In the dark of the pre-dawn of Saturday, May 9, the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon set off at 6 a.m. local time from Fuencaliente Lighthouse on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma, and it was the U.S.’s David Sinclair and France’s Blandine L’Hirondel (pre-race interview) who reached the finish first in 6:32:24 and 7:43:47, both new course records.
Men’s champion David Sinclair running in the early morning light during the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: WMRA/Marco Gulberti
The 75-kilometer route took runners on a unique course through La Palma’s dramatic volcanic landscape, climbing to the island’s high point at Roque de los Muchachos at 2,421 meters (7,959 feet) just past the 50k mark, before plummeting back to sea level over the next 17 or so kilometers, and culminating in a punchy climb to the finish in the town of Los Llanos. Although packed with elevation, the route features largely runnable trails.
For Sinclair, it was a race for redemption after last year’s DNF, and he fought off stiff competition from Damien Humbert (France), Sweden’s Petter Engdahl (pre-race interview), and Nadir Maguet (Italy) to take victory. On the women’s side, L’Hirondel led for much of the race, but could never quite shake off Australia’s Lucy Bartholomew, and both came in under the former course record.
Blandine L’Hirondel leads the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon climbing to the high point at Roque de los Muchachos, about 50 kilometers into the race. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Contrary to last year’s rain, wind, and cold, the mild and dry conditions on the day — combined with stacked fields in both the men’s and women’s races — made for some explosive racing.
Read on to see how it played out.
The 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon started before sunrise on Saturday, May 9. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Men’s Race
American Ben Dhiman (pre-race interview) was fancied to do well, coming off a stellar 2025 season where he placed second at UTMB. Also on the favorites list was Italy’s Andreas Reiterer (pre-race interview), who was second at the race last year and third in 2023. Although likely no longer a candidate for the win, honorable mention should also be given to former course-record holder, Spain’s Luís Alberto Hernando, who lined up to test himself yet again on the revered route.
But it was Frenchman Damien Humbert who led the charge into Los Canarios, eight kilometers into the race. After 40 minutes, he ran almost a minute clear of the chasing pack — made up of Ruy Ueda (Japan), Petter Engdahl of Sweden (pre-race interview), American David Sinclair, Reiterer, Théo Detienne (France), Italian Nadir Maguet, Dhiman, Tobias Geiser (Italy), and Abel Carretero (Spain) — who all came through within 25 seconds of one another. Sinclair was coming back to avenge a disappointment in last year’s race when he had to withdraw due to hypothermia amidst brutal conditions.
The men’s lead pack runs about 8 kilometers into the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Before El Pilar, around 23k into the race, Humbert was holding onto the lead with 2:19 elapsed, but Sinclair and Dhiman were right over his shoulder in second and third. Still within sight of the leaders, Engdahl followed in fourth, with Maguet right there as well in fifth.
Damien Humbert led the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon early on, and would eventually stick his performance with a fourth place finish. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Humbert couldn’t hold off the Americans any longer, though, and in the short undulating section to El Reventón at 32.6k, both Sinclair and Dhiman overtook to take the top two spots, coming through at 2:46. Humbert clung to the leaders in third, and Maguet and Engdahl followed about a minute back in fourth and fifth.
David Sinclair and Ben Dhiman running near El Pilar, about 23 kilometers into the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
The climb up to Pico de la Cruz at 48.1k caused a shake-up among the leaders, with Sinclair now joined at the front by Engdahl, who was climbing well. The two came through the timing point together with 4:19 on the clock.
Reaching the spectacular high point of both the race and the island — Roque de los Muchahos at 2,417 meters above sea level and just over 50k into the race — Engdahl had moved into pole position with Sinclair hot on his heels. There was now a four-minute gap to early leader Humbert in third, and Maguet and Dhiman followed in fourth and fifth, some three minutes later.
Petter Engdahl is chased by David Sinclair near the high point of the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon course. The pair would finish in second and first, respectively. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
After climbing solidly all day, it was on the quad-busting descent to Tazacorte at sea level, 70.2k into the race, where Sinclair really sealed victory. He pulled away from Engdahl, reaching the low point before the final climb to the finish in 6:04, almost seven minutes clear of Engdahl in second. Humbert reached the bottom still in third, 11 minutes back of the lead.
Maguet was down a couple of minutes later in fourth, and Reiterer had challenged Dhiman on the descent to move into fifth.
Nadir Maguet looking calm early in a breakout ultramarathon performance where he took third at the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
On the final climb up to the finish at Los Llanos, David Sinclair didn’t falter, securing the win in 6:32:24, taking an astonishing 20 minutes off a course record that had stood since 2015. At the finish line, he described the effort as the best race of his life, and it marked a full-circle moment from last year’s disappointment.
David Sinclair, 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon champion. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Petter Engdahl followed about nine minutes later to take second in 6:41:19. Nadir Maguet, never far from the action, moved into third on the final climb to finish in 6:42:31. Early race leader Damien Humbert was not far behind in fourth in 6:43:54, and Ben Dhiman managed to claw back fifth from Reiterer in 6:48:42. Andreas Reiterer finished in sixth in 6:49:52.
In by far the fastest Transvulcania Ultramarathon men’s race to date, all six top men finished under the previous course record.
