BY APRIL MARGRETTE ALNAS/UM Intern
THE DAVAO City Sports Development Division partnered with Kinetix Sports and Team Davao Runners for the first sanctioned trailrunning event, tentatively scheduled for June as part of the Duaw Dabaw 2026.
City sports head Mikey Aportadera shared that Calinan is the proposed venue of the trail run event, with routes traversing scenic areas, offering participants a new place to explore and appreciate.
“This is actually more about inviting people to come in and appreciate the city of Davao beyond the roads,” he said.
Grant Gutierrez from Team Davao Runners highlighted the event’s importance to the local trailrunning community, noting their excitement at discovering new routes within the city.
“I guarantee you, a hundred percent, it is a beautiful place. It’s far, but eventually, once the other runners explore it, the Duaw Dabaw trail run by the city government will be held. For sure, everyone will want to visit the place,” Gutierrez said.
Additionally, he added that the local communities and tribes are grateful for the opportunity to have their place highlighted.
Organizers anticipate around 3,000 participants for the event, testing their skills in four categories: 5K, 12K, 25K, and 50K, suitable for beginners to experienced trail runners, with a budget of ₱500,000 in cash prizes.
However, Aportadera said they might postpone their initial target date, stating the need for additional time to finalize preparations for trail mapping and overall event organization to ensure it meets world-class standards. He said the city sports division will post announcements on the details once they are finalized.
