Trail Serra da Groba 2026: date and courses

Plan your race pace

The 13th Trail Trans Serra da Groba takes place Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, in Baiona, starting and finishing at the municipal sports pavilion on Rúa Dolores Agrelo. The event offers four options: Trail, Trailiño, Promotrail and Andaina, with distances from 11.5 to 29 kilometers and staggered start times between 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. The longest race covers 29 kilometers and gains 1,550 meters of elevation, according to the regulations gathered for this edition.

Registration remains open until 11:59 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26. As of Oct. 13, the applicable prices are 35 euros for the Trail, 30 for the Trailiño, 10 for the Promotrail and 20 for the Andaina. Organized by the Baiona town council’s Department of Sports, the event follows forest tracks, traditional paths and urban stretches of asphalt. Distances, elevation gains and start times vary by event, so it is worth comparing them before choosing.

Date, start area and course features

The race starts and finishes at Baiona’s municipal sports pavilion, on Rúa Dolores Agrelo, without a street number. From there, the routes enter the mountains of Serra da Groba, within the municipality. The course combines forest tracks and traditional paths with asphalt as runners leave Baiona and return to the finish; it is not an entirely mountainous route from the first to the last meter. A shared start area keeps event logistics in one venue, which is also scheduled to host bib pickup.

The routes are circular, although each event has its own time limit and demands. Surfaces and rhythms vary: a wide track may lead onto a narrower path, while asphalt sections provide a transition through the urban area. The available information does not provide a kilometer-by-kilometer profile or verified details about individual course sections. Total elevation and the mix of paths mean distance alone does not capture the full effort.

Organizers reserve the right to change the route or suspend the event because of adverse weather or force majeure. That provision matters for a late-October mountain race, when conditions may differ between town and higher ground. No reliable forecast is available to establish what the course conditions will be on race day. The current regulations are the reference for changes and final participation requirements.

Four events and staggered start times

The Trail, the longest distance, starts at 8:30 a.m. Its 29 kilometers include 1,550 meters of elevation gain, with a six-hour cutoff. The regulations describe its physical and technical difficulty as moderate. While that assessment offers general guidance, the accumulated climbing and potential duration make this event different from a road race of the same distance. The early start and six-hour cutoff shape the logistics of the main event.

The Trailiño starts at 10 a.m. and covers 18.5 kilometers with 800 meters of elevation gain; its time limit is five hours. It is open to participants 18 and older, as is the Trail. The shorter distance and lower elevation reduce the load compared with the longest race, but this remains a mountain course with changing surfaces and sustained climbing. The Trailiño is an intermediate option, not a flat or urban race.

The Promotrail and Andaina share an 11.5-kilometer distance but follow different formats. The Promotrail has 495 meters of elevation gain, starts at 10:30 a.m. and is for participants born from 2009 through 2012; the cutoff is three hours. The noncompetitive Andaina has 400 meters of gain, starts at 10:45 a.m. and allows four hours. Age eligibility, competitive status and elevation are the main differences between them.

Registration and current prices

Registration is available through Champion Chip Norte and the Baiona co Deporte event page. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. Registration is personal and nontransferable, so a bib cannot be handed to another participant. The fee schedule has two tiers, and the second has been in effect since Oct. 13.

Through Oct. 12, the Trail cost 25 euros, the Trailiño 18 euros, the Promotrail was free and the Andaina cost 10 euros. From Oct. 13 through the registration deadline, fees are 35 euros for the Trail, 30 for the Trailiño, 10 for the Promotrail and 20 for the Andaina. The increase applies to every event, although the Promotrail moves from free entry to a 10-euro fee. The final cost depends on the event and the date registration is completed.

Participants under 18 in the Promotrail need authorization from a parent or legal guardian. The Trail and Trailiño are restricted to adults, according to the event information. Before registering, participants should check that the selected category matches their age and review the regulations. Parental or guardian authorization is required for minors entering the youth event.

Aid stations and time limits

Aid-station locations vary by distance. The Trail has stations at kilometers 6.5, 12.5, 17 and 23.5, as well as support at the finish. The Trailiño has stations at kilometers 6.5 and 13, plus the finish. The reference information identifies locations by distance but does not specify what each station will provide. Knowing where they are helps runners understand the stretches between support points.

The Promotrail has one station at kilometer 5.5 and another at the finish; the Andaina has an intermediate station at kilometer 5, in addition to support at the end. Those locations do not remove the need to follow the mandatory-equipment rules for mountain events. Nor should participants assume that details will remain unchanged: organizers may adjust the route for valid reasons. Race planning should follow the regulations rather than generic details from other events.

