Explore
Destinations, athlete stories, and field reports from every corner of the globe.
Browse by Sport
Lavaredo 120K: Namberger's Fourth in a Row, Sunmaya Budha Rewrites the Women's Record
Hannes Namberger set a new race record in claiming his fourth consecutive Lavaredo Ultra Trail 120K title, while Sunmaya Budha came from behind to beat Lucy Bartholomew and break the women's course record at the Dolomites' showpiece night-start ultra.
By ZealZag TeamNo Snow Required: How Cross-Country Skiers Train Through Summer and Autumn
Elite cross-country skiers often log 800 hours of training a year — most of it without snow. The dryland toolkit they use is transferable: roller skiing, uphill bounding, and double-pole intervals on roads build specific fitness that transfers directly once conditions return.
By ZealZag TeamVal di Fassa Enduro: Pugin's Comeback and Botteram's 0.6-Second Miracle
Mélanie Pugin stormed from sixth after day one to win the Val di Fassa Enduro World Cup as Tristan Botteram took the men's title from Tommaso Calonaci by just 0.623 seconds in a single final-stage showdown after weather cut the day's format.
By ZealZag TeamSwimming the Bosphorus: Istanbul's Cross-Continental Race and What You Need to Know
Once a year, Istanbul shuts the Bosphorus to shipping and opens it to swimmers. The race covers roughly 6.5 kilometres from the Asian shore to the European side, with a current strong enough to matter. It is the only mass-participation open water event that crosses between two continents.
By ZealZag TeamForesthill to Auburn: Running the Decisive Last 23 Miles of Western States
The Western States course ends with 23 miles from Foresthill through the American River canyon to the Placer High track in Auburn — the most accessible and consequential stretch of the hundred, and one you can run independently any weekend of the year.
By ZealZag TeamBouillard Rewrites the Clock at Western States: All Three Men Under 14 Hours
Vincent Bouillard ran 13:46:16 to shatter Jim Walmsley's seven-year course record at Western States 100, while Jenn Lichter set the women's mark in her 100-mile debut — the first time in the race's history that three men broke the 14-hour barrier on the same day.
By ZealZag TeamWestern States 100 Course Guide: 100 Miles Through the Sierra Nevada
Everything you need to tackle the legendary 100.2-mile route from Olympic Valley to Auburn — key segments, logistics, gear lists, heat training advice, and how the lottery actually works.
By ZealZag TeamWestern States 100 2026: Bouillard and Lichter Shatter Course Records
Vincent Bouillard destroyed Jim Walmsley's 2019 course record by 23 minutes as Jenn Lichter won her 100-mile debut in a historic performance at the 2026 Western States Endurance Run.
By ZealZag TeamRide Val di Fassa: The Ultimate Dolomites Enduro Mountain Bike Guide
From Gondola Buffaure to the Catinaccio south face, here is everything you need to plan an epic enduro mountain biking trip to Val di Fassa, Trentino — in the heart of the UNESCO Dolomites.
By ZealZag TeamEWS Val di Fassa 2026: Conolly and Łukasik Dominate Dolomites Enduro
Ella Conolly and Sławomir Łukasik extended their UCI Enduro World Cup series leads with commanding wins in Val di Fassa, Trentino, after two days of blistering racing through the Italian Dolomites.
By ZealZag TeamTraining in Frankfurt: The Langener Waldsee, Taunus Hills, and the Main River Towpath
Frankfurt is the most functional triathlon training city in central Europe — a forest lake for open-water swimming, Taunus hills for climbing, a flat river towpath for tempo work, and a major airport hub under an hour from all of it.
By ZealZag TeamStornes, Iden, Blummenfelt in the Frankfurt Heat: IRONMAN's European Championship Is Live
The IRONMAN European Championship in Frankfurt opened this morning with a modified course — 125km bike, 21.1km run — after 35°C heat forced organisers to shorten distances. Three Norwegian world champions are on the start list. Results pending.
