Results: 2026
| Category | Name | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Overall winner | Henrique Alves (Portugal) | 22 yards · 147.532 km |
| Assist (DNF) | André Costa (Portugal) | 21 yards · 140.826 km |
The results list has no gender column, so the last woman standing is not shown here. 56 runners completed at least one yard.
Source: RaceResult — Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2026 results. Checked October 3, 2026.
Next edition: September 25, 2027. Big’s Backyard Ultra lists the 2027 race for Saturday, September 25, 2027, starting at 8:00 AM with a capacity of 70; the organizer has not yet opened 2027 registration or published fees.
Event Overview
A last-person-standing trail race on an hourly 6.706 km loop inside Lisbon's large Monsanto Forest Park.
| Date | Sep 26, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Location | Monsanto Forest Park, Lisbon, Portugal |
| Format | Backyard Ultra |
| Terrain | Trail |
| Region | Europe |
| Distance / duration | 6.706 km per yard |
| Course model | Loop |
| Elevation gain | About 150 m per yard, by the organizer’s figures |
| Cutoff | Last person standing |
| Start | 8:00 AM Saturday |
| Field size | 60 runners. Registration for 2026 closed when the 60-runner cap was reached, and a waiting list opened; Big’s Backyard Ultra lists a capacity of 70 for 2027. The field grew from 6 starters in 2022 to 24 in 2023, 39 in 2024 and 60 in 2025; in 2026, 56 runners completed at least one yard. Few go deep: in 2025 only seven of the 60 starters reached 24 yards, and in 2026, 32 of 56 reached 10 yards but nobody besides the winner passed 21. |
| Highlights | Urban Forest, Silver Ticket Event |
Lisboa Backyard Ultra winners by year
Winner, assist and number of starters at each edition in Monsanto Forest Park.
| Year | Winner | Yards | Assist | Starters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Henrique Alves | 22 | André Costa (21) | 56 |
| 2025 | Francisco Gomes | 38 | Filipe Silva (37) | 60 |
| 2024 | Sérgio Catarino | 26 | Stanislav Nikitin (25) | 39 |
| 2023 | Alexandre Andrade | 23 | Tiago Costa (22) | 24 |
| 2022 | Bruno Duque | 19 | José Coelho (18) | 6 |
Starters are runners credited with at least one yard in the official timing results; 2025 had eight more registered non-starters and 2022 had five. The organizer first awarded a Silver Ticket in 2023.
Sources: RaceResult — Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2026 results; RaceResult — Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2025 official results; Timerspeed — Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2024 official results; Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2023 official results (organizer spreadsheet); Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2022 official results (PDF); Official Lisboa Backyard Ultra editions page.
Course & Terrain
Hilly forest-trail loop in Monsanto Forest Park, with all runners starting another 6.706 km yard every hour.
Key course features to know before comparing this race:
- Forest trails of Monsanto Forest Park, about 1,000 hectares inside Lisbon
- Start/finish beside the Monsanto Environmental Interpretation Center
- Night yards on the same forest loop by headlamp
Forest trail in Monsanto Forest Park, which the organizer describes as one of the largest forested parks inside a European city; it also calls the race one of the most challenging backyards. The organizer’s GPX of the loop runs between roughly 120 m and 187 m above sea level, and its edition pages credit Francisco Gomes’s 38-yard record with 5,700 m of climbing, about 150 m per loop; Sérgio Catarino’s 26 yards in 2024 came with 4,160 m. Headlamps are mandatory after dark and reflective gear is advised.
Late September in Lisbon has brought both rain and real heat. Yardlore’s race-day weather records show slight rain and 17–21°C at the October 2022 edition, clear skies and highs of 34°C in 2023, overcast skies and 13–27°C in 2024, and slight rain with 14–22°C in 2025. The organizer recommends gear for moderate cold but tells runners to come ready for wind, rain or hot weather.
