Course records fall in both races as the French star beats season-long rival Merillas to defend his title, two weeks before the SkyMasters final.
Frédéric Tranchand and Sara Alonso won the Sobrescobio Skyrace today, the last race of the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series before the SkyMasters final in two weeks. In the Redes Natural Park, Both winners set new course records. Tranchand defended his 2025 title in 2:39:14, breaking his own record by four minutes, and, crucially, finished ahead of his great rival Manuel Merillas. Alonso was untouchable in the women’s race, winning by almost ten minutes in a record 3:14:02.
MEN’S RACE
All eyes were on Tranchand and Merillas. The two have shaped the 2026 season, with the Spaniard edging Tranchand at both Acantilados del Norte and Calamorro. Arriving in Asturias, Tranchand had raced only three times to Merillas’s four, knowing he had no room for error as he chased his rival in the standings.
The French Merrell athlete took control from the start. He led at the first checkpoint in Llampaces in 0:34:09, with Marcos Villamuera and Jan Torrella just behind and Merillas already 48 seconds back. By Cogollu he had stretched his lead to almost a minute, and he never looked back, steadily pulling away on every section to cross the line in 2:39:14, a new course record that took four minutes off the mark he set himself.
Behind him, Torrella and Villamuera swapped places as they battled for second. Torrella moved ahead before Fresnu and held on to finish in 2:42:06, 21 seconds ahead of Villamuera. Merillas was fourth in 2:43:42, 4:28 behind his rival, a result that sets up a thrilling final showdown. Ibai Larrea completed the top five in 2:45:25.
WOMEN’S RACE
Sara Alonso led from start to finish. She was first through Llampaces in 0:41:11 and extended her lead at every checkpoint, crossing the line in a new women’s course record of 3:14:02, 9:53 clear of the field.
The fight for second was much closer. Patricia Pineda and Greta García were inseparable through the first half, passing Cogollu just one second apart. García then made her move before Trapa and pulled away to finish second in 3:23:55, completing a one-two for ASICS Trail. Pineda took third in 3:26:46, with Oihana Zubillaga fourth and Great Britain’s Eve Pannone fifth.
RESULTS
Men
- Frédéric Tranchand (FRA, Merrell) – 2:39:14 (course record)
- Jan Torrella (ESP, Salomon) – 2:42:06 (+2:52)
- Marcos Villamuera (ESP, Scarpa) – 2:42:27 (+3:13)
- Manuel Merillas (ESP, New Balance) – 2:43:42 (+4:28)
- Ibai Larrea (ESP, X-Bionic Integrity) – 2:45:25 (+6:11)
Women
- Sara Alonso (ESP, ASICS Trail) – 3:14:02 (course record)
- Greta García (ESP, ASICS Trail) – 3:23:55 (+9:53)
- Patricia Pineda (ESP, La Sportiva) – 3:26:46 (+12:44)
- Oihana Zubillaga (ESP, Basque EMF) – 3:32:59 (+18:57)
- Eve Pannone (GBR, Brooks) – 3:36:23 (+22:21)
Full results HERE.
NEXT UP: THE SKYMASTERS
With the regular season now complete, attention turns to the SkyMasters final at the Marató dels Dements on November 7, where the 2026 Merrell Skyrunner® World Series champions will be crowned. Tranchand’s win reopens the battle with Merillas, and with the final counting towards everyone’s ranking, the title is set to go down to the wire.
The Sobrescobio weekend continues tomorrow with the final of the U23 Trofeo Esteban Olivero, where the season’s best young skyrunners will battle for the title.
Full results and race coverage are available at skyrunnerworldseries.com.
