RUNNING THE ISLAND END TO END: THE HISTORY OF MIUT
Origins
MIUT history begins in 2008, when the MIUT (Madeira Island Ultra-Trail) first ran, making the 2026 edition the 17th in the race's history. The event takes runners across the island of Madeira from west to east, starting at Porto Moniz on the Atlantic northwest coast and finishing at Machico on the island's southeast tip. Both the start and finish are at sea level; everything in between is not.
The flagship distance, known as the MIUT 115, covers approximately 115 kilometers with around 7,200 meters of elevation gain and the same amount of descent. Exact measurements have varied slightly by edition due to route adjustments: the 2022 edition measured 115 kilometers, the 2024 edition 116 kilometers, and the 2025 edition 118 kilometers following a significant course reroute. Five distances run concurrently, from the MIUT 85 down to a 16-kilometer option, drawing around 3,000 runners per year, the majority traveling from outside Portugal.
The early chapters of MIUT history trace to the Clube de Montanha do Funchal, a mountain sports club whose members had been informally crossing the island in under 24 hours since 2004. Formalizing that tradition into a race took until 2008. The first edition ran in September of that year, making it the first trail running event organized in Madeira.
The Terrain
The terrain at MIUT is unlike any other major trail race in Europe. Madeira is a Portuguese island in the Atlantic Ocean formed by volcanic activity, and the landscape reflects that origin: volcanic rock, ancient laurisilva (laurel forest) that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thousands of natural stone staircases cut into cliffsides, and Atlantic coastal views throughout. The trail profile has been described as a jagged jaw, with no section of flat or gradual terrain long enough to offer genuine recovery.
Runners navigate the island's central ridge, which rises dramatically above both coasts. Elevation changes accumulate continuously across the course rather than being concentrated in one or two major climbs. The finish at Machico, back at sea level, is reached only after the final technical descent from the ridge.
Weather is a factor. Madeira's position in the Atlantic means conditions can change rapidly, and the high ridge is exposed to wind and cloud cover that the coastal sections do not see. Race organizers have historically managed weather-related risks through course modifications when necessary.
The Course in Detail
The MIUT 115 starts at sea level in Porto Moniz at midnight. The first major climb — Fanal — rises to approximately 1,150 meters into the dense laurisilva forest. The forest there contains ancient Til trees, some estimated to be several hundred years old, their gnarled trunks and moss-covered branches creating a canopy that closes in around runners at night. The Laurisilva of Madeira was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 and covers roughly 150 square kilometers of the island's interior; the MIUT course passes through a substantial portion of it in the early hours.
From Fanal the course continues onto the Paul da Serra plateau — a high, exposed moorland sitting above 1,300 meters — before descending and climbing again through successive ridgelines. The Encumeada pass marks a geographical divide between the north and south of the island at roughly 1,000 meters.
The course then crosses through Curral das Freiras, a village tucked inside a deep volcanic caldera known in English as the Nuns' Valley. The name derives from 16th-century Franciscan nuns who sheltered there during a pirate raid. The caldera walls drop several hundred meters on all sides, making the approach and exit both technical and exposed.
After Curral das Freiras, the route climbs to the central massif and passes through the two highest points on the course: Pico do Arieiro at 1,818 meters and Pico Ruivo at 1,862 meters. Pico Ruivo is the highest point on Madeira island. The traverse between them crosses tunnels cut through volcanic rock and steep exposed ridgelines. This section, typically reached in daylight for faster runners, is where the Atlantic exposure is most pronounced: cloud cover can roll in rapidly, reducing visibility on the ridge to meters.
The final section descends from the central massif toward the coast, passing through Portela and Porto da Cruz before picking up the Levada do Caniçal — one of Madeira's irrigation channels — for the closing kilometers. The levada section provides the only sustained flat terrain in the entire race, running at a consistent grade above the Machico valley before the final drop to the finish at sea level.
The Levadas
Madeira's levadas are a defining feature of the island's landscape. The word derives from the Portuguese verb levar, meaning to carry. These narrow irrigation channels were first constructed in the 15th century to transport water from the wet northwestern mountains to the drier agricultural areas in the south and east. The network encompasses approximately 3,100 kilometers of channels, of which around 80 kilometers pass through tunnels cut into basalt rock.
The channels are typically 50 to 70 centimeters wide. Maintenance paths run alongside them, and it is these paths that form the backbone of hiking and trail running infrastructure on the island. On the MIUT course, the levada network appears primarily in the later stages — most notably the Levada do Caniçal in the final approach to Machico. After 110-plus kilometers of volcanic staircases, ridge traverses, and caldera descents, the levada path is the closest thing to runnable flat terrain the course offers.
Night Start and Logistics
Porto Moniz is not a convenient location for 3,000 runners. It sits on the northwestern tip of the island, roughly 90 minutes by road from Funchal. The race organization solves this through coordinated bus transport: shuttles depart Machico and Funchal for Porto Moniz on the evening of the race, arriving approximately one hour before the midnight start. Bib collection takes place at the race expo in Machico in the days prior, so runners receive their numbers at the finish line before traveling to the start.
