Zegama-Aizkorri is a 42.195 km mountain marathon held in late spring in Zegama, a village in Gipuzkoa. The course crosses both sides of the Sierra de Aizkorri, over four of the highest summits in the Basque Autonomous Community, through beech forests, steep rocky ground and high mountain pastures. It is considered the most iconic mountain marathon, and the race counts toward the Golden Trail World Series.
The field is capped at 500 runners. After the places the organisers reserve, and those for runners who have completed every edition or ran the fastest times in the last two, 225 places are drawn by public lottery among everyone who pre-registers in January. There is no phone or email entry: pre-registration is online only, on the platform linked from the race website. For official updates, head to the Zegama-Aizkorri website.
Key dates
- Lottery WindowOpen Jan 2027
- Race dayJun 6, 2027
Windows are shown to the month until the organiser confirms them. Subscribers get the exact day, by email, on the morning it opens.
The lottery date is set. The opening is announced. Now it just has to not slip past you. Set up a BibsAlert and we'll email you the moment the Zegama-Aizkorri lottery goes live.
How to enter the Zegama-Aizkorri
Apart from the organisers' own places, every marathon place starts with one online pre-registration in January, and places are shared out after it closes. Runners must be over 18 on race day.
1. Public Lottery
Pre-register on Kronoak.com, the registration platform linked from the official enrolment page, during the January window, for a small fee. It is the only way to apply: entries by phone or email are not accepted. 225 places are drawn at a public draw in February, and the list of selected runners is published on the race website and social media the same day. First-time applicants get one number in the draw, and runners who entered earlier draws without getting a bib get one number for each of those draws, so your chances grow every year you miss out. Once you win a bib, only later draws count.
2. Every Edition and Fastest Times
125 places are reserved for runners who have completed every previous edition and want to run again, and for the runners who set the fastest times in the last two editions. Runners from Zegama also have direct places. These runners pre-register in the same January window and are left out of the draw.
3. Organiser Places
The organisers keep 150 places to cover the race's commitments.
Selected runners receive an email with the steps to follow and the payment deadline, and a place is only confirmed once the entry fee is paid. Places released later, by unused reservations or withdrawals, go to the next runners on the draw list, in draw order.
The course
A very technical, high-difficulty course over both sides of the Sierra de Aizkorri, about half of it on technical ground, starting in Zegama and finishing in the village's town square.
- Start: Zegama, Gipuzkoa
- Finish: Zegama town square
- Distance: 42.195 km (26.2 miles)
- Start Time: 09:00
- Time Limit: 8 hours, with the finish closing at 17:00. Cut-offs from the start include Aratz (km 16.1) at 3h, Sancti Spiritu (km 19.6) at 3h15, Aketegi (km 23.2) at 4h30, Urbia (km 28.5) at 5h50 and Oazurtza (km 37.8) at 7h30.
From the village, at 296 m, the route climbs to the Otzaurte pass, then follows paths and mountain tracks across the Aratz massif and the Aizkorri range. It passes four of the highest summits in the Basque Autonomous Community, including Aratz, Aizkorri and Aketegi, the high point at 1,551 m. Sancti Spiritu, before the climb to the summit of Aizkorri, is the race's mythical point, where supporters gather, and Aizkorri hosts a flying sprint. Runners must carry a windproof jacket, a cup and a thermal blanket for the whole race, and poles are allowed.
Why run the Zegama-Aizkorri?
- Sancti Spiritu: Hundreds of spectators carry the runners through the race's mythical point, where the supporter point sits below the climb to Aizkorri.
- A world-class field: The race counts toward the Golden Trail World Series, with prize money for the top ten women and men.
- Basque high country: Beech forests, rocky ridges and mountain pastures over four of the highest summits in the Basque Autonomous Community, on a course the organisers rate very technical.
Didn't get in?
If you weren't selected in the Zegama-Aizkorri lottery, you still have options:
- Charity entries: Many official charity partners offer guaranteed places in exchange for fundraising commitments. Check the official website for partner organizations.
- Waiting list: Places released by unused reservations or withdrawals go to the next runners on the draw list, in draw order, and the organisers contact them directly.
- Try again next year: Every draw you enter without getting a bib earns you an extra number in the next one, so your chances grow each year.
- Run the Vertical Kilometre: The Zegama-Aizkorri Vertical Kilometre is held two days before the marathon, with its own pre-registration later in January.
- Try a similar race: Check the related races below for races with similar entry types, dates, or locations.
- Apply again next year: Set up a BibsAlert so you don't miss the next entry window.
Questions runners ask
How does the Zegama-Aizkorri lottery work?
Pre-register on Kronoak.com, linked from the official enrolment page, during the January window. It is the only way to apply. 225 of the 500 places are drawn at a public draw in February among pre-registered runners who have not already earned a place another way. The results are published on the race website and social media the same day, and selected runners receive an email with the steps to pay.
Do my chances improve if I miss out?
Yes. First-time applicants get one number in the draw. Runners who entered earlier draws without getting a bib get one number for each of those draws. Once you win a bib, only later draws count.
Who can enter?
Runners over 18 on race day can pre-register, for a field capped at 500. Besides the lottery, places are reserved for runners who have completed every previous edition, the fastest runners of the last two editions and runners from Zegama, and the organisers keep 150 places for the race's commitments.
What kit is mandatory?
A windproof jacket, a cup for drinks and a thermal blanket, carried for the whole race. Poles are allowed. If the organisers give you a double bib or a GPS device, you must use it.
Can I get a refund if I cannot run?
Tell the organisers by email as soon as possible. If you withdraw more than 15 days before the race, the amount you paid is refunded.
Looking ahead
Marathon pre-registration opens in January at noon, Spanish time, on Kronoak.com and stays open for eleven days, with the public draw in February and the race in late spring. Set up a BibsAlert to get notified when pre-registration opens.