Countdown to the most competitive season in Golden Trail World Series (GTWS) history. On May 17, Zegama-Aizkorri celebrates its 25th anniversary, marking the start of what promises to be a landmark year for the GTWS. Record-breaking pre-registration numbers already point to an extraordinary level of competition.
Beyond individual performances, the GTWS will introduce a series of key innovations in 2026 designed to further elevate the level of competition. For the first time in its history, the GTWS will launch a Team Ranking, based on the combined results of each team’s top two men and top two women at every race. Eight international brands are set to compete in this inaugural classification, adding a new layer of collective strategy to the circuit.
Traditionally centered on individual achievement, trail running now enters a new phase in which teams are set to play a decisive role. The GTWS Team Ranking is expected to reshape race dynamics, encouraging more strategic collaboration, broader participation across the season and the emergence of stronger team identities.
THE TEAMS SHAPING THE CHAMPIONSHIP
ASICS Trail Team leans on a roster of elite, proven race winners, but the key challenge is converting that individual firepower into consistent team performance. Leading names include Maude Mathys, GTWS champion in 2020 and 2021, and Sara Alonso, 2025 GTWS runner-up and double race winner last season (Kobe Trail and Zegama-Aizkorri). The roster is rounded out by Benjamin Roubiol, Adrien Briffod, an Olympic triathlete and European medalist who impressed with a fourth-place finish on debut at Sierre-Zinal 2025, as well as Miguel Benítezand Ida Robsahm.
Brooks Trail Runners presents one of the most balanced and structured squads in the field, combining depth and consistency across both the men’s and women’s categories. This stability positions the team as a strong contender for the Team Ranking throughout the season. Key athletes include Olympian Anna Gibson, 2025 rising star Taylor Stack, and 2024 European Mountain Running Champion Roberto Delorenzi, supported by a solid international lineup featuring Gianluca Ghiano, Daniel Pattis, Courtney Coppinger, Rosa Lara Feliu, and Alice Gaggi.
NIKE ACG fields a versatile and international team capable of delivering top performances across all race profiles, positioning the squad among the main contenders for the podium. Standout athletes include Nienke Brinkman, Zegama course record holder and returning to the GTWS after her overall victory in 2022; Lauren Gregory, third overall in 2025 and winner at Tepec Trail and the Grand Finale at Ledro Sky Trentino; along with Cesare Maestri, Christian Allen, and newly signed Asian star Miao Yao.
Run2Gether On Trail emerges as one of the championship’s rising forces, built around a powerful core of Kenyan athletes. The team is led by Patrick Kipngeno and Philemon Kiriago - second and third overall in the GTWS last season, respectively - supported by Michael Selelo Saoli; a trio that notably swept the podium at Sierre-Zinal 2025. In the women’s field, Ruth Gitonga and Philaries Kisang stand out as key contenders. With a well-balanced squad designed for collective racing, Run2Gether On Trail has the potential to dictate race dynamics, particularly in the second half of the season.
Salomon sets the benchmark, fielding the largest and most complete roster in the championship. The team combines clear race-winning potential with remarkable depth, bringing together athletes capable of competing at the front across the entire circuit.
Leading figures include Tove Alexandersson, confirmed for both Zegama-Aizkorri and Sierre-Zinal; Remi Bonnet, overall GTWS winner in 2022 and 2023, also set to compete at Zegama-Aizkorri, and Sophia Laukli, GTWS champion in 2023. The lineup is further strengthened by proven race winners such as Caroline Kimutai, Naomi Lang, Andreu Blanes, and Timothy Kibett, alongside strong contenders including Ezekiel Rutto, Joey Hadorn, Malen Osa and emerging talent Fabian Venero.
THE QUIET CONTENDERS
Consistency and experience define New Balance Running, a well-rounded team that blends proven talent with solid depth, enabling reliable performances throughout the season. With a well-distributed roster, they position themselves as serious contenders for a top spot in the Team Ranking. Led by a solid core including 2023 winner at Zegama-Aizkorri Manuel Merillas, Davide Magnini, Raoul Raus, Iu Net, Jacob Adkin, Laia Montoya and Martina Bilora, the squad has the tools to stay competitive across key races and maintain consistency from start to finish.
