Álvaro Núñez bulls raced through Pamplona during the fourth encierro of San Fermín 2026 on July 10, completing the 848-meter route in 2 minutes and 32 seconds. The exceptionally fast run brought repeated falls and pileups, particularly at the sharp Mercaderes curve, where runners were knocked down or pushed aside as the herd negotiated the turn. The herd’s pace and separation split the course into two distinct races.
The encierro traditionally begins at 8:00 a.m., when the starting rocket signals the runners and bulls to set off from Santo Domingo. The route continues through Ayuntamiento, Mercaderes, Estafeta and Telefónica before ending at the bullring. This morning, bulls including Asustado, Naranjero and Gavilán drove forward at speed; the animals were reported to weigh between 565 and 595 kilograms. At Mercaderes, the tight turn and concentration of runners heightened the risk of collisions and falls.
RTVE’s Sanfermines coverage carried the run live on La 1, the 24 Horas channel and RTVE Play. Ana Prada and Julian Iantzi presented, with Egoitz Txurruka and experienced runner Teo Lázaro contributing. The dedicated Sanfermines channel was scheduled to provide continuous programming through July 15, including archive footage of encierros dating back to 2008.
Álvaro Núñez Benjumea returned to Pamplona with livestock from the Iruelas estate in Facinas, in Tarifa, Cádiz. The ranch is linked to the Núñez del Cuvillo lineage, and its bulls included castaño, jabonero, mulato and colorado animals. Their size and speed added to the intensity of the morning’s run.
The fourth encierro followed two earlier fast runs involving other herds. Earlier in the festival, Cebada Gago bulls led a tense second run, as detailed in this report on a previous San Fermín encierro.
San Fermín is held each July in Pamplona, with the encierros taking place each morning along the route through the city’s old quarter to the bullring. The 2026 festival continued through July 15, with four more runs scheduled after the July 10 encierro. Medical teams are positioned along the course to respond to incidents during the event.
