The event is presented as a boutique marathon, with 1,500 runners registered for this first edition in 2026
Estepona Marathon 2026
11th October 2026 started at 08:30 hrs
(Confirmed by Official website)
Juanma Caravana of the Estepona Athletics Club won the first Estepona Costa del Sol Full Marathon in 2 hours, 46 minutes and 43 seconds, after leading the race for most of the way ahead of second place at 2hrs 51min 20 sec. Sonja Alcalá from Jimena de la Frontera won the women's category in 3 hours 7 minutes 1 second, also leading all the way.
Both the marathon and the half marathon started together at 08:30. It was a beautiful, clear, blue-sky Sunday with no wind and a temperature of 20 degrees.
The race started and finished at the Estadio Municipal de Atletismo de Estepona athletics stadium for all. The route began with a descent down Avenida Juan Carlos I to the seafront promenade.
The marathon runners ran east along service roads before returning west along the Malaga Coastal path. They passed La Rada Beach, the lighthouse and the marina, where the traditional Sunday market was not taking place. They then continued to Guadalobón, before returning along Avenida del Carmen, passing La Rada, and continuing east as far as Benamara and El Presidente. They then returned along the coastal path through the old town before finishing at the athletics stadium.
The half marathon runners also descended down Avenida Juan Carlos I to the seafront promenade, turning west along it, past the lighthouse and the marina. They continued with some of the marathon leaders to Guadalabon, then returned along Avenida del Carmen, past La Rada, and through the old town, before finishing at the athletics stadium.
The first edition in 2026 was interesting, taking place on a beautiful, sunny morning. The route avoided asphalt for more than half of its length, featuring long sections on the coastal path's boardwalk next to the beach. Juanma Caravaca led the men's category for almost the entire race. Sonia led the women's category. Meanwhile, between 150 and 600 people watched the live stream on YouTube during the race, and at the finish line respectively. As the coastal path was not closed, a cyclist rode ahead of the leaders to advise walkers and runners to move aside. Several pacemakers ran with flags to guide the amateur runners, but the leaders did not have a pacemaker.
It is an interesting race to take part in or follow, with 1,500 runners registered. Taking place early on a Sunday morning during a bank holiday weekend, there were not too many spectators, which made it easy to follow the race, which was broadcast live on YouTube using two cameras mounted on motorbikes and a drone.
The Estepona Costa del Sol Marathon is one of only three marathons in Andalusia, alongside the highly regarded Málaga and Seville marathons.
The event is presented as a 'boutique marathon', with 1,500 runners registered for this first edition in 2026, and participation limited to 2,000. In other words, all applicants were able to take part. The organisers reported 200 registrations from Estepona, 36% of which were from Málaga province, and 48% of which were from non-Spanish nationals. The registration fee was €60 for the marathon and €35 for the half marathon.
Official website in English
https://www.maratoncostadelsol.com/en
Estepona Marathon properties: Flat, Road, Beach, Scenic, Loop
Estepona Half Marathon in May
The Estepona Half Marathon has rapidly grown. The race was first launched to showcase the 'Senda Litoral' (Coastal Path), a scenic project connecting the Málaga coastline, providing runners with a unique route that combines urban areas with Mediterranean views.
Organised by the Club de Atletismo Estepona with the support of the local City Council, the event held its inaugural edition in the early 2020s. By its third edition (2024), the race gained significant prestige, featuring winners like Pablo Salcedo and Noelia Valenzuela, and established a reputation for its challenging yet beautiful course, covering concrete, and wooden bridges along the coast.
After a huge success of the fourth edition in early 2025, the Costa del Sol Estepona Marathon presents two distances: 21K and 42K, for runners looking to take on the distance for the first time, and to those pursuing new personal challenges.
