Menorca Camí de Cavalls 2027: dates, distances and race entries

Plan your race pace

The 15th edition of Trail Menorca Camí de Cavalls ConectaBalear will take place from April 30 to May 2, 2027, with eight race formats ranging from 11 kilometers to the 185-kilometer route around the island, also available as a relay. Ciutadella will be the hub of an event combining coastal trails, ultradistance routes and starts at several locations across Menorca.

The 3,000 places announced for this edition were allocated in September 2026. Organizers scheduled the waiting lists to open on October 1 at 6 p.m., with a €1.50 contribution earmarked for improvements to the trail. Joining does not guarantee a race entry: it allows applicants to be considered for places released by withdrawals, under the allocation procedure communicated by the event.

The sellout followed a registration launch that had already attracted more than 2,800 participants in its first 48 hours. That initial figure reflected exceptionally high demand, but not an immediate sellout across the entire program. Subsequent information, announced on September 23, confirmed that the longer races had also filled, along with the relay, completing the advertised allocation.

That distinction matters when arranging travel. A headline about the first distances selling out may suggest availability that disappeared days later. As of October 8, 2026, the available information points to standard entries being sold out and a previously announced opening of the waiting lists. The number of withdrawals and the number of applicants who will ultimately receive places are not known.

The €1.50 contribution is for joining the waiting list, not the race entry fee. Nor does it establish that transport, accommodation or other expenses are included. Full race entry prices are absent from the available information, so there is no verified fee for each format from which to calculate the total cost of participating here.

The program features seven different distances and eight race formats because the 185-kilometer loop is available both individually and in teams. Between the shortest and longest options are routes of 27, 44, 58, 85 and 100 kilometers. Referring to eight different distances would therefore be inaccurate: the relay covers the same overall distance as the longest individual race.

The full loop starts in Ciutadella on Friday, April 30, with two scheduled start times. The first is at 8:30 a.m., allowing a maximum of 40 hours to finish; the second is at 3:30 p.m., with a limit of 33 hours and 30 minutes. Although the time allowance differs, both starts cover the individual 185-kilometer race.

The main event listing gives 3,500 meters of accumulated elevation change for this route. That is a relevant figure, but it should not automatically be treated as equivalent to the ascent measured by any navigation file. Other pages give different calculations derived from digital routes; meaningful race comparisons require accumulated elevation change and elevation gain to be distinguished and checked against the organizers’ final profile.

The 185-kilometer relay is scheduled to start on Friday at 3:30 p.m., alongside the second individual wave. The published program provides for teams of two to four runners and a maximum time of 33 hours and 30 minutes. The effort is shared, but the total route remains a complete island loop; it does not mean that each team member runs 185 kilometers.

The length of each relay leg, the handover points and travel between them are central to understanding this format. Equal legs cannot be assumed simply by dividing the distance by the number of team members. Without those confirmed details, the exact mileage allocation remains unspecified, as do the particular arrangements for participant support and transfers.

Friday also features the 11-kilometer Starter, running between Binimel·là and Platges de Fornells. Two waves are scheduled, at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., with a maximum time of two hours and 30 minutes and 280 meters of accumulated elevation change in the event listing. It is the shortest option on the program, though it retains the demands of running over natural terrain.

Saturday, May 1, begins in the early hours. The 100-kilometer Costa Nord is scheduled to start in Maó at 1 a.m., with a maximum time of 21 hours and 30 minutes and a published 2,300 meters of accumulated elevation change. That timing introduces an opening section run in darkness, an important difference from a race that begins in daylight.

The 85-kilometer Costa Sud will start in Es Castell at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. Its limit is 18 hours, and the main listing gives 1,200 meters of accumulated elevation change. North and south offer different experiences, but their comparison cannot be settled by elevation alone: 85 kilometers also demands sustained endurance, effective fueling and attention to the ground as fatigue develops.

The 58-kilometer Petit Trail Costa Nord is scheduled to start in Fornells at 8 a.m. on Saturday. It allows 12 hours and 30 minutes and has a published 1,200 meters of accumulated elevation change. Its length puts it well beyond the marathon distance; its name does not lessen the challenge of spending much of the day progressing along trails.

The 44-kilometer Petit Trail Costa Sud will start in Es Migjorn Gran in two waves, at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. It has a limit of nine hours and 30 minutes and 650 meters of accumulated elevation change. Its distance slightly exceeds a marathon’s 42.195 kilometers, but comparisons with road racing have limits: surfaces, footing and changes of pace alter the effort involved.

The 27-kilometer Short Trail Costa Nord will connect La Vall with Ciutadella on Saturday afternoon, with scheduled starts at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. The event listing gives a maximum of six hours and 30 minutes and 392 meters of accumulated elevation change. It is a middle-distance option, not a half-marathon, following a coastal route that requires careful foot placement.

Sunday, May 2, completes the event window, with finishes and activities as set out in the final program. That does not mean all races start that day or that every entrant competes over three days. The individual date depends on the race: starts are concentrated on Friday and Saturday, with markedly different times even within the same distance.

Overall time limits also do not replace any intermediate cutoffs. A runner may have many hours available to reach the finish yet still need to pass an earlier checkpoint within a specific deadline. The available information does not detail those locations, so it cannot establish intermediate cutoff times or reliable passing margins for each route.

The setting explains much of the event’s identity. The Camí de Cavalls, marked as GR 223, follows Menorca’s perimeter, connecting coves, cliffs, Mediterranean vegetation and paths close to inhabited areas. The race uses this historic corridor to create interconnected formats: one trail supports very different challenges, from a few hours of trail running to an extended journey around the island.

