The International Trail Running Association (ITRA) has partnered with Ultra Trail Aldeias do Xisto (UTAX) to launch the inaugural ITRA National League European Final.
Scheduled for October 17, 2026, the event will be held in Castanheira de Pera, Portugal, marking the first time Europe’s top-qualified National League athletes will compete head-to-head on a single start line for a continental title.
The championship race will take place on the UTAX TSL 54km course, featuring 3,200m of cumulative elevation gain. The route travels through Portugal’s Aldeias do Xisto (Schist Villages), a well-known trail running destination in the region.
Athletes qualified for the event based on their performances within their respective domestic National Leagues during the 2025 season. Organisers expect runners from more than 30 European countries to participate in the race.
The final will award titles to the overall men’s and women’s champions. It will also recognize achievements across individual age categories, ranging from Under 23 competitors to runners aged 70 and over.
A total prize purse of more than €50,000 will be distributed across the overall rankings, age categories and specific timed segments during the race.
Rui Pinho, ITRA Executive Board Member, said “The first European Final is a major step for the ITRA National League. It brings together athletes who have earned their place through consistent performances at home and gives them the chance to compete for a European title. Just as importantly, it celebrates the local races and national communities that are the bedrock of our sport. We are proud to champion athletes of every age, celebrating trail running as a sport of lifelong participation.”
ITRA is a non-profit organisation focused on the development, promotion and governance of trail running on an international scale. The ITRA National League structure connects trail runners across Europe via national race series. The framework is designed to support domestic race calendars, reward consistent performance across the full season, and provide a pathway from local competition up to continental recognition.
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