The Grand Finale of the VK OPEN World Cup was held at the Beinhoat das Vertical in Dorfgastein, Salzburg, Austria, on Saturday, October 17, 2026. It was the first time Austria hosted the final.

Frenchman Louis Dumas and Irina Chernova, Individual Neutral Athlete, were crowned 2026 VK OPEN World Cup Champions.

Celebrating the 13th edition, Austria’s steepest vertical race, climbs under the cable car to the Fulseck mountain station over 3.3 km with 1,200m of vertical climb.

Austria dominated the men’s race. Christof Hochenwarter crossed the finish line first in 39’33”, followed by compatriots Paul Verbnjak in 40’20” and Nils Oberauer in 40’59”.

The world’s top vertical runners are heading to Austria, where – for the first time  –  the Grand Finale of the VK OPEN World Cup will be hosted.

Double points are up for grabs on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Beinhoat das Vertical, a 3.3 km sprint with 1,200m vertical climb reaching 2,033m altitude in Dorfgastein, a ski resort in Salzburg.

Celebrating the sixth edition of the VK OPEN World Championships, the circuit was renamed VK OPEN World Cup this year. Dedicated to athletes who like it fast and steep, the goal is to promote the VERTICAL discipline of the International Skyrunning Federation and highlight the Vertical Kilometer®.

The SKYULTRA brought the 2026 Masters Skyrunning World Championships to a close on October 4, 2026, in São Pedro do Sul, Portugal.

It was another day of glory for Portugal after taking the top slot for the country ranking* for the third consecutive year. United Kingdom and Japan completed the podium with the UK claiming their first silver in the Masters.

Three disciplines make up the 2026 Masters Skyrunning World Championships where world titles and 75 medals are awarded across four age categories – over 40, over 45, over 50, and over 55. The first 48 medals were assigned in the VERTICAL and SKY disciplines at the Pierra Menta Été events in France in July.

lOver-forties skyrunners are heading to Portugal for the final event of the 2026 Skyrunning Masters Championships. The SKYULTRA will be hosted at the Pisão Extreme on October 4, 2026, in São Pedro do Sul in the northern part of the country where the demanding terrain rolls out a massive 6,500m vertical climb on the 65 km course.

Overall, Masters’ titles and 75 medals are awarded at the championships. The VERTICAL and SKY disciplines were held at the Pierra Menta Été events in France in July, where the first 48 medals were awarded. To date, Portugal, Japan and the United Kingdom lead the country ranking.

At the SKYULTRA, 27 medals and individual world titles are at stake across four age categories – over 40, over 45, over 50, and over 55. Medals will also be awarded to top three countries in the final ranking*. The oldest male runner is Briton Barry Hale, 68, while the oldest woman is Spaniard Encarnacion Del Valle, 67.

The second day of the 2026 Skyrunning World Championships on the island of La Gomera in Spain’s Canary Islands, saw Italian Cristian Minoggio and Norwegian Shangave Balendran take the gold.

The stunning wild terrain of the island was the perfect stage for the challenging 63 kilometres and 4,100m of vertical climb of the SKYULTRA where 87 athletes participated.

Minoggio, 2022 and 2024 SKYULTRA World Champion, crossed the finish line in 6h12’12” on the new, specially designed course. His race was well calculated and after taking the lead, he closed almost seven minutes ahead of second man, Spaniard Julen Calvo who led for most of the race.