The fourth edition of the Masters Skyrunning World Championships will represent a thrilling challenge for passionate over-forties skyrunners looking for adventure. France will host the championships on July 4, 2026, at the Skyrun du Grand Mont, part of the ASICS Pierra Menta Été.
The Pierra Menta is a legendary ski-mountaineering race dating back 40 years. Ten years ago, the summer edition was launched in the same format with athletes racing in pairs. Last year, the Skyrun du Grand Mont was introduced for single athletes – an immediate success paving the way for hosting the 2026 Masters Skyrunning World Championships.
Featuring the SKY discipline, the course is 28 km long with 2,600m vertical climb reaching 2,680m altitude, starting and finishing in Arêches, Savoie.
It features exposed ridges equipped with fixed ropes and is certified as “Technical Level 2” according to the ISF Course Certified standards. Compulsory equipment includes a harness, via ferrata kit and helmet – the first time that such a demanding, highly technical course is on offer for the over-forties.
The championships are open and divided into four age categories: Over 40, Over 45, Over 50, and Over 55.
A total of 27 medals are at stake – 24 individual medals across the four age categories, while Official Teams will be awarded gold, silver and bronze medals for the country ranking.
Skyrun du Grand Mont organisers stated, “In 2026, the second edition of the Skyrun du Grand Mont, a flagship race of the ASICS Pierra Menta Été, will host the Masters Skyrunning World Championships, while remaining open to amateur runners who can compete on the same course as the world’s best international skyrunning athletes.
“Run as a solo race, the event takes place on a demanding alpine course featuring technical ridge sections true to the spirit of skyrunning, and requires the use of specific high-mountaineering equipment.
“Arêches-Beaufort will have the honour of hosting this major international competition, contributing to the international visibility of the region. Set in the heart of the Beaufortain massif, it offers a spectacular setting and a unique experience for both participants and spectators.
“The collaboration with the ISF marks an important milestone for the ASICS Pierra Menta Été, reaffirming its ambition to establish the event sustainably within the international skyrunning circuit.”
Launched in 2023, the Masters Skyrunning World Championships have been held in Italy, Portugal and Bulgaria. In 2025, 23 countries participated with 17 nations taking home medals. Portugal topped the country ranking, followed by Japan and Bulgaria.
Race records at the Skyrun du Grand Mont were set in the inaugural edition last year by French athletes Romain Buissart in 3h45’30” and Mélanie Rousset in 4h26’01” setting a benchmark for the over-forties to test their skyrunning skills.
Marino Giacometti, ISF President, commented, “We’re very pleased to return to France after a World Championship in Chamonix and a European Championship in Val d’Isère. The Skyrun du Grand Mont perfectly represents skyrunning and its true mountaineering identity, and will be a great challenge for Masters from around the world aiming to conquer the sky on French soil for the first time.”
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More info and members’ entries
CC As in all CC races, all the athletes will be ranked in the ISF Ranking
