The Barcelona Firefighters Museum hosted the official launch of the race, attended by institutional representatives, the organisers and members of the firefighting community.
Elite athletes Clara Las Heras and Bakr El Asri Mohsine attended the event, which revealed the details of one of the most iconic races on Barcelona's running calendar.
On Wednesday, the Vueling Cursa Bombers Barcelona held the official launch of its 27th edition at a venue of special significance to the race: the Barcelona Firefighters Museum. The event brought together institutional representatives, members of the organising team, athletes and members of the firefighting community to unveil the main details of the new edition of one of the city's most representative mass-participation races.
With more than two decades of history, the Vueling Cursa Bombers Barcelona has become a landmark event on Barcelona's sporting calendar. The race has successfully combined the competitive challenge of a 10K with a strong grassroots spirit and an identity closely tied to the Barcelona Fire Service. That connection once again took centre stage at a launch event that highlighted the race's history and its continued ability to draw thousands of runners.
The Vueling Cursa Bombers will bring together 16,000 participants
The 27th edition of the Vueling Cursa Bombers Barcelona will feature 16,000 registered runners, a figure that confirms the drawing power of a race firmly established on the city's sporting calendar. In terms of gender, 60% of participants are men and 40% are women, while 91% come from the province of Barcelona, underlining the race's strong local roots.
The participant profile also reflects the event's grassroots character, with an average age of 36 and the 30–39 age group being the most represented. These figures show the Cursa Bombers' ability to bring thousands of people together through sport and turn the streets of Barcelona into a major stage for community running.
A fast course through Barcelona's most iconic streets
The Vueling Cursa Bombers Barcelona will once again offer a fast, dynamic 10-kilometre course, designed both for runners aiming to set a personal best and for those who simply want to enjoy the experience of running through the city's streets.
Starting and finishing on Avinguda del Marquès de l'Argentera, the course will take in some of Barcelona's main thoroughfares, including Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Avinguda del Paral·lel, Passeig de Colom, Passeig de Sant Joan, Carrer de Casp and Via Laietana. The route combines wide avenues and fast stretches with the distinctive atmosphere of a race that, year after year, turns the centre of Barcelona into a major stage for community running.
Solidarity Commitment
The Vueling Cursa Bombers Barcelona 2026 continues its commitment to charity through its partnership with Bombers Solidaris, which enables runners and supporters to launch fundraising challenges for non-profit organisations working in areas such as health, medical research, social inclusion, international development and children's welfare.
Speakers at the event included David Escudé, Barcelona City Councillor for Sports; Sebastià Massagué, Head of the Civil Protection, Fire Prevention, Firefighting and Rescue Service; Anna Viladot, Head of Communications at Vueling; and Mauro Llorens, representing the race organisers.
Also attending the launch were Joan Vehils, Editor of SPORT; Gemma Martínez, Editor of El Periódico; Mercè Rosich i Vilaró, President of the Catalan Athletics Federation and Vice-President of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation; as well as several representatives from the world of sport and organisations linked to the race.
David Escudé said: "This Sunday, 16,000 people will take part in the Vueling Cursa Bombers Barcelona, and there are two figures I'd like to highlight: 91% of registered runners come from the province of Barcelona, and 40% will be women, confirming the growing presence of women in this race. These two figures tell us, on the one hand, about the race's deep roots and the warm reception it enjoys in our city, and on the other, about the increasing participation of women in running, which is so evident in Barcelona."
For his part, Sebastià Massagué stressed that "for us, the race embodies the values of the Fire Service, and 500 firefighters will be taking part in full gear. The race brings us closer to the public, and we feel the warmth of the people of Barcelona. Another key part of our values is the 14 charity projects, and I also want to shine a spotlight on these projects, which raise money for good causes."
He went on to note that "our hallmark is serving the public and supporting the runners, so that year after year the race is chosen as one of the most significant events in Barcelona. Over its 27 editions, it has become firmly established in the city," he concluded.
On behalf of the race management, Mauro Llorens highlighted that "this race belongs to the people of Barcelona. They really feel it's theirs. We've sold out with 16,000 runners, but we want to grow in quality rather than quantity. We have 60% men and 40% women. That percentage keeps rising, and we're proud that more and more women want to run through the streets of Barcelona."
Llorens also emphasised the changes introduced to the race, stating that "for us, runners are at the heart of everything, and we've added lots of new features, such as 11 start corrals to ensure a smoother start, and this year, as a major new addition, every participant who completes the race will receive a finisher's medal, which wasn't the case in previous years."
During the press conference, Anna Viladot, Head of Communications at Vueling, said: "We're delighted to renew our commitment to the race for another three years and to continue lending our name to this iconic event. We've been title sponsor since 2021, and we're proud to be part of one of Barcelona's great sporting events, in the city where Vueling was born more than 20 years ago and with which we share a very special bond." "We want this bond to be felt within the company too: this year, more than 200 Vueling employees will take part in the race, a sign of our team's commitment and enthusiasm," Viladot added.
Clara Las Heras and Bakr El Asri Mohsine take centre stage at the launch
The launch also made room for the race's sporting stars. Clara Las Heras and Bakr El Asri Mohsine, two leading names in athletics, attended an event that once again highlighted the competitive standard of the Cursa Bombers and its appeal to elite runners.
Clara Las Heras is a rising star of Catalan athletics who already boasts a 10K personal best of 32:34, while Bakr El Asri Mohsine, from Girona and only 19 years old, is emerging as one of the brightest young talents in Catalan athletics.
The presence of these two athletes underlined the competitive side of a race that still retains its grassroots spirit, giving runners of all levels the chance to share the course with some of the best specialists over the distance.
Barcelona runner Clara Las Heras said that "it would be too ambitious to set a personal best here; my aim is to get as close to it as possible, but I'll give it a go." On her race strategy, she stressed that "it's important to keep a steady pace and stay in control. The first few kilometres are more uphill, so I'll make the most of the final downhill stretch and the Gran Via section."
Bakr El Asri Mohsine explained that "I try to plan my season by building up more volume at the start, and a 10-kilometre race like the Cursa Bombers fitted in really well," adding that "I've never run a 10K road race before."
A race closely tied to Barcelona and its firefighters
Beyond the sporting side, the race's bond with the city and the firefighting community once again featured prominently at the launch. The participation of Gerard Pradas, a unit commander with the Barcelona Fire Service, highlighted a relationship that has been part of the race's identity since its very beginnings.
The involvement of the firefighters is one of the things that sets this event apart. Over the years it has grown without losing its grassroots character or the values that have defined it since the very first edition. It is an event that goes beyond sporting competition and has turned the streets of Barcelona into a meeting point for thousands of people.
The event also showcased the involvement of the various organisations and institutions that make the race possible, as well as Vueling's commitment as title sponsor. Anna Viladot's participation on behalf of the airline reinforced the brand's presence at an event that brings together sport, the city and community participation.
The launch thus served as the official starting gun for a new edition of the Vueling Cursa Bombers Barcelona, which is gearing up to bring thousands of runners together once again for one of the city's biggest days of community running.
