The runners will leave the high-mountain ridgelines behind to tackle the downhill segment, a 2.5-kilometre descent averaging -28%, towards Baengnyeonsa Temple. The segments could play a crucial role in the outcome of the Grand Finale, with the points earned by the top five athletes in each segment added to the final standings.

After this first descent, the athletes will begin another climb via Jungbong, heading back towards Hyangjeokbong. Once back at altitude, they will descend again towards Baengnyeonsa, before entering a faster section featuring the sprint segment: one kilometre with 72 metres of descent.

But one final major challenge will still remain. With two demanding high-mountain sections already in their legs, the athletes will face the climb towards Chilbong. Fatigue, steep gradients and the proximity of the finish will make this final ascent one of the decisive moments of the race, with the potential to change everything before the fast final descent to the finish line.

This is where the uphill segment will take place, covering 2.2 kilometres at 25.2%. As with the other segments, the points on offer could prove decisive not only for the race result, but also in determining the final 2026 GTWS overall standings.

FLOREA DEFENDS HER LEAD WITH EVERYTHING STILL TO PLAY FOR

The demanding and unpredictable nature of Muju Trail could turn everything that has happened throughout the season on its head. With the title still up for grabs, every point could prove decisive, and the overall standings could look very different once the final finish line has been crossed.

In the women’s field, defending champion Madalina Florea (Scott) has delivered an impressively consistent season, taking victories at Québec Mega Trail (Canada), Salomon Pitz Alpine Glacier Trail (Austria) and Sierre-Zinal(Switzerland), results that put her in a strong position to claim a second consecutive title. However, Caroline Kimutai(Salomon) and Ruth Gitonga (Run2Gether On Trail), winners this season at Ledro Sky Trentino (Italy) and Jinshanling Great Wall Trail Race (China), respectively, head into the Grand Finale knowing that a course as demanding and unpredictable as Muju could still change everything.

Florea leads the overall standings with 872 points, ahead of Kimutai (806) and Gitonga (766). But the battle extends well beyond the top three. Just 45 points off the podium, another three athletes remain firmly in contention for the leading positions.

Barbora Bukovjan (Salomon, 732 points), making her GTWS debut this season, heads into the Grand Finale in fourth place. Close behind is Hanna Groeber (Nike ACG, 718 points), one of the breakout performers of the year after winning Myoko Trail before a broken arm ended her hopes of victory in the closing kilometres of the Jinshanling Great Wall Trail Race. Marie Nivet (Nike ACG, 687 points), meanwhile, will be looking to go one better after finishing runner-up twice this season, at Québec Mega Trail and Myoko Trail.

The battle for the Top 10 adds another layer of intrigue to the Grand Finale. Silvia Schwaiger (Salomon, 568 points), Estel Roig (Scott, 551), Renée Cardinaals (All4running / Esprit Montagne, 540) and Theres Leboeuf (Compressport / Lowa, 529) arrive in Muju separated by just 39 points, leaving those positions wide open.

Outside the Top 10, Andrea Kolbeinsdóttir (Salomon) will be another athlete to watch. The Icelandic runner finished fifth at Ledro, where she underlined her strength on the descents by setting the fastest time on the timed downhill segment. With Muju’s technical descents likely to reward those same qualities, the course could give her another opportunity to challenge the athletes currently ahead of her in the overall standings.

JUST 46 POINTS SEPARATE THE THREE MEN FIGHTING FOR THE CROWN

The men’s title fight heads to Muju on a knife-edge, with just 46 points separating the three leading contenders for the crown. The Run2Gether On Trail duo of Philemon Kiriago and Patrick Kipngeno have turned the overall standings on their head following the latest races of the Asian swing.

Kiriago faces his biggest opportunity in the GTWS. He leads the overall standings with 870 points with just one race remaining, having claimed victory at Sierre-Zinal alongside four runner-up finishes at Ledro Sky Trentino, Québec Mega Trail, Jinshanling Great Wall Trail Race and Myoko Trail.

After claiming back-to-back victories in Japan and China, Patrick Kipngeno heads into the Grand Finale in outstanding form, just 40 points behind his compatriot. Behind them, two-time champion Elhousine Elazzaoui (NNormal) faces a major challenge in his bid for a third consecutive crown. Despite victories at Zegama-Aizkorri (Basque Country, Spain), Ledro Sky Trentino and Québec Mega Trail, the Moroccan arrives in Muju 46 points behind Kiriago. With such narrow margins and a course capable of punishing even the smallest mistake, the title battle remains wide open.

Beyond the trio that has dominated the season, the entire men’s Top 10 will line up at the Grand Finale in South Korea, with plenty still at stake. In fourth place is Michael Selelo Saoli (Run2Gether On Trail, 764 points), whose consistency has kept him among the leading contenders throughout the season and repeatedly brought him close to a victory that has so far remained just out of reach.

