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Penyagolosa Trails HG postponed to October 17, 2020 because of the COVID-19

Tico Cervera regrets this postponement, even more “after all the work and effort we have all been doing for months, both the organization and the runners, but the priority is the health and safety of all and the current circumstances oblige to postpone the event”

The organization will not apply Article 19 of the Regulation and will save the place for October or April 2021 to the runners who were going to run the MiM or the CSP

Penyagolosa Trails HG has been forced to postpone the edition that was to be held from 17 to 19 April 2020 due to the crisis of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). The event is postponed until the weekend of October 16-18, 2020. The director, Tico Cervera, regrets having to accept this postponement, after all the work that was being done, but the current circumstances force to postpone the event.

Numerous discussions and meetings with local, provincial, regional and state authorities have taken place over the past two days. The purpose of these was to analyze the situation in which we are immersed and the condition that it has for events like Penyagolosa Trails HG. The authorities’ recommendations follow those issued by the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health and advise against any massive event because there is an increased risk of exposure and transmission of the virus. An event that brings together 2100 runners from nearly 50 countries and brings together thousands of fans throughout the race could be a big problem in a health crisis like the current one.

The director Tico Cervera explains that “from the organization of Penyagolosa Trails HG we regret having to be forced to make the decision to postpone the 2020 edition, but the priority is the health and safety of everyone. We are in a health emergency situation and we must follow the guidelines set out by the authorities and be responsible in such exceptional cases as this. In addition, he added that all of us who are part of the organization of Penyagolosa Trails HG have been working for months with the usual passion to organize the best possible edition. Just as we know that many of you have been preparing for this edition for months, with much effort and sacrifice. The preparations, efforts and anticipation that we all share, runners and organizers.

Registration process

Penyagolosa Trails HG has also announced that it will not implement Article 19 of the Regulation, which speaks only of a partial refund to runners in case of cancellation of the event. Thus, the organization has decided to give the option to the runners who were going to run the MiM and the CSP, to be able to participate in October 2020 or April 2021. In the case that a runner decides not to run non of these, 50% of the registration will be refunded. In the case that places were released for the 2020 edition, they would be covered by the provisional list of the last draw. For the 2021 edition, there will be a new registration process and a draw, as usual.

In the coming weeks, an email will be sent to all the runners who already had their place to inform them of the deadlines in which they will have to decide which option they choose.

Penyagolosa Trails HG closes pre-registrations with 5024 requests

Maximum expectation for Penyagolosa Trails HG 2020 with runners of 46 nationalities. The lottery for the 2100 race bibs will take place next Friday at 7 pm

Maximum expectation for Penyagolosa Trails HG 2020. The pre-registration deadline closed yesterday and the number of pre-gistration for the Mim and the CSP is spectacular, reaching 5024 of 46 different nationalities and 47 Spanish provinces. It is the second highest in history, increasing last year’s records by 6.2% and very close to the numbers of 2018 edition, the year in which the Trail World Championship was hosted. The draw for the 2100 race bibs will be on Friday, 13^thof December at 19h (Spanish time) at the Diputació Castelló and will be presented by the comedian Eugeni Alemany.

According to the two races, on one hand, again the historical MiM, with 22 years of history, is the one that registered the majority of the pre-registrations, with more than 4100. On the other hand, the CSP will hold its ninth edition and 883 people applied for its participation. These numbers represent an increase of 300 pre-registration compared to last year, 1000 compared to 3 years ago or 1200 compared to 4 years ago, it shows theupward trend lived in Penyagolosa Trails HG.

The increasing internationalization of Penyagolosa Trails HG is evident with these amazing data. Requests for bibs were received from runners from Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bolivia, Brazil, Belarus, Switzerland, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lithuania, Latvia, Morocco, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Paraguay, Romania, Spain, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine, United States and Venezuela.

The lottery will be on December 13^th at the Diputació de Castelló. The proceedment will be the same as lasts years, with 1500 numbers distributed for the pre-registrations of the MiM and 600 for those who want to run CSP.

The director of Penyagolosa Trails HG, Tico Cervera, points out that year after year we are surprised by the figures, and it is impressive that more than 5000 people have pre-registered. From here, I would like to thank all those who have pre-registered. He added that a few years ago it was unthinkable to reach these figures and that Penyagolosa Trails HG was known all over the world. Undoubtedly, the work being done in internationalizing the test, The organization of the World Championship or being in the main national and international trail circuits have served to make us known all over the world.

