SportsShoes Unveils All-Women’s European Trail Running Team for 2026 Season 

• New European women’s trail running team launches with focus on mentorship, joy, and performance 

• The team is due to compete at the Transgrancanaria, UTMB World Series-rated races across Europe and the Golden Trail Series this year 

• SportsShoes will be providing year-round kit, travel and mentorship support for the 2026 season, with additional backing from leading trail running brands 

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Online running shoes retailer SportsShoes has officially launched a new women’s trail and mountain running team, the SportsShoes Pro Alpine Trail Team (P.A.T.T), bringing together eight athletes from major European countries with a shared vision to redefine what competitive trail running looks like. 

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The team combines elite racing ambitions with a strong emphasis on mentorship, longevity, and emotional sustainability in sport. Notably, the roster includes athletes at different stages of their careers, with experienced runners playing a central role in guiding and supporting younger teammates. 

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Former European Mountain Running Champion Emmie Collinge, 37, UK is the team manager and mentor, she is joined by fellow Brit Amelie Lane, 19, Elisa Sortini, 41, Italy and Vanessa Caba, 34, Spain alongside Natalina Neuenschwander, 29, from Switzerland, Madlen Kappeler, 28, from Germany, as well as Lucie Meyer, 28, and Anna Verdet, 23, both from France.   

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“Our goal isn’t just performing for one season but finding ways to develop resilience for the long game,” says Emmie Collinge, the team’s founder. “Mentorship and shared experience are still largely missing in women’s endurance sports. My dream is to create a space with buoyancy where athletes can lean into their teammates and never be afraid to ask questions. Now I’m 37, I feel this is something I missed out on.” 

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The team also exists to challenge the prevailing narrative that trail running is synonymous with ultra-distances. Instead, the eight athletes are going to actively promote shorter trail formats, including sub-hour and technical races, as legitimate and exciting expressions of the sport. 

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“It sounds a bit cringe to say we count smiles, not kilometres,” Emmie adds, “but when it’s time to race, we race hard.” 

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Across the 2026 season, athletes from the team are expected to compete at some of the most prestigious events on the international trail calendar, including Transgrancanaria, UTMB World Series-rated races across Europe, and the Golden Trail Series, highlighting the competitive calibre of the roster. 

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Through SportsShoes, the team is supported by some of the biggest names in trail running, including ASICS, HOKA, Salomon, The North Face, Merrell, Maurten, Silva, SunGod and Suunto. Each partner brand provides additional opportunities for the athletes to compete at some of the world’s most prestigious trail races, equipped with best-in-class footwear, apparel and technology. 

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With a strong identity, a commitment to lifting women up across generations, and a belief in sustainable high performance, the team aims to serve as both a competitive force and a visible model for a more inclusive future in trail running. 

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Ben Mounsey, Marketing Lead for Trail and Outdoor at SportsShoes, says: 
“Women’s trail running deserves greater recognition, greater opportunity and greater investment - and we’re committed to helping drive that change. The launch of our all-women’s elite trail running team is a meaningful step forward. This is a group of talented, ambitious athletes from the UK and Europe, ready to make their mark on the European trail racing scene. 

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As a retailer working closely with the world’s leading running brands, we’re uniquely positioned to use our knowledge, expertise and influence to give something back - not just to the athletes, but to the sport as a whole. It’s time to put women’s trail running on the pedestal it deserves.” 

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The team will begin racing the 2026 season across European trail and mountain events. 

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Press contact: prteam@propellernet.co.uk