Golden Trail World Series: A Run Through History (2018-2024)

The Golden Trail World Series (GTWS) was established in 2018 to celebrate and grow the sport of trail running by bringing together some of the best trail races in the world. Trail running is a broad discipline, with the ultra distances getting the most attention. The GTWS, supported by Salomon, stands out by focusing on the speed and excitement of shorter-distance (sub-50km) trail racing.

Information about this series is sparse and scattered (even on Wikipedia) so I’ve compiled a brief history of the series from its inception in 2018 as we look forward to the 2025 season! I hope you find this speed run through history both informative and fun.

2018: The Inaugural Season

The inaugural Golden Trail Series (GTS) was established in 2018 as a collection of five iconic short-distance trail races, culminating in a Grand Final. The series later expanded to include the Golden Trail World Series (GTWS) and Golden Trail National Series (GTNS) in 2019.

2018 race information

The five races that comprised the 2018 Golden Trail Series, serving as qualifying events for the final, were:

Race name	Location	Date	Distance	Elevation Gain
Zegama Mountain Marathon	Spain’s Basque Country	27 May 2018	42km	2,736m+
Marathon du Mont Blanc	Chamonix, France	30 June 2018	42km	2,540m+
Sierre-Zinal	Valais Alps, Switzerland	12 August 2018	31km	2,200m+
Pikes Peak Marathon	Colorado, USA	19 August 2018	42km	2,382m+
Ring of Steall Skyrace	Kinlochleven, Scotland	15 September 2018	29km	2,500m+

The Grand Final of the 2018 Golden Trail Series was the Otter Trail Run in South Africa on 20 October. This race brought the top 10 men and women trail runners of the 2018 season to compete for the Series crown. To qualify for the final, athletes needed to have started at least three Golden Trail Series races, and the overall champions were determined by their top three performances in the first five races plus their result at the Otter Trail. A €100,000 (US$108,000) prize pool was shared equally among the top 10 men and women.

2018 Golden Trail Series major athlete storylines

• Kilian Jornet’s Return and Dominance (until the Final): Kilian Jornet returned to racing after recovering from a broken leg over the winter. He won three of the five qualifying races, establishing himself as a favourite for the overall title. However, his narrative arc took a turn in the final, the Otter Trail, where he was forced to withdraw due to a hip injury. Despite this, his earlier victories placed him third in the overall series ranking.
  
• The Ring of Steall as a Championship Clash: The Ring of Steall Skyrace was a significant event as it hosted the Skyrunning World Championships for the Sky discipline and was the final qualifying race for the Golden Trail Series. This led to a collision of different running communities – local UK hill, fell, and trail runners alongside international skyrunners and Golden Trail Series contenders. The race saw dramatic victories with Tove Alexandersson and Kilian Jornet both smashing the course records.
  
• Breakthrough Performances at the Otter Trail Final: The Otter Trail witnessed unexpected victories from athletes who hadn’t won a Golden Trail Series race before. Bartłomiej Przedwojewski and Holly Page both won the final, setting new course records.
  
• Stian Angermund’s Consistency Pays Off: While Kilian Jornet had more individual race wins, Stian Angermund demonstrated consistency throughout the series. Capitalising on Jornet’s withdrawal from the final, Angermund’s fourth-place finish allowed him to clinch the overall Golden Trail Series title. He acknowledged that winning due to Jornet’s injury felt hollow but recognized his consistent efforts against top talent.

2018 Golden Trail Series winners and final rankings

• Men: Stian Angermund (Salomon).
• Women: Ruth Croft (Scott).

The final ranking of the top 5 men and women in the 2018 Golden Trail Series was as follows:

Men:

1. Stian Angermund (Salomon) – 388 points
2. Marc Lauenstein (Salomon) – 307
3. Kilian Jornet (Salomon) – 300
4. Aritz Egea (Salomon) – 268
5. Oriol Cardona Coll (Dynafit) – 248

Women:

1. Ruth Croft (Scott) – 338 points
2. Ida Nilsson (Salomon) – 303
3. Holly Page (Salomon) – 278
4. Eli Gordon (Salomon) – 267
5. Silvia Rampazzo – 265

2019: Kilian’s Comeback, Wyder’s Rise

The 2019 Golden Trail World Series (GTWS) consisted of six qualifying races across Europe and the US, culminating in a Grand Final in Nepal. This year, elite runners needed to participate in at least three of the six qualifying races, and the top 10 men and women with the most points from their three best races earned a trip to the Grand Final.