Cutoff times are six hours for the Trail, five for the Trailiño, three for the Promotrail and four for the Andaina. These are completion limits, not estimates of how long every participant will take. On a course with elevation, trails and tracks, pace can vary considerably between sections. The differences between events involve both distance and the time available to finish.

Mandatory equipment and mountain conditions

The regulations require participants in the mountain events to carry a mobile phone with sufficient battery, a waterproof or windproof layer depending on the weather, at least half a liter of water and an emergency blanket. These items are intended to help with changing weather, delays or incidents away from town. Choose an outer layer according to conditions and the regulations, not only the temperature at home before leaving. A phone, water and an emergency blanket are listed as mandatory equipment.

Running poles are permitted, but participants using them must carry them to the finish. During the urban start, poles must be folded or have protected tips, a measure intended to prevent injuries in an area shared by participants. Poles are optional; the important point is to carry them without compromising personal safety or the safety of nearby runners. Poles cannot be abandoned on the course and need protected tips during the urban start.

Mandatory equipment does not replace sensible choices about clothing and footwear. The event includes mountain paths and tracks as well as asphalt; the condition of the ground will depend on the weather in the days beforehand. There is not enough verified information to say that the course will be dry, muddy or at a specific temperature. Equipment should reflect an updated forecast and the organizer’s published requirements.

Bib pickup and technical briefing

Bib pickup is scheduled at the municipal sports pavilion. On Friday, Oct. 30, participants can collect their bibs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; on Saturday, Oct. 31, pickup runs from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Both windows are at the same venue as the start and finish, though participants should check for additional instructions about identification or access. Saturday pickup ends before the latest start, scheduled for 10:45 a.m.

A technical briefing of about 30 minutes is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday. It gives participants an opportunity to review event guidance and operational details before race day, although the available information does not specify the session’s full content. Those collecting a bib Saturday should remember that the first start is at 8:30 a.m. The briefing and advance bib pickup provide time to review information before the event.

Having the start and finish at the pavilion makes the event’s central venue easy to locate, but participants should still check official instructions on parking, access or possible changes. The reference information does not identify parking areas or recommend a particular way to travel. For travel planning, follow updates from the town and event organizers.

Baiona and Serra da Groba: tracks and traditional paths

The event connects Baiona’s urban area with the mountains of Serra da Groba. That contrast shapes the experience: the start and finish include asphalt, while the mountain sections follow forest tracks and traditional paths. The available official information places the entire route within Baiona’s municipal boundaries. The circular course combines mountain terrain with transitions through town.

In a race like this, surface changes matter as much as elevation. Tracks allow a different pace from narrow paths, while the asphalt at either end changes the feel as runners approach the start and finish area. No verified details have been provided about specific viewpoints, wildlife encounters or typical ground conditions, so they should not be presented as established features of the 2026 route. The confirmed description is limited to the types of paths and the municipality crossed.

Organizers will mark the route, but participants should still pay attention to race-day instructions. If weather or force majeure leads to changes, the planned route may be altered. The event falls in late October, but the date alone cannot establish the weather or trail conditions. The final route will depend on official updates before the start.

What to check before Oct. 31

The registration page and regulations should confirm the event, fee, age requirement and participation conditions. This edition has four options that should not be confused: two adult races, a youth event and a noncompetitive walk. The 11.5-kilometer distance appears in both the Promotrail and Andaina, but their elevation, start times, cutoffs and requirements differ. Choosing by distance alone can lead to an incorrect registration.

It is also useful to keep bib pickup and start times in mind, particularly for participants traveling to Baiona on race day. The first start is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. and the last for 10:45 a.m.; Saturday bib pickup runs from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. Oct. 26, with the final fee tier already in effect. The deadline, bib pickup window and selected start should fit the travel plan.

In the week before the event, the most important information will come from organizers: possible route changes, safety instructions, mandatory equipment and weather updates. Do not treat figures from other editions or pages with different distances and elevation as official. For 2026, the reference data gives the Trail 29 kilometers and 1,550 meters of elevation gain, and the Trailiño 18.5 kilometers and 800 meters. This edition’s regulations take precedence over listings with different figures.

A mountain event with four ways to take part

On Oct. 31, 2026, the Trail Trans Serra da Groba brings together a 29-kilometer long race, an 18.5-kilometer intermediate option and two 11.5-kilometer routes with different formats. The shared starting point is Baiona, and the circular course follows paths in Serra da Groba, beginning and ending at the municipal pavilion. The range of events distinguishes participants by level of demand, age and competitive format, and their conditions are not all the same.

With current fees ranging from 10 to 35 euros, registration open through Oct. 26 and starts spread across the morning, the essential practical details are available for planning. Elevation, aid stations and time limits complete the key information, while weather and any route changes remain subject to updates. The regulations and official Baiona announcements will be the final reference for runners and walkers.