TrailSeries Costa Daurada 2026: dates and key details

Plan your race pace

The Costa Daurada trail circuit will bring together seven races from March to December 2026, with events in Bràfim, Prades, Duesaigües, l’Albiol, Ulldemolins and Colldejou. The programme combines mountain routes with 21K, 10K and 5K options, as well as walking formats, and includes both individual and club standings. The season starts in Bràfim on March 22 and ends in Colldejou on December 20.

The calendar includes changes from the previous season and restores a two-day format for the Prades and Montsant events, with circuit races scheduled for Sunday. It also introduces changes to team scoring and environmental measures, including recycled-fabric shirts and recycling points at the races. Four race results are needed to score in the individual standings; completing six earns finisher status.

Seven races from spring to winter

The season will run for nine months and visit different villages and landscapes in inland Tarragona. The first stop is the Cursa Bràfim on March 22; Trail Prades follows on April 19, and Night Trail Duesaigües takes place on July 11. After the summer break, the circuit returns on September 20 with the l’Albiol race. The schedule spans spring, summer and autumn before ending the year with two winter events.

The second half of the calendar continues on October 11 with the Trail Serra de Montsant, starting and finishing in Ulldemolins. Trail Les Ermites returns to the same town on November 29, while Trail Colldejou, also known as the Christmas Race, wraps up the season on December 20. The two Ulldemolins races offer different routes in the same area, several weeks apart. The circuit is not centred on one venue: each race brings a different landscape and terrain.

The available details confirm dates and towns, but do not provide start times, elevation gain, aid stations or final routes for every race. Those details may vary by event and should be checked in each race’s specific information once it is published. There is no single entry fee for the whole circuit either: registration and its terms depend on each event, so a reliable overall price cannot be given.

A circuit with options to run or walk

The shared structure has four formats: 21K, 10K trail, 10K walking and a short 5K event called Start-Family Trail. The last two are especially aimed at participants who prefer walking or want to try trail running, although the 10K also has a competitive running option. The programme reaches beyond runners seeking to complete a mountain half-marathon.

The organisers describe the routes as accessible courses without scrambling sections, intended to make mountain competition open to a range of abilities. That general description does not replace each race’s technical details: distance alone does not show how much climbing is involved, what the descents are like or which surfaces predominate. A wide track and an uneven trail can demand very different efforts, even at similar distances. The specific profile and terrain are key to judging each race’s difficulty.

Some events also have their own formats alongside the circuit’s usual distances. Prades lists routes of 11 and 22 kilometres, while information for the Montsant event refers to distances of 7, 13 and 21 kilometres. These figures belong to the individual events and should not automatically be confused with the circuit’s general 21K, 10K and 5K categories. The options may differ between venues, so each race’s rules are the best guide to available distances.

The range of formats can attract experienced runners as well as walkers and families. But describing a race as accessible does not make it equivalent to a road event: mud, stones, roots and elevation changes affect pace and muscular effort. On mountain terrain, keeping a steady effort is often more useful than chasing a road-style pace per kilometre. Adapting to the terrain is part of both the experience and the challenge of trail running.

How individual standings are calculated

In 2026, each participant’s four best results will count towards the individual standings. Runners must score in at least four of the seven events to appear in the table, while finisher status requires completing six. The difference between those thresholds lets runners compete without attending every race, while reserving finisher recognition for those who take part more consistently across the season. Four results count towards the standings; six races are required for finisher status.

Counting the best results also means that one difficult race does not have to determine an entire season. Still, consistency can be decisive for anyone aiming for the overall standings: completing events at different times of year calls for calendar planning and recovery between efforts. Distances, elevation and weather can vary considerably from one race to another, so the points total reflects more than speed alone. Consistency and the ability to adapt to different terrain also matter.

The circuit information says prizes will go to the top three in each men’s and women’s category, alongside overall podiums in the 21K and 10K trail formats. It also states that race prizes and circuit prizes are not cumulative. This distinction matters when interpreting results: recognition at an individual event and recognition in the annual standings are separate competitions, even when they involve the same runners and locations. The specific rules should confirm the categories and final prize allocation.

The organisers describe the races as ITRA-scored and as UTMB Qualifiers, but the validity and scope of those records may depend on each distance and on the current rules of the relevant organisations. Runners seeking points or qualification requirements should check the specific race listing before entering. A general circuit description does not guarantee identical external scoring conditions for every distance.

Two standings for clubs

The 2026 edition creates two ways to compare clubs: a points table and a ranking based on the number of finishers in each race. In the points table, each team’s four best results count at each event. The combination may be men’s, women’s or mixed, and can include results from the 21K and 10K trail distances, according to the published information. Collective performance is not limited to teams made up only of men or only of women.

The participation ranking awards one point for every finisher, up to a maximum of 20 points per race. This format rewards club members who reach the finish and adds a participation element to the sporting result. Teams can appear in both rankings, but the rules say each runner may score for only one club throughout the circuit. If a runner changes clubs after the season starts, previously earned points cannot be transferred, except in the case of a justified error. Choosing a club affects point accumulation throughout the calendar.

All seven races count towards the club standings, compared with the four best events used for the individual ranking. That makes regular attendance an important factor for teams and means smaller races can also influence the annual outcome. The organisers also describe a ranking based on participant numbers at each race, alongside the points and finisher tables. The format combines sporting results with collective participation at each venue.

