Sport

Sfakia Sky Marathon 2026

Sea to summit: 44km and 3,050m of climbing from Loutro to Pachnes and back down to Anopoli, plus two shorter races.

The name is not marketing. The main race starts at sea level in Loutro, which you can only reach by boat, and climbs to Pachnes at 2,453 metres, the highest point in the White Mountains, before dropping to the finish at Anopoli village square. That is 44 kilometres and 3,050 metres of ascent with a ten and a half hour cut-off, and it is registered with both ITRA and UTMB. Two shorter races make the weekend approachable: the Aradena Trail on Saturday afternoon, 10.5 kilometres and 480 metres of climb, and the Sfakia Vertical Run on Sunday morning, 5 kilometres straight up 680 metres from Loutro to Anopoli. Even if you are not running, Sfakia in late October is worth the drive, and the finish line in the village square is a good place to be. Entry fees are on the registration platform rather than the website, and there is a discount for entering two races.