The overall champions? They were crowned based on their three best finishes during the season plus their result at the Grand Final. This aimed to build excitement throughout, with a points system that rewarded consistent performance.

The Golden Trail National Series was launched the same year as a national or regional development league. The main rewards for doing well were tickets to next year’s Golden Trail World Series events.

2019 race information

The 2019 Golden Trail World Series kept all five of 2018’s qualifying races and added the Dolomyths Run.

Race name	Location	Date	Distance	Elevation Gain
Zegama Mountain Marathon	Spain’s Basque Country	26 May 2019	42km	2,736m+
Marathon du Mont Blanc	Chamonix, France	30 June 2019	42km	2,540m+
Dolomyths Run Skyrace	Italian Dolomites, Italy	21 July 2019	22km	1,750m+
Sierre-Zinal	Valais Alps, Switzerland	11 August 2019	31km	2,200m+
Pikes Peak Marathon	Colorado, USA	25 August 2019	42km	2,382m+
Ring of Steall Skyrace	Kinlochleven, Scotland	14 September 2019	29km	2,500m+

The Grand Final was held at the Annapurna Trail Marathon in Nepal (42km), which involved 3,560 meters of elevation gain and reached 3,753 meters in altitude.

2019 Golden Trail World Series major athlete storylines

• Kilian Jornet’s return from (another) injury: Jornet, who finished third overall in 2018 and withdrew from the final with a hip injury made a triumphant return at Zegama and later conquered the Pikes Peak Marathon. His consistent performances throughout put him in contention for the overall title.
  
• Ruth Croft’s consistency: On the women’s side, defending champion Ruth Croft from New Zealand remained a force to be reckoned with. She won the Marathon du Mont Blanc and kept racking up strong finishes, eventually taking third in the final standings.
  
• Judith Wyder’s strong performances: However, it was Swiss runner Judith Wyder who really caught fire, winning the Ring of Steall and then dominating the Grand Final to claim the women’s overall title.
  
• Davide Magnini’s emergence: We also saw young Italian phenom Davide Magnini burst onto the scene, winning the Marathon du Mont Blanc and eventually finishing second overall.
  
• The Grand Final in Nepal: The high-altitude test proved too much for some contenders, including Nadir Maguet who was sitting third before the final but couldn’t finish the race.

2019 Golden Trail World Series winners and final rankings

• Men: Kilian Jornet (Salomon).
• Women: Judith Wyder (Salomon).

The final ranking of the top 5 men and women in the 2019 Golden Trail World Series was as follows (I’ll update the points when I finish tracking them down):

Men:

1. Kilian Jornet (Salomon)
2. Davide Magnini (Salomon)
3. Stian Angermund (Salomon)
4. Thibaut Baronian (Salomon)
5. Nadir Maguet (La Sportiva)

Women:

1. Judith Wyder (Salomon)
2. Silvia Rampazzo (Scarpa/Tornado)
3. Ruth Croft (Scott)
4. Eli Anne Dvergsdal (Salomon)
5. Meg Mackenzie (Salomon)

2020: Conquering the COVID Chaos in the Azores

When COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill in 2020, the Golden Trail World Series were creative. They came up with something special – the Golden Trail Championship in the Azores (an archipelago of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, also an autonomous region of Portugal).

2020 race information

Held from 28 October to 1 November, the championship consisted of four gruelling stages across the stunning Azores landscape:

• Day 1: A 26km route with 1,069m of climbing and 1,098m of descent
• Day 2: 32km with 1,343m up and 1,310m down
• Day 3: A brutal 32km featuring 2,363m of climbing and 1,137m of descent
• Day 4: The final 36km push with 1,453m of ascent and 1,518m of descent

What made this format interesting was the addition of specific segments within each stage. Runners weren’t just racing for overall time – they could also compete for titles in climbing (Golden Trail Climber Champion), descending (Golden Trail Downhiller Champion), and sprinting (Golden Trail Sprinter Champion) sections.

