Spanish trail-running star Alain Santamaría will make his first appearance at 3 Días Trail Ibiza this November, taking on the Ultra Ibiza as part of the event's 13th edition.

Santamaría arrives on the island in outstanding form after securing consecutive victories in two major Spanish trail races at the end of September.

The 3 Días Trail Ibiza will take place from November 27 to 29, 2026, combining three very different stages across Ibiza.

A First Race in Ibiza

Santamaría will compete in the Ultra Ibiza, the main endurance challenge of the Saturday programme.

It will be his first participation in the Ibiza event and his first experience racing on the island.

The runner from La Rioja said the stage-race format particularly appeals to him because of his previous sporting background in cycling.

He has competed in multi-stage events before, but said that a three-day format represents a new challenge for him.

The opportunity to discover Ibiza is another attraction, with Santamaría yet to compete on the island.

Arriving After Two Major Victories

Santamaría heads to Ibiza following an exceptional run of results.

On September 26, he won Gorbeia Suzien in the Basque Country and lowered his own course record by seven minutes.

He followed that victory by winning the Maratón de Salomon Ultra Pirineu, adding another major victory just one week later.

The results underline the form Santamaría has found during the latter part of the 2026 season.

Earlier in the year, he also won the Trail Zoquetes and the Half of The North Face Transgrancanaria.

A Strong 2026 Campaign

Santamaría's season has included several performances against high-level international competition.

He finished 18th at Zegama-Aizkorri and fourth in the 50-kilometre race at the European Off-Road Championships in Kamnik, Slovenia, where he also helped Spain secure a bronze medal in the team competition.

During the summer, he finished 10th at the PDA of HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB and 11th at Sierre-Zinal.

He then produced a notable fifth-place finish at the OCC, in his first participation in the race.

His recent form now sets up an intriguing first appearance in Ibiza.

From Cycling to Trail Running

Santamaría's sporting background also makes the three-stage format particularly interesting.

Before establishing himself among Spain's leading trail runners, he competed in cycling.

The structure of 3 Días Trail Ibiza, with three different stages over one weekend, is therefore a format that he says suits his sporting experience.

Rather than simply treating the race as another individual mountain event, Santamaría sees the Ibiza challenge as an opportunity to combine competition with exploring an island where he has never previously raced.

Three Days Across Ibiza

The 13th edition of 3 Días Trail Ibiza begins on Friday, November 27, with a 10-kilometre night race starting and finishing in Ibiza Town, with the route passing through the historic area around Dalt Vila.

Saturday, November 28, is the main competitive day, with the Ultra, Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K Starter races.

The Ultra starts and finishes in Santa Eulària des Riu and takes runners through northern Ibiza, including coastal sections and some of the island's most representative climbs.

The Marathon starts in Portinatx, the Half Marathon begins at Cala Sant Vicent and the 10K starts in Es Canar, with all three finishing in Santa Eulària.

The final stage takes place on Sunday, November 29, again in the Santa Eulària area, with a further 10-kilometre route bringing the three-day event to a close.

An International Field

The 2026 edition has already attracted runners from 43 nationalities, underlining the international profile the event has developed.

The organisers previously announced that registrations had passed 1,000, with women representing around 40% of the field at that point.

Santamaría will now join that international field for his first Ibiza experience.

After a season that has included major victories, championship success and strong results against international opposition, the Ultra Ibiza will provide a very different final challenge.

For Santamaría, it will be a chance to discover Ibiza on foot, test himself over a multi-stage weekend and bring an already impressive 2026 campaign to a close with a new challenge.