Ultratrail running events in Italy

Extreme ultratrail running events continue to take place across various regions in Italy.

In mid-September, runner Roberto Crippa announced the ‘Route 60 South’, a 400-kilometer challenge intended to traverse the Po Valley and the Apennines from Lecco to Siena. This follows the conclusion of the inaugural Ortles Haute Route Trail in Stelvio National Park, where Sergio Gustavo Pereyra and Guendalina Sibona secured race victories.

Simultaneously, the Tor 2026 ultra-trail running series has launched in the Valle d'Aosta region. The series includes several high-endurance competitions, such as the 450-kilometer Tor des Glaciers and the 330-kilometer Tor des Géants, which features a 150-hour time limit. Other scheduled events in the series include the 130-kilometer Tot Dret race and the 100-kilometer Cervino Monte Bianco race.

During the 2026 TORX event in Courmayeur, new records were established at the Tor des Géants. Chinese athlete Jiaju Zhao completed the 330-kilometer course in 65 hours, 55 minutes, and 22 seconds, breaking the previous record and becoming the first non-European and first Chinese runner to reach the podium.

Germany’s Katharina Hartmuth also set a new women’s record with a time of 67 hours, 10 minutes, and 9 seconds. Her performance marked the first time a woman has reached the general podium in the history of the event.