2020 Golden Trail Championship winners and final rankings

• Men: Bart Przedwojewski (Salomon)
• Women: Maude Mathys (Salomon)

The final ranking of the top 5 men and women in the 2020 Golden Trail Championship was as follows:

Men:

1. Bart Przedwojewski (Salomon)
2. Jim Walmsley (Hoka)
3. Frédéric Tranchand (Merrel)
4. Elhousine Elazzaoui (Salomon)
5. Stian Angermund (Salomon)

Women:

1. Maude Mathys (Salomon)
2. Rachel Drake (Nike)
3. Blandine L’hirondel (Kiprun Running)
4. Tove Alexandersson
5. Johanna Åström (Arc’ ́Teryx)

2021: Return, Rise, Resilience

The 2021 Golden Trail World Series (GTWS) marked its third year bringing the world’s best trail running athletes to compete in iconic races. Following the disruption of the 2020 season due to the pandemic, which led to the creation of the Golden Trail Championship (GTC), the GTWS returned with its traditional format, albeit with some adaptations due to ongoing health conditions. The organisers decided to alternate between the GTWS format and the GTC format in subsequent years (but never followed through).

The 2021 Golden Trail World Series was planned as a series of six qualifying races culminating in a Grand Final. The well-produced Chasing Dreams docuseries was also created to provide fans with an inside look at the competitions and develop athlete storylines.

2021 race information

The planned six qualifying races were the same as 2019, but Zegama, Pikes Peak and Ring of Steall were replaced for various reasons. The final races were:

Race name	Location	Date	Distance	Elevation Gain
Olla de Núria	Girona, Spain	13 Jun 2021	21.5km	1,940m+
Marathon du Mont Blanc	Chamonix, France	4 July 2021	38km	2,630m+
Dolomyths Run Skyrace	Italian Dolomites, Italy	18 July 2021	22km	1,750m+
Sierre-Zinal	Valais Alps, Switzerland	8 August 2021	31km	2,200m+
Chiemgau Trail	Marquartstein, Germany	4 September 2021	43.5km	2,757m+
Skyrhune	Ascain, France	25 September 2021	22km	1,700m+

The 2021 GTWS Grand Final was initially planned for Patagonia, Argentina (K42 Adventure Marathon). However, it was ultimately held on El Hierro in the Canary Islands (Spain) on 16 October 2021. This final race was called “The One Race” and covered a distance of 37 km with 2862m of elevation gain. Points earned at the Grand Final were doubled.

2021 Golden Trail World Series major athlete storylines

• Judith Wyder’s Return: Judith Wyder (Salomon/Red Bull), the 2019 GTWS winner, returned after the birth of her second child and showed strong form, winning the Dolomyths Run.
  
• The Emergence of Nienke Brinkman: Nienke Brinkman (Salomon) emerged as a significant contender, providing a challenge to Maude Mathys. Her strong performances made her a key athlete to watch.
  
• Stian Angermund’s Dominance: Stian Angermund (Salomon) had a remarkable season, arriving at the Grand Final undefeated in the races he participated in (Olla de Núria, Marathon du Mont-Blanc, DoloMyths Run). His emulated his 2018 Golden Trail Series form, making him a strong favourite for the overall title.
  
• Maude Mathys’ Consistency: Maude Mathys (Salomon) also demonstrated impressive performances early in the season, winning Olla de Núria and the Marathon du Mont Blanc. Despite a strong challenge from Nienke Brinkman later in the season, Mathys proved her strength by winning the Grand Final.
  
• Francesco Puppi’s Strong Finish: Francesco Puppi (Nike Trail) had a strong end to the season, culminating in a victory at the Grand Final at El Hierro. His performance significantly impacted the final overall rankings.
  
• Bart Przedwojewski’s Resilience: Bart Przedwojewski (Salomon) consistently performed well, securing podium finishes and remaining a strong contender throughout the season.

