Cursa de Muntanyes d’Artà 2026: date, distances and start times

Plan your race pace

Artà will once again bring mountain runners together on Dec. 12, 2026, the scheduled date for the 13th Cursa Muntanyes d’Artà and the fifth edition of its shorter race. The programme includes a 30-kilometre long course with about 1,100 metres of positive elevation gain, and a shorter distance listed as either 16 or 17 kilometres in the available information.

The race takes place on mountain terrain and forest tracks in the Mallorcan municipality. The long-course start is listed for 9 a.m., while a schedule update places the short race at 9:30 a.m. Prices of €32 for the long course and €22 for the shorter one have also been published, although operational details and the final length of the shorter course still need to be checked against updates from the organisers.

A trail-running event in northeastern Mallorca

The race is set in Artà, a municipality in northeastern Mallorca known for the Serres de Llevant mountain range and the nearby Llevant Peninsula Natural Park. The landscape combines hills, Mediterranean vegetation and rural tracks, giving the event a character distinct from urban races and potentially requiring runners to adapt to uneven surfaces. The terrain, rather than an asphalt pace, shapes the experience here.

The 2026 event brings together two races under one programme: the 13th Cursa Muntanyes d’Artà, the long-distance event, and the fifth Mini Cursa Muntanyes d’Artà. According to the available regulations, both take place on the same day and use mountain paths and forest tracks. The event is organised by Club Atletisme Artà and Ajuntament d’Artà, a local partnership that connects the race to the municipality’s sporting life.

The December date also places the event at a particular point in the season. For many runners, autumn racing will have moved on from summer events and longer days; training takes place with less daylight and potentially cool temperatures. Preparation should account for both the distance and the conditions of a winter race day, without assuming the weather will be the same every year.

Published date, distances and start times

The listed date for both races is Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026. The long course is described as 30 kilometres with approximately 1,100 metres of positive elevation gain. That elevation figure helps indicate the accumulated effort, but it is no substitute for a complete course profile: without a detailed route, it is not possible to assess how climbs are distributed, how steep the sections are or what the descents are like.

The shorter race presents a discrepancy worth noting. The available regulations call it the Mini and give it a distance of 16 kilometres and about 400 metres of positive elevation gain. However, a start-time update refers to a 17-kilometre course, and some race listings use that figure as well. Until organisers confirm the final measurement, it is sensible to treat the short-course distance as unresolved.

As for start times, published information places the long race at 9 a.m. and reports a change for the shorter event, now set for 9:30 a.m. That change matters to anyone planning travel, a warm-up or arrival at the start area. The time to use for the short course is 9:30 a.m., according to the specific update, rather than the earlier time shown in some general listings.

What sets the two courses apart

Both routes share a mountain-running character and use forest tracks, but they place different demands on runners. At 30 kilometres and nearly 1,100 metres of positive elevation gain, the long course requires runners to manage their effort over several hours, especially if the profile alternates sustained climbs with technical descents. The total climbing is a useful indicator, although actual pace will also depend on the surface, weather and the way elevation changes are distributed.

According to the regulations, the Mini reduces both distance and elevation gain, with approximately 400 metres of climbing, and offers a shorter option within the same event. That does not make it an easy course: in the mountains, changing surfaces and slopes can make a relatively modest distance more demanding than a similarly sized road race. Choosing between the two depends on experience and preparation, not just kilometres.

The information reviewed does not include a detailed official map, a full elevation profile, aid-station locations or time limits. There are also insufficient details to describe the surface on each section or confirm whether the course includes particularly technical passages. Figures such as 1,100 or 400 metres of climbing help compare the overall workload, but cannot by themselves predict the route’s precise difficulty.

Artà’s landscape shapes the effort

The municipality covers a large area in northeastern Mallorca, with mountains, valleys and coastline. Its elevations include Talaia Freda, at about 562 metres, and Puig de Ferrutx, at roughly 519 metres. These peaks help explain the region’s terrain, but they should not be treated as confirmed points on the race course: the available information does not identify the exact route or list its summits.

The Llevant Peninsula preserves areas of great natural value and paths through Mediterranean landscapes. In a mountain race, that variety often means changing footing: compact earth, loose stones or track sections may alternate, but there is not enough official detail to say what surface runners will encounter in 2026. The setting provides context; the regulations and updated map should determine how to prepare for each section.

December can bring chilly mornings, damp conditions or rain, but the Mediterranean climate does not guarantee fixed conditions. Wind, exposed paths and ground conditions can matter as much as temperature. A wet forest track behaves differently from a dry one, and a descent that looks fast on a profile may call for caution if there is mud or slippery stone. A weather forecast close to race day will be more useful than any monthly average.

Preparing for a mountain race

The long distance combines volume and elevation, so preparation should not consist solely of building mileage on flat roads. Sessions on uneven ground help legs and ankles adjust to changes in footing; climbs teach runners to sustain effort without overreaching, while descents require control to conserve strength. Consistency is usually more valuable than a single high-load workout, especially when preparing for an event lasting several hours.

