More than 5,000 runners, seven sold-out races and four destinations connected through one weekend of trail running in the Julian Alps.
The 2026 edition of I feel Slovenia Julian Alps Trail Run by UTMB® came to a close in Kranjska Gora after three days of racing across the Julian Alps.
Between 18 and 20 September, 5,800 runners registered for the event, with approximately 4,700 taking to the start lines. All seven races were sold out, bringing together runners from more than 90 countries and making this the biggest edition of the event to date. More than 500 volunteers helped connect the races across Kranjska Gora, Bled, Radovljica and Žirovnica.
From 50K to the iconic 120K
Friday opened with the Sky Trail 50K, the largest race of this year’s edition with 1,471 registered runners from 65 countries. Germany’s Dominik Hohenleitner took the men’s victory in 4:38:05, while Spain’s Greta García Morán won the women’s race in 5:21:20.
Later that evening, almost 700 runners set off from Radovljica on the longest challenge of the weekend, the I feel Slovenia 120K. Over 122 kilometres and 5,855 metres of elevation gain separated them from the finish line in Kranjska Gora.
Austria’s Mathias Deutschbauer claimed the men’s victory in 13:03:05, while Belgium’s Hélène Dassy was the fastest woman, finishing in 15:37:10.
Racing from Lake Bled across the Karavanke
On Saturday morning, more than 1,000 registered runners took on the Lake Bled 80K, travelling from Bled towards Kranjska Gora via Mt Stol and the Karavanke ridge.
The men’s race produced one of the closest finishes of the weekend, with Poland’s Marcel Fabian taking victory just one minute and 38 seconds ahead of American David Norris. Norway’s Sara Rebekka Faro Linde secured a convincing win in the women’s race.
A fast Sunday finale in Kranjska Gora
After two days of long mountain races, Sunday belonged to the shorter and faster distances.
The Kranjska Gora 25K saw a strong Slovenian performance, with Vili Črv leading an all-Slovenian men’s podium and Klara Velepec taking the women’s victory.
The programme continued with the INTERSPORT Speed Trail 15K, won by Samuel Demetz and Manca Mlekuž, and the VITRANC Funny Trail 10K, where Brendan Forrester and Katja Kosmatin Bajić crossed the finish line first.
A first for the next generation
One of the special moments of Sunday came with the first standalone NEXT GEN Trail 10K start in the history of the event.
Designed for young runners aged 12 to 18, the race gave the next generation their own start and the opportunity to experience a UTMB® World Series event. Italy’s Nicolò Stori and Slovenia’s Julija Brus became the first winners of the standalone race.
More than a race
Beyond the competition, the event once again brought together destinations, local communities, volunteers and visitors throughout the Julian Alps. Its courses connect four destinations and bring thousands of international runners to the region outside the main summer tourism season.
The organisers also continued their focus on responsible mountain visitation, environmental protection and equal conditions for female and male runners, alongside measures designed to reduce the event’s impact on the areas through which the races pass.
Following the biggest edition to date, attention now turns towards 2027, with pre-registration for the next I feel Slovenia Julian Alps Trail Run by UTMB® already open.