The circuit last stopped in China in 2019, and seven years later the Merrell Daocheng Yading Skyrace® returns to the calendar as one of the wildest and most spectacular races of the circuit, classified as a SuperSky race with a 1.5x points multiplier.

A race that takes place almost entirely above 4,000 metres, set in an unmatched environment: Daocheng Yading, in Sichuan Province, on the edge of the Tibetan plateau. A remote setting where altitude determines everything, and where Tibetan mysticism — colourful prayer flags, stone cairns and ancient temples — adds a unique atmosphere to the competition.

Although it is not an especially technical race, what makes it different is its maximum altitude, reaching 4,735 metres — the highest point of the 2026 MSWS season. A demanding challenge defined by long stretches at high altitude, sudden temperature changes and the effects of hypoxia, making acclimatisation and race management crucial factors.

The three race distances cross alpine forests, high-altitude meadows, turquoise glacial lakes and valleys dominated by three sacred peaks over 6,000 metres:

• Ultra Kora: 50 km · +3.500 / -2.500 m
• Skyrun: 32 km · +2.800 / -1.590 m​_
• Hiking: 10 km · ±500 m

Both the Skyrun and Ultra Kora started at 5:00 a.m., still in the dark and under headlamps, from Shangri-La, heading towards the sacred mountains of Daocheng, finishing point-to-point in Yading Village.

With the absence of many of the leading names of the Sky season, the race represented a key opportunity for elite athletes to score important points towards the Skymasters qualification.