Titles on the line as the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series crowns its 2026 champions at Marató dels Dements this weekend.
The 2026 Merrell Skyrunner® World Series reaches its climax this Saturday, 7 November, at the Marató dels Dements SkyMasters in Spain’s Serra d’Espàda. With double points on offer, the men’s title is a three-way fight between Jose Manuel Quispe, Frédéric Tranchand and Manuel Merillas, while Sara Alonso needs a top-four finish to complete a dominant season. More than €85,000 in race and overall prize money is at stake.
THE RACE AND THE ROUTE
The Marató dels Dements SkyMasters starts in Eslida (Castelló) at 7:30am on Saturday 7 November. The 42 km course climbs 3,903 m across nine steep climbs and descents through the Serra d’Espàda Natural Park, including Alto de la Costera, Puntal de l’Aljub, Pico Espadán and Barranc del Roig.
After a wildfire in July affected part of the usual trail, the organisers redrew the route with the Natural Park and environmental authorities to keep the race’s character (official statement). The race weekend opens with a press conference at Estadio de la Cerámica, home of Villarreal CF – Puerta 6 (Gate 6), on Thursday morning.
THE 2026 SEASON AND QUALIFICATION
The 2026 circuit includes 19 races across 12 countries on four continents, from Argentina in February to Sobrescobio, Spain, in October before the final (2026 calendar). Athletes qualified for the Final by completing at least four MSWS races with a top-20 finish, or automatically through a top-3 finish at a nominated Skyrunner® National Series race, in a National Series final ranking, or at a Skyrunning Continental or World Championship.
Race prize money goes to the top 10 men and women at the SkyMasters, however they qualified. Overall ranking points and overall prize money, however, go only to athletes who qualified through the MSWS with a minimum of four races. Their best four results plus the Final, which pays double points, decide the title (rules).
THE ELITE FIELDS AND FAVOURITES
The best in the world have qualified for the Final (qualifiers list) and big names make up the top five in each ranking going into Saturday:
MEN
- Jose Manuel Quispe (PER, Merrell / Civa) – 478 pts
- Frédéric Tranchand (FRA, Merrell) – 463 pts
- Manuel Merillas (ESP, New Balance) – 447 pts
- Alex Oberbacher (ITA, La Sportiva) – 377 pts
- Marcos Villamuera (ESP, Scarpa) – 377 pts
WOMEN
- Sara Alonso (ESP, Asics) – 500 pts
- Amanda Nilsson (SWE, Hoka) – 431 pts
- Svetlana Nurmukhametova – 428 pts
- Natalie Beadle (GBR, Arc’teryx) – 405 pts
- Eva Delafosse (FRA, Colibri Trail) – 382 pts
Three men are within 31 points of each other. Peru’s Jose Manuel Quispe leads on 478, ahead of Frédéric Tranchand and Manuel Merillas, who won last year’s SkyMasters. Merillas beat Tranchand at Acantilados del Norte and Calamorro, but the Frenchman struck back at Sobrescobio on 24 October, winning in a course record 2:39:14 as Merillas finished fourth (race report). It’s all eyes on these two for the final race.
Tranchand arrives with no margin for error. The Frenchman comments:
“I’m very happy with my shape and the performances this year. The biggest change for me has been being able to stay geographically much more stable than in previous years, especially during the spring and summer. I usually say: let’s do the counting after the finish line. I know I take a risk for the overall ranking by running ‘only’ the four races required plus the final, because I had other important goals this year. It means I don’t have any margin and need to perform well in every race and I think the final ranking will be decided at the final. It’s a tough race, so a lot can happen! As always, I will focus first on my own performance, the only one I can affect. After a long season where I’ve achieved big goals, I’m still motivated, so it would be nice to finish the season on top!”
— Frédéric Tranchand
In the women’s race, Sara Alonso has a perfect 500 points after winning Acantilados del Norte, Calamorro and Sobrescobio, where she won by almost ten minutes in a course record 3:14:02. Sweden’s Amanda Nilsson (431) and Svetlana Nurmukhametova (428) are her closest challengers.
In her first season in the series, Alonso arrives with clear priorities:
“I have three main goals for this race: first, to stay injury-free, second, to win the overall circuit, and third, to win the race itself. Time is not my main priority, as I’ll need to race strategically. I’ll push hard on all the climbs and take the descents a little more cautiously, as this is probably the most technical race I’ve faced so far. My estimated finishing time is around 5h40m. As for the main competitors, Patricia and Greta Garcia are probably the strongest, or at least the two I know best and have been keeping an eye on. I’ve really enjoyed my first year competing in the SWS. It’s been a great experience, I’ve had a lot of fun, met so many amazing people and really enjoyed every race. It’s been a fantastic way to discover the Skyrunning world, and I’m really happy to have been part of it this season.”
— Sara Alonso
POSSIBLE SCENARIOS
The SkyMasters pays 200 points for first, 170 for second, 153 for third and 138 for fourth. A tie goes to whoever finishes higher at the Final, and a DNF ends any title bid.
Men
- Quispe is champion if he finishes ahead of Tranchand and Merillas.
- Tranchand (15 points back) takes the title by finishing ahead of Quispe in the top three, as long as Merillas doesn’t overtake him.
- Merillas (31 back) needs to win with Quispe third or lower, or finish second with Quispe fourth or lower, while staying ahead of Tranchand.
Women
- Alonso is champion with a top-four finish, whatever her rivals do.
- Nilsson (69 back) needs to win with Alonso fifth or lower, or finish second with Alonso seventh or lower.
- Nurmukhametova (72 back) needs to win with Alonso fifth or lower, or finish second with Alonso eighth or lower, and beat Nilsson.
PRIZE MONEY
It’s not just points and pride on the line on Saturday. The SkyMasters race carries a €15,200 prize purse, €7,600 for each of the men’s and women’s top 10, and the first man and woman across the finish line will each pocket €1,600.
The biggest prize of all, though, is the crown. A €70,000 overall prize pool, €35,000 per category, rewards the top 10 men and women in the final standings, with €12,000 for each 2026 champion.
The league winners have already banked their reward: €20,000 shared between the top three men and women in the ranking before the Final, €10,000 per category.
Men
- Jose Manuel Quispe (PER)
- Frédéric Tranchand (FRA)
- Manuel Merillas (ESP)
Women
- Sara Alonso (ESP)
- Amanda Nilsson (SWE)
- Svetlana Nurmukhametova
As league winners, Quispe and Alonso could each take home up to €18,600 by winning on Saturday and claiming the overall title.
FOLLOW THE RACE
The race starts in Eslida at 7:30am CET on Saturday 7 November. Follow every athlete through the checkpoints on the live trail website, with results and coverage at skyrunnerworldseries.com and MSWS socials.
