After Friday’s VERTICAL discipline, today’s SKY was split into two separate races. The younger A and B categories competed over a 12-kilometre course, while the C and Under 23 tackled 21-km. Both were true to skyrunning parameters – tough and technical over steep, rocky mountain terrain overlooking the Adriatic Sea below. With 1,150 and 1,450m of vertical climb respectively, both courses descended over yesterday’s VERTICAL uphill course but on the descent, with a 22% incline over jagged, loose rocks – enough to challenge the best skyrunners.

First to cross the finish line was Spain’s Marc Font in the Youth B category, clocking a strong 1h25’41” nearly 1’30” ahead of  Italy’s Marco Magistro and four minutes ahead of Norway’s Kristian Skjeflo.

The youngest A category podium with Lucas Gamez (ESP) gold, Even Veen Torkildsen (NOR) silver, Gerard Costa (ESP) bronze. ©Damiano Benedetto Photo

Winner of the youngest A category, sixteen-year-old Spaniard Lucas Gamez, was ecstatic. “This was the most difficult race in my life! Very, very, very hard. It was fun. Magnificent. I’m very, very happy but it was really hard to win this race. There were a lot of uphills, very strong uphills, and then the downhill – which was really hard technically. You had to be fast, but in control at the same time!”

True to skyrunning, victory often decided on the downhill. His excellent time was 1h32’57”, followed by Friday’s VERTICAL winner, Norwegian Even Veen Torkildsen and fellow Spaniard Gerard Costa.

The first women to cross the line were Youth B athletes Rina Ogake from Japan and Anna Kanutte Bruseth from Norway, followed by yesterday’s VERTICAL World Champion Margarida Araújo from Portugal.

Just 15 years old, Norway’s Åse Marie Halaasis is already collecting medals. ©Damiano Benedetto Photo

Araújo was anticipated at the finish line by fifteen-year-old Åse Marie Halaas from Norway, who pocketed her second gold medal of the weekend, and by American Kendal Bowen. Japan’s Sawa Machida took the bronze.

“I think this championship was so much fun because it was technical and hard. I preferred the VERTICAL as I don’t like running downhill so much, but what I preferred above all was the atmosphere and sharing this experience with other people from around the world. I can’t wait to meet my new friends next year and make new ones!” commented Halaas. 

The longer race produced another battle in the U23 category between yesterday’s VERTICAL winner, Fiorillo Camesi from Switzerland and Spain’s Lluis Puigvert who reversed Friday’s result. The two ran together for most of the course with the Spaniard dominating on the steep downhill. Puigvert crossed the finish line in 2h18’52” to take gold while Camesi secured silver in 2h19’50”. Taking the bronze medal, was Italian Elia Bongiovanni, just 28 seconds later.

Fourth overall and Youth C winner was Norwegian Isak Drøpping, securing the gold medal, with Spaniards Biel Sagués, the silver, and Eloy Martinez, the bronze. The three replicated Friday’s positions and medals.

Spaniards Biel Sagues and Eloy Martinez, C category, on their way to a silver and bronze medal respectively. ©Damiano Benedetto Photo

Another VERTICAL repeat, Spain’s Emma Mendez was the fastest woman on the course in 3h03’12”, taking the Youth C category gold medal. Fellow countrywoman Valeria Hernandez and Italian Alessia Pozzi completed the podium.

Laia Calzada won the women’s U23 race again, after Friday’s gold, closing in 3h05’18”. “I enjoyed this weekend so much. Not just for the medals and the results, but because I enjoyed these mountains so much! I tried multiple times to get to the Youth Championships, but I never managed. This was my last chance, and I didn’t want to miss it!”

Spaniard Laia Calzada won the VERTICAL, the SKY and the Combined taking home three gold medals. ©Damiano Benedetto Photo

Italy’s Martina Pozzi took the silver again, while Polina Daniuk from Russia, claimed bronze.