The midnight start means the initial climb through Fanal and the Paul da Serra plateau happens in darkness. Both headlamps are required equipment for all competitors, along with spare batteries. Faster competitors reach Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo at or around first light; the transition from headlamp to daylight on the volcanic ridge is one of the more frequently described moments in runner accounts of the race.
Course Records
The current course records on the flagship 115-kilometer distance were set at the 2022 edition. Jim Walmsley of the United States finished in 12:58:14, breaking the previous men's record held by François D'Haene by more than seven minutes. Courtney Dauwalter of the United States finished in 14:40:35, breaking the previous women's record of 15:00:55 set by Caroline Chaverot of France in 2016.
Both records were set on the same 115-kilometer course in the same edition. The 2025 winners — Paul Cornut-Chauvinc at 12:54:52 and Katie Schide at 14:20:56 — posted faster raw times, but the 2025 course measured 118 kilometers on a substantially rerouted track, making direct comparison with the 2022 records impractical.
Notable Men's Winners
Pau Capell of Spain is among the most decorated men's champions in the race's history. François D'Haene of France, a four-time UTMB winner, has also won at Madeira. Jim Walmsley of the United States, one of the dominant figures in global trail running across the 2010s and 2020s, won the race and established his ability to compete on European technical terrain.
Zach Miller of the United States, Hannes Namberger of Germany, Mathieu Blanchard of France, and Gediminas Grinius of Lithuania have all won men's titles. The race has produced a rotation of winners that reflects the depth of the European trail circuit. Paul Cornut-Chauvinc of France won the 2025 men's race in 12:54:52, on a course substantially modified from its original routing.
Notable Women's Winners
Courtney Dauwalter won the women's race, as did Caroline Chaverot of France, who has won the UTMB and multiple other major European events. Hillary Allen of the United States, known for her technical downhill skills, won the race. Andrea Huser of Switzerland, Mimmi Kotka of Sweden, and Manon Bohard of France have each taken the women's title.
Katie Schide of the United States won the 2025 women's race in 14:20:56. Schide had previously won the UTMB in Chamonix and the Canyons 100K in California, and her 2025 MIUT win added a major European island ultra to her resume.
The 2025 Reroute
In August 2024, a severe wildfire burned approximately 14% of Madeira island, including portions of the MIUT course. When the 2025 edition was planned, organizers rerouted approximately 60% of the course to avoid areas still recovering from the fire. The modified 2025 course measured 118 kilometers with 6,640 meters of elevation gain, compared to 116 kilometers and roughly 7,090 meters of gain in 2024.
The rerouted edition still sold out. The race's reputation was not diminished by the forced course modification. The ability to rebuild and present a legitimate race after a natural disaster reinforced the organization's capacity to operate on a complex and exposed course.
The 2024 wildfire damage will take years to recover fully. The extent to which the original course routing can be restored for 2026 and beyond depends on the state of recovery in the affected zones.
Race Structure and International Profile
MIUT draws the majority of its participants from outside Portugal. The race's combination of distinctive terrain, direct flight access from mainland Europe to Madeira's Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport in Funchal, and a competitive elite field has made it a regular destination on the European trail calendar.
The race is part of the UTMB World Series qualifying system, where finishers earn Running Stones. This integration has increased international entries, particularly from runners building toward a UTMB qualification. The MIUT 115 is the flagship event, but the MIUT 85 has its own competitive field and draws elite runners who prefer the shorter distance.
The trail running culture on Madeira extends beyond race week. The island supports year-round guided trail running operations, with local companies offering levada runs, ridge traverses, and multi-day crossing experiences. The combination of a developed trail network, mild Atlantic climate, and a race-week atmosphere has positioned Madeira as one of the more established trail running destinations in Europe.
Early History and Growth
The race launched in 2008 when mass participation trail running in Europe was still developing. The Canary Islands and other Atlantic island events existed, but the specific format of crossing Madeira end-to-end was original to the race. Growth was gradual through the first decade, with the international elite field expanding as trail running itself grew.
By the mid-2010s, names from the European grand trail circuit began appearing on the MIUT results: D'Haene, Capell, Walmsley, Chaverot, Dauwalter. Their presence validated the race as a serious test and attracted more international entries. The 3,000-runner participation figure has held steady in recent years, with demand typically exceeding available places.
The 2026 Edition
The 17th edition of MIUT is scheduled for April 25, 2026. All race distances sold out well in advance of the start. The elite field had not been announced at time of writing.
The race begins at sea level in Porto Moniz, crosses the island's volcanic ridge, and descends to sea level again at Machico. That concept — the full crossing of the MIUT course — has not changed since 2008. What has changed is the depth of the elite field, the international recognition, the integration into global qualifying systems, and, in 2025, the routing required by a wildfire that burned through a portion of the landscape the race crosses.