Cursa Memorial Ramon Oliu: route, times, and key information

The Ramon Oliu Memorial Race maintains a highly recognizable identity in Cantonigròs: accessible mountain running, a popular atmosphere, and a tribute that goes beyond the bib. The next edition is set for June 6, 2027 and offers two courses of 11 kilometers and 20 kilometers, both on trail terrain with moderate elevation gain and open scenery over the Collsacabra and the Vic plain.

The event has become firmly established as a race closely tied to the local area. It does not aim for the huge roar of mass events, but instead for a running experience with paths, forest tracks, and stretches of curriols that demand effort and, at the same time, leave room to enjoy the surroundings. Its charitable component also forms part of the event’s recent history: part of the proceeds goes to the Xana Foundation.

A race born as a tribute and turned into a local fixture

The Ramon Oliu Memorial is not just another race on the calendar. Its origins are linked to the memory of Ramón Oliu, born in Cantonigròs in 1923 and who died in Hamilton, in the United States, in 2005. The event was created as a gesture of affection from his friends and neighbors and, over the years, ended up earning its own place on the map of popular Catalan running.

That origin explains much of its character. The event retains a close, almost village-like tone, with the community gathering around a sporting start, while at the same time keeping enough structure to attract runners from outside the area. The mix is simple and effective: memory, mountains, and popular participation in the same setting, without unnecessary embellishment.

Ramon Oliu holds a singular place in the history of Catalan athletics for his role in the spread of popular races. His figure is associated with the push toward a more open and accessible model of running, and that legacy still weighs on this event. For that reason, the memorial is understood not only as a competition, but as a way of keeping alive a very specific sporting and human story.

Two distances that outline two ways of running the Collsacabra

The 2027 edition offers two options that suit different profiles. The short distance, 11 kilometers, features 165 meters of positive elevation gain. The long one, 20 kilometers, raises the challenge to 415 meters of positive elevation gain. The difference is not just numerical; it also changes how the effort is read, how pace is managed, and how the terrain is tackled.

The short race usually appeals to those who want a gentler mountain experience, though not a flat one. The elevation gain requires pacing, but the route allows for a more steady intensity. The long event, by contrast, enters another category within popular trail running: more demanding, more varied, and with more room for the landscape to blend with fatigue. This is not a heart-rate dump race, but one of controlled endurance.

In both cases, the terrain combines paths, forest tracks, and narrow trail sections. That creates a very recognizable profile in the region: invisible trekking poles, grippy shoes, and a pace that changes with the climbs, descents, and width of the trail. For someone coming from road running, the difference is felt quickly; for someone already running in the mountains, the event feels like a medium-intensity outing with highly scenic surroundings.

Timings, start, and the logistics of a very defined morning

The organizers schedule bib pickup from 8:00, a detail that helps pace the morning without hurry. The 20-kilometer start is set for 9:00, while the 11-kilometer race will begin at 9:15. That gap between the two helps organize participation and avoids a tightly packed start that could saturate the opening sections.

The starting point is Cantonigròs, with the Camp de Futbol as the usual reference for start and finish according to information from recent editions. That location simplifies logistics and concentrates the atmosphere before and after the effort. It also makes the small rituals that accompany this kind of race easier: the final adjustment of the bib, a glance at the muddy shoes from the day before, and the short, almost mechanical conversation before setting off.

The schedule reflects a very local trail-running approach: a compact morning, a course with clear checkpoints, and a return to the town center that allows recovery without dispersion. No oversized infrastructure is needed for the experience to work. A clear timetable, a well-defined route, and a setting that gives meaning to every kilometer are enough.

A course that rewards reading the terrain

The Ramon Oliu Memorial Race unfolds on terrain where reading the ground matters as much as running fast. The paths introduce changes in footing, the forest tracks allow for a more relaxed stride, and the narrower sections force runners to choose the right place to pass. The race does not have the extreme toughness of the biggest mountain events, but it does not give away meters either.

The views over the Vic plain and the Collsacabra turn several points along the route into something like an open window. That landscape is not just decoration; it is part of the race’s story. When effort blends with a setting like this, the runner senses more than the stopwatch. They sense scale, relief, and a visual reference that helps them understand where they are running.

The long distance adds more time spent exposed to that changing terrain. That creates a different challenge in terms of management: keeping a cool head on the climbs, not wasting energy on the descents, and avoiding the trap of a seeming ease that can backfire in the final stretch. In the mountains, a mistake is rarely paid for immediately; it usually comes due a few minutes later.

