Sports

Transgrancanaria 2012

Lovers of raids y hiking never miss out on their yearly date with Gran Canaria. The blame for all this is the celebration of Transgrancanaria, one of the most spectacular sporting events on the Canary active tourism calendar.

Transgrancanaria is a race through a mountainous island, Gran Canaria. A little continent which hides one thousand five hundred different landscapes under the carpet. Landscapes which are criss-crossed with paths entangled along the mountains, from the highest peak down to the beach. On an island that looks like it has been built to order to hold such raids and hiking exercises.

Next March the latest Transgrancanaria is here. The event actually takes up nearly a whole week, from the 2nd to 4th of March, and is packed with different races. Different categories for different kinds of sportspeople. You can choose to run the 123 kilometer event, or 96km, 42km or the shortest, 24km, versions.

The normally least frequented settings on the island will shortly be seeing the runners on their way by. They will be seen going along the Grandes Presas route, all the way up to the peak, dodging in and out of Tunte and Teror, with the goal firmly fixed in their minds to get over climbs, ravines and other paths, whatever is needed to do. All this in order to reach Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, run the last few steps alongside the Canteras beach and burst across the finishing line that greets both the men and women cross-island runners.

This is a challenge for all those ready to take on the continent in miniature, and charge over it from one end to the other, along ravines, palm and pine tree groves, tackle the great changes in altitude, and all this running against the clock.

But don’t you turn down the chance to take part. There are four distinct routes, four choices. For those who want to get to know the island without having to train like an Olympic athlete, you have the Half Transgrancanaria. You can also sign up for the Transgrancanaria Starter, for the more non-competitive hikers, offering a much more accesible route allowing you to venture through such contrasting landscapes as you would find different yoghourt brands in the supermarket.

So there you have it. Transgrancanaria gives you the perfect opportunity to spend some fun-packed days in the heart of nature.

More information about The North Face Transgrancanaria 2012: www.transgrancanaria.net