The XTERRA Trail Run World Championship turns its trails toward the Mediterranean, where Gozo Island will host the 17th edition on May 9, 2026.
Athletes from 30 countries will gather on Malta’s island of adventure to compete for championship titles in the Trail Marathon and Trail Half Marathon. Open races will also give local runners, visiting athletes, families, and first-time XTERRA participants the chance to be part of the weekend.
The championship began in 2008 at Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii and has since travelled to Maui, Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine, and Eryri in Wales. In Gozo, the next chapter follows coastal paths, wild valleys, limestone trails, and clifftop views around one of the Mediterranean’s most distinct island settings.
Series Decider in Gozo
Across the XTERRA Trail Run World Series, since 2022, runners have felt the connection across the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. They have spent another year earning their place on terrain that rarely repeats itself, from Borneo and Switzerland to desert trails, alpine climbs, and coastal routes.
Gozo will become the fifth location to host the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship since the event began in Hawaii in 2008. This year, world titles will be contested across the 50K Trail Marathon and 20K Trail Half Marathon, with open races and a 12K Trail Run also part of the weekend.
Joseph Portelli, a Gozo resident and long-time member of the trail community, says the route carries personal meaning. “At 68 years old, trail running is still my greatest passion, and there’s nowhere I love running more than around Gozo. To me, age is just a number.”
Keeping It Moving
No two courses are meant to feel the same. Runners have earned their place through heat, dust, rainforest, ridgelines, coastal wind, volcanic ground, and mountain climbs before reaching the edge of the Mediterranean.
Mikaela Borg, a regular XTERRA Malta athlete and past XTERRA Trail Run European Championship Half Marathon winner, first discovered trail running through the XTERRA Gozo Trail Run. “XTERRA Gozo has a special place in my heart. In 2020, I took part in my first-ever trail run, and instantly fell in love with trail running.”
Gozo can feel like the end of a qualification path, but for others, including those in the 12K Trail Run, it’s a first step into the same global trail running community.
The Appeal
Just north of Malta and reached by ferry across the Gozo Channel, Gozo feels close but distinct. For many Maltese, that short crossing is part of the appeal. The island is easy to reach, yet far enough away to feel like another world. Home to the Ġgantija temples dating back to approximately 3600–2500 BC, along with harbours, citadels, farm roads, and coastal settlements gives the course meaning beyond the finish line.
The route follows a coastal circuit through limestone paths, sheltered valleys, old villages, and cliffs above blue water. The sea keeps returning each time the trail turns back toward the edge.
Jemima Farley, a Malta-based runner from the UK and returning World Champion, says that feeling is what sets Gozo apart. “There really is just something special about the opportunity to race around an entire island. I can’t help it, the views are incredible and the rugged cliffs take my breath away every time I see them.”
A Global Gathering
European runners are strongly represented, but athletes are also arriving from North America, Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
Minister for Gozo and Planning, Clint Camilleri, says, “Events of this stature reflect our commitment to promoting the island as a destination capable of attracting and hosting high level world championship competitions, while further strengthening its international profile.”
The open categories bring runners of all capacities into the same weekend, while the Community Coffee Run, Opening Ceremony, Awards Ceremony, Lounge After Party, food, music, and local support add to the experience beyond the races.
Nathan Farrugia, Race Director, put it simply. “Gozo is the perfect playground for nature-loving people aiming to mix athletic challenge with peace and harmony.”
Full event details, including the schedule, venue information, course notes, and athlete instructions, can be found in the 2026 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship Athlete Guide. The current field is listed on the official start list.
For race weekend coverage from Gozo, follow XTERRA Trail Run on Instagram, with additional stories and updates shared across XTERRA channels.
The journey here has moved across continents. On May 9, it reaches the edge of the Mediterranean, where the 2026 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship brings the global trail community together on Gozo.