Solidarity with the Xana Foundation and an entry fee with social purpose

One of the event’s most notable features is its connection with the Xana Foundation. According to the organizers, 20% of the entry fee goes to that organization, a decision that adds a social layer to an already very community-oriented race. This is not an incidental gesture, but a visible part of its recent identity.

That charitable component fits the logic of a race born from its immediate surroundings. Rather than merely counting participants, the event channels part of its impact toward a cause linked to the care of children with serious illnesses. That dimension helps explain why the race retains such a distinctly human tone and why many registrations are also understood as support for a specific initiative.

In popular running, this kind of formula has gained weight because it connects sport with tangible social value. The race does not lose its competitive or recreational essence; it simply expands its meaning. Running here is not limited to the final time, but becomes part of a chain of support that goes beyond the finish line.

What kind of runner fits this event best

The Cantonigròs race is especially attractive for those looking for a mountain event without entering excessive levels of hardness. The 11-kilometer route can serve as a reasonable introduction to trail running, as long as one accepts that the mountains require respect for the elevation gain and a more thoughtful effort than in a road race.

The 20-kilometer distance, meanwhile, sits in a very interesting middle ground for those already accustomed to running off-road and who prefer an event that combines sustained effort with a moderately technical component. It is neither an ultratrail nor a road half marathon; it sits at that point where the mountains make themselves felt without requiring extreme specialization.

It also makes sense for runners who value atmosphere over spectacle. Here, the spotlight is not on showmanship, but on participation. The football field, the trails, the town’s proximity, and the charitable dimension create a race that feels more like a local sporting celebration than a marketing operation. That balance explains much of its loyalty.

Usual services, atmosphere, and what participants typically find

Information from recent editions points to practical, no-frills services: bib pickup before the start, changing rooms and showers around the football field, aid stations at intermediate points and at the finish, and an atmosphere designed so runners can focus on the experience. There have also been references to a tasting of local products at the end, a detail that strengthens the connection with the territory.

In a race of this kind, services do not compete with the story; they support it. They are the invisible elements that make everything work: arriving on time, leaving dry clothes, replenishing fluids, checking results, and leaving without a sense of improvisation. They may not make noise, but they make the difference between an orderly morning and a clumsy day.

The human environment matters too. The local organization, the presence of volunteers, and the event’s repetition year after year create a recognizable atmosphere. For many participants, that is worth as much as the route itself. A small but deeply rooted race conveys something that bigger events sometimes lose along the way: the feeling that you are entering a story that existed before your bib did.

The sporting value of a well-established popular race

From a sporting perspective, the Ramon Oliu Memorial offers a clear reading of popular trail running in Catalonia. It does not need huge numbers to justify interest. Its strength lies in the combination of mountain route, relative accessibility, and a local context that has supported it for years. That mix gives it personality compared with more impersonal events or those with more aggressive elevation profiles.

The event also illustrates something important about the local race calendar: not all interest lies in records or extreme toughness. There is plenty of room for events that prioritize continuity, coexistence, and connection with the territory. On that map, Cantonigròs occupies a very clear spot. The race does not sell itself as an epic; it presents itself as what it is, a popular mountain day with roots, memory, and a shared purpose.

That is why its interest goes beyond the specific date. Each edition renews the same logic: running along paths and tracks, looking at the Collsacabra from several angles, remembering Ramon Oliu, and supporting a charitable cause. The event rests on a simple and powerful idea: mountains can also be a form of community.

A Cantonigròs event that preserves its own identity

The strength of the Ramon Oliu Memorial Race lies in having maintained a recognizable personality without giving up symbolic growth. The mountains are there, yes, but so are remembrance, community cooperation, and a way of running that connects with the popular tradition of Catalan athletics. That combination keeps the race from being confused with others on the calendar.

The 2027 edition, with its two routes, early start, and charitable character, once again makes it a reference point for those looking for a close-to-home trail experience, well rooted in the territory and without unnecessary noise. Cantonigròs offers something less visible than a big city finish line, but perhaps more lasting: a landscape, a memory, and a starting line that continues to bring together those who understand running as part of a shared culture.

In an ever-expanding calendar, races like this remind us that the value of an event is not always in its size, but in the mark it leaves behind.