Format & Support (as run)
| Qualification | Open entry with no qualifying result, first come, first served through a registration form on the official website. Prices for 2026 rose in four steps: €65 early bird until December 31, 2025; €70 from January 1 to March 31; €75 from April 1 to June 30; and €80 from July 1 to September 21, 2026, though all 60 places sold before the final deadline. The organizer says 20% of each entry funds Surf Social Wave’s Surf for Employability program, which serves unemployed people free of charge. There are no refunds: withdrawing by September 1 earned a full credit toward the next edition, a 50% credit applied after September 7, and none after September 10. The 2026 winner received free entry to the next edition and a Silver Ticket for Portugal’s team at the Backyard Ultra World Team Championship. The organizer has not yet published 2027 fees or a registration opening date. |
|---|---|
| Support model | Self-supported. Food and drink are each runner’s responsibility, but potable water is available at the start/finish for refilling bottles, and the Monsanto Environmental Interpretation Center opens its restrooms to runners during the race. A medical team is on site and, together with the organizers, can withdraw anyone judged unsafe to continue. A race clock at the start/finish runs until the last runner finishes or quits, and warnings sound 3, 2 and 1 minutes before every hourly start from a single corral that never changes size. |
| Crew / pacers | A friend may help in the start/finish zone, but nobody may support runners on the course, and during the first ten laps support is limited to one companion per runner. No pacers: only runners still in the race may be on the loop, which excludes eliminated runners. Trekking poles and other artificial aids are banned, and slower runners must let others pass. As the race goes on, eliminated runners are asked to move their camps away from the start area so the remaining runners can set up closer; they are welcome to stay and cheer. |
| Drop bags | No drop bags. Runners keep their gear in their own shelter beside the start/finish; the organizer asks for small or medium tents so everyone fits, with spots taken in order of arrival. |
Why This Race Matters
Lisbon’s backyard ultra began on October 22, 2022, as the first ultramarathon held entirely within the city, on the trails of the 1,000-hectare Monsanto Forest Park. It is organized by Associação Surf Social Wave, a Lisbon nonprofit that puts 20% of every entry fee into its surf-based employability program, with Antonio Pedro de Sa Leal as race director. Six runners started the first edition, won by Bruno Duque with 19 yards; 60 started in 2025, and the 2026 field sold out. The course record rose every year to Francisco Gomes’s 38 yards (about 255 km) in 2025. The race first awarded a Silver Ticket in 2023, and Henrique Alves won the fifth edition in 2026 with 22 yards.
Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):
- Men: Francisco Gomes, 38 yards (about 255 km), 2025
- Women: Joana Ferreira Felisberto, 19 yards, 2024
- 2026 winner: Henrique Alves, 22 yards (147.5 km)
Preparing for a Race Like Lisboa Backyard Ultra
The backyard ultra race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:
- Backyard ultras explained: Rules, distance math, current records and how a race ends.
- Backyard ultra training plan: A 16-week framework with hourly-loop rehearsals and a printable worksheet.
- Backyard ultra race strategy: Loop pacing, the routine between loops, sleep and knowing when to stop.
- Backyard ultra nutrition: A fueling framework to test for eating and drinking between loops.
Best Fit
- Runners who want a backyard inside a European capital
- First-time backyard runners: in 2026, reaching 10 yards (67 km) put a runner in the top 32 of 56
- Portuguese runners chasing a national-team place through the winner’s Silver Ticket
Planning Notes
- Practice the exact hourly routine: loop, eat, foot check, bottle refill, and back to the start. The format rewards repeatability.
- Train for terrain-specific fatigue. Technical trails and mountain courses demand downhill durability, hiking efficiency, and reliable night lighting.
- The directory marks this as having comparatively simpler logistics. That editorial label is not a safety rating; verify cutoffs, terrain, support, crew access, and withdrawal procedures.
Event FAQs
What is the Lisboa Backyard Ultra course record?
Francisco Gomes holds the record with 38 yards, about 255 km, set in 2025, when Filipe Silva took the assist with 37. The record rose every year from the first edition: Bruno Duque’s 19 yards in 2022, Alexandre Andrade’s 23 in 2023, Sérgio Catarino’s 26 in 2024, then Gomes’s 38. Joana Ferreira Felisberto’s 19 yards in 2024 is the best by a woman. Henrique Alves won in 2026 with 22.
When is the 2027 Lisboa Backyard Ultra and how do I enter?
