It’s ten years since the first Skyrunning World Championships were introduced and it’s time to celebrate with a record 32 countries from across the world participating at host event, Croatia, on May 8-10, 2026.
A total of 208 young and aspiring skyrunners will line up at the Absolute Biokovo Challenge events in the coastal town of Makarska, featuring two skyrunning disciplines – VERTICAL and SKY – on specifically designed courses.
Croatia is hosting its first international skyrunning event just three years after becoming an ISF Member, testimony to the incredible development the sport has had there since. They secured their first international medal – a bronze, at the Skyrunning Masters World Championships just two years later.
The location is nothing less than spectacular. The Biokovo mountains rise steeply above the Adriatic Sea, from where, on a clear day, the Italian Apennines can be seen. The classic “sea to sky” concept is perfectly embodied here, with the summit of Sveti Jure reaching 1,762m altitude.
The action begins on Friday, May 8, with the VERTICAL – a perfect VK – 980m vertical climb over 4.5 km reaching 1,264m altitude, followed by a traditional parade of nations.
Seventy-five medals are at stake, split across four age categories – Youth A (15-16), Youth B (17-18), Youth C (19-20) and U23 (21-23). Individual, combined and national titles will also be awarded.
On Saturday, May 9, all athletes will take part in an anti-doping panel, part of the WADA educational programme. This initiative reflects the ISF’s ongoing commitment and never-ending efforts to inform skyrunners about the complex information available, to understand the importance of therapeutic exemption, prohibited substances, testing, and how to follow a healthy career in a fair sport.
The weekend’s main event on Sunday, May 10, is dedicated to the SKY discipline.
Youth A and B categories will compete over a 12.5 km long course with 1,150m vertical climb, reaching the highest point at 1,336m. Youth C and U23 will race the full course: 20.5 km with 1,450m vertical climb. Both courses start just above sea level and ascend over rocky ridges to reach to 1,622m altitude, rewarding the extreme effort with spectacular views of the Adriatic below.
The Youth Skyrunning World Championships have played a key role in developing future champions. One standout example is Switzerland’s Roberto Delorenzi who began his career at 18 in the first edition and until reaching the maximum age, securing silver and gold medals. In 2022 he was crowned Skyrunning World Champion and in 2024 overall champion of the Skyrunner® World Series.
Other names who “grew up” in the Youth World Championships include Japan’s Ruy Ueda who has an impressive collection of medals, also in the World Championships and Spaniard Oriol Cardona, who went on to take a gold medal in the men’s ski mountaineering sprint at the recent 2026 Winter Olympics.
A record 32 teams from five continents will take part representing: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mongolia, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Race director and Skyrunning Croatia representative, Marko Hermann, comments, “With just one week to go, the excitement is truly building as we prepare to welcome the world’s best young skyrunners to Biokovo. Our team is working with great dedication to ensure every detail is ready, from the race courses to the overall experience for athletes and their teams.
“Biokovo offers a unique combination of sea views and demanding mountain terrain, creating a spectacular and challenging stage for this championship. We are proud to host this event in Croatia and to showcase not only our landscapes, but also the passion and commitment of our skyrunning community.
“We look forward to an inspiring competition, great sportsmanship, and unforgettable moments in the mountains — because here, it’s always less cloud, more sky!”
In 2025, Spain, Italy and Norway headed the medal count with athletes from 30 countries across five continents competing.
The 2026 Youth Skyrunning World Championships look set for another sky-high showdown, as the next generation of skyrunning talent takes centre stage.
As usual the events will be overseen by ISF referees and WADA anti-doping tests will be carried out.
Athletes’ profiles
Ranking
CC Course Certification and Technical Levels