The competitive loop is advertised as 185 kilometers, but that figure should not be applied without qualification to every measurement of the entire walking trail. Access sections, urban connections and course adjustments can alter a race route. Equally, the final 2027 race course cannot be inferred from a file from another edition, even if the race name and advertised distance match.

Menorca does not offer the setting of an Alpine ultra, with major passes and high elevations. Its difficulty lies closer to the ground: uneven stones, repeated short climbs, descents into coves and transitions between dirt, rock and sand. That sequence adds up to many small muscular demands; low altitude does not make the course easy, particularly after many hours of effort.

The north coast is generally associated with open, wind-exposed sections, while the south features coves, pine woods and stretches where the scenery changes quickly. These are broad characteristics of the landscape, not an absolute ranking of difficulty. An apparently manageable surface can become demanding with fatigue, rain or heat: ground conditions change the experience as much as the distance printed on a race bib.

Rock calls for careful footing, and sand can reduce forward momentum even where the profile barely rises. Applying a city 10K or marathon pace to these routes without adjustment therefore provides a poor guide. In coastal trail running, pace per kilometer becomes less important than sustaining an appropriate effort and adapting to each surface.

Late April and early May can bring sunshine, wind and spells of rain, but there is no reliable forecast for those specific days this many months ahead. Climate averages describe a season, not the weather at a particular start. Race-day weather remains unknown and can only be assessed through forecasts issued close to the event and communications from the organizers.

The exposed coast adds another consideration: a pleasant day in a sheltered location can feel considerably colder on an open section, especially when stopping. On the longer routes, light and temperature also change during the effort. Extreme conditions need not be imagined to appreciate that protection from the wind matters both when preparing equipment and when managing stops.

Mandatory equipment must be checked against the specific 2027 rules for the chosen race. References from previous editions mention a headlamp, rear light, phone, emergency blanket, whistle, windproof jacket and hydration capacity of at least one liter for the full loop. Without confirmation of the applicable rules, that collection is not a current mandatory list and does not establish that requirements remain unchanged.

The same caution applies to poles, documentation, participation requirements and possible equipment checks. A useful running recommendation is not the same as a regulatory requirement, and an ultra requirement does not automatically extend to the 11-kilometer race. Conditions vary between race formats; assigning a single rule to the entire program can create mistakes before the start.

Beyond formal obligations, the terrain makes a case for trail shoes with suitable grip and adequate protection from stone. It also matters whether packs, socks and clothing have been used during comparable efforts. Sand, sweat and moisture can turn a small seam into a source of discomfort over time. Proven comfort provides better evidence than debuting equipment because of its appearance or a marketing promise.

The longer races require food, drink and rest to be considered part of performance, not optional extras. However, the final aid-station locations and supplies for 2027 are not established here. Water points identified on a general map do not demonstrate a race service either: a mapped source is not a confirmed aid station, nor does it guarantee availability on race day.

Specific preparation relates to those course characteristics: duration of effort, stability on rock and the ability to handle repeated small climbs and descents. For a runner familiar with routes in the Valencian Community, experience on coastal or stony trails may be relevant. Even so, familiarity with the Mediterranean does not replace the preparation required for a new distance or a nighttime start.

In the 100- and 185-kilometer races, sleep and concentration assume an importance that does not arise in the same way over shorter distances. The second start of the full loop, for example, brings darkness relatively early in the effort. Simply multiplying the hours of a familiar race is not enough: ultradistance changes how fatigue is managed, how footing is monitored and how runners sustain their intake of food.

Island logistics deserve as much precision as the mileage. Ciutadella is the event hub, but several races begin in other towns or coastal locations, meaning accommodation and start locations do not always coincide. For anyone traveling from Valencia, Alicante or Castellón, transport within the island is part of planning, alongside arrival in Menorca and the time available before racing.

The published program states that the organizers’ bus is mandatory for access to the 11- and 27-kilometer starts because of restrictions in those protected areas. This is not a minor detail or merely an alternative to driving. Boarding locations, times and specific conditions must follow the rules: independent access may not be permitted for these formats.

Very early starts also shape the preceding night. Leaving Maó at 1 a.m. requires different arrangements from starting in Fornells at 8 a.m., even though both races are on Saturday. Transport availability and the time needed to reach the start are separate issues from the maximum race duration. The date alone is not enough to finalize a booking or transfer.

The waiting list adds uncertainty to that process. Booking travel services does not turn a pending application into a confirmed entry, and a released place may arrive with less notice than desired. No guaranteed number of reallocated entries has been published in the supplied information. The actual allocation of a race place is what separates the expectation of taking part from confirmed participation.

Cancellation, refund and entry-transfer conditions also remain unspecified here. It should not be assumed that a place can be sold, informally handed over or moved to a different distance. Those mechanisms depend on the rules and registration system. The waiting list does not authorize private transfers or replace the procedures established for handling a withdrawal.

Environmental considerations run through the event. Menorca is a Biosphere Reserve, and the trail crosses places where sporting activity coexists with recreation and conservation. Keeping to the route, leaving no waste and observing access restrictions are basic trail-running responsibilities. The announced waiting-list contribution also links demand for entries with trail improvements, without on its own demonstrating the event’s overall environmental impact.

The registration success establishes interest in the race, not a shared motivation among all participants. Some will want to complete the island loop, others will prefer a short distance, and others will form a team. The common, verifiable figure is 3,000 places allocated before September ended. Individual reasons for entering cannot be reduced to a single formula involving scenery, tourism or performance.

The 2027 edition already has a clear framework: a three-day event window, seven distances, eight race formats and sold-out standard entries. Possible reallocations and the finalization of regulatory details remain outstanding. Between one cove and the next, the Camí de Cavalls will continue to offer its combination of stone, sea and trail; the sporting challenge will depend on the chosen route, not just the beauty accompanying each kilometer.

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