Penyagolosa Trails® CSP is an ultratrail event with a cumulative ascent of 5,600 meters, and cumulative descent of 4,400 meters. Starting at sea level, the race ends at the Sanctuary of Sant Joan de Penyagolosa. The race passes through Castelló, Borriol, Vilafamés, Les Useres, Atzeneta, Benafigos, Culla, Xodos, Villahermosa and Vistabella. Penyagolosa Trails® CSP is a race of endurance requiring semi self-sufficiency with a maximum allowable race time of 26 hours 15 minutes. Participants who successfully complete the Penyagolosa Trails® CSP will earn 5 ITRA and UTMB 100K Qualifier points.
Penyagolosa Trails CSP 2022
Qualifying event for the Western States
The CSP will also be a qualifying event for the Western States Endurance Run 2023.
Technical information
- Maximum number of participants: 600
- Date: April, 23 2022
- Edition: 10th
- Starting location: Pistas de atletismo-Universitat Jaume I, Castellón
- Maximum allowable race time: 26 h 15 minutes
- Distance: 106 km
- Cumulative elevation gain: 5.600 m
- Cumulative elevation loss: 4.400 m
Checkpoints, aid stations and cutoff times
With the chip in the race bib, runners’ times are taken upon arrival at all known and random checkpoints, whose locations will not be revealed by organizers. In addition, checkpoints are established with stipulated maximum transition times (see table). Those who exceed these times must withdraw according to the instructions of those in charge of the checkpoint.
Mandatory equipment
Semi self-sufficiency
These races are governed by the singular race principle of semi self-sufficiency. That is, the ability of a runner to manage his/her own survival between two aid stations, including food, clothing and security.
This principle implies the following rules:
- Each runner must carry all mandatory equipment throughout the race (see article 9 EQUIPMENT). At any time, commissioners may request a check of this equipment. All runners are obliged to submit to such requests, under penalty of elimination from the race.
- Except in case of accident or emergency, personal assistance is authorized only at certain aid stations (*), in areas reserved for that purpose, or within 100 meters before or after designated areas.
- It is forbidden to be accompanied during all or part of the race by an unregistered person, outside of designated aid stations.
(*)Personal assistance is tolerated in the following places:
- Penyagolosa Trails®MiM: Borriol, Les Useres, Torrosselles and Xodos.
- Penyagolosa Trails®CSP: Borriol, Les Useres, Atzeneta, Culla, Vistabella and Xodos.
It is forbidden in all other aid stations or in any other point on the route.
It is the obligation of each participant to carry their own waste until the finish or until places designated by organizers.
Drop out and evacuation
Except in case of serious injury, a runner should never abandon outside of a checkpoint. Runners must notify his/her decision to withdraw to the person in charge of the checkpoint, who can defnitively invalidate race bibs. Runners should retain race bibs, as this is the pass for buses, food and rest rooms.
Evacuation will be decided by person in charge, according to the following general rules:
- Bus in: Les Useres, Torrosselles, Atzeneta, Culla, Vistabella. The transfers will be made to the finish line, except for the night schedule of CSP of Les Useres (6:30h) and Atzeneta (7:00h) that will go directly to the start line.
- Runners who drop out in an aid station or checkpoint where there is no bus, and who are not injured, must reach the nearest evacuation bus stop as soon as possible, and by their own means.
- Aid stations that are only accessible by 4×4 vehicles:
- Upon closure of the checkpoint, organizers may evacuate retired runners who are still present.
- In case of unfavorable weather, which may force a total or partial stop to the race, organizers guarantee evacuation in the shortest time possible.
In the case of withdrawing after leaving a checkpoint, it will be necessary to return to that checkpoint and report the race withdrawal to the checkpoint’s manager. If upon return to the checkpoint you find the runners who close the race, they will invalidate your race bib and, from this point onward, runner will not be any longer under the control of the race organization.
There will be a exclusive bus service to transfer runners for free from the finish line to start. This service will be free for all runners. The bus schedules will be published later along with an access guide for the public to access different areas along the racecourse, as well as the finish.
Penyagolosa Healthy Trail
Founded in 2014, Penyagolosa Trail Saludable has been evolving until now as part of the Servei d’Esports health research projects of the Universitat Jaume I of Castellón. A pioneering project at the national level with some international recognition, Penyagolosa Trail Saludable has been made possible thanks to collaboration from the mountain club Desert Amunt and Penyagolosa Trails.
In order to raise awareness in the world of long-distance running from a health perspective, the CSP has been a benchmark race to study health improvements in runners by taking data before, during and after the race, as well as measure psychological factors, training habits and physical parameters, such as weight fluctuations, blood pressure, blood composition etc
Currently, the research team is also working on the “Project run, recover, repeat – always healthy” (Projecte corre, recupera, repeteix sempre saludable), CRS, which is focused on the Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Marathon.