The Biokovo mountains proved to be a spectacular location for the championships – the first time Croatia hosted an international skyrunning event. Rising dramatically above the Adriatic Sea, the highest peak, Sveti Jure reaches 1,762m altitude.

In the A category, some of the athletes are still just 14 years old, turning 15 to meet the minimum age requirement later in the year, the rest of the category reaching 16. Certainly, for all, it was their first thrilling experience on the world stage. Certainly, not the last.

2026 Youth Skyrunning World Championships – SKY Absolute Biokovo Challenge

Youth A Men
Gold – Lucas Gamez (ESP) 1h32’57”
Silver – Even Veen Torkildsen (NOR) 1h35’34”
Bronze – Gerard Costa (ESP) 1h38’49”

Youth A Women
Gold – Åse Marie Halaas (NOR) 1h50’37”
Silver – Kendal Bowen (USA) 1h51’57”
Bronze – Sawa Machida (JPN) 1h54’14”

Youth B Men
Gold – Marc Font (ESP) 1h25’41”
Silver – Marco Magistro (ITA) 1h27’02”
Bronze – Kristian Skjeflo Unhjem (NOR) 1h29’45”

Youth B Women
Gold – Rina Ogake (JPN) 1h47’28”
Silver – Anna Kanutte Bruseth (NOR) 1h50’16”
Bronze – Margarida Araujo (POR) 1h52’34”

Youth C Men
Gold – Isak Drøpping (NOR) 2h20’41”
Silver – Biel Sagués (ESP) 2h21’24”
Bronze – Eloy Martinez (ESP) 2h23’47”

Youth C Women
Gold – Emma Mendez (ESP) 3h03’12”
Silver – Valeria Hernandez (ESP) 3h09’49”
Bronze – Alessia Pozzi (ITA) 3h14’27”

U23 Men
Gold – Lluis Puigvert (ESP) 2h18’52”
Silver – Fiorillo Camesi (SUI) 2h19’50”
Bronze – Elia Bongiovanni (ITA) 2h20’18”

U23 Women
Gold – Laia Calzada (ESP) 3h05’18”
Silver – Martina Pozzi (ITA) 3h12’21”
Bronze – Polina Daniuk (RUS) 3h22’06”

COMBINED (the sum of the VERTICAL and SKY points)
Youth A Men 
Gold – Even Veen Torkildsen (NOR) 188
Silver – Lucas Gamez (ESP) 172
Bronze – Gerard Costa (ESP) 156

Youth A Women
Gold – Åse Marie Halaas (NOR) 200
Silver – Kendal Bowen (USA) 166
Bronze – Sawa Machida (JPN) 166

Youth B Men
Gold – Marc Font (ESP) 172
Silver – Misora Yabana (JPN) 172
Bronze – Marco Magistro (ITA) 166  

Youth B Women
Gold – Rina Ogake (JPN) 188
Silver – Margarida Araujo (POR) 178
Bronze – Anna Kanutte Bruseth (NOR) 160

Youth C Men
Gold – Isak Drøpping (NOR) 200
Silver – Biel Sagués (ESP) 176
Bronze – Eloy Martinez (ESP) 156

Youth C Women 
Gold – Emma Mendez (ESP) 200
Silver – Valeria Hernandez (ESP) 166
Bronze – Sinead Farrell (IRL) 156

U23 Men
Gold – Lluis Puigvert (ESP) 188
Silver – Fiorillo Camesi (SUI) 188
Bronze – Pere Menendez (ESP) 128

U23 Women
Gold – Laia Calzada (ESP) 200
Silver – Martina Pozzi (ITA) 176
Bronze – Polina Daniuk (RUS) 150

Country ranking
Gold – Spain
Silver – Norway
Bronze – Italy

As usual the events were overseen by ISF referees and WADA anti-doping tests were carried out.

Medal count
Athletes’ profiles
Ranking
CC Course Certification and Technical Levels