2021 Golden Trail World Series winners and final rankings

• Men: Stian Angermund (Salomon)
• Women: Maude Mathys (Salomon)

The top 5 of the final overall rankings for the 2021 Golden Trail World Series, including their final points tally:

Men:

1. Stian Angermund (Salomon) – 430 points
2. Francesco Puppi (Nike Trail) – 397
3. Bart Przedwojewski (Salomon) – 374
4. Thibaut Baronian (Salomon) – 374
5. Rémi Bonnet (Salomon/Red Bul) – 337

Women:

1. Maude Mathys (Salomon) – 500
2. Nienke Brinkman (Salomon) – 464
3. Anais Sabrie (Matryx) – 410
4. Blandine L’hirondel (Hoka) – 352
5. Daniella Moreno (Hoka/Rabbit) – 335

2022: Bonnet and Brinkman’s breakthroughs

By 2022, the Golden Trail World Series was hitting its stride. The focus remained clear: help trail athletes build professional careers and make the sport more exciting for fans to watch, almost like a “trail world cup.” The idea was to gather the best runners for a series of intense races (between 21k and 42k) on some truly legendary courses.

To bring fans closer to the action, the popular “Chasing Dreams” web docuseries returned, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the athletes’ lives and the high-stakes competition. The organizers also tried something new: scheduling pairs of races close together on different continents (Europe and North America) to make international travel more manageable for the competitors. For the overall ranking, every race counted, and points were doubled right from the start (200 for the winner), making each qualifier significant.

2022 race information

The series kept its structure of six qualifying races leading up to a Grand Final.

Race name	Location	Date	Distance	Elevation Gain
Zegama-Aizkorri	Spain’s Basque Country	29 May 2022	42km	2,736m+
Marathon du Mont Blanc	Chamonix, France	26 June 2022	42km	2,540m+
Stranda Fjord Trail Race	Stranda, Norway	6 August 2022	25km	1,700m+
Sierre-Zinal	Valais Alps, Switzerland	13 August 2022	31km	2,200m+
Pikes Peak Ascent	Colorado, USA	17 September 2022	21km	2,382m+
Flagstaff Sky Peaks	Flagstaff, USA	25 September 2022	26km	1,200m+

Instead of a single final race, the 2022 Grand Final switched things up dramatically. Held in Madeira (Portugal) from 26 to 30 October, it transformed into an exciting five-day stage race reminiscent of the 2020 GTC.

Here’s how it worked: Athletes could choose to run individual stages, but to be crowned the overall Grand Final champion and fight for the final Golden Trail World Series season standings, they had to complete all five stages. Each day offered a different challenge:

• Day 1: A punchy ~22km with 1,500m elevation gain (EG) (Winners: Allie McLaughlin & Rémi Bonnet).
• Day 2: A longer 26.6km stage with 1,425m EG (Winners: Nienke Brinkman & Rémi Bonnet).
• Day 3: A short, fast 6km individual time trial (Winners: Nienke Brinkman & Elhousine Elazzaoui).
• Day 4: Another solid 26.2km stage (Winners: Nienke Brinkman & Rémi Bonnet).
• Day 5: The longest stage, focused more on the descent (1,500m up, 2,000m down) (Winners: Allie McLaughlin & Rémi Bonnet).

Points were awarded daily, counting towards both stage rankings and the overall GTWS title chase. Plus, there were special prizes for the fastest athletes on designated uphill, downhill, and sprint segments within the stages, adding another layer of competition.

2022 Golden Trail World Series major athlete storylines

• Rémi Bonnet (Salomon/Red Bull): 2022 was Rémi’s year. Known as a climbing machine, he showed massively improved downhill skills too. He dominated the US races (Pikes Peak and Flagstaff) and was incredibly strong throughout the Madeira final, winning multiple stages. He finally captured the overall title in style after chasing it for five years.
  
• Nienke Brinkman (Nike Trail): She stormed to victory at Zegama and then, like Rémi, won both US races. Even racing the Madeira final with her arm in a cast(!), she was consistently brilliant, winning several stages and securing the women’s overall GTWS crown.
  
• Sophia Laukli (Salomon): New to the GTWS scene, Sophia turned heads by winning the technical Stranda race in Norway. She carried that form into Madeira, grabbing second place on stage 4 and finishing an impressive second overall for the season – a real breakout performance.
  
