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360º THE CHALLENGE GRAN CANARIA 2025: RACE REPORT AND RESULTS, BY MAYAYO.
360º THE CHALLENGE GRAN CANARIA 2025:
RACE REPORT AND RESULTS, BY MAYAYO.
They call it The Challenge for a reason. And this year, Gran Canaria made sure everyone remembered why. Between November 5 and 9, 2025, the island’s volcanic spine hosted the tenth edition of the 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria, one of the wildest, most unpredictable ultra-distance races on Earth — and this time, the mountains decided to smile on the locals.
From 107 starters representing 22 nationalities, 84 managed to complete this self-sufficient odyssey of 222 km and more than 10,000 meters of elevation gain — after a last-minute course change that would have sent most race directors into cardiac arrest.
FIRE, WIND, AND THE CANARIAN WAY
Less than 24 hours before the start, a wildfire alert forced organizers to abandon the planned start in Tejeda and relocate everything — logistics, checkpoints, runners — to the lush Jardín Canario in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Not only did that mean starting six hours later, under a blazing afternoon sun, but also trimming the course to 222 km while keeping every one of those merciless meters of vertical gain.
When the gun finally went off at 15:30, the adventure began — the same mix of sweat, dust, confusion, and wonder that defines every edition of the 360º. Because here, there are no flags, no glowsticks, no cheering crowds at every corner. Just you, your GPS, and the volcanic silence.
GUERRA, CASTRO, AND THE EARLY ROAR
As night fell, Cristian Guerra took control like a man possessed, flying through the island’s ravines with the calm confidence of one who knows every stone by name. For 140 km, he built a lead of 46 minutes, while in the women’s race Nira Castro — bright, fierce, and fearless — left even five-time queen Claire Bannwarth behind in the dust.
But the mountain always reserves a twist. Guerra’s adductors gave out, and the Chira ravine — that labyrinth of stone and shadow — became a trap for the favorites. Even Álvaro Santana, then in the lead, lost hours after taking a wrong turn in the dark.
JOSÉ BORDÓN, THE MOONLIT VICTORY
From the chaos emerged a local hero. José Bordón, from Agüimes, had played the long game from the first kilometre. No rush, no panic. When others got lost, he trusted his compass and his instinct. In the final stretch, he even switched off his headlamp, letting the full moon guide him — and denying his pursuers the faint glimmer of hope.
After 40 hours, 47 minutes, and 53 seconds, Bordón entered Tejeda alone, becoming the first Canarian to win The Challenge in its ten-year history. Behind him, the indestructible Sébastien Raichon (FRA) and Dave Phillips (GBR) arrived together, almost shoulder to shoulder, in 41:23:19 and 41:23:21.
ANITA LEHMANN: THIRD TIME, FINAL GLORY
In the women’s race, Anita Lehmann (SUI) proved what persistence really means. After two runner-up finishes (2021, 2022), she finally took her place at the summit, claiming victory in 55:15:11. Steady, methodical, and unbreakable, she overtook Nira Castro at kilometre 80 in Agaete — and never looked back.
Her win also placed her 16th overall, a powerful statement in one of the hardest races in the world. Behind her, Canarian pride shone bright: Nira Castro (65:56:45) and Guacimara Suárez (66:42:08) completed a 1-2-3 island podium that will echo for years in the trails of Gran Canaria.
Out of the eleven women who started, seven crossed the finish line. A number that tells you everything about both the toughness of the course and the courage of those who dared.
LEGENDS NEVER LEAVE: THE SPIRIT OF 360º
Few moments matched the emotion of Claire Bannwarth’s arrival. The French icon, limping from Achilles pain but smiling as ever, crossed the line hand in hand with her husband — completing her sixth finish and confirming her mythical status. Then there was José Fernando Carmona, the last finisher, arriving in 92:49:14, just before Sunday’s midday cutoff. The ovation that greeted him wasn’t just for endurance — it was for heart.
Among the veterans, Luca Papi completed his tenth consecutive edition (yes, all ten!), while Jesús Rodríguez (8 finishes), Omar Riccardi (7), Bannwarth and Francisco Benjumea (6), and several others joined the pantheon of repeat finishers. In total, 23 runners dropped out — a modest 21.5% — a statistic that says more about the strength of this field than the ease of the course.
THE CHALLENGE ENDURES
After ten years, 360º The Challenge Gran Canaria remains one of the purest expressions of ultra-trail philosophy — wild, unpredictable, beautiful, and merciless. No other race blends such physical brutality with navigational mastery and emotional depth. And with that, the curtain falls on an unforgettable tenth edition — one written in dust, sweat, moonlight, and the eternal silence of the Canarian peaks.
360 THE CHALLENGE TRANSGRANCANARIA: Photogallery by org.
