
SANTA MARIA TRAIL - SMAT
The Santa Maria Trail (SMAT) 2026 is a trail running event taking place on February 7, 2026, in Vila do Porto, Portugal, on the island of Santa Maria in the Azores. This event includes several race distances: a Long Trail of approximately 35 km, a Short Trail of about 20 km, a Mini Trail of 10 km, a non-competitive 10 km Walk, and a Trail Kids race of 4 km.
The event is open to all participants with minimum age requirements depending on the distance: 18+ for the Long Trail, 16+ for the Short and Mini Trails, and 8-15 years for the Trail Kids race. The Santa Maria Trail is certified by the ATRP and organized by the Casa do Povo de São Pedro Trail Running Section. Winners of the Long and Short Trail general classifications earn automatic entry to the next edition.
The race courses traverse diverse natural landscapes including trails, agricultural and forest paths, and water lines around Vila do Porto, offering scenic and technical challenges with significant elevation gains. The atmosphere is competitive yet welcoming, with a variety of distances catering to both experienced trail runners and beginners, as well as family participation through the walk and kids’ race.