• Allie McLaughlin (Hoka): Allie showed her strength in Madeira, taking impressive wins on stages 1 and 5. She proved she could challenge anyone, even pushing the seemingly unbeatable Brinkman on certain days.
  
• Thibault Baronian (Salomon): Thibault was Mr. Consistent, always mixing it up near the front. He finished 6th at Stranda and took second overall in the demanding Madeira stage race, landing him third in the final season rankings.

2022 Golden Trail World Series winners and final rankings

• Men: Rémi Bonnet (Salomon/Red Bull)
• Women: Nienke Brinkman (Nike Trail)

The top 5 of the final overall rankings for the 2022 Golden Trail World Series, including their final points tally:

Men:

1. Rémi Bonnet (Salomon/Red Bull) – 968 points
2. Elhousine Elazzaoui (Pini Mountain Racing) – 720
3. Thibault Baronian (Salomon) – 714
4. Ruy Ueda (Red Bull) – 686
5. Eli Hemming (Aerobic Monsters) – 634

Women:

1. Nienke Brinkman (Nike Trail) – 1,026 points
2. Sophia Laukli (Salomon) – 799
3. Sara Alonso (Salomon) – 782
4. Elise Poncet (Sidas x Matryx) – 702
5. Bailey Kowalczyk (Salomon) – 680

2023: Bonnet Repeats, Laukli Takes the Throne

The Golden Trail World Series kept the momentum going strong into its fifth edition in 2023 (sixth if we include the 2020 GTC). The goal remained the same: celebrate the pure excitement of trail running, bring together the best athletes on iconic courses around the globe, and ultimately see who came out on top after facing diverse challenges.

The 2023 season ran from May to October, again featuring six tough qualifying races before culminating in a Grand Final showdown in Italy. How did they crown the champions? It came down to an athlete’s best three results from those six qualifiers, plus their performance in both the prologue and the main race at the final event.

2023 race information

This year saw the return of the Dolomyths Run and the addition of the Mammoth 26K, replacing Stranda Fjord and Flagstaff Sky Peaks.

Race name	Location	Date	Distance	Elevation Gain
Zegama-Aizkorri	Spain’s Basque Country	14 May 2023	42km	2,736m+
Marathon du Mont Blanc	Chamonix, France	15 June 2023	42km	2,540m+
Dolomyths Run	Italian Dolomites, Italy	15 July 2023	22km	1,750m+
Sierre-Zinal	Valais Alps, Switzerland	12 August 2023	31km	2,200m+
Pikes Peak Ascent	Colorado, USA	16 September 2023	21km	2,382m+
Mammoth 26K	California, USA	22 September 2023	26km	1,400m+

The season wrapped up on the beautiful Ligurian coast of Italy (19-22 Oct) with the Il Golfo dell’Isola Trail Race in Noli. The multi-day event consisted of:

• The Prologue: Think short, fast, time-trial style of an 8.7km loop with 400m EG. The women raced on Thursday (won by Madalina Florea, with Sophia Laukli second), and the men on Friday (won by Elhousine Elazzaoui). This warm-up race offered 100 points for the winner.
• The Main Race: This was the big one. Women raced Saturday, men Sunday, both tackling roughly 26km with 1,430m of climbing around Noli. Points here were worth double a regular season race (300 for the winner). Both Madalina Florea and Elhousine Elazzaoui completed an amazing Grand Final double by winning the Prologue and Main Race. A cool feature was the “petal format” course, looping back through the start/finish area, letting fans see the runners multiple times.

There was also bragging rights (and opportunity) on the line for the best Golden Trail National Series (GTNS) teams. The top three men and women from the GTNS rankings earned a “Golden Ticket” – support for three GTWS races in 2024.

2023 Golden Trail World Series major athlete storylines

• Rémi Bonnet (Salomon/Red Bull): Coming in as the defending champ, Rémi was the man to beat. He backed it up with dominant wins at Mont-Blanc, Pikes Peak (setting a new record!), and Mammoth. Even a slightly off day placing 4th in the final race couldn’t stop him; his season-long brilliance secured his second GTWS title in a row.
  
