German and Swiss runners take gold and Britain's Jacob Adkin finishes fifth as the global event gets underway in Canfranc-Pirineos.

Nina Engelhard of Germany and Remi Bonnet of Switzerland have been crowned world champions in the Uphill race on the opening day of the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in the town of Canfranc in the Spanish Pyrenees.

Bonnet dethrones two-time champion Kipngeno

In the men’s category, two-time champion Patrick Kipngeno was aiming for a third consecutive title—an especially difficult feat, as the race proved. Swiss runner Rémi Bonnet came into the event with notable confidence, on a course that perfectly suited his vertical racing strengths. He was already in the lead by a clear margin at the halfway control point.

Chasing him were Richard Omaya, Bonnet's team-mate, and Kipngeno himself.

In the end, Bonnet left no room for doubt and claimed the gold in 37:50, setting a course record. Silver went to Kenyan Omaha with 39:04, and bronze to his compatriot Kipngeno, the dethroned champion, who still proved his worth with a time of 39:20 and a spot on the world Uphill podium.

Britain's Jacob Adkin finished fifth in 39:34 as the GB team finished seventh.

Bonnet said: “I’m very happy to win here. My training style—combining ski mountaineering with trail running—made me feel very confident. It’s never easy to beat the top Kenyan runners in an Uphill race, but today I managed to do it. I’m really pleased with my performance.”

Runner-up Omaya said: “Past the halfway point, I saw that Remi had opened too big a gap, so I focused on running my own race to the finish. I'm also really happy with the excellent result achieved by our Kenyan team today.”

Former champion Kipngeno added: “From around kilometre two, I realised the dream of a third title wouldn’t be possible today—Remi and Richard were just too strong. As for the course, I really enjoyed it. I love these landscapes and the overall atmosphere.”

Adkin said: “In a stacked field, I’m very happy to have finished in fifth place. It was a great course with an incredible backdrop that showcased what makes this sport special.”

Team results
Gold: Kenya – 22 points
Silver: Switzerland – 34 points
Bronze: USA – 41 points

Engelhard takes women's gold

Young German athlete Nina Engelhard came in as the reigning European champion in both Uphill and Classic (2024) and once again showed her immense talent by taking a brilliant world title in 45:33, smashing the course record.

Silver went to Finland’s Susana Saapunki, who fought all the way to the finish, coming in at 45:59. The third spot on the podium was earned by the USA’s Anna Gibson, thanks to a gritty run that saw her finish in 46:07.

Kirsty Dickson of Britain finished 12th  in 48:23, while GB team-mate Scout Adkin was 15th as the team finished seventh.

Engelhard said: “I gave it everything I had—my legs are still destroyed. It’s been a wonderful day, with an amazing course and scenery, but I’ll need several days to recover from this effort. The course was mostly runnable, except for the final ridge, which left me barely able to breathe.”

Saapunki said: “I felt really good, although my legs were killing me in the final section. From kilometre three, I thought maybe I could take the lead, but that final ridge made it impossible.”

Gibson, who claimed the bronze, reflected: “The final section was so tough I couldn’t even think about gaining positions. But in return, the warmth of the crowd, my friends, my team-mates... it was a fantastic atmosphere. I’m especially proud of the team spirit and support among all of us.”

Team results:
Gold: Italy – 31 points
Silver: France – 36 points
Bronze: Canada – 41 points

The Canfranc Uphill race started in front of Hotel Santa Cristina, right alongside the Camino de Santiago. From there, runners faced a straight ascent of 6 km to the summit of Larraca (2278 m), with a total elevation gain of 978 metres —without much rest. A route that perfectly encapsulates the Uphill philosophy: maximum intensity over minimal distance.

The course combined forest tracks in the opening stretch with a rocky singletrack in the middle section, before tackling the final switchbacks leading to the iconic summit near the Astún ski resort. The last kilometer was especially brutal: a steep alpine slope of grass and rock, where running turns into a rhythmic climb.

The Uphill race has crowned the first world champions at Canfranc-Pirineos, kicking off what promises to be an unforgettable weekend, bringing the best of the Aragonese Pyrenees to the world stage.

Short Trail: Sept 26 – 8:00am
Long Trail: Sept 27 – 7:00am
Classic and U20 races: Sept 28 – From 8:15am