Kailas Fuga Team enters the season with clear ambition, supported by a committed and evolving roster. Through consistent participation, the team has the potential to climb the rankings as the season progresses and establish itself as a competitive force. Led by Damian Bogdan, Fabiola Conti, Marta Fuentes, and Madalina Amariei, Kailas Fuga will aim to translate steady individual performances into strong collective results while building momentum throughout the year.
Scott approaches the season as a team in development, but one with significant upside. Reigning GTWS champion Madalina Florea leads the squad, bringing proven winning credentials - including victories at Il Golfo dell’Isola and the Grand Finale prologue in 2025, and setting the benchmark for the team. Alongside her, Mattia Tanara, Nicolas Molina and Estel Roig form a solid core, and with consistent participation, Scott could emerge as a dangerous outsider capable of challenging more established teams.
EVERY POSITION COUNTS: HOW DOES THE TEAM RANKING WORK?
The Team Ranking is determined by combining the results of each team’s top two men and top two women in every race. Their finishing positions are added together to produce the team score for that event, making every position count and consistency a decisive factor across the field.
A first-place finish earns 1 point, while a tenth-place finish earns 10 points, these values are then summed to calculate the team’s total. As in sports like golf, the system follows a low-score principle: the lower the combined score, the higher the ranking. For the overall standings, the final Team Ranking is based on each team’s best four results of the season, plus the Grand Finale.
Athlete line-ups may vary from race to race, provided they represent the same team, and additional teams may join the competition throughout the season.
THE GTWS RAISES THE BAR: NEW SCORING SYSTEM, SEGMENT BONUS POINTS AND INCREASED PRIZE MONEY
Additionally to the Team Ranking, the 2026 GTWS season introduces a series of major developments aimed at further strengthening the championship as a modern, global competition, fully optimised for broadcast and aligned with the highest standards of elite trail running.
In 2026, uphill, downhill and sprint segments will award bonus points toward the overall classification. This innovation is designed to intensify in-race competition, encourage more tactical racing, and enhance both the live and broadcast experience.
The top five athletes in each segment will score points as follows: 10 for first place, 8 for second, 6 for third, 4 for fourth, and 2 for fifth. The overall standings will take into account an athlete’s best four results in each segment category, plus all segment results from the Grand Finale, for a maximum of 150 segment points. Athletes must finish the race to validate segment points.
The 2026 overall ranking will follow a more strategic and easy-to- understand system: the best four results out of seven races, plus the Grand Finale, will count toward the final standings. Each regular race will award up to 200 points, while the Grand Finale will offer a maximum of 300 points, serving as the single, decisive race to determine the season’s winners. Under this structure, the maximum possible score in the overall ranking will be 1,250 points.
Prize money will increase significantly across all levels of competition in 2026, rising by 50% compared to 2025 and bringing the total prize purse to €451,000. Of this amount, €30,000 will be awarded to the winners of the men’s and women’s overall rankings.
To further safeguard competitive integrity, the GTWS will also substantially expand its anti-doping program in 2026, with 10 tests conducted per race (including multi-class and EPO screening) and an additional 50 out-of-competition tests throughout the season.
NEXT STOP: ZEGAMA!
The 2026 GTWS season gets underway this Sunday, 17 May, with Zegama-Aizkorri, one of the most iconic mountain marathons in the world. The race will be broadcast live across WBD platforms, including HBO Max, Eurosport and TNT Sports, as well as through an extensive global network, offering fans worldwide front-row access to what promises to be a historic edition.
Zegama-Aizkorri 2025 champions Elhousine Elazzaoui (NNormal) -who also claimed the 2025 GTWS overall title- and Sara Alonso (ASICS) return with their sights set on defending their crowns. They will face a world-class field, with Kilian Jornet (NNormal), Manuel Merillas (New Balance Running) and Rémi Bonnet (Salomon) leading a highly competitive men’s race, while Tove Alexandersson (Salomon), Judith Wyder (Hoka) and Malen Osa (Salomon) headline a formidable women’s line-up.
