The post 2026 Transvulcania VK Results: Kenyans Joyce Njeru and Richard Omaya Atuya Dominate appeared first on iRunFar.
On Thursday, May 7, at 5 p.m. local time, the 2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer opened a long weekend of racing on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma, pitting some of the fastest uphill specialists against each other on a course that climbed 1,164 meters (3,820 feet) over 7.28 kilometers (4.52 miles). The runners set off one at a time, and Kenyan Richard Omaya Atuya ran to a convincing win in 45:01, setting the fastest time at the halfway point as well. A strong second half from Kenya’s Joyce Njeru saw her make up an early deficit to take victory in 55:02. Both times were new course records.
Richard Omaya Atuya climbing to victory at the 2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer. Photo: Transvulcania
The Vertical Kilometer (VK) race started in Puerto de Tazacorte, on the west seafront of La Palma. The course zig-zagged up the perilous cliffs of El Time before striking out across the long mountain ridge to the finish at the Torre del Time.
Both the VK and the Transvulcania Half Marathon, which takes place on Saturday, May 9, are part of the 2026 Mountain Running World Cup. The majority of the racers in the VK are also racing the half marathon, looking to bank double points and prize money. Be sure to read our in-depth preview of the races.
On the men’s side, Omaya Atuya came into the race as one of the favorites, having finished second at the 2025 World Mountain Running Championships Uphill race. His victory was decisive, passing through the midway checkpoint over a minute ahead of his closest rivals.
In the women’s race, Njeru paced to perfection, coming through the halfway checkpoint in second place, then increasing her pace on the rest of the field in the second half. Njeru was fourth in the 2025 Mountain Running World Cup.
iRunFar is a media partner of the World Mountain Running Association, which is supporting iRunFar’s 2026 Transvulcania VK and Half Marathon coverage.
Read on to see how the race played out.
Joyce Njeru on her way to victory at the 2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer. Photo: Transvulcania
2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer Women’s Race
The race setup, in which runners were launched at 30-second intervals in a reverse seeding order, made for a suspenseful race. A sole intermediate timing point at the Mirador El Time, at 542 meters altitude and 3.1 kilometers into the race, gave a glimpse of how each runner was faring on the course. But until every runner finished and their individual finish times were logged, it was impossible to know the final finishing order.
Kirsty Skye Dickson on her way to second at the 2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
Kirsty Skye Dickson of the U.K. came through midway the fastest, around 30 seconds ahead of Kenyan Joyce Njeru and Bernadetta Broggi of Italy.
However, it was Joyce Njeru who ultimately came out on top at the finish line, with a surge through the second half seeing her fly across the finish line to win in 55:02. Kirsty Skye Dickson wasn’t far behind, crossing the line in second in 55:37. In the race’s second half, Njeru thus made up that 30-second gap to the leader at the midway point, and created a 30-second gap on second place.
Ruth Gitonga, who had come through midway in fourth position, powered ahead of Broggi in the closing kilometers to finish in third place in 58:00. Bernadetta Broggi followed in 58:30, ahead of Moana Lilly Kehres of Spain in 1:00:25, rounding out the women’s top five.
Ruth Gitonga powers to third place at the 2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
One of the women’s favorites, Kenya’s Philaries Kisang, was a bit off pace from early on and withdrew at the intermediate timing point.
2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer Women’s Results
1. Joyce Njeru (Kenya) – 55:02
2. Kirsty Skye Dickson (U.K.) – 55:37
3. Ruth Gitonga (Kenya) – 58:00
4. Benedetta Broggi (Italy) – 58:30
5. Moana Lilly Kehres (Spain) 58:35
6. Martina Falchetti (Italy) – 60:25
7. Lara Hamilton (Australia) – 61:08
8. Sara Willhoit (U.K.) – 61:30
9. Silvia Lara (Spain) – 62:18
9. Yuki Ikegami (Japan) – 62:18
Joyce Njeru made up a deficit in the second half of the 2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer to climb to the win. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer Men’s Race
With the highest seed, Philemon Kiriago of Kenya was last out of the gate, striking out along the rock-strewn path from the sea. Kiriago won the 2025 World Mountain Running Championships Up and Down race, as well as Sierre-Zinal in both 2023 and 2025, and was expected to come out near the top. However, by the time he reached the Mirador El Time checkpoint, 3.1 kilometers in and 542 meters up, in 19:18, two runners had already passed through with faster times: Kenyans Richard Omaya Atuya and Ephantus Mwangi Njeri.
Philemon Kiriago fought hard to take second at the 2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
Omaya Atuya ran a stormer of a race, passing through Mirador El Time in 18:06, over a minute ahead of second-place Mwangi Njeri, who came through in 19:12.
During the second half of the course, Richard Omaya Atuya extended his lead over the rest of the field in a dominant performance, winning in 45:01 and setting a new course record.
Kiriago dug in over the second half, flying along the exposed ridge and gaining precious seconds over Mwangi Njeri. Philemon Kiriago finished in second place in 47:33, and Ephantus Mwangi Njeri rounded off the podium in third place with a time of 47:39.
Ephantus Mwangi Njeri climbed to third at the 2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
Anthony Felber of France ran an excellent race, gaining ground over the second half to finish in fourth in 48:20, and Sweden’s Martin Nilsson finished fifth in 48:46.
2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer Men’s Results
Richard Omaya Atuya (Kenya) – 45:01
Philemon Kiriago (Kenya) – 47:33
Ephantus Mwangi Njeri (Kenya) – 47:39
Anthony Felber (France) – 48:20
Martin Nilsson (Sweden) – 48:46
Tyler McCandless (U.S.) – 50:09
Sergio Álvarez (Spain) – 50:43
Marco Rodríguez (Spain) – 50:58
Guillermo Ramos (Spain) – 51:10
Álvaro Escuela (Spain) – 51:36
Richard Omaya Atuya climbing high above the ocean on his way to winning the 2026 Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
2026 Transvulcania VK Results: Kenyans Joyce Njeru and Richard Omaya Atuya Dominate by Deki Fourcin.
