The West Coast Kick-Off: San Jose, USA
April 5 | US West National Series (Super) Northern California set the stage for the inaugural race of the US West Series. Athletes navigated a rugged cocktail of technical trails, sprawling grasslands, and rolling hills designed to favor those with high-speed engines.
Women’s Podium: Kaci Calaway left the field in the dust with a blistering 54:23, ahead of Rebecca Cerra (57:47) and Kassidee Bur (58:41).
Men’s Podium: Jhovany Mendoza clocked a dominant 1:37:32, followed by Kyle Sears (1:42:31) and Marcus Madrid (1:50:37).
The European Giant: Munich, Germany
April 18 | Germany Austria Series (Super) Munich didn’t just host a race; it hosted a revolution. Despite stadium renovations, the Olympiapark saw record-breaking numbers, proving Munich is the beating heart of European Spartan spirit. Over 7,300 athletes competed across the weekend, including 1,500 Night Sprinters who conquered the Olympiaberg under the stars.
The Vibe: Perfect sunny weather and the iconic water crossing.
Women’s Elite: Czech dominance was on display as Anna Pavelková (58:51) and Blanka Adamova took the top two spots (59:14). 3rd place: Sarah Drees from Germany (1:00:27)
Men’s Elite: After a year of finishing agonizingly close to the podium in 2025, Hansueli made a spontaneous, last-minute decision to sign up for the Elite heat. That "gut feeling" paid off—he delivered the performance of a lifetime to secure 1st Place, marking his first-ever victory on the Munich Super course. A Swiss-German showdown saw Hansueli Frei (45:45) edge out Christian Röttger by a mere 11 seconds (45:56). 3rd place: Roman Tóth from the Czech Republic (46:16).
Tropical Grit: Tainan, Taiwan
April 19 | Taiwan Series (Super) Spartan made its historic debut in Southern Taiwan’s Shalun Ecological Park. While the course lacked vertical gain, it compensated with 33°C heat and treacherous terrain. Athletes battled soft ground and "puncture vine" vegetation that tested the durability of both shoes and skin.
Highlights: A massive festival atmosphere featured a 10-year retrospective of Spartan Taiwan.
Women’s Elite: 1st place Sandi Menchi Abahan (1:09:25), 2nd place: Honoka Jinzai (1:19:03), 3rd place: Haruna Kawasaki (1:20:56).
Men’s Elite: 1st place Hiroshi Kato (57:00), 2nd place: Takuya Mikami (57:44), 3rd place: Yuki Komai (1:00:54).
The Beast of the East: Tri-State New Jersey, USA
April 25 | US North East National Series (Beast) Vernon Peak is legendary for a reason. With 1,040 feet of vertical climb and a summit reaching nearly 1,500 feet, the first stop of the US North East Series was a "grit check."
Tore his meniscus. Still won The Race: In a display of sheer Spartan grit that redefined the limits of mental toughness, Jordan McDougal conquered the rugged terrain and claimed the gold medal while battling a torn meniscus. Watch as Jordan describes what it took to win the gold despite the injury.
Living far from the Mountains? No problem for Miranda: Proving that heart and discipline outweigh geography, Miranda Kielpinski delivered a masterclass performance at Vernon Peak. Despite living far from any mountain ranges, Kielpinski defied the "flat-lander" disadvantage by dominating one of the most elevation-heavy courses on the Spartan calendar. Find out Miranda’s secrets.
The Results: Jordan McDougal (2:40:27) fended off a hard-charging Brent Trail (2:42:35) to take the win. 3rd place: Michael Suazo (2:45:43). On the women's side, Miranda Kielpinski delivered a masterclass in mountain running, finishing in 3:04:35 ahead of Taylor Rae (3:24:00). 3rd place: Cassandra Gill (3:33:52).
The Return to the Holy Grail: Orte, Italy
April 26 | Italy National Series (Super) After seven long years, the full Trifecta weekend returned to Orte. Over 6,000 Spartans descended upon this historic Italian venue for a technical 10K Super that wound through the natural beauty of the Lazio region.
The Atmosphere: The National Series debut delivered an international podium, with top athletes from across Europe highlighting the high level of competition and the global reach of the sport.
Women’s Elite: Poland’s Paulina Wolczek-Wojtyszyn (1:20:19) secured the top spot in a technical nail-biter. 2nd place: Denisa Razakova CZE (1:21:27) ahead of the 3rd place: Federica Toni ITA (1:22:02). Watch the Highlights
Men’s Elite: Jan Vladar (SVK) took gold in 1:00:57, narrowly beating France's Jeremie Gachet (1:01:19). 3rd place: Andrea Riva from Italy (1:03:16). Watch the Highlights
Speed in the City: Shanghai, China
April 26 | China National Series (Super) The second stop of the China National Series brought high-speed intensity to Shanghai. The times were some of the fastest of the month, showing that the Chinese elite field is reaching a new level of velocity.
Women's Elite: 1st place: Fuli Xu USA (47:08), 2nd place: 藤鹤 赵 CHI (52:20), 3rd place: 丹萍 刘 (55:30).
Men’s Elite: 1st place: 朝江 陈 (41:29), 2nd place: 昌询 文 (41:44), 3rd place: Davide Liu ITA (42:54).
What’s Next: The May Schedule
The road to the World Championship continues. Dust off your gear for these upcoming May highlights:
May 9: Spartan Carcassonne (France National Series - Beast)
May 10: Spartan Madrid (Spain National Series - Super)
May 16: Spartan Big Bear (US West National Series - Beast)
May 16: Spartan London West (UK National Series - Beast)
May 16: Spartan Beijing (China National Series - Beast)
May 16: Spartan Krvavec (Adriatic Series - Beast)
May 21-22: OCR Community World Championship - QLD Brisbane Ivory Rock (AUS)
May 23: Spartan Zandvoort (Netherlands Championship - Beast)
May 23: Spartan Autodromo Panama (Panama Championship - Super)
May 24: QLD Brisbane Ivory Rock (Australia National Series - Beast)
May 30: Spartan Morelia (Mexico National Series - Super)
May 30: Spartan Dolní Morava CZE (CEU Regional Series - Beast)
May 30: Spartan Cavite (Philippine National Series - Super)
May 30: Spartan Chiba (Japan National Series - Super)
April proved that whether it's 33°C in a pineapple farm or 1,000 feet up a New Jersey mountain, a Spartan finds a way. See you in the mud in May!
Which of these April finishes impressed you the most?
