Javi Guerra clocked one hour, one minute, and 15 seconds to win the 61st edition of the Behobia-San Sebastian, crossing the finish line 28 seconds ahead of defending champion Raúl Celada. Guerra becomes the oldest runner ever to win the Behobia, achieving the victory in his very first appearance in the race, finishing one minute and 13 seconds ahead of Arrospide, who suffered greatly in the final kilometer in what he described as muy agónico
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The event drew nearly 30,000 registered runners for Sunday’s showdown, which tested competitors with challenging climbs including Gaintxurizketa, Herrera, and Miracruz. In the women’s division, Ecuador’s Katherine Tisalema defended her title by finishing in one hour, eight minutes, and 58 seconds, shaving half a minute off her winning time from the previous year. Tisalema also becomes the first foreign athlete to repeat a txapela win following her 2025 victory, arriving in excellent form after winning the Stockholm half marathon in Sweden and recently the Torredonjimeno cross-country event in Jaén.
Behobia – San Sebastián 🖤💛 Azaroak 8 Noviembre ZORIOOOOOOONAK KATHERINE TISALEMA!! Emakumezkoen 61. #BehobiaSS -are IRABAZLEA!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏#5050egindezagunposible | #bss |#behobia pic.twitter.com/Pmr4GLXvPE
Early Breakaways Shape the Men’s Field
Runners faced warm conditions as the elite men started promptly at 10:00 on November 8, 2026. Seeking to break the conservative early pace, Guipuzcoan runner Javi Menta launched a solo attack fifteen minutes into the race, building a gap that reached the five-kilometer mark in 15 minutes and 15 seconds. Menta, winner of the 15k and the Cross Tres Playas, wanted to launch the test and put himself in the lead past the fifth kilometer. Menta’s surge halved the chasing pack before the main group neutralized the move near the Gaintxurizketa climb, allowing Arrospide and Guerra to retake the lead as the race opened up again.
On the slopes of Gaintxurizketa, Guerra increased the pace alongside Arrospide and Celada, crowning the climb 20 seconds faster than the previous year. The leading trio maintained their collaboration through the descent of Gaintzurizketa, leaving a select group of only three runners who gave each other all possible cooperation to make the breakaway stick, before Guerra made his decisive move on the Miracruz climb.
Tisalema Dominates International Women’s Podiums
The women’s race began at 09:55 local time (08:55 UTC), with the lead group covering the opening kilometer in 3 minutes and 30 seconds to whittle the front pack down to just over 20 runners, and down to fewer than ten girls by the second kilometer. Tisalema set a relentless tempo alongside Ethiopia’s Sisay Dida, Bulgaria’s Devora Krasimirova, and Portugal’s Mónica Silva.
Krasimirova maintained pursuit through Antxo and even revived in the final stretch to put herself ahead, but Tisalema utilized her reserves in the Alto de Miracruz four kilometers from the finish to extend her advantage, finishing 56 seconds ahead of the Bulgarian runner.
Javi Guerra y Katherine Tisaleman ganan la 61 Behobia-San Sebastián.https://t.co/2PcSRzaM93
Guerra and Tisalema Win the Behobia-San Sebastian Categories
Official race classifications confirmed the podium finishers for both categories following the event. In the men’s race, Guerra took top honors in 1:01:14 according to EFE reporting, followed by Celada at 31 seconds back and Arrospide securing third place 48 seconds behind the winner. Arrospide’s finish marked his sixth career podium appearance at the Behobia-San Sebastian.
In the women’s division, Tisalema claimed victory in 1:08:58. Krasimirova finished second at 56 seconds, while Antón rounded out the podium in third place, trailing the winner by 1:22.
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