Popularity of trail running gathers momentum

Salomon, the French outdoor sportswear brand owned by Amer Sports, concluded the Shanghai leg of its Gravel Route-Free Challenge recently. The event is designed to deepen its presence in the country's fast-growing trail-running market as foreign sportswear brands compete for a larger share of the country's outdoor sports boom.

The Shanghai event followed the season opener in Chengdu, Sichuan province, and returned to the city where the Gravel Challenge made its global debut last year.

Held under the theme "Old Lane Alleys, New Twists", the race transformed Shanghai's historic neighborhoods into an urban adventure course, introducing a three-people team format and encouraging runners to navigate the city without a predetermined route.

Unlike traditional road races, participants had two hours to plan their own course, visit at least six checkpoints and return to the finish line, making route selection and teamwork as important as speed.

Nearly half of this year's participants were returning runners, while demand for entry exceeded available places, reflecting the growing popularity of experiential running events among Chinese consumers, said the company.

The event attracted elite athletes, recreational runners and nearly 50 running clubs from home and abroad, underscoring how trail running is evolving from a niche sport into a broader lifestyle community.

For Salomon, urban events have become an important way to introduce trail running to new consumers. Many participants, particularly road runners, viewed the race as an entry point into trail running because it combines navigation, exploration and teamwork without requiring mountain terrain.

"Urban races make trail running more accessible," said one Shanghai participant surnamed Yan, adding that the format offered a different way to experience both the city and the sport.

The strategy comes as China's trail-running market continues to expand rapidly.

According to the International Trail Running Association, China has become one of the world's fastest-growing trail-running markets in both the number of races and participants.

Data from iiMedia Research showed that China hosted 403 trail-running events as of May 1 this year, up 31.3 percent from a year earlier, attracting more than 1.03 million participants. At the current pace, the number of events could exceed 1,000 for the full year.

The sport's demographics in the country are also shifting. The core participant age has gradually fallen from 40-50 years old to 30-40, while women now account for about 35 percent of runners, compared with roughly 30 percent during the sport's early development.

Trail running first took root in China in 2007. The year 2015 marked a turning point, because as public enthusiasm for sports consumption grew and the event landscape expanded, a batch of races combining the country's terrain with global know-how hit the ground, ushering trail running out of the shadows and into the wider public eye.

In recent years, growing consumer interest is attracting investment across the outdoor industry.

Trail running gained additional attention earlier this month when Chinese trail runner Zhao Jiaju made history in Italy by winning the Tor des Geants ultramarathon in 65 hours, 55 minutes and 22 seconds. Zhao became the first Chinese runner to claim the title and set a new course record.

The achievement fueled discussion on Chinese social media and highlighted the improving competitiveness of Chinese trail runners on the international stage.

The category has also become a new battleground for foreign sportswear companies.

Nike recently stepped up its push into China's trail-running market through the relaunch of its ACG business, while Adidas has expanded investment in its Terrex outdoor brand.

Domestic brands are also gaining momentum. Kailas has established itself as one of the country's leading premium outdoor brands through trail-running footwear and races. The company operates about 350 stores, roughly half of them directly managed. Industry estimates suggest its revenue approached 5 billion yuan ($746 million) in 2025.

Investor interest is also growing. Chinese trail-running brand Outopia recently secured fresh financing, reflecting confidence that demand for premium outdoor equipment will continue to rise.

As participation expands and competition intensifies, brands are increasingly looking beyond product launches to build communities through races, training programs and localized experiences.