A major date in the UTMB World Series calendar, the Hoka Val D'Aran saw many mountain running elites vying for the podium and places in the 2026 edition of the main Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc. The trails of the Pyrenees saw their fare share of drama, as well as challenging weather conditions.
Stormy forecasts forced organizers to alter the race routes across all distances in order to ensure the safety of participants, staff, volunteers and spectators. Nevertheless, all those gathered were treated to a festival of trail running that saw some of the sport's biggest names deliver.
The shortened Peades d'Aigua (PDA) saw Chinese running sensation Maio Yao take victory in the women's race, despite admitting that she'd found the downhills "really tough", according to a Run247 report. Italy's Nadir Maguet was victorious in the men's race, over eight minutes ahead of second placed Leonard Mitrica from Romania.
Having been cancelled due to storms in 2023 and 2024, it was great to see the main Torn dera Val d'Aran (VDA) race take place this year, albeit in a slightly curtailed form due to the stormy forecast. On the altered 88 mile (142km) course, Belgium's Laura Van Vooren emerged victorious in the women's race, holding off the challenge of China's Yuanyuan Wu, with a time of 20:26:37. France's Arthur Joyeux-Bouillon ran an impressive 16:25:48 to take the win in the men's race.
In the shortened Camins d'Hèr (CDH), Norway's Mari Klakegg Fenre romped to victory in the women's race, over an-hour-and-a-half ahead of second placed Spaniard Amaia Razkin Medrano. The men's race was a closer run thing, with France's Baptiste Coatantiec beating Spain's Manuel Anguita to the finish line by less than four minutes.
What is the Hoka Val d'Aran by UTMB?
Comprising seven individual races, with distances ranging from 6 miles (10km) to 101 miles (163km), Val d'Aran has been the European Major of the UTMB Wold Series for four consecutive years. It sees over 5,000 participants from more than 80 countries take part.
The setting is the spectacular Pyrenees, the mountain range that runs along the border between Spain and France. Val d'Aran itself is an Atlantic-facing valley in the heart of the range. It's often cited as being 'the Essence of the Pyrenees', with its lush forests, 10,000ft (3,000m) peaks and rich cultural heritage.
The seven races of the meet include the Torn dera Val d'Aran (VDA), Camins d'Hèr (CDH), Peades d'Aigua (PDA), Experiència d'Aran (EXP), SKY 15K Promesas and SKY - Baqueira Beret.
The VDA, CDH and PDA are the three that enjoy the highest profile. The 100mi (163km) VDA is the flagship event, a grand tour of the Val d'Aran that entails over 32,000ft (10,000m) of elevation gain. It's a challenge that's equivalent to that of the legendary Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc.
The 68 mile (110km) CDH takes the runner into some of the Val d'Aran's wildest and remotest areas while exploring its mining heritage. Meanwhile, the 34 mile (55km) PDA is a stunning run through the mountains of Naut Aran, taking in Colomérs, a stunning glacial cirque.
