Linhai – November 04, 2026 -- Trail runners in China now have a new support network to use: Salomon launched its TRAILHEAD Trail Hub at the Tsaigu Trail race in the Kuocang Mountains, with more locations planned for next year. The race brought together 6,500 runners, including 20 Chinese and international Team Salomon elites, and closed out Salomon Trail Week.
Salomon athletes took eight of 18 podium places
Across the men's and women's 25K, 50K and 105K races, Team Salomon athletes claimed eight of the 18 podium spots. The women's 50K was the team's best race: Salomon athletes swept the podium and took five of the top six places.
Tove Alexandersson, on her first visit to China and ranked No. 1 in ITRA's women's world rankings, won in 4:25:45. That lowered the course record by nearly 38 minutes. Varvara Shikanova finished second in 5:01:23 and Courtney Dauwalter, making her Tsaigu 50K debut, took third in 5:07:52. Aurore Dacier placed fifth and Naomi Lang sixth.
In the men's 50K, Fan Banglin finished fourth in 4:22:13. Bart Przedwojewski took third in the men's 105K in 11:22:25, while Chi Lingjie and Tang Jingyan finished second and third in the women's 105K. Joey Hadorn won the men's 25K in 1:47:43, and Chang Miaomiao of Salomon's China Next Gen Project was second in the women's race.
Dauwalter toured Shanghai, Hangzhou and Linhai
The week began in Shanghai's Xintiandi district with "Courtney's Home," an exhibition that used seven spaces within a home to explore Dauwalter's running philosophy. It included an autograph session and, in collaboration with the Banff Mountain Film Festival, the Chinese premieres of two documentaries about her.
In Hangzhou, Dauwalter joined a Tsaigu training camp to meet local trail running communities. At Tsaigu itself, Alexandersson and Dacier took part in a "Meet the Elites" fan event with games and live Q&A sessions.
Three experience spaces gave runners gear and services on site
Salomon set up a central booth, the TRAILHEAD Trail Hub and the Super Hydration Station. The booth featured a history wall tracing the ADV SKIN hydration vest series from 2008 onward.
TRAILHEAD, making its race debut, offers support before, during and after a run. It links city stores, Salomon hubs, race venues and local communities. The Super Hydration Station combined product displays, on-site shopping and a hydration vest trade-in program, so runners could replace their gear at the venue.
Salomon also convened the Trail Link Forum, where industry professionals and brand executives discussed the development of trail running and China's connections with the international sport.
Lighthouse Initiative offers the highest domestic 100K prize money
The week builds on the Lighthouse Initiative, an elite incentive program launched in 2025 with a prize pool of more than a million yuan. Salomon says it offers the highest prize money in China for a 100K race category, and aims to attract international elites to Chinese races while creating opportunities for local runners to progress.