Lottery and promotions

Next Friday, December 13, at 7 pm in the Diputació de Castelló will take place the draw of the 1500 bibs for the MiM and the 600 for the CSP. The conductor of the event will be the Valencian comedian Eugeni Alemany.

One of the surprises of this edition will be the lottery of 3 golden passes for the races. One will be drawn in an Instagram contest of @penyagolosatrails that will start today, another will be drawn among all the people who attend the event next Friday and the last, among all the people who will be following the streaming.

10 Reasons to Run in Penyagolosa Trails HG

Pre-registration period to Penyagolosa Trils HG is open. Runners who want to live this experience on April 18 have time to pre-register until December 8th. Here we explain what makes this race different, and provide 10 reasons to participate in the MiM or the CSP:

Volunteers and clubs: Penyagolosa Trails HG is an event organized by mountain clubs and has more than 800 volunteers who make the race possible. Undoubtedly, they are the ones that make the Mim and the CSP possible.

History: the history of Penyagolosa Trails dates back to the 50s of last century, when a group of mountaineers and hikers decided to reproduce the tradition of reaching Sant Joan de Penyagolosa from Castellón. In 1996 it was changed from an initial march of two days to a single day. From here the first Marató i Mitja emerged in 1999. When mountain races weren’t very popular in our country, the MiM was already organized and in 2020 will reach its 22nd edition.

Vídeo 20 years of the MiM

Pilgrimage Trails: The Penyagolosa Trails HG is a historic route. These paths have been pilgrimage and communication channels between people for centuries.

The supporters: one thing hard to forget for those who have participated in Penyagolosa Trails HG is the atmosphere during the race, especially running through the villages. The province of Castellón supports the runners, to give them all the energy on their way to Sant Joan.

Start lines: in just two years, the start of the CSP has already become a major event in Castellón. The city center is full of people who are constantly encouraging the runners. The MiM leaves from the UJI track stadium, leaving also iconic images.

From the sea to the most emblematic mountain through breathtaking sceneries. The MiM and the CSP start in Castellón, at sea level, to go to the highest mountain in Castellón. The race ends at the Sanctuary of Sant Joan, an incredible place in the middle of the mountains. Before arriving, they pass through incredible landscapes, historical places, villages supporting the race…

The finish line: precisely, in Sant Joan de Penyagolosa there is an explosion of emotions. The finishers always remember their arrival. A very special moment that is reflected in tears, angry gestures, hugs, kisses…

Respect for nature and recovery of trails: the MiM and the CSP pass through Penyagolosa Natural Park, so participation is limited and lot of work is done to ensure that the races have the lower impact on nature. Environmental care is the main priority of the race organizers and participants. In addition, work is done to recover trails, and roads are cleaned to be used again.

Logistics and services: the display of resources in Penyagolosa Trails is incredible. In addition to medical equipment, security, firefighters, masseurs, shuttle buses for runners, drop bag transfers… there are services that the runner appreciates a lot, such as the possibility of taking a shower in Sant Joan with hot water, having refreshments with numerous products or a runner’s bag so complete.

A national and international reference: All these reasons have made Penyagolosa Trails HG better known nationally and internationally. In 2018 it hosted the Trail World Championship where the main runners of this sport were cited. Currently, Penyagolosa Trails HG is still in the main racing circuits such as Ultra-Trail World Tour and Spain Ultra Cup and is a scoring race for Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc and the Western States Endurance Run.

For all this, it is time to “Run with yours” and live with your friends, team mates, family… a race like Penyagolosa Trails HG. Remember, pre-registrations are open until December 8th!

Penyagolosa Trails HG 2019 Program

Penyagolosa Trails HG 2019 will be held from next Friday April 12 until Sunday 14. The first day we will have the Runner Fair from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., where we must collect the bib number and runner bag. Remember that if you can not take the number at that time, you can authorize someone to do so, by filling in this authorization. A novelty of this edition is the realization of the radio program “Hoy por Hoy Castellón de la Cadena Ser” focused on Penyagolosa Trails HG, from the Teatro del Raval Again, the start line of the CSP will be at 00:00 from the Plaza de las Aulas de Castellón and the MiM, at 6 hours from UJI. The first arrivals are expected around 11:20. As soon as the first classified arrive, the flower ceremony will be held. And in the afternoon, in Sant Joan, the general awards ceremony. Check here the acts of the Program:

Penyagolosa Trails HG will open pre-registration period on November 23

Penyagolosa Trails HG will open the pre-registration period on November 23. The pre-registration period will close on December 10 and the draw will take place on December 14. The names of the 1500 participants in the twenty-first edition of the MiM and the 600 in the eighth CSP will know after this act. It should be remembered that the limitation of 2,100 places for races is due to environmental issues of respect and care for the Penyagolosa Natural Park. Precisely the care of the environment is something intrinsic to the approach of this competition, especially careful with the natural heritage of the area both in the layout of the race, the distribution of aid stations, as in the recycling of waste and cleaning, and so on. Last year 5571 applications were registered, from 48 different countries, being the edition with the most pre-registrations.

