The institutional event, held at the Consell Comarcal de la Garrotxa, highlighted the county's role as a benchmark for active, sustainable, and inclusive tourism. The league, which began in 2022 with two races, anticipates exceeding 6,000 participants this year across 12 events spread throughout the 5 cross-border counties: Alt Empordà, Garrotxa, Ripollès, Vallespir, and Alt Vallespir.
During the event, a pioneering pilot project combining hiking and autism was introduced. The Associació ISOM, in collaboration with Valls Catalanes and Wikiloc, will carry out this initiative within the framework of the MDM race in Alta Garrotxa, aimed at supporting young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Gemma Canalias, First Vice-President and County Councillor for Tourism of the Consell Comarcal de la Garrotxa, emphasized the importance of positioning the county as a leading destination for active and nature tourism. She affirmed that Olot is the European City of Sport 2026, underscoring the strong commitment to sports activities.
Among the scheduled events, the upcoming races in Garrotxa stand out: the Trepitja Garrotxa (October 24-25 in Montagut i Oix) and the MDM.CAT (November 8 in Beuda), which connects with Albanyà and Lliurona in Alt Empordà, sharing the natural space of Alta Garrotxa.
Maria Vidal, president of PAHT (Cross-border Country of Art and History Valls Catalanes), highlighted the shared geographical and heritage framework uniting the valleys on both sides of the Pyrenees. She recalled the origins of the municipal association, comprising 44 municipalities with nearly 50,000 inhabitants, and its headquarters in La Verneda (Prats de Molló, Vallespir), emphasizing that sport is an integral part of the cross-border relations they promote.
Núria Escarpanter, County Councillor for Sports, Youth, and Cross-border Affairs of the Consell Comarcal de l’Alt Empordà, focused on institutional support for the pilot project «Hiking and autism: the challenge of sensory regulation in the mountains». She stressed the need for non-verbal communication for individuals on the autism spectrum, particularly during "deregulation" crises caused by sensory overload.
The pilot project, utilizing pictograms adapted by the Associació ISOM based on the ARASAAC system, will take place on November 7th during the MDM. It will receive clinical support from the association and be included on the Wikiloc platform as an official mapping tool. Collaboration with Civil Protection and ADF is also underway to establish protocols under the slogan «Anticipation is winning».
Escarpanter underscored the territory's commitment to inclusive sports and the transfer of best practices.
Gemma Canalias, also President of Turisme Garrotxa, invited everyone to participate in the upcoming events of the circuit, which will conclude with an awards ceremony on November 14th in Céret.