The full conditions are set out in the annual rules, which should explain any tie-break procedures, entry criteria and how incidents are handled. The available summaries outline the general structure but cannot resolve every individual case. In particular, clubs planning the season around several runners should remember that only four team results count per event in the points ranking. The official rules are the reference for interpreting the standings.

What changes in the 2026 calendar

Among the changes, Cursa Bràfim, Trail l’Albiol and Trail Les Ermites move one week from their 2025 dates. The events associated with the Ultra Trail Serra de Montsant and Ultra Trail Muntanyes Costa Daurada also return to a two-day format. Under that arrangement, Trail Prades takes place on April 19 and the Montsant event on October 11. Circuit races are scheduled for Sunday on those weekends.

Night Trail Duesaigües gives the calendar a different format because it is a night or semi-night race. An event starting late in the day may affect lighting, clothing and navigation needs, although the available information does not specify start times or mandatory kit. The race is scheduled for July 11, a summer date that may also bring warm conditions in the hours before the start. The race rules should confirm the specific requirements for running at night.

The autumn races use routes connected with the Serra de Montsant and nearby villages. For Les Ermites, the event description highlights a route passing up to three hermitages, starting and finishing at the Sant Antoni hermitage in Ulldemolins. For Colldejou, the description mentions landmarks such as La Mola and La Miranda, as well as sections in the Serra de Llaberia. These are landscape references, not substitutes for a route file or elevation profile. Check route information before assuming elevation gain or finish times.

The final event, in December, retains its Christmas Race character and closes a season that began in early spring. Anyone planning to run several events will need to fit the circuit around other goals and recovery periods. The schedule does not require racing every month: there are several weeks between some events, and the rules allow the individual standings to be based on four results. The calendar leaves room to choose the races that best fit each sporting season.

Sustainability and circuit kit

The organisers announce prizes made with 95% recycled components and shirts produced from 100% recycled fabric. They also plan to reuse course-marking tape and provide a green point at every race to improve waste sorting. The Trail Serra de Montsant has also been awarded the Petjada Verda seal, according to the information provided. The measures combine changes to materials with actions during events.

A race’s environmental impact is not measured only by the material in a shirt or trophy. Waste management, course marking, participant travel and respect for natural spaces also contribute to the footprint of a mountain event. The announced steps aim to reduce some waste and organise its collection, although the available details do not include overall indicators that would quantify the circuit’s full impact. Sustainability depends on organisers as well as participants.

The shirt collection is associated with several brands, including Sporty, OTSO and LAND, and the reference information says some race designs have yet to be announced. It is therefore not possible to predict every garment or confirm that all races will provide exactly the same model. Kit is secondary to the route, but the use of recycled fibres is a material change highlighted for this season. Each shirt’s design and details will be confirmed by event.

At a trail race, care for the environment has an immediate, practical side: staying on the marked route, carrying wrappers out and following waste instructions helps protect paths shared by runners, walkers and wildlife. Green points can support waste management near the start and finish areas, but do not replace individual responsibility on the course. The footprint of a race also depends on small decisions made on the trail.

What to check before each race

The calendar provides seven dates and several host towns, but does not give every practical detail for every race in one place. Start times, prices, registration dates, participant limits and precise locations should be checked in individual event listings. A detail missing from the general information does not mean the race lacks that service; it means it has not been specified in the material available. No single entry fee has been published for all seven events.

It is also important to distinguish circuit-wide information from the characteristics of each route. The 21K label does not reveal total elevation gain, ground conditions or technical difficulty. Similarly, a race’s specific distances may not match the circuit’s general formats exactly. Checking the rules and profile once published gives a more reliable picture than extrapolating details from another venue. Each event requires its own technical information.

Preparation for mountain running depends on distance, elevation and surface, as well as each participant’s experience. In general, training on trails, practising climbs and descents, and testing planned kit in advance can help runners get used to the terrain. For walking formats, pace should also be adjusted to the route’s duration and profile. Specific preparation is more useful than applying road paces without adjustment.

The forecast deserves attention in a calendar spanning different seasons and including a night event. Temperature, rain and wind can change trail conditions and suitable clothing. Mountain race organisers may change or cancel a route for safety, under their rules and in response to conditions on the day. The final plan should always follow each event’s official instructions.

A calendar connecting sport and place

The 2026 programme combines competition with routes through inland Tarragona, including races near natural areas such as the Serra de Montsant and Serra de Llaberia. That variety is central to the circuit: the aim is not to repeat the same route seven times, but to move between different environments, profiles and seasons. The landscape changes from race to race, as does the way runners move through it.

The range of formats opens the calendar to different audiences, while the standings retain a competitive element for individual runners and clubs. At the same time, the schedule creates a long season, with different requirements for scoring, earning finisher status or adding points for a team. Understanding those rules makes the competition easier to follow and avoids confusing the annual table with the result of a single race. The edition brings seven events under shared rules, while each race keeps its own character.

With the season starting in Bràfim on March 22 and its final event in Colldejou on December 20, the schedule stretches from spring into winter. Date changes, the return to a two-day format in Prades and Montsant, and environmental measures are among the main announced updates. Route details, prices and start times still need confirmation for each event, but the overall calendar outlines a long season spread across inland Costa Daurada. The circuit’s identity takes shape race by race, across trails, villages and mountains.