For the shorter course, fewer kilometres do not remove the need to be comfortable on trails and tracks. Runners whose experience is mainly on roads may find they need to adjust their stride, look farther ahead and accept that pace will fluctuate. On a mountain course, purposeful power-hiking on a steep climb can be an efficient choice, not a sign of failure: it can save energy for later sections and help maintain stability.

Official route information will be essential for fine-tuning preparation once it is available. An elevation profile, surface details and aid-station locations help runners decide on pace, footwear and how much water or food to carry. Until those details are published or confirmed, it is best not to train on assumptions about climbs, technical sections or aid stations. General preparation can continue without turning a guess into a fact.

Gear and December conditions

Footwear should match the terrain described by organisers once they publish the details: a trail shoe provides grip and stability on natural surfaces, but the tread pattern and level of protection needed depend on the actual course. There is no confirmed information about rocky sections, typical mud or technical passages, so it would not be responsible to recommend a specific model or setup. Each runner should choose based on the announced terrain and a tested fit.

An early December start is a reason to consider light layers that can adapt as the body warms up and exposure changes. A windproof or waterproof layer may make sense if the forecast warrants it, although that will depend on the day’s conditions. Clothing tested during training reduces the risk of chafing and lets runners check how pockets and fastenings work on the move.

How much to carry also depends on estimated duration and race services, which are not yet detailed in the information provided. It is not possible to assume how many aid stations there will be or what they will offer. Until those details are confirmed, runners should not rely on unconfirmed support and should check the regulations for rules on containers, mandatory gear and any other requirements, if applicable.

Registration and details still to be confirmed

The listings reviewed show prices of €32 for the long course and €22 for the shorter distance. Those amounts have been published in race information, but the available regulations say that more information will follow and do not explain any pricing tiers, fees, registration deadlines or refund terms. The figures are therefore a reference, not a guarantee that the final price or availability will remain unchanged.

Other practical details that can shape race day are also missing: the registration period, bib collection procedure, exact start and finish locations, parking, distance-change policy and what happens if the event is suspended. No specific start address is listed, so it is not possible to provide a more precise location than the municipality of Artà without making information up.

The shorter course deserves particular attention before registration or pace planning because of the difference between the 16 kilometres in the regulations and the 17 kilometres cited in another update. It is also worth checking the current start times, since the Mini’s start has changed. For an event with information still pending, the latest communication from the organisers should take precedence over listings that may not include changes.

Artà as a destination for runners and spectators

Artà is a town with local services and a broad natural setting, about 70 kilometres from Palma by road according to municipal information. The actual distance and travel time will depend on the starting point and route chosen. For an early-morning start, arriving with time to spare can help with parking and getting to the race area, but the exact location has not yet been specified in the available information.

The municipality has a strong identity shaped by its heritage and landscape, from the Sant Salvador complex to the protected surroundings of the Llevant Peninsula. That may give travelling spectators more to do than simply watch the race. However, the race course should not be confused with a tourist route: organisers have not yet specified which areas the course will cross, and it is not possible to say whether runners will pass recognisable landmarks.

December logistics also call for care. The event falls outside the main summer season, but that does not guarantee that every accommodation or service will be available. Booking ahead, planning the journey and arranging a post-race meal are travel decisions, not official race details. For spectators, knowing the start area and access routes will be especially important if they want to watch runners without getting in the way.

What the 2026 edition adds to the calendar

The event’s continuity, with a 13th edition of the main race and a fifth Mini, makes it part of Mallorca’s mountain-running calendar. The two options bring participants with different goals together on one day, although the available information does not specify categories, prizes, results or whether every distance is competitive. Those details should be checked in the full regulations once they are published.

The Dec. 12 date gives runners a clear reference point for planning an autumn and winter calendar. Those combining several races can consider the gap between events and the recovery time needed after a hilly 30-kilometre race. Preparation, however, should not be determined by the date alone: the actual profile, technical demands and planned services complete the information needed to decide which distance is suitable.

As presented, the race brings together two features that define much of trail running in the Balearic Islands: mountains close to the sea and paths through a rural landscape. The long course’s elevation figure suggests a demanding day, but the experience will depend on the precise route and conditions. Artà’s appeal lies in its landscape; the course determines how that landscape becomes a race.

A race with key details and open questions

The central details for the edition are set: the race is scheduled for Dec. 12, 2026, in Artà, with a 30-kilometre long course and a shorter race of around 16 or 17 kilometres. The route is described as mountain terrain and forest track, with about 1,100 metres of positive elevation gain for the long course and 400 for the Mini. Published start times are 9 a.m. and, following the announced change, 9:30 a.m. for the shorter event.

Several details remain to be settled or clarified: the Mini’s official distance, the map and profile, aid stations, cutoff times, exact start location, registration process and final price. Published prices are €22 and €32, but the registration details are incomplete in the information available. Good reporting means separating confirmed information from details that may still change.

With that caveat, the Cursa Muntanyes d’Artà is shaping up as a winter trail-running event for runners interested in combining distance and elevation in northeastern Mallorca. The natural setting provides context, but it does not replace the technical information that is still missing. Once the complete route is published, participants will be better placed to judge which distance suits their experience and how to approach an early morning among forest tracks and Mediterranean hills.