The XTERRA Trail Run World Championship heads to Gozo Island in Malta on May 9, 2026, with XTERRA noting that this is ‘a destination known for its striking coastal landscapes.’
This will be the 17th XTERRA Trail Run World Championship and the fifth location to host the event since its inception in 2008.
XTERRA world titles in the Trail Half Marathon and Trail Marathon will be awarded to top performers from the XTERRA Trail Run World Series, with open events inviting families, local communities, and visitors from all corners of the planet to take part.
“I love most that you get to run around the perimeter of the island and it feels like such a destination event,” said Jemima Farley (GBR, 40-44), the reigning XTERRA Trail Run World Champion, unbeaten on Gozo in the last two editions.
“So many runners in Malta look forward to it all year, it’s extremely popular and has a very loyal following. The views are incredible and the rugged cliffs take my breath away every time I see them.”
Circumnavigating the coastline of Gozo offers a rare chance to run and explore an entire island. Though only about 14km across, the terrain delivers a challenge via coastal paths, sheer cliffs, quiet valleys, and historic villages revealing the island’s character.
Gozo is the second largest island in the Maltese archipelago, connected to Malta by a short ferry ride across the Gozo Channel. It is home to the Ġgantija temples, built around 3,600 BC and older than Stonehenge or the Egyptian pyramids, part of a cultural legacy shaped by millennia of Mediterranean influence.
XTERRA Gozo has been held five times since 2021. Nathan Farrugia, Race Director, XTERRA Gozo Trail Run, said “We are proud to host the global trail running community in Gozo next year. Gozo is a race organised by athletes for athletes, and we deeply value the participants’ experience.”