• Sophia Laukli (Salomon): Sophia truly arrived in 2023. She grabbed huge wins at Mont-Blanc, Sierre-Zinal, and Pikes Peak. Finishing 2nd in the final’s prologue and 3rd in the main race put her in a points tie with Judith Wyder. In a nail-biting finish, Sophia clinched the overall title because she had more race wins during the season.
  
• Judith Wyder (Hoka/Red Bull): The 2019 champ and orienteering legend showed she’s still a massive force, winning the tough Dolomyths Run and consistently pushing at the front. Finishing tied on points with Sophia showed her class, just narrowly missing out on the title due to the tie-breaker rule.
  
• Patrick Kipngeno (Milimani Runners): The Vertical Kilometer (VK) world champion was always a threat, especially on the climbs. He bagged second place at Sierre-Zinal and was consistently near the front. The talk was often about his strategy – trying to gap the field uphill, but sometimes finding the technical descents or fueling tougher. He battled hard, finishing 4th in the final prologue and securing second overall for the season.
  
• Philemon Kiriago (Milimani Runners): Patrick’s younger training partner had a breakthrough season. He stepped out of Kipngeno’s shadow with a stunning win at Sierre-Zinal (on his 21st birthday, no less!), proving stronger on the descents and flats to overtake his compatriot. Finishing 4th in the final prologue, he landed an impressive third overall for the season. The friendly rivalry between the two Kenyans was compelling viewing.
  
• Elhousine Elazzaoui (Pini Mountain Racing): After winning Dolomyths mid-season, Elhousine peaked perfectly for the final. Winning both the prologue and the main race in Italy against the deepest field of the year was incredible, laying the foundation for a fantastic 2024 season.
  
• Madalina Florea (CSM SIGHISOARA): Like Elhousine, Madalina surprisingly swept both the prologue and the main race, announcing herself on the biggest stage.

2023 Golden Trail World Series winner and final rankings

• Men: Rémi Bonnet (Salomon/Red Bull)
• Women: Sophia Laukli (Salomon)

The top 5 of the final overall rankings for the 2023 Golden Trail World Series, including their final points tally:

Men:

1. Rémi Bonnet (Salomon/Red Bull) – 937 points
2. Patrick Kipngeno (Milimani Runners) – 859
3. Philemon Kiriago (Milimani Runners) – 840
4. Elhousine Elazzaoui (Pini Mountain Racing) – 831
5. Eli Hemming (Aerobic Monsters) – 818

Women:

1. Sophia Laukli (Salomon) – 958 points
2. Judith Wyder (Hoka/Red Bull) – 958
3. Madalina Florea (CSM SIGHISOARA) – 832
4. Malen Osa (Salomon) – 805
5. Miao Yao (Salomon) – 779

2024: New Races, New Champions

This year added two new Asian races to make it eight qualifying races with the athletes’ four best results considered before the Grand Final, with the top 30 male and female athletes invited to participate in it.

To reduce travelling, the qualifying races were grouped into three stages: the first Asian stage, the second European stage, and the third, US stage. However, the newly added, and eagerly anticipated, Tatra Skymarathon in Poland was cancelled due to dangerous weather conditions.

As a result, Greg Vollet, the Golden Trail World Series race director, announced that the overall ranking would consider athletes’ three best results (not four) and their Grand Final results. This shook up the female rankings, giving a few more athletes a chance to climb higher.

2024 race information

Race name	Location	Date	Distance	Elevation Gain
Kobe Trail	Kobe, Japan	20-21 April 2024	21km	1,615m+
Four Sisters Mountain Trail	Sichuan, China	27 April 2024	22km	1,500m+
Zegama-Aizkorri	Spain’s Basque Country	26 May 2024	42km	2,736m+
Marathon du Mont Blanc	Chamonix, France	30 June 2024	42km	2,540m+
Sierre-Zinal	Valais Alps, Switzerland	10 August 2024	31km	2,200m+
Tatra Sky Marathon (CANCELLED)	Kościelisko, Poland	17 August 2024	28km	1,770m+
Headlands 27K	California, USA	14-15 September 2024	28km	1,304m+
Mammoth 26K	California, USA	22 September 2024	26km	1,400m+

All roads led to Ascona-Locarno, Switzerland, from 17 to 20 October for the Grand Final. It closely followed 2023’s structure of a two-part finale:

• The Prologue: A short, sharp 7km blast with 400m of climbing.
• The Final Race: The main event covered 23.5km with 1,400m of ascent.

