The Merrell Skyrunner® World Series is thrilled to reveal its highly anticipated 2025 calendar! With 23 breathtaking races across 16 countries and four continents, this year’s circuit promises to be a celebration of skyrunning at its finest. From March to November, elite athletes and passionate runners will take on the ultimate challenge, conquering technical trails and soaring to new heights.
The 2025 season brings together the best of the old and the new. Iconic races such as Skyrace des Matheysins in France, Matterhorn Ultraks Extreme in Switzerland, Minotaur Skyrace in Canada, Hochkönigman Skyrace in Austria and Gorbeia Suzien in the Basque Country will once again test the limits of competitors.
Following the resounding success of this year’s additions, the series proudly continues with favorites like Acantilados del Norte on La Palma, kicking off the season in style, and the SkyMasters finale, the legendary Marató dels Dements in Spain, closing the year on a high note.
A TRUE WORLD SERIES: THE 2025 MERRELL SKYRUNNER® WORLD SERIES GOES GLOBAL
The 2025 Merrell Skyrunner® World Series takes a bold step toward global expansion with 23 races across 16 countries, including 14 in Europe, 2 in North America, 3 in South America, and 5 in Asia. New events in Japan, Malaysia, Chile, Ecuador, Italy, Poland, France, and Northern Ireland bring fresh challenges and stunning backdrops, cementing the series as a true worldwide celebration of skyrunning.
STARTING WITH ACANTILADOS DEL NORTE, FINISHING WITH MARATÓ DELS DEMENTS.
The 2025 circuit starts on March 22nd with Acantilados del Norte in La Palma, followed a week later by the Mexico SkyChallenge. In April, it returns to Europe for Spain’s Calamorro Skyrace in Benalmádena, before heading to South America for the new Merrell Andes Mountain Skyrace in Chile, the series’ highest race reaching 5,400m at cerro El Plomo. The month concludes with the Skyrace des Matheysins in France and the Kailas Penang Skyrace in Malaysia, which will feature an improved course and a brand-new route following the success of its inaugural edition.
May introduces three new the Corendon Tahtalı Run to Sky in Turkey, an extraordinary uphill race starting at the ocean and climbing to the summit of Mount Tahtalı at 2,365 meters; and the Monte Zerbion Skyrace in Italy, an iconic event that embodies the classic alpine skyrace, taking runners from the village to the summit. The month concludes with the Hochkönigman Skyrace in Austria.
June features the return of the Skyrace des Gorges du Tarn in France, the Minotaur Skyrace in Canada, and the new Ibarra Skyrace in Ecuador. This exciting addition will take runners to the summit of the Imbabura Volcano in Ibarra, reaching an impressive altitude of 4,630 meters, offering a true high-altitude challenge in the Andes.
In July, the circuit heads to South America for the Cordillera Blanca Skyrace in Peru, set in the heart of the Andes, offering breathtaking high-altitude challenges. Then, it travels to Poland for the Tatra SkyMarathon in Zakopane, a charming mountain village known as the “Winter Capital of Poland,” with a course showcasing the dramatic Tatra Mountains. After a three-week summer break, August brings the iconic Matterhorn Ultraks Extreme in Switzerland, offering a thrilling challenge and unforgettable views of the Matterhorn.
September kicks off with the Saint-Jeorie Skyrace in France, set in the picturesque village of Saint-Jeoire in Haute-Savoie. The return of the Grigne SkyMarathon in Italy follows, a highly technical race through the stunning Grignetta massif. The month concludes with the ever-popular Gorbeia Suzien in Spain, a fan-favorite known for its challenging trails and vibrant Basque spirit.
October marks the series’ return to the UK with the Mourne Skyline in Northern Ireland, offering runners an epic challenge through the rugged peaks of the Mourne Mountains.
The circuit then heads to Asia for the Mt. Kinabalu International Climbathlon in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, a historic and iconic race in the series that has previously hosted multiple SkyMasters. This thrilling competition takes runners to the summit of Mount Kinabalu, standing at 4,100 meters, the highest peak in Southeast Asia. Set amidst breathtaking tropical landscapes, it promises to be an unforgettable highlight of the season.
The action continues with the 2 Peaks Skyrace at Yeongnam Alps in South Korea before returning to Spain for the Sobrescobio Skyrace in Asturias, an exciting event that will host the U23 Trofeo Esteban Olivero final. Known for its challenging trails and vibrant atmosphere, Sobrescobio will showcase the next generation of skyrunning talent, adding extra excitement to the race.
The season then culminates in style with the legendary Marató dels Dements in Eslida-Aín, Spain. A consolidated favorite in the series, this epic race serves as the grand SkyMasters finale, offering a fittingly dramatic conclusion to an extraordinary season.
Etienne Rodriguez, Managing Director of the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series comments:
“The Series will showcase a combination of key and longstanding Series races, as well as the addition of several new races, that present fresh challenges in new geographies and landscapes. Expanding into new geographies has been a key benchmark in growing interest in Skyrunning. We’ll be working with the athletes and organizers to align on a vision around some of the intricacies of the Series. Ultimately, we want to build a Series that the Skyrunners can be proud to race in, where the Organizers are inspired to host a stage in, and that we’re proud to oversee.”
U23 TROFEO ESTEBAN OLIVERO RETURNS TO THE CIRCUIT
Following its triumphant debut, the U23 Trofeo Esteban Olivero is set to return next year, bigger and better than ever! A total of 13 exciting races, ranging from 13 to 27 kilometers, have been carefully selected to challenge and inspire the rising stars of skyrunning. The youth ranking will kick off in vibrant Mexico with the Mexico SkyChallenge and travel across stunning landscapes, culminating in an unforgettable finale at the Sobrescobio Skyrace in Asturias, Spain. The unique 17-kilometer final promises to deliver an electrifying conclusion to the series, where the best young athletes will battle it out for glory on a challenging course designed to test their limits. This is more than a competition—it’s a celebration of the future of skyrunning. Get ready to witness the next generation of talent take center stage!
Seana Forbes, Athlete Manager of the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series comments:
“We received great feedback from the U23 ranking this year and next year we want to make it even better. The ranking gave exposure to younger athletes and also allowed them to learn and be inspired by the experienced athletes racing in the series. Next year we will have more races, therefore more opportunities for international young athletes to take part in the series and we hope to see even more young and upcoming stars take part in the circuit.”
More information on rules, regulations, and prize money will follow at the end of 2024.
2025 RACE CALENDAR
U23 TROFEO ESTEBAN OLIVERO