Transgrancanaria (2026 edition: 4-8 March)
The North Face Transgrancanaria Classic
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria → Maspalomas
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The North Face Transgrancanaria Classic is a point-to-point ultramarathon that traverses the entire island of Gran Canaria from north to south, covering 126 km and 5,997 m of climbing from sea-level Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to the dunes at Maspalomas. It is one of the most varied ultras in Europe: the first half climbs through lush laurel forest and villages into the rugged central massif, topping out near 1,727 m, before the second half descends through increasingly arid, volcanic terrain toward the Atlantic coast. That contrast — cool, wet mountains giving way to hot, dry barranco country — defines every decision you make about pacing, clothing and nutrition across the roughly 24 hours most runners spend on course.
Course & Terrain
The race starts at 2 m above sea level in Las Palmas and immediately begins climbing. The first major section to Arucas (18 km, 386 m) is runnable and relatively gentle, passing through banana plantations and suburban trails before the gradient stiffens toward Teror (30 km, 641 m) and Fontanales (43 km, 1,004 m). From Fontanales onward the terrain becomes genuinely mountainous: rocky paths, steep ridges and the characteristic pine-scented trails of the interior as the course climbs through Artenara (57 km, 1,216 m) to Tejeda (72 km, 1,659 m). The high point of 1,727 m sits in this central zone, and the trails here are technical with loose rock and exposed ridgelines. After the iconic Roque Nublo checkpoint (84 km, 1,230 m) and Garanon (89 km, 1,596 m), the course makes its decisive southward descent through Tunte (99 km, 1,265 m) and into the deep barrancos leading to Ayagaures (112 km, 302 m) before a final rolling run to the finish at Maspalomas Parque Sur (126 km, 31 m).
Decisive Climbs and Where the Race Is Won or Lost
The section between Fontanales and Tejeda — roughly kilometres 43 to 72 — is the engine room of the race. The climbing is sustained and relentless here, temperatures can swing dramatically, and this is where many runners blow up by going too hard too early. The climb to Roque Nublo at 84 km is a psychological as much as physical test: you are still over 1,200 m with 42 km remaining, and the tight cut-off at Garanon (89 km) just one hour later means there is no room to soft-pedal the descent from Roque Nublo. The long descent from Garanon through Tunte and into the barrancos toward Ayagaures is where the race reshapes itself: legs that have been managed well suddenly have the freedom to move, but the terrain is steep, dusty and quad-punishing. Runners who have protected their legs through the central massif can make significant time here and carry real momentum into the final 14 km to Maspalomas.
Pacing Strategy
Start conservatively through the rolling northern section to Arucas — the cut-off of 03:30 on Saturday is generous and there is no prize for arriving early. The climb from Teror to Artenara sets the tone for your whole race; treat it as a power-hike section and stay well within yourself. The back half of this race rewards runners who have banked energy, not time. Give yourself a concrete target from Tunte onward: a specific runner to chase, a split to beat, a finish time to hunt. That shift in mindset — from completing to competing — tends to unlock a late-race gear that pure conservation never does. The 6-hour window between Ayagaures and Maspalomas (cut-off Sun 00:00 to Sun 06:00) covers only 14 km; by that point the terrain is flat and the hardest climbing is long behind you, so commit to running it hard.
Fuelling & Hydration
The classic ultramarathon instinct to eat aggressively will work against you on this course. In the cool, forested mountains between Fontanales and Garanon, your calorie burn is lower than it feels, and overloading the gut on the uphills is a common cause of nausea and stomach trouble in the back half. Scale your intake to what you are actually doing: more on the fast descents and runnable valleys, less when you are grinding uphill in the cold. If your stomach rebels mid-race, the counterintuitive fix is usually to back off food rather than push through — your energy reserves are likely fine even when appetite disappears. By contrast, the descent into the southern barrancos and the approach to Maspalomas can be significantly hotter and drier, especially in early March afternoon sun; stay ahead of hydration here and use the crew points at Tunte (99 km) and Ayagaures (112 km) to restock electrolytes and liquids for the final push.
Conditions to Expect
The 2026 edition runs 4–8 March, and Gran Canaria in early March means you must prepare for two climates in a single race. The north and the central highlands can be cold, windy and wet — cloud and mist are common above 1,000 m, and temperatures on the exposed ridges around Roque Nublo and Garanon can drop sharply overnight. Waterproof and thermal layers must be race-ready, not buried at the bottom of your pack. As the course descends south toward Maspalomas through the afternoon and evening, conditions shift: the barrancos funnel heat, the vegetation disappears and the trail becomes sandy and dusty. The finish environment at Maspalomas is coastal and relatively mild but a world away from the mountains you crossed ten or more hours earlier. Footwear with enough grip for wet rock in the north and enough protection for the rocky barranco descents in the south is more important than outright speed on any single surface type.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 2 m · —
10.7 km · 89 m · Sat 02:00
19.3 km · 223 m · Sat 03:40
31.6 km · 594 m · Sat 06:10
43.1 km · 1004 m · Sat 08:50
52.7 km · 659 m · Sat 11:30
66.8 km · 1240 m · Sat 15:10
79.2 km · 996 m · Sat 18:00
90.8 km · 1629 m · Sat 20:45
98.4 km · 1250 m · Sat 23:25
112 km · 302 m · Sun 02:25
126 km · 31 m · Sun 06:00
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