Spectacular venue

Hosted across the spectacular mountain terrain of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, the championships will feature competition in mountain running and trail running disciplines, with titles awarded in senior men, senior women and U20 categories. The U20 athletes will contest the mountain running events only.

Athletes will compete in the classic uphill and up-and-down mountain running disciplines as well as trail running, with both individual and team medals on offer throughout the three-day programme.

Alexandersson, Adkin, Mathys, Geoffray head stacked women's fields

The entry lists feature many of the biggest names in global mountain and trail running, including world and European champions and medallists.

Among the standout names in the women’s races is Sweden’s Tove Alexandersson, widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in the sport.

A multiple world champion in both trail running and orienteering, Alexandersson arrives as one of the favourites after winning global medals across mountain and trail disciplines in recent years. She is entered in both the Up & Down mountain race and the Trail race.

Great Britain’s Scout Adkin will also be among the leading contenders. The British star has established herself as one of Europe’s premier mountain runners through a string of European and world championship medals, particularly in uphill racing, and will target the podium again in both mountain disciplines.

Ireland’s Sarah McCormack brings enormous championship experience to the Classic Hill race. A former WMRA World Cup series winner, McCormack has been a fixture at the top level of international mountain running for more than a decade.

Switzerland fields one of the strongest women’s squads in the championships, ledby Maude Mathys and Judith Wyder.

Mathys is a multiple European mountain running champion renowned for her climbing ability, while Wyder — originally one of the world’s top orienteers — has become one of the leading names in trail running after winning major international medals in recent years. Both will be serious medal contenders in Slovenia.

France’s Clémentine Geoffray, the reigning world short trail champion, heads a powerful French women’s team alongside experienced international racers such as Adeline Martin and Audrey Tanguy.

Spain’s Sara Alonso also enters with major credentials after emerging as one of Europe’s top technical mountain and trail runners through the Golden Trail and WMTRC circuits.

Maestri, Merillas and Angermund lead men's entries

The men’s races are equally stacked with international talent.

Italy’s Cesare Maestri — a world and European medallist in mountain running — will be among the favourites in the mountain events. Known for his aggressive climbing style, Maestri has long been one of Italy’s leading off-road runners and will spearhead another formidable Italian squad.

Spain’sManuel Merillas and Andreu Blanes bring exceptional pedigree across mountain, trail and skyrunning competition.

Merillas has produced podium performances at some of the world’s toughest mountain races, while Blanes — originally an elite orienteer — has developed into one of Spain’s most versatile off-road athletes.

Norway’s Stian Angermund is another of the sport’s biggest names in the entries. A former world trail champion and winner of some of the most prestigious mountain races in the world, Angermund adds further depth to an elite men’s trail field.

France’s Frédéric Tranchand, another athlete with a strong orienteering background, arrives as one of the world’s top short-trail specialists after claiming major international victories over recent seasons.

Switzerland also boasts impressive strength in the men’s mountain races through Roberto Delorenzi, Dominik Rolli and Jonas Soldini, all of whom helped Switzerland secure medals at recent world championships and have become consistent performers on the international mountain running circuit.

The championships will also showcase the next generation of mountain running talent through the U20 races, which have grown significantly since the inaugural edition and now feature deep fields from traditional mountain running nations including Italy, Spain, France, Great Britain and Switzerland.

Ehrle returns for title defence

Germany's Julia Ehrle is a prodigious performer on all surfaces, winning 5000m bronze at the Tampere 2025 European Athletics U20 Championships and finishing fourth in the women's U20 race at the Antalya 2024 SPAR European Cross Country Championships.

She is also the defending champion in the U20 women's up and down mountain race, a discipline in which she also took world gold last year.

With record participation, world-class fields and championship titles at stake across multiple disciplines, Ljubljana-Kamnik 2026 is set to be the biggest and most competitive European Off-Road Running Championships yet.

About ITRA

The International Trail Running Association (ITRA) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the development, promotion and ethical governance of trail running worldwide. ITRA supports athletes, races and national associations while helping safeguard the values and spirit of the sport.

About the 2026 European Off-Road Running Championships

The 2026 European Athletics Off-Road Running Championships will take place in Ljubljana- Kamnik, Slovenia, from 5–7 June 2026. Organised by European Athletics and the local organising committee, the event will feature Europe’s leading mountain and trail runners across uphill, up-and-down and trail running races.

Entry Lists

Full entry lists for all championship races, including each athlete’s ITRA Performance Index, are available here.

ITRA is sharing this release in support of the official event communication. Event-specific media enquiries should be directed to the local organising committee contact below.

Official Website

https://www.offroadrunning2026.si/

Media Accreditation

Media accreditation and team/media information are available here: https://www.offroadrunning2026.si/team-media-information/

Media Contact

Peter Kastelic

LOC Head of Media and Communications Email: peter.kastelic@atletska-zveza.si M: +38640654624

ITRA Contact

International Trail Running Association (ITRA) Katarzyna Melcer

Email: marketing@itra.run