Nadir Maguet looks elated with his third-place finish at the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Men’s Results
- 1. David Sinclair (U.S.) – 6:32:24
- 2. Petter Engdahl (Sweden) – 6:41:19 (pre-race interview)
- 3. Nadir Maguet (Italy) – 6:42:31
- 4. Damien Humbert (France) – 6:43:54
- 5. Ben Dhiman (U.S.) – 6:48:42 (pre-race interview)
- 6. Andreas Reiterer (Italy) – 6:49:52 (pre-race interview)
- 7. Bartłomiej Przedwojewski (Poland) – 6:53:15
- 8. Robin Juillaguet (France) – 7:00:41
- 9. Théo Detienne (France) – 7:03:26
- 10. Jupiter Carera Casas (Mexico) – 7:06:05
- 10. Ionel Manole (Spain) – 7:06:05
The 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon men’s podium (left to right): 2. Petter Engdahl, 1. David Sinclair, 3. Nadir Maguet. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Women’s Race
The deep women’s field for the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon featured two-time Transvulcania champion Emelie Forsberg of Sweden (pre-race interview), back after more than a decade-long hiatus; two-time world champion Blandine L’Hirondel of France (pre-race interview); and last year’s runner-up, neutral athlete Ekaterina Mityaeva (pre-race interview).
It was, however, fan favorite Lucy Bartholomew (Australia) who led the charge into Los Canarios, eight kilometers in, with 45:42 on the clock. L’Hirondel was close behind, and Forsberg was a minute back. Daniela Oemus (Germany), Azara García (Spain), Mityaeva, Céline Finas (France), Mireia Pons (France), Gemma Arenas (Spain), and Anastasia Davydova (neutral) made up the rest of the top 10.
Lucy Bartholomew on her way to second place at the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
On the second half of the first climb, up to Deseadas at 17.5k, L’Hirondel took control and topped out in the lead, four minutes ahead of Bartholomew in second. Just a minute behind Bartholomew, Forsberg was looking comfortable in third.
Blandine L’Hirondel makes haste of the high country early in the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
The top three remained the same before El Pilar at about 23k, with L’Hirondel having stretched her lead on Bartholomew to four minutes. There was now a further 2.5 minutes back to Forsberg in third, with all three runners still appearing at ease. There was a five-minute gap after the top three to Oemus, and a minute later, Mityaeva and Finas ran together in fifth and sixth.
Lucy Bartholomew running in second early in the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon, a position she held for most of the race. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
At El Reventón at 32.5k, L’Hirondel still led, but Bartholomew had clawed back a few seconds and looked controlled and determined in second. Here, Forsberg lost some time — taking a brief wrong turn — but still held onto third, 10 minutes back of the lead. She was followed four minutes later by Oemus in fourth, and Arenas had moved up to fifth.
Through the 50k point, L’Hirondel was still in the lead, with Bartholomew closing hard. By the time they reached the race’s high point at Roque de los Muchachos after 50k, Bartholomew had caught up and taken pole position with a minute gap on L’Hirondel. It was here that Mityaeva, who was running in sixth place at the time, dropped from the race.
Beatriz Parrón was solidly in the top 10 all day on her way to finishing fifth at the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
L’Hirondel worked hard on the descent, however, and had regained control by Torre Time at 62.7k, and reached the sea at Tazacorte at 70.2k a bit over seven minutes ahead of Bartholomew.
Behind them, former champion Forsberg held steadfastly to third position and continued to pull away from the rest of the field. She reached Tazacorte 21 minutes behind Bartholomew, and was a further 20 minutes clear of Arenas, who had moved up another spot into fourth.
In a comeback race, Emelie Forsberg says she surprised even herself in taking third place at the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
On the final climb up to the finish at Los Llanos, L’Hirondel held firm, but Bartholomew was never far enough away to allow her to relax.
In the end, Blandine L’Hirondel crossed the line first in 7:43:47, taking 19 minutes off Ruth Croft’s 2024 course record.
Blandine L’Hirondel, the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon champion. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Lucy Bartholomew was next, finishing second in 7:49:26, still well inside the former course record. Having held on to podium position throughout, Emelie Forsberg claimed third in a time of 8:14:40, just a minute over her winning time of 8:13:22 in 2013.
After maintaining her position throughout the race’s second half, Gemma Arenas was fourth in 8:35:47.
Having run most of the race in the back half of the top 10, Beatriz Parrón (Spain) moved up the field in the final descent to finish fifth in 8:39:07. Mireia Pons was sixth in 8:43:06, and Céline Finas never dropped out of the top 10 and finished seventh in 8:53:30.
Blandine L’Hirondel (left) and Lucy Bartholomew celebrate their respective first- and second-place finishes at the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Women’s Results
1. Blandine L’Hirondel (France) – 7:43:47 (pre-race interview)
2. Lucy Bartholomew (Australia) – 7:49:26
3. Emelie Forsberg (Sweden) – 8:14:40 (pre-race interview)
4. Gemma Arenas (Spain) – 8:35:47
5. Beatriz Parrón (Spain) – 8:39:07
6. Mireia Pons (Spain) – 8:43:06
7. Daniela Oemus (Germany) – 8:44:42
8. Céline Finas (France) – 8:53:30
9. Azara García (Spain) – 9:05:02
10. Virginia Perez (Spain) – 9:27:27
Lucy Bartholomew supports Emelie Forsberg at the 2026 Transvulcania Ultramarathon finish line. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
