The Ultra SkyMarathon Madeira is an international skyrunning competition held annually on the island of Madeira, Portugal. First held in 2014, the event takes place in the municipality of Santana, in the north of the island, and is organized by Madeira SkyEvents in partnership with Clube Desportivo Escola Santana and the Federação de Campismo e Montanhismo de Portugal. The race has been part of the Skyrunner World Series, the global circuit governed by the International Skyrunning Federation (ISF).
Course
The flagship race, the Ultra SkyMarathon Madeira (USM), covers a distance of approximately 55.6 km (34.5 mi) with a cumulative elevation gain of 5,121 m (16,801 ft). The route runs through the Laurisilva forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and traverses mountainous terrain with steep ascents and descents, including sections of forest, seaside cliffs, and high-altitude ridges. The race starts and finishes near the Santana Town Hall.
Event Races
The Ultra Skyrunning Madeira event comprises four races:
- Ultra SkyMarathon Madeira (USM) – 55.6 km / 5,121 m elevation gain
- Santana Sky Race (SSR) – 23 km / 1,672 m elevation gain
- Quinta do Furão Mini Sky Race (MSR) – 13 km / 655 m elevation gain
- Santana Vertical Kilometer (SVK) – 4.8 km / 1,003 m elevation gain
The Santana Vertical Kilometer has also been part of the Vertical Kilometer World Circuit.
History
The Ultra SkyMarathon Madeira was established in 2014. In 2016, the race reached the highest level of world skyrunning by integrating the Skyrunner World Series. It is one of only five ultra-distance races on the world circuit and is the only Portuguese representative on the Iberian Skyrunner National Series (Spain-Andorra-Portugal).
Winners (Ultra SkyMarathon Madeira)
| Year | Date | Men's Winner | Women's Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 21 September | Manuel Faria | Ester Alves |
| 2015 | 5 August | Ricky Lightfoot | Stevie Kremer |
| 2016 | 4 June | Cristofer Clemente | Gemma Arenas |
| 2017 | 4 June | Jonathan Albon | Hillary Allen |
Location
The event is based in Santana, a municipality on the northern coast of Madeira Island, Portugal. The courses are set within the Madeira Natural Park and the Laurisilva forest, an ancient subtropical rainforest classified by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve and Natural World Heritage site. The terrain features significant elevation changes, with routes starting near sea level and ascending into the island's central mountain range.
