Trail Menorca Camí de Cavalls Norte 100km: Running Menorca's North Coast at Night, Starting at 01:00 From Port of Mahón

The officially published D+ is 2,300m — confirmed by an exact match with GPX-derived analysis, making this a strong data confidence point. At 23m of D+ per kilometre the course ranks 338th most vertically dense out of 390 European trail ultras (Rank 1 = most vertical). The climbing is distributed across many short coastal undulations — the Menorca north coast reaches no significant altitude, with the island's highest points below 360m. The race challenge is 100km of endurance through the night, not elevation.

More demanding than the gradient statistics suggest. Average uphill gradient ranks 345th steepest out of 390 European ultras — near the gentlest end of the database — and average descent gradient ranks 46th gentlest (top 12%). But the race starts at 01:00 from Port of Mahón, meaning runners navigate clifftop coastal terrain in full darkness for the first several hours. The maximum cutoff is 21.5 hours over 100km. The real challenge is sustained pacing over 100km of coastal path in UNESCO Biosphere Reserve terrain at night, not technical climbing or steep gradient. Runners who underestimate the distance or night conditions relative to the gentle metrics are most at risk.

The 2026 (XIV — 14th edition) race started on May 2, 2026 at 01:00 as part of the Trail Menorca ConectaBalear event held May 1–3, 2026. The 2026 edition is closed and was sold out before race day. Registration for 2027 opens September 5, 2026 at 18:00. Entry fee in 2026 was €150 (€1.50 per km). A late registration fee of +€15 applied from April 1, 2026. Platform processing fees may also apply. The race sells out with medium intensity; early registration at the September opening is recommended.

Menorca Airport (MAH) is approximately 39 minutes from Port of Mahón (the race start). No direct long-haul flights serve Menorca; connections via Barcelona, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, or other European hubs are required. Public buses exist on the island but are limited; shuttle buses are organised for the race (see bus schedule on the official site). A taxi or race shuttle from Mahón centre to the port is the most convenient last-mile option. Accommodation is available island-wide but fills early — race weekend in early May coincides with the start of Menorca's tourist season. Early booking is recommended.

The Camí de Cavalls (GR223) is the historic coastal path circumnavigating the entire island of Menorca — approximately 185km in total. Originally used by mounted guards patrolling the coastline, it is now a waymarked GR long-distance route. Trail Menorca uses the Camí de Cavalls for all its distances: the 185km (TMCDC) follows the complete route; the 100km (TMCN — norte, north) covers the northern section starting from Port of Mahón; and the 85km (TMCS — sur, south) covers the southern section. Together the 100km and 85km make up the full 185km circumnavigation. Menorca has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1993; all distances run entirely within this protected coastal landscape.