The latest edition of the Costa Rica 200 once again proved that this race is about far more than finishing times. Crossing the country from the Caribbean coast to the Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica 200 asked athletes to endure multiple challenges from terrain and climate building into physical and mental fatigue that strips everything back to character.

The route was brutal from the beginning. Runners started their day at the Cariari National Wetlands for a 7-kilometre beach prologue, opening the race in crushing humidity before the official start later that morning in Goshen. It was only the beginning of a course that would climb through jungle mountains and descend, days later, to the Pacific.

At the front of the 200-mile race, Martin Perrier delivered a performance that redefined what was possible on the course. Through rain-soaked trails, bursts of tropical heat, and the notorious “Monster Segment” on the Ruta Sukia, he held the lead from early on and never let it go.

His race, however, was not without complication. Perrier failed to carry a backup battery to recharge his GPS devices, leaving him without navigation through part of the most technical section of the course. In that moment, feeling exposed and uncertain, he activated his emergency tracker before regaining composure, cancelling the alert, and continuing on course. Under race regulations, these actions resulted in a combined five-hour penalty.

Even with that time added, his official result of 83:05:03 stood nearly eight hours faster than last year’s winning mark, an extraordinary performance shaped not only by speed, but by the ability to recover from error and keep moving forward.

If Perrier led the race, Sandra Mejía embodied control and consistency. Returning for her second year, Mejía once again mastered one of the toughest courses in the region. Across rain, heat, cold, mountains, and coastline, she defended her title to finish as first woman and second overall with a faster time than last year.

Among the most respected performances came from Oliviero Alotto, who started the race already managing pain in one leg. Moving without his usual ease, he endured every stage of the course and claimed second place in the men’s category, a result built entirely on resilience.

Not every story ended at the finish line. Fran Santin pushed beyond 300 kilometres before worsening foot conditions forced her withdrawal. Along the way, she also lost the course briefly and had to retrace her route using her GPS tracker, another reminder of how unforgiving the terrain can be.

The event’s 100K category added another standout performance, with Michele Graglia taking control early and never relinquishing it, recording a decisive comeback to racing after hiatus. He secured victory ahead of Fernando Brenes, Adrian Lopez and Javier Echecopar.

Eventually, every finisher faced the same closing test: a rocky, relentless descent, then straight into the final hot and humid 19 kilometres to the Pacific coast. By then, the race had already asked everything.

The final finish-line moment captured the spirit of Costa Rica 200. The last finishers in the 200M and 100K races respectively, Declan Murray and Javier Echecopar crossed together.

Costa Rica 200 remains one of the sport’s purest endurance challenges, not just for its distance, but for what it demands of the people who take it on. Decisions matter. Mistakes carry consequences. And the ability to recover, adapt, and continue often defines the outcome.

As part of the One Hundred World Championship pathway, the race also awarded valuable ranking points toward Grand Final qualification. On a course this unforgiving, those points were always going to be earned the hard way.

For those inspired to test themselves, the One Hundred race calendar offers the next opportunity to step onto the course.

A structured, merit-based pathway for races to meet global standards and earn their place in the One Hundred World Championship

The One Hundred World Championship has launched its Candidate Event Program, a new pathway for races aspiring to become part of the global series.

As trail running continues to grow rapidly around the world, the program provides a formal evaluation period and structured framework designed to ensure that events joining the series meet the standards expected of a world championship-level platform.

Under the Candidate Event Program, races are assessed across a comprehensive set of criteria, including safety and medical planning, course design and integrity, race operations, brand presentation, communications, athlete experience, and environmental stewardship. During this evaluation phase, participating races are publicly recognised as Official Candidate Events of the One Hundred World Championship. While not yet part of the official calendar, this designation signals that the event is actively progressing toward potential inclusion in the series.

Progression is not automatic. Events must demonstrate strong performance against the assessment framework and align with the long-term development of the global race calendar.

For athletes, the program reinforces the credibility of the One Hundred ecosystem by ensuring that every race connected to the championship meets consistent global standards while still preserving the unique character of each destination and community. For race organisers, it offers a transparent, merit-based pathway into the series, supported by a clear structure designed to elevate operational delivery and athlete experience to a world-class level.