Both races continued 2023’s fan-friendly “petal format,” looping runners back through a central Fan Zone multiple times – great for spectating! The points accumulation also continued in 2023: 100 for the prologue winner and a massive 300 for winning the final race.

2024 Golden Trail World Series major athlete storylines

• Elhousine Elazzaoui (Nnormal): What a debut season for the Flying Camel after joining Team Nnormal! He was incredibly strong, winning three races during the regular season before sealing the overall GTWS title with a powerful victory in the Grand Final, holding off Rémi Bonnet in a brilliant duel. His win at Mammoth, though contentious, was one of the nail-biting moments of the qualifying races.
  
• Joyce Njeru (Atletica Saluzzo): Joyce put together a stellar season. She bagged her third win of the year at Mammoth, then showed her speed by winning the Grand Final prologue. Consistency paid off, as she ultimately secured the women’s overall Golden Trail World Series title. Title holder!
  
• Patrick Kipngeno (Run2gether): Patrick started his second GTWS season on fire, winning the first two races in Japan and China with his signature climbing prowess. He remained neck-and-neck with Elhousine throughout the season, coming into the Grand Final just 14 points behind. However, despite battling hard, he could only finish third in the Grand Final.
  
• Rémi Bonnet (Salomon): The defending champion from 2022 and 2023 struggled for form. Despite a good season, he had a low probability to retain his title heading into the Grand Final. Nevertheless, he Elhousine all the way in that epic race, ultimately finishing second on the day and third overall for the season.
  
• Joyline Chepngeno (Milimani Runners): Joyline was one of the biggest surprises of the season. She had a standout moment winning the prestigious Sierre-Zinal – and that being her first ever trail race! In the Grand Final, she was locked in a battle with Joyce Njeru until twisting her ankle – showing incredible grit, she still managed to win the final race! She could have been a contender for the overall title had she joined earlier in the season, or the Tatra Sky Marathon had proceeded, or she could race in the US.
  
• Malen Osa (Salomon): Malen’s consistency was impressive. Often noted for finishing just off the podium in previous years (lots of 5th places!), she stepped up big time in 2024, regularly featuring near the front and earning a fantastic third place overall in the GTWS, showing resilience despite struggling in some races.
  
• Miao Yao (Salomon): Representing China brilliantly, Miao Yao had a great run at the Marathon du Mont-Blanc for third place. Even battling an injury, she managed sixth at the Four Sisters race on home soil and finished a superb fourth overall for the season.

Golden Trail World Series 2024 winners and final rankings

• Men: Elhousine Elazzaoui (NNormal)
• Women: Joyce Njeru (Atletica Saluzzo)

The top 5 of the final overall rankings for the 2024 Golden Trail World Series, including their final points tally:

Men:

1. Elhousine Elazzaoui (NNormal) – 1,000 points
2. Patrick Kipngeno (Run2gether) – 940
3. Rémi Bonnet (Salomon/Red Bull) – 896
4. Philemon Kiriago (Run2gether) – 854
5. Daniel Pattis (Brooks) – 776

Women:

1. Joyce Njeru (Atletica Saluzzo) – 964 points
2. Judith Wyder (Hoka/Red Bull) – 814
3. Malen Osa (Salomon) – 769
4. Miao Yao (Salomon) – 730
5. Anna Gibson (Brooks) – 726

List of Golden Trail World Series overall winners (2018-2024)

Note that in 2018, the series was just called the Golden Trail Series; in 2020, the series was cancelled because of COVID and replaced with a four-day Golden Trail Championship.

Closing thoughts

I was late to the trail running party, and only came across the GTWS around this time last year. Since then, I’ve been enamoured by the short-trail races, great production value, and the expert weaving of athlete storylines. It’s been inspiring to follow these athletes on their hero journeys, knowing that it’s not easy to reach, let alone sustain, their level of performance.

The trails humble all. As a fan of the sport and series, I have high hopes for the Golden Trail World Series 2025 season.

Thanks for reading. Have an opinion or feedback? Leave them in the comments or reach out.

And now it’s time to chase the trails!