Ecoparque Women Trail

What is Ecoparque Women Trail?

Coinciding with the race being held on 8 March, we want to achieve a more gender-balanced event in 2026.

It is a process of reflection, learning and implementation of strategies around equality, with the challenge of making the 2026 edition of Ecoparque Trail a more inclusive event. To this end, we as organisers propose, from the outset and in different areas, a point of view in which the gender perspective must be present and which serves as a driving force to try to reduce the gender gap that we see in the world of mountain running.

Participation data by gender in competitive races:

Participation data by gender in non-competitive races:

The Club Somos Ecoparque and the Ayuntamiento de Arnuero, co-organisers of the Ecoparque Trail 2026 event, after analysing the female participation data, have set themselves a seemingly numerical and seemingly unattainable challenge, which would be to achieve 50% female participation in 2026.

We do not set ourselves this figure as an obsession, because in reality the most important thing for us is not the figures, but rather to start by changing a way of thinking within the organisation with regard to certain actions that may be relevant in helping to reduce the problem of low female participation in competitive mountain sports.

Beyond the final figure, we aim to generate incentives, raise awareness, seek ways of building awareness, be more attractive to women, explore safe environments for practising this sport, and carry out actions that foster the social change needed so that this inclusive goal can become a reality in the future.

Why have we set ourselves this goal?

Because 2026 has brought us to coincide with a very significant date that has made us reflect. Because other sporting fields have shown us that it is an achievable goal.

Because our participation data show that two worrying phenomena are occurring:

1. From practically equal participation at children’s ages in our PequeCincho, there is a gradual drop-out of our young women from this sport, down to 32% in the shortest competitive format, the Speed.
2. Because we observe a clear decrease in female participation as the difficulty of the competition increases, so that we have 16,5% female participation in the 28k flagship competitive race, compared with 32% in the 14k Speed race. And in the non-competitive field, we have 39% in the Slow and 59% in the charity Luciérnagas, the shortest at just 9k.

Although on paper there has been legislative and social progress that has broken down many barriers, this does not mean that the cultural and social factors that feed gender stereotypes have disappeared, nor that the necessary means have been provided to make this sport easier for women, a sport which in itself involves greater difficulty compared with other sports, or compared with running in urban environments, to name but one.

With this initiative we want to raise awareness of this reality, learn, reflect, and help to transform it with the medium term in mind. It is not the first time we have thought about it, and in fact for several years now our bib no. 1 has been awarded to the female winner of the previous edition instead of the male winner, as is customary in races, and we have always made sure that women have had a significant presence in the promotion of our race, as has been the case with Rhut Beitia, Azara G. de los Salmones or Inés Astrain. Looking ahead to the next edition, the coincidence with 8 March has given us the push to take more decisive action.

What proposals do we want to make for this next edition?

Analyse what we can change in the communication of our event. For example, giving women more visual presence in our information across our different channels, and moving towards more inclusive language.

Open the “Ecoparque Trail Ambassadors” programme so that any woman who has taken part in our event, regardless of her sporting standing, can feel encouraged to share her experience through our communication channels. Those who take part will have guaranteed registration and will be entered into prize draws.

Encourage and facilitate female participation by creating a women-only trophy “Ecoparque Women Trail Trophy, for women’s teams”, in which we will offer cheaper registration to participants who register as a team to take part in this new trophy. Teams must be made up of 3 women, and the organisers will provide guaranteed registration and apply a discount on the joint registration.

“Ecoparque Women Trail special gift”. To give our initiative more visibility, all female participants will receive a specific gift in the race pack.

And in the future?

We have only just started, but how do we want to keep moving forward when the date is no longer the leitmotiv?

Offering ourselves as a space for analysis. Collaboration with other Entities to go deeper into the diagnosis of the current situation and into proposing good practices for promoting trail running among women.

Creating safe environments for women to practise this sport: training groups to promote physical activity and sport in the mountains and in open spaces, for all levels.

FURTHER INFORMATION.

“Ecoparque Trail Ambassadors”

How can you take part?

Very simple, we offer you two very simple options:

1. You can make a video of between 20 and 40 seconds in which you tell us about your Ecoparque Trail experience and give a reason why, in your opinion, Trail is an activity worth doing, and our race a good option for getting started. Then post it as a reel or story on Facebook or Instagram, tagging @EcoparqueTrail and with the hashtag #EcoparqueWomenTrail.
2. If you are one of those who can’t be bothered with a video, you can do the same by posting a photograph related to your participation in Ecoparque Trail on Facebook or Instagram, tagging @EcoparqueTrail and with the hashtag #EcoparqueWomenTrail, in which you encourage other women to take part in Ecoparque Trail and enjoy this sport.

“Ecoparque Women Trail Teams Trophy”

How can you take part?

In teams of 3 women, who must register as a team before registering their participants.

Taking part in this trophy is as simple as creating a team and giving it a name (it doesn’t need to be official, or federated, or anything formal: whatever you like!), then entering the details of the women who will make up the team, and registering the 3 women who will form the team at the same time so that the registration platform applies the discount for taking part as a group in this trophy.

This trophy will only be held within the competitive races, Ecoparque Trail GP Isla 28k and Speed Trail 14k.

How will the winning team be decided?

The winning team will be the one that achieves the lowest time resulting from the sum of the two best times set by the first two women in the team to cross the finish line.

What prize will the teams receive?

The winning team will receive a commemorative trophy and a voucher to enjoy a special meal at the Ecoparque for the women who made up the team.

Another meal will be raffled among the non-winning teams to celebrate their participation.