“Trail running is growing incredibly quickly, but with that growth comes a responsibility to protect the quality and integrity of the sport,” said One Hundred Chairman João Andrade. “The Candidate Event Program ensures that events joining the One Hundred World Championship demonstrate the operational maturity, safety standards, and athlete-first philosophy expected of a global championship series.”

The first four Candidate Events will be announced shortly, marking the next step in the continued expansion of the One Hundred World Championship and its global race network.

Strengthening leadership across technology, global sport, sustainability and financial innovation

London, UK (Thursday 2 April 2026) One Hundred has announced the appointment of three highly respected global business leaders to its Advisory Board as the organisation enters its next phase of international growth.

The new Advisory Board members bring senior strategic expertise across technology, elite global sport, sustainability and financial innovation, providing business-first leadership to support One Hundred’s long-term ambition.

• Alan Greenberg, former Apple executive and Director of Apple Education, with decades of experience in global product strategy, innovation and scaling world-leading technology platforms.
• Ali Russell, Managing Director Extreme H and founding team member of Formula E, where he helped build the world’s first fully electric global motorsport championship. Russell also brings senior executive experience across elite sport, including Queens Park Rangers, with a strong focus on sustainable, commercially scalable sports properties.
• Chris Corben, a specialist in financial innovation and digital assets, with deep expertise in tokenisation, Web3 strategy, crypto markets and next-generation capital structures.

The One Hundred Advisory Board is a non-operational body established to provide senior-level guidance across strategy, technology, digital platforms, commercial expansion and long-term value creation. Its mandate includes strategic direction, partnerships and brand positioning, digital and media strategy input, and commercial and investment readiness.

Alan Greenberg said:

“Scaling globally while staying true to supporting athletes and communities is one of sport’s great challenges and opportunities—and one that One Hundred is well focused to achieve. I’m excited to help guide the next stage of its AI-facilitated digital transformation, knowledge and insights, and platform evolution.”

Ali Russell said:

“One Hundred has the opportunity to set a global benchmark for a truly modern endurance sport platform: one that is commercially strong, sustainable and globally connected.”

Chris Corben said:

“The future of sport will be shaped by smarter capital structures and digital innovation. One Hundred is clearly thinking ahead, and I’m excited to contribute to building a resilient, future-ready organisation.” 

Operating within a clear and agile framework, the Advisory Board will convene through quarterly strategic sessions and provide ad-hoc support on key initiatives, while race operations remain led by event directors and local partners.

A core priority will be supporting One Hundred’s technology and digital roadmap, including the continued development of myonehundredtrail.com and tools that enhance athlete performance, training and information access.

“With Alan, Ali, and Chris joining our Advisory Board, One Hundred is stronger than ever. Their expertise will help us push boundaries, connect athletes and communities worldwide, and shape the future of endurance sport,” said Joao Andrade, founder and executive chairman of One Hundred.

The One Hundred World Championship is pleased to announce a collaboration with race planning platform Gretel Planner, bringing advanced race-strategy technology to selected championship races and strengthening the series' commitment to athlete preparation and innovation in trail running.

Gretel Planner helps runners visualise a race before they run it. Using GPX course data and technical race information, the platform allows athletes to analyse elevation profiles, fine-tune their pacing, schedule their nutrition, and map their expected timing through checkpoints and key sections of the course.

A runner can arrive at the start line having already studied the course in detail, understanding its terrain, conditions, and demands well enough to have adapted their training, selected the right gear for the trip, and mentally mapped the challenge ahead. A race on the other side of the world can be prepared for as thoroughly as one in their own backyard.

For 2026, Gretel Planner will be integrated into several events across the championship, among them Costa Rica 200, Ladakh Trail to Heaven, Cro-Trail, and the Mons Ultra Trail Grand Final. Athletes registered for participating events will have free access to the platform as part of their race entry.

Race data for each participating event will be integrated directly into the Gretel platform, allowing registered runners to build and refine their race strategy in the weeks leading up to their event. For event organisers, the integration offers a structured way to communicate to participants all technical aspects of their race, helping them deliver a more optimised experience from registration through to race day.

By building a clear picture of what lies ahead, including organiser guidance and any course warnings – athletes can better anticipate challenging moments on the trail, make smarter decisions, and reduce the risk of costly mistakes on race day, improving overall safety.

For One Hundred, the partnership represents a further step in strengthening the athlete experience across the championship's growing ecosystem, combining the demands of world-class trail running with tools that support smarter, better-prepared racing.