The 12th edition of the Unicaja Ultra Sierra Nevada, to be held on 10, 11 and 12 April 2026, is once again officially sponsored by the financial institution, which lends its name to one of the most iconic trail running events on the national calendar. With over 1,800 registrations, the event has already surpassed the participation record set in the 2025 edition.
The high level of interest in the race is also reflected in the rapid sale of race numbers. Places for the Marathon category are already sold out, and those for the Ultra are close to being fully booked. This competition is considered one of the most spectacular ultratrails in Europe and the highest-altitude event on the Iberian Peninsula, with a route that combines sporting challenge with a unique natural setting.
Unicaja’s sponsorship, in the words of its head of Communication and Image, Fernando Ríos, “highlights our aim to support and raise the profile of various sporting disciplines, whilst promoting respect for and appreciation of the natural environment in a setting as unique as the Sierra Nevada”. He also highlighted “our close ties with the ski resort, which we also sponsor, thereby reinforcing our support for initiatives that contribute to the development of the regions where we operate”.
For his part, the CEO of TerraIncognita Group, José Manuel Toledo, expressed his gratitude to Unicaja for its support as the Main Sponsor of the Ultra Sierra Nevada: “Thanks to this support, we can continue to focus on creating a better event for all our participants. We would like to thank Unicaja for its loyalty over all these years, its commitment to the region and its dedication to sport and to Sierra Nevada, a commitment we share.”
Five categories for all levels
The Unicaja Ultra Sierra Nevada route will start in the city of Granada and finish at Pradollano, at the ski resort, and is structured into five categories —Ultra, Trail, Marathon, Half and Relay— and four distances: 100, 60, 42 and 25 kilometres.
Under the slogan “Conquer your summit”, the event offers options tailored to runners of different levels. The Ultra category, covering 100 kilometres with over 5,500 metres of elevation gain, is the event’s flagship race, reaching altitudes of over 3,000 metres. It will start at 10.00 pm on Friday, 10 April, from the centre of Granada, with the Alhambra and Generalife monuments providing the backdrop.
The Trail distance (60 km) has been designated the Andalusian Individual and Club Ultra Trail Championships by the Andalusian Athletics Federation, which underscores the competitive nature of the event. The race is scheduled to start at 6.00 am on Saturday, 11 April, from Cenes de la Vega.
The Marathon, which will start on the same day at 8.00 am in Quéntar, covers a 42-kilometre route that shares part of the course with the Ultra, whilst the Half Marathon, starting on Sunday 12 April at 9.00 am, offers a more accessible alternative, covering 25 kilometres between Pinos Genil and Pradollano.
Finally, the Relay event, limited to a maximum of one hundred teams, will share the route with the Trail and include the climb to Pico Veleta, starting at 6.00 am on 11 April.
