Forsberg’s Love Affair with La Palma Volcanoes
“Here, the atmosphere makes you feel alive”
The Swedish athlete, a global icon of skyrunning, returned to Transvulcania a decade after her last victory. Amidst the mist of the pine forests and the roar of the Atlantic in Tazacorte, Forsberg tells us why La Palma remains the stage where sport blends with pure freedom.
For Emelie Forsberg (Sweden, 1986), the mountains are not just a competition ground; they are her language.After years of dominating the planet’s most demanding peaks, the runner from Skellefteå has laced up her shoes again in a place she describes as “magical.” Ten years after claiming her historic double in the Ultra distance at Transvulcania, Emelie returned to La Palma to reconnect with the “Isla Bonita” that, she admits, seems to have waited for her unchanged, with its volcanic energy and unimaginable contrasts.
From climbing to the freedom of the mountains
“I came wanting to explore and felt an immediate warmth. La Palma is a welcoming island in every sense,” she says. Forsberg’s career didn’t start with a stopwatch, but with the touch of rock. “In my teens, I practiced climbing, but I soon realized that running through accessible mountains gave me an enormous sense of freedom.”
That search for lightness, just shoes and the horizon, brought her to the Canary Islands for the first time. Her curiosity found the ideal setting in La Palma, where trail running is synonymous with Transvulcania. This race, which she describes as a "true legend" of world sport, is the perfect excuse for any runner to discover a territory that challenges the senses.
The unique microclimates of the Canary Islands
Despite competing in the Alps and remote ranges worldwide, Forsberg insists the Canary Islands offer something unique: the ability to traverse multiple microclimates in just a few kilometers. “You can start at sea level and end up climbing peaks like Roque de los Muchachos, passing through pine forests and volcanoes. It’s incredible.”
A sensory connection: Flavors of La Palma
Her connection transcends the sport itself. When asked about the flavors she would take back to Sweden, her answer is immediate: Palmero goat cheese, traditional almond sweets, and, of course, the Canary Island Banana—the ultimate natural fuel for athletes.
After seven years away from ultra distances, returning to Transvulcania has been an emotional journey. Though she admits to suffering from the heat in arid areas, the emotional reward compensates for the effort. “It’s a place of contrasts: hard volcanic terrain and soft horizons by the ocean.” As Emelie summarises, La Palma is not just a holiday destination; it is “an atmosphere that makes you feel alive.”