By ZealZag TeamHow Portugal Became Big-Wave Surfing's Most Important Address
In 2011, an American surfer and a Portuguese canyon nobody had surfed changed everything. A decade later, Nazaré hosts the world's most-watched big-wave contest and Portugal claims the heaviest beach break on the CT calendar. Here is the story of how it happened.
By ZealZag TeamSurfing Saquarema: The Complete Guide to Brazil's Itaúna Beach
The WSL's favourite Brazilian playground and how to plan a surf trip — from Itaúna's powerful left-hander to logistics, accommodation, and when to time your visit to Saquarema.
By ZealZag TeamVIVO Rio Pro 2026: Yago Dora Reigns, Lindblad Claims First CT Win
Brazil's Yago Dora triumphed on home turf at Saquarema with a 15.00 finals score as American Sawyer Lindblad broke through for her maiden Championship Tour victory at the 2026 VIVO Rio Pro.
By ZealZag TeamTaking It Outside: How to Make the Gym-to-Outdoor Climbing Transition Properly
Climbing outdoors feels nothing like the gym even when the grades on paper are the same. The athletes who struggle most aren't weak — they just haven't prepared for the specific differences. Here is what changes, what gear you need, and how to set up your first outdoor season.
By ZealZag TeamRunning Madeira: Levadas, Ridge Lines, and the Race That Crosses the Island
Madeira packs a 1,862-metre volcanic summit, 200 kilometres of levada irrigation channels, and a serious international ultra into a 57-kilometre-long island an hour from Lisbon. For trail runners wanting genuine mountain terrain with subtropical logistics, it is one of the most efficient destinations in the Atlantic.
By ZealZag TeamThe Sella Ronda on Two Wheels: Mountain Biking the Dolomites' Greatest Loop
The Sella Ronda is the most famous circuit in the Dolomites — 52 kilometres of mountain passes ringing the Sella massif, connecting Val di Fassa, Val Gardena, Alta Badia, and Arabba. A guide to riding it by mountain bike (lift-assisted), road bike, or e-bike, staged from the same Canazei that hosts this weekend's UCI Enduro World Cup.
By ZealZag TeamVal di Fassa Enduro Day 1: Three Stages Down, the Dolomites Race Back Into Form
The first race day of UCI Enduro World Cup Round 3 in Val di Fassa ran three stages — Tutti Frutti, 9.90, and Ciasates EWS — across the Dolomite limestone above Canazei. Five hundred riders in the field, warm Italian afternoon, and the provisional results loading as this is filed.
By ZealZag TeamCycling Lyon: Beaujolais Vineyards, Dombes Plateau, and the Rhône Valley Headwaters
Lyon is 45 minutes north of La Tour-du-Pin and one of France's best-kept cycling bases — access to Beaujolais rolling hills, the Dombes bird-lake plateau, and the col roads of the Monts du Lyonnais. Practical guide for destination athletes staging the French nationals or building a week of French road cycling.
By ZealZag TeamCélia Gery Takes the Tricolore: France's 20-Year-Old Superstar Wins Women's Road Nationals
Célia Gery added the French national road champion's jersey to a 2026 palmarès that already includes Brabantse Pijl, a Giro d'Italia Women stage, and the elite cyclocross national title — and she's still 20 years old.
By ZealZag TeamFlying with Kite Gear: Airlines, Customs, Insurance, and When to Just Rent
Kitesurfing equipment is difficult to travel with — kite bags exceed most airlines' size limits, insurance requires a separate specialist policy, and customs varies widely by destination. Here is what to expect and how to plan around it.
By ZealZag TeamRacing Across Time Zones: How to Manage Jet Lag Before a Destination Marathon
Flying east or west to race a marathon introduces a physiological variable that most athletes handle too late or too casually. Here is what jet lag actually does to running performance, and how to structure your travel and pre-race days to reduce the damage.
By ZealZag TeamNew Zealand for Adventure Racing: GODZone, the Southern Alps, and the Best Training Ground in the Southern Hemisphere
New Zealand has produced more competitive adventure racing teams than any country of comparable size. The South Island terrain, the GODZone expedition race, and the Queenstown–Wanaka corridor make it the default destination for athletes building toward international competition.
By ZealZag Team