The director of Penyagolosa Trails HG, Tico Cervera, explains “with the pre-registrations and the lottery, we can say that the race starts towards a new edition of Penyagolosa Trails HG”. It also indicates that “there is a great expectation for the next edition, since the Trail World Championships that was held in 2018 has had an enormous impact on an international level and has contributed decisively to the internationalization of the event”.

In this sense, we must remember that Penyagolosa Trails HG has risen in level in the prestigious international circuit Ultra-Trail World Tour, situating itself in PRO level. Penyagolosa Trails will be with the best races in the world in the circuit and will give more points for the winners, which is a great incentive to attract international runners.

In addition, Penyagolosa Trails HG will again be a UTMB scoring race and will be part of the Spain Ultra Cup.

Ombeline Blanc: “I looked TWC information, I saw CSP and I said: why not?!!”

Ombeline Blanc will fly from Reunion Island to participate in Penyagolosa Trails. 9,000 km away, after which a great adventure awaits! Here he tells us how he sees this experience

How do you imagine Penyagolosa Trails HG?

Long and hot route! A great adventure...

What do you know about Penyagolosa Trails HG?

Except some videos on the Internet, nothing yet. I leave to the discovery 🙂

What do you expect from Castellón and our towns?

A beautiful atmosphere and a warm welcome…

How did you meet our race?

I looked at information concerning the world championship and I saw that there was this race in parallel. I said to myself “why not”!!

How do you face a challenge like CSP?

I pray!!! 😉
And I takes it as a big hike, a pilgrimage… a challenge, alone by myself.

How have you prepared for a race like this?

I trained with friends and my club “Experun Performance” and “Team Globetrailers”.

CSP analysis: From Les Useres to Sant Joan de Penyagolosa (part 2)

From Les Useres to Benafigos the TWC and the CSP share the same course. Here, you can read the detailed analysis.

Once we are in Benafigos, the CSP course changes its direction to Culla. It goes through single tracks and dirt roads until an old campground, where the downhill to Montlleó river starts. In between we will pass through el Mas de Escrig, an old but beautiful farmhouse facing the peak of Penyacalva

We cross the river Montlleó in order to start the uphill to Penyacalva. The hardest part is the first kilometers until our path opens up to a faster and not as steep dirt road. This uphill has 5,5 kms and 576m+. We can find it in Strava.

Once we are at Culla we follow down a dirt road until we reach the GR7 (red and white marks) that will bring us to Montlleó. Once here, a hard uphill covered with vegetation starts to el Mas de Campos

Nacho Gimeno paisatge

In el Mas de Campos the uphill becomes wavier and as consequence faster until the Sant Bertomeu hermitage. This section is 5km long and has 462 meters of positive slope. We can find it in Strava.

Foto Nacho Gimeno primavera

We leave Sant Bertomeu following the same wavy terrain, going through el Mas de Salvador until Vistabella, where we will share the last 200m before the village with the TWC course.

CSP leaves Vistabella with a downhill to the Gully del Molins, to climb up after to el Mas del l’Albagés. The uphill becomes smooth once we reach el Mas de Marimon and it keeps being this way until the village of Xodos.

. In Xodos the CSP course crosses the MIM track but we leave in a different direction with an easy uphill to the zone under the Mas de Gargant. Here the course gets back together with the TWC and share the same path until the finish line in Sant Joan de Penyagolosa. Here, to read the last shared section.

Penyagolosa Trails HG 2018 Program

You can now check the Penyagolosa Trails HG 2018 Program! This year, it starts on Thursday, with the Trail World Championships opening ceremony A great parade through the center of Castellón with a show by Xarxa Teatre. On Friday, Runners Fair, presentation of runners and briefing. At night, it will start with the departure of CSP from the center of Castellón. At 6 and 7 o’clock, Trail World Championships and MiM starts, respectively. At 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., departures from the RFEA Spanish Championships in Vistabella. And then everything will be moved to Sant Joan de Penyagolosa, the place where our dreams come true!

On Sunday will be the Trail World Championships award ceremony, with which will end the most special edition of Penyagolosa Trails HG.