Behind him, Timothy Kibett (Salomon, 650 points), Nashon Kiplimo (Salomon, 621), Ezekiel Rutto (Salomon, 598), Bogdan Damian (Kailas Fuga, 590), Brayan Rodríguez (539) and Isacco Costa (La Sportiva, 533) complete a Top 10 that could still see significant movement in Muju. And the battle does not end there. Alain Santamaría (X-Bionic Integrity), Samwel Kiprotich (Salomon), Jonas Soldini (Salomon) and Joey Hadorn (Salomon) all sit within 45 points of the Top 10 and remain in contention to break into those positions.

Muju’s varied terrain could suit a wide range of runners and, beyond the three title contenders, several athletes have the credentials to fight for the race win. Among them, Alain Santamaría arrives in excellent form and could capitalise on that momentum to deliver a strong season finale and climb the overall standings.

Taylor Stack (Brooks), meanwhile, returns to the GTWS looking to replicate the performance that took him to the podium at Zegama-Aizkorri in the opening race of the season. Joey Hadorn and Bogdan Damian could also find an ideal playground in Muju’s technical descents, where their downhill ability could make them two of the men to watch in South Korea.

EVERY POINT COUNTS IN MUJU

So far, the overall rankings have been calculated based on each athlete’s four best results of the season, together with their four best scores in each of the three timed segments: uphill, downhill and sprint. At the Muju Trail Grand Finale, the points earned in the race, as well as those collected across all three segments, will be added to that total. Participation in the Grand Finale is also mandatory to be eligible for the GTWS overall rankings.

With so much at stake, every position and every point could make the difference. More points will be available in Muju than at any other race this season, with 300 points awarded to each race winner, compared with the usual 200, plus the points available across the three segments. This means the winner could collect up to 330 points in a single day, enough to completely reshape the final standings.

But there is much more than the crown at stake in Muju. Every position will matter in the battle to finish among the best in the overall rankings. The Top 20 will share €231,000 in prize money, with €30,000 awarded to each overall champion, while finishing the season inside the Top 30 will secure logistical support to compete in the 2027 GTWS.

GOLDEN TICKETS: A CHANCE TO SHINE ON THE GTWS STAGE

Muju Trail will not only bring together the leading athletes of the GTWS, but also a new generation of talent who have earned the opportunity to compete in the final race of the season through their performances in the Golden Trail National Championships (GTNC), the national competitions that reward each country’s standout runners.

In total, 19 athletes will arrive in Muju with a Golden Ticket, a direct invitation to the Grand Finale earned through standout performances at the national championships in Australia, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland and Mexico.

FOLLOW THE 2026 GTWS GRAND FINALE LIVE

The women’s and men’s races will be broadcast live on 24 and 25 October, respectively, with both races starting at 13:00 KST. In Central Europe, the women’s race will start at 6:00 CET, while the men’s race will get underway at 5:00 CET, following the daylight saving time change.

The action will be available on HBO Max, Eurosport and TNT Sports, as well as through a wide network of official broadcasters.

The women’s race will be broadcast live and in full on HBO Max, with Eurosport joining the action from 07:30 CETto cover the decisive stages of the race. The men’s race will also be available live and in full on HBO Max, with Eurosport coverage beginning at 6:00 CET.

In addition to the live broadcast, fans will be able to follow the race minute by minute through the official Golden Trail World Series channels and via live timing on the official GTWS website.

Once the racing is over, fans can relive the best moments in the official highlights show, which will air on Eurosport andHBO Max on Wednesday, 28 October at 19:30 CET. The highlights will also be available on the official Golden Trail World Series YouTube channel 24 hours after its premiere.

KEEP THE GTWS ADVENTURE GOING WITH KINOMAP

The excitement of the GTWS will continue beyond the Grand Finale with the GTWS Challenge, available on Kinomap from 23 October to 30 November.

The Kinomap Challenge will bring the Golden Trail World Series experience into fans’ homes, giving them the chance to take on seven iconic stages from the 2026 season, from Spain to China, featuring some of the most spectacular sections of the GTWS courses. Through Kinomap and from their treadmill, participants will be able to discover new landscapes, challenge themselves and push their limits, stage by stage.

To complete the challenge, participants will need to finish at least five of the seven available stages. Those who make it to the end will unlock a special surprise: an eighth stage inspired by the Muju Trail Grand Final, extending the adventure all the way to the setting of the season finale.

Participants will also have the chance to enter a prize draw to win a pair of Salomon S/LAB Genesis 2 shoes, a Salomon ACTIVE SKIN 4 vest and a Salomon S/LAB Ultra Summer cap.