What to Know About the 2023 XTERRA European Trail Run Championship

The 2023 XTERRA European Trail Run Championship is set to take place this weekend, September 9th, 2023, where the renowned trails of Trentino, Italy will set the stage for the third and final Regional Championship in a global trail-blazing year for XTERRA. 

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The event comes as part of the of the re-imagined XTERRA Trail Run World Series that has already seen an APAC Championship play out on the tropical trails of Taiwan, an Americas Championship contested on the slopes of Oak Mountain, USA, and now the a European Championship held beneath the peaks of the staggering Brenta Dolomites. The series will then culminate on Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine, USA, where the first ever qualification-only XTERRA Trail Run World Championship will decide who wears the ultimate crown.

The event will be held as part of the Dolomiti Di Brenta Trail, a firm favourite for trail runners the world over since its debut in 2016. The UNESCO heritage site serves as a fitting backdrop for a championship event and well over 700 runners are set to attend. Those from the European region will be in contention for championship crowns in each age division, while runners from all countries can contest for the €5,200 in prize money.

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The 45K Trail Marathon is set to lead the way, starting at 07:30 local time, with the 21K then following at 10:00. 

Sitting at 3,173m above sea level with its ominous rock walls and sawtooth peaks, capped in snow and towering over the blue waters of Lake Molveno, the Brenta Dolomites serve as not only the hosting ground of the event but also the perfect challenge to decide Europe’s best.

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The championship features two distances, each crowning the male and female winners of every age division as 2023 XTERRA European Trail Run Champions. 

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The 21K route boasts an elevation gain of over 1,250 metres, while its counterpart, the 45K, presents an elevation gain that exceeds 2,580 metres. Both courses provide runners with ITRA points, rewarding 1 and 2 points for the respective distances. 

Participants can anticipate temperatures ranging between 7 and 8 degrees Celsius at the 2,000-metre altitude. Both races start and finish at the crystal-clear Lake Molveno, with the courses traversing prominent mountains such as Cima S. Maria and Cima di Campa before reaching the expansive Passo del Grosté plateau, covering the central portion of the Brenta mountain range. The runners navigate in the shadow of iconic summits – Cima Brenta, Crozzon di Brenta, Cima Tosa, Campanile Basso, among others – culminating in the crossing of Bocca di Brenta and a final descent back to the lake. 

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The Brenta Mountain Huts, integral to the event's logistical support, line the courses. These huts, each with a unique history and design, stand as silent witnesses to mountaineering's evolution. 

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The Graffer Hut, situated on Pian del Grostè at an altitude of 2,261 metres, pays tribute to the legacy of Dolomite mountaineering through its name, honouring Giorgio Graffer. The Tuckett-Sella Hut, perched at 2,272 metres, has two structures, including the Quintino Sella lodge, named after the founder of the Italian Alpine Club, and a main building paying homage to British mountaineer Francis Fox Tuckett. The Brentei Hut sits at 2,182 metres and is positioned at hiking route crossroads. Higher still at 2,491 metres, the Rifugi alla Tosa and T. Pedrotti Huts stand on rocky outcrops by Brenta Bassa, facing Brenta Alta. These huts are ideal launchpads for ascending the central peaks. In Molveno, the Croz dell'Altissimo Hut, overseen by the Spellini family, graces the landscape at 1,480 metres. This refuge, named after nearby Altissimo peak, invites travellers to savour Trentino's flavours.

The combination of the towering mountain range and the history that exists within it will no doubt add even further grandeur to the occasion as XTERRA marks its first ever European Trail Run Championship as it looks to unite the global XTERRA Trail Run Community in a single series.

The event has drawn pro and amateur racers from around the world, with no fewer than 20 countries - ranging from as far afield as Peru and New Zealand to as close to home as Switzerland and Malta - set to take their place on the starting line this weekend, ready to face whatever challenges the Dolomitic Alps throw at them.

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With a participant limit of 800 across all distances, the event not only safeguards the environment but also guarantees a positive participant experience. The provision of GPS trackers also ensures athlete safety throughout the competition. All runners are required to carry sufficient sustenance and a minimum of one litre of water for the distances between the select aid stations on the course, resulting in a true test of endurance and preparation.

Respect for the natural surroundings is paramount. The "Do Not Throw My Waste" campaign by Spiritotrail is the guiding principle. Infringements, no matter how minor, can lead to disqualification. With a strict adherence to the ethos of "We Play, We Protect," athletes must bring personal water vessels, as single-use items will be absent from aid stations.

The culmination of the 2023 XTERRA Trail Run World Series arrives on October 1st, 2023, with the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship at Sugarloaf Resort, Maine, USA. This championship is now exclusively open to qualifiers for the first time in history.

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Spanning 38 qualifying events across 18 countries, the event represents the pinnacle of achievement in the year-long series. In true championship fashion, the day is reserved for only one: the best on that day, where the winner takes all. The event attracts both elite and amateur runners who will compete for both XTERRA Championship titles and a $10,000 prize pool, open to all.

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Sugarloaf is renowned as a "trail paradise," boasting nearly 100 kilometres of diverse trails that cross from 432 metres at the base elevation to the mountain's peak at 1,300 metres.

The race will begin and end at Sugarloaf Resort and includes a challenging ascent up Sugarloaf Mountain, as well as sections that feature mountain rivers, twisting single track, and crushed packed stone paths that result in smooth and fast running.

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The winners will wear the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship crowns in the first year of a united and global trail run series, and enter 2024 as the defending champions.