Program in .pdf

Penyagolosa Trails and SportHG® present the waistcoat that will be delivered in the MiM and CSP runner’s bag

Penyagolosa Trail HG is preparing to live a very special edition, between the next 10 and 13 May, when it will host the Trail World Championships, which will be the best runners on the international scene, and celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Marató i Mitja (MiM) For this reason, in this edition, an exclusive gift has been sought, as is a waistcoat that has the official image of this edition of Penyagolosa Trails HG, with prominence for the Penyagolosa and the colors of each race.

If a few months ago the brand made public the official shirt of the Trail World Championships, available for sale to the general public, today it was the turn of the official product that will be delivered to the participants of the 60-kilometer MiM and the CSP ( 108 km). It is a sports waistcoat without seams and pattern, with a design that will commemorate the great event.

This edition will give great importance to the MiM and the CSP with this special product. The new waistcoat will be delivered to the participants of the MiM and the CSP in the runner’s bag and the bib during the Corredor Fair on May 11 at the Plaza de las Aulas de Castellón, between 11 am and the 9pm at night, a few hours before the kick-off of an edition of Penyagolosa Trails HG that promises to be legendary.

Analysis of the tracks: TWC, from Les Useres to finish line (part 2)

MiM, CSP and TWC routes are the same, excepte the first 5K of the CSP, until Les Useres. From this point all of them go trought concrete track and in a few metres it arrives to a single track. Here we come back to a dirt road and continue climbing during a hundred metres. Here, the dirt road stars to hover and, in 300m, the MiM diverts to Torrosselles, while TWC and CSP continue through dirt road, until arriving to downhill cliff single track by PR. Here the old Atzeneta road to Les Useres has been cleaned, the one that went through Sabatera’s cliff. Runners will continue climbing until a cotage.

At Mas de Artesa de Abajo we continue a dirt road and on our left, by single track, we will arrive to el Piló (704 msnm), the term límit between Atzeneta and Les Useres. This uphill is timed in Strava with the name Pujada a la Serra de la Creu and has 4,4 km. and 317 m+.

Then, we will go downhill by single track until las Foyes, where we will go back to a dirt path to cross the Castillo’s cliff. From here, we will take the route to Atzeneta, were we will cross the village in Corral Blanc and Barranc del Pouet direction. At Venta del Pont, we will continue a single path called la Carmona paralel to the road to Benafigos. During some metres, we leave the cliff thanks to an ancient recovered path and, beneath Mas de la Garrofera, we come back. We definitely leave the cliff and go uphill by dirt road during a kilòmetre and at la Carmona level we go uphill by single path until Benafigos.

All this uphill of 7km and 500m + is in Strava with Pujada Benafigos name.

At Benafigos, CSP continues to Culla. TWC turn on left to Barranco de Carmona by the Solana’s path. After, runners continues to uphill some km to up the Loma de Benafigos, under Tossal Pelat (1055 msnm).

This track is in Strava with the name Pujada al Tossal Pelat and it has 2,75kms y 221m +.

A steep downhill into El Barranco del Forcall, followed by an steep but easy-steeping uphill to el Mas de les Roques. Here, a technical section starts with a cliff on the left hand side of the track and an overhanging rock ceiling that will follow the route until the caves at the bottom of el Barranco de la Ferreria. There will be a last uphill on a clearly visible path until the village of Vistabella. This section of 4,86 km and 457m+ is in Strava with the name Pujada BNC de Forcall en Vistabella.

Note, that just before Vistabella the TWC route gets back together with CSP route for 200 meters. Nevertheless, in the aid station the two diferent routes will split up again. Vistabella is left behind by dirt road that slowly becomes a technical descent until el Barranco dels Molins. An uphill of 1.9 km and 365+ is waiting for the runners. Even though, it may not seem difficult on paper, at this point of the race the atletes will have to grit their teeth and work their way up. The uphill is in Strava named Subida bnc del Molí a el Molinet.

The uphill to La Masia Manzanares or also called Bajo el Piló is in Strava and has 2,85km and 259m+.

In el Pla de la Creu, the TWC route crosses the MIM track (that climbs on the left) and keeps going down to el Avellanar. The circuit on an easy single track passes through el Mas de Vela and la Masía dels Colegials where it gets back togheteher with the CSP circuit until the finish line.

Those last kilometers are basically made of single tracks. A wavy section until el Cingle de Gargant to start an uphill until el Mas del Collao. From the bottom part of this section to the top we can find the segment in Strava with 6km and 388m+ named Subida BCN Frailes en Masia Cambreta.

From here, we go to the goal in Sant Joan de Penyagolosa.