The International Skyrunning Federation is pleased to announce the addition of the VERTICAL and SKYULTRA disciplines to the 2026 Masters Skyrunning World Championships, following the recent announcement of the SKY discipline.

The VERTICAL will take place on July 3, 2026, at the same venue as the SKY, on July 4, 2026, part of the ASICS Pierra Menta Été events in Arêches, Savoie, France.  The specially designed course of the new Pierra Menta Verticale will satisfy lovers of the “short and steep” with 850m vertical climb over 3.8 km delivering stretches with a 50-70% incline.

The fourth edition of the Masters Skyrunning World Championships will represent a thrilling challenge for passionate over-forties skyrunners looking for adventure. France will host the championships on July 4, 2026, at the Skyrun du Grand Mont, part of the ASICS Pierra Menta Été.

The Pierra Menta is a legendary ski-mountaineering race dating back 40 years. Ten years ago, the summer edition was launched in the same format with athletes racing in pairs. Last year, the Skyrun du Grand Mont was introduced for single athletes – an immediate success paving the way for hosting the 2026 Masters Skyrunning World Championships.

Featuring the SKY discipline, the course is 28 km long with 2,600m vertical climb reaching 2,680m altitude, starting and finishing in Arêches, Savoie.

Six years on, the VK OPEN reaches a new milestone with a rebranding and is now officially the VK OPEN World Cup. It remains the only worldwide circuit dedicated to Vertical Kilometer^® races and is sanctioned by the International Skyrunning Federation.

The 2026 season features nine spectacular stages across four continents, uniting elite athletes, passionate amateurs and mountain enthusiasts under one exhilarating banner. Three new destinations expand the World Cup map across the globe — from Canada, to the USA and Japan. The calendar also travels through Europe to Portugal and Andorra, sumitting in Columbia — with the promise of a thrilling mix of landscapes, cultures and challenges for athletes and fans alike.

The journey kicks off on March 7 with the ever-faithful KM de Câmara de Lobos, hosted on the stunning island of Madeira, Portugal. Known for its spectacular coastal setting and warm local atmosphere, this race once again sets the tone for the season, combining technical difficulty with unforgettable scenery. Its short yet intense course climbs 1,000m in just 2.9 km — an ISF Technical Level 2 race guaranteeing a powerful start to the World Cup.

The International Skyrunning Federation (ISF) is thrilled to announce the 2026 Skyrunning World Championships will take place on the island of La Gomera in the Canary Islands, Spain, from September 18–20, 2026.

National teams from around the world will head to this spectacular Atlantic island which has everything to offer — from sea to sky — under the umbrella of the Gomera Paradise events.

Three races, three skyrunning disciplines — VERTICAL, SKY, and SKYULTRA — with 27 medals and World Champion titles at stake.

The Grand Finale of the VK OPEN Championships saw course records smashed at the Vertical Ruy in Bulgaria, Saturday, October 18, 2025. Arnau Soldevila from Andorra and Sladjana Zagorac from Serbia were crowned 2025 VK OPEN Champions.

The Vertical Ruy, a 4.3 km course with 930m vertical climb, finished on the summit of Mount Ruy at 1,706m altitude. First to cross the finish line was Andorran Arnau Soldevila, who placed third in last year’s VK OPEN. He clocked 36’58”, crushing the course record by a full minute and securing not only the race victory but also the overall VK OPEN Champion title and trophy.

“I’m very happy to be here in Bulgaria. The circuit was ideal for me – a sustained and demanding vertical with steep gradients of around 30%. From the start, I felt strong and fought for victory with Inui and Pagnuev, ultimately taking the overall championship title,” he stated.