The 2016 Andorra Ultra Trail Vallnord
Get an up-close look at a challenging European ultra.
If you’re looking for a challenging mountain race with European flair, yet without the points requirements of UTMB, head to Andorra (Europe’s sixth smallest nation) for the Andorra Ultra Trail Vallnord. The course profile resembles a bad EKG reading and is arguably one of the hardest 100-milers around, with 44,000 feet of elevation gain and loss. In fact, 2016 women’s second place finisher Missy Gosney of Durango, Colo. says it’s the hardest organized event she’s ever done, and that includes the Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run. As an upside, she said it was also one of the most dialed, and especially appreciated the well-marked course. In addition to the 100-mile event, there’s a 70- and 50-mile race, trail marathon and 10K—even the 10K has 2,500 feet of climbing!
The eighth running of the Andorra Ultra Trail Vallnord took place this past weekend, July 15-17, with over 3,000 runners from 41 different countries. Click through to get a sense for the terrain and see some of the amazing views, without the sweat effort.