Big’s Backyard Ultra lists the 2027 edition for Saturday, September 25, starting at 8:00 AM, with a capacity of 70. Entry is through a form on the official website, and the organizer has not yet published 2027 fees. For 2026, prices rose from a €65 early-bird rate (until December 31) to €80, and all 60 places sold before the final deadline, so watch for the opening.
Is the Lisboa Backyard Ultra a Silver Ticket race?
Yes, in 2026: the winner received a Silver Ticket for Portugal’s team at the Backyard Ultra World Team Championship, plus free entry to the next Lisboa Backyard Ultra. The organizer first awarded a Silver Ticket in 2023. For the September 2027 edition, Big’s Backyard Ultra lists the race in its Bronze category, so check the organizer’s rules for what the 2027 winner earns.
Can I have a crew or pacer at the Lisboa Backyard Ultra?
A friend can help you in the start/finish zone between yards, but support is limited to one companion per runner during the first ten laps, and nobody may help you on the course. Pacers are not allowed, and eliminated runners must stay off the loop. Trekking poles are banned, headlamps are mandatory after dark, and runners bring their own food; the organizer provides water for refills.
How hard is the Lisboa Backyard Ultra?
The organizer calls it one of the most challenging backyard courses, and its edition pages put the climbing at about 150 m per 6.706 km loop on Monsanto’s forest trails. Winning totals have ranged from 19 to 38 yards. In 2025 only seven of 60 starters reached 24 yards, and in 2026 the race ended at 22. Heat can matter too: race day hit 34°C in 2023.
Related Preparation
- Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
- Browse the 2026 backyard ultra calendar
- Open the Backyard Ultra format guide
- Compare all race formats
- Use the timed-race pace calculator
- Build a backyard yard and rest-time schedule
- Estimate race calories and plan fueling
- Build a crew and drop-bag plan
- Build a race-specific gear checklist
Verification & Sources
Verification scope: the listed edition's date, location, format, and available logistics were checked against the event-specific official sources below during the directory review dated October 25, 2026. Organizers can revise details after review.
- Official Lisboa Backyard Ultra site — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/en
- Official race rules — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/en/regulamento
- Official Lisboa Backyard Ultra editions page — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/en/edi%C3%A7%C3%B5es
- Official Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2025 edition page — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/en/2025
- Official Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2024 edition page — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/en/2024
- Official Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2023 edition page — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/en/2023
- Official Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2022 edition page — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/en/2022
- Official registration page and 2026 fees — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/en/inscri%C3%A7%C3%B5es
- Official entry-fee breakdown (Portuguese) — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/inscri%C3%A7%C3%B5esexplica%C3%A7%C3%A3o
- Official race rules (Portuguese) — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/regulamento
- Official course page with GPX — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/en/percurso
- Big’s Backyard Ultra race listing — https://bigsbackyardultra.com/races/lisboa-backyard-ultra/
- Yardlore event history — https://www.yardlore.com/backyards/lisboa-backyard-ultra
- Yardlore 2025 results and race-day weather — https://www.yardlore.com/backyards/lisboa-backyard-ultra/2025-09-27
- Yardlore 2024 results and race-day weather — https://www.yardlore.com/backyards/lisboa-backyard-ultra/2024-09-28
- Yardlore 2023 results and race-day weather — https://www.yardlore.com/backyards/lisboa-backyard-ultra/2023-09-30
- Yardlore 2022 results and race-day weather — https://www.yardlore.com/backyards/lisboa-backyard-ultra/2022-10-22
- RaceResult — Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2025 official results — https://my.raceresult.com/363633/results
- Timerspeed — Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2024 official results — https://timerspeed.com/live/g-live.html?f=events/2024/lisboa_backyard_24.clax
- Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2023 official results (organizer spreadsheet) — https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zxzjKY4xgWJhOWhK9rEr7SkEtyb2XuPkXiv2cn0K8-w/edit?usp=sharing
- Lisboa Backyard Ultra 2022 official results (PDF) — https://www.lisboabackyardultra.com/en/_files/ugd/10d964_7f3c2d2d7301496cb163564ef03ad4e9.pdf
- Visit Lisboa event listing (venue address) — https://www.visitlisboa.com/en/events/lisboa-backyard-ultra
- Official results — https://my.raceresult.com/425143/live
- Multiday Running event directory review scope: October 25, 2026.