2023 Asia Trail Master Championship Final - All details coming soon
Details on the 2022 ATM Championship Final
Run from the beach to the highest peak
of the Philippines and back!
Event centre: Santa Cruz/Davao City
All race technical & logistical details below
Introduction
The 2022 Asia Trail Master Championship outcome will be decided at the Mount Apo Sky Race in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines on 17 December. Men and women, and -NEW- country teams will run for the respective championship titles. Runners need to qualify for their country team by scoring ATM points throughout the year. Teams will have a maximum of 5 male and 5 female members. The race will have a total distance of 75km with approx 3500 hm and essentially will go from the beach to the highest peak of the Philippines and back.
The event will be held for the fifth time and is organised and managed by Vertical To Sky with support from Davao Tourism and Santa Cruz Tourism Departments.
Qualified runners will be accommodated for 4 days and 3 nights (Thursday to Saturday night inclusive) and will of course have a free race entry.
All runners will receive a national team running tee before the event to wear during the race, and will be presented on stage and online. Top favourites will also be invited to attend a media press conference in Davao City on Friday morning.
The ATM Championship Final is presented by:
The Trail of the ATM Championship Race
Designed and managed by Vertical 2 Sky, the Mount Apo Sky Race has been on the event calendar since 2015. For this year’s ATM Championship Final edition, we will go back to the trail course used in 2017, a race won by Pablo Diago Gonzales and Manilyn Mamugay. The only difference to 2017 is the extension to the Playa de Oboza beach resort, which will host the event. This extension adds 5-6 kilometres to the total making it a 75k race. The full course map and GPX file is here:
Qualification / conditions of entry
The ATM Championship race of 75km is reserved for qualified runners, who will join as part of their national country team or of team Asia Expat.
Maximum five male and five female runners per country. Those runners who score most ATM points during the season will be invited to enter their country’s National Team. Country rankings are updated after every race.
Apart from the Individual ATM Championship there will also be a Team Championship. The Team Championship will be based on the accumulated finish times of the best three male runners and best three female runners in each team (= 6 finishing times in total)
The number of runners per team is subject to the number of ATM points races in that country.
3 or more ATM points races —> 5 male runners, 5 female runners
Less than 3 ATM points races —> 4 male, 4 female
Runners who are ranked 6th to 8th in their country are the eligible reserves in case anyone in the top 5 cannot take part in the Final.
Nitty gritty
Expats working and residing in Asia: if the expat is an Asian passport holder, he will represent his native country and not his resident country. If the expat has a European or American passport, or any other non-Asian passport, he will be eligible to join Team Asia Expat. Exception: expats who have resided in one and the same Asian country for 10 years or more can join their resident country team.
Minimum 2 ATM race finishes: runners in the top 5 of their country ranking must have completed minimum 2 ATM races to be eligible to join the ATM Championship Final and represent their country.
Wild cards: former ATM Champions get a wild card to take part in the 2022 Final, provided they have scored points in minimum two ATM races during the season.
Equal points: if two runners have the same points total in the country ranking, a distinction will first be made on the basis of highest ranking obtained in a race (e.g. a 3rd place race result is better than a 5th place race result). If that still does not divide them, the number of kilometres run in the relevant races will determine who receives the highest place in the country ranking.
Current qualifiers and major teams
Names in red are current qualifiers
Names in grey are current reserves in case one of the qualifiers drops out
Not all country teams are currently presented
Championship race regulations
1.1. The ATM Championship Final race will logically follow the standard race regulations of the Mount Apo Sky Race as organised and managed by Vertical 2 Sky. Participants in the ATM Final race are therefore expected to obey the instructions of the race director and his team at all times during the race.
Link:
https://www.verticaltosky.com/mtaposkyrace.html
Excerpts relevant to ATM Finalists:
1.1.2 The race will proceed rain or sunshine.
1.1.3 On check-in, present confirmation email, a current medical certificate that says you are fit to run (legal requirement).
1.1.4 Mandatory Gear check-in will be performed at your Race Kit Distribution & Briefing on December 16, 2022 (Friday) from 1:00 - 4:00 PM at Playa de Obuza Beach Resort, Barangay Darong Sta Cruz, Davao Del Sur, Philippines. Please note the ‘mandatory’ in ‘mandatory gear’ : you cannot show an item on the list: no run, and no discussion about it.
1.1.5 No shortcuts, runners should run on designated marked trails only. This will prevent impact on the mountain’s ecosystem. Anyone caught violating on purpose is absolutely disqualified and out of the race.
1.1.6 No race bib, no run. Your bib must be worn and visible all the time during the race.
1.1.7 No drop-off bag for 75km runners. Only baggage counter near starting line.
1.1.8 Runners should check-in their respective bib number 1-2 hours before gun start.
1.1.8a Checkpoint @ Sitio Colan around 28km+ for 75km runners should present their bib number and make sure it's recorded before leaving.
1.1.8b Checkpoint @ The Summit turning point, 75km runners should present their bib number and make sure it's recorded before leaving the turning point.
1.1.9d Checkpoint @ the Finish Line. Runners should present their bib numbers to the Race Official right after crossing the finish line.
Important: 75km runners who arrived at Sitio Colan checkpoint and are lacking of mandatory gear items, are no longer allowed to continue the race.
2. Extra regulations for ATM Finalists-only
2.1. The men’s and women’s races will start separately. Women at 4am, Men at 5am. The start procedure ends at 4:10am and 5:10am, respectively. After that, late-comers are officially DNS and will not be permitted to still start the race
2.2 All Finalists are required to wear their national team running shirt, which will be provided beforehand, during the race. Wear your country’s colours with pride!
2.3 All Finalists will receive a GPS tracking device which must be returned to the ATM supervisor after the race
2.3.1 When a runner goes off course, the race director:
will immediately aim to contact the runner if his or her safety is threatened
if his or her safety is not directly jeopardised, the race director will only aim to contact the runner after he or she went off course for more than 1 km, and instruct the runner to return to the point where he/she went off course. A runner who shortcuts in this situation will be penalised by 1 hour.
2.4 All Finalists should download the GPX course file onto their sports watch and/or mobile phone. No excuses for ‘getting lost’.
2.5. All Finalists are permitted to help their teammates during the race. It’s part of team tactics. This includes passing water, food etc but bear in mind that mandatory gear checks during the race are for everyone and “I gave my bottle to X’ is no excuse not to have something
2.6. Only natural leg power is allowed. Any kind of automatic or mechanic aids are prohibited.
2.7 All participants should behave in a sporting manner at all times and shall permit any faster runner to overtake without obstructing.
2.8 All participants are required to help others, regardless of the team, who find themselves in an emergency, even if it comes at the expense of a good race result
2.9 The race result determines the outcome of the 2022 ATM Championship. The winners, male and female, are the new ATM Champions
2.9.1 The race result is based on race time and not on personal net time. He/she who crosses the finish line first wins.
2.10 The ATM Country Team Result will be based on the accumulation of the best finisher times of the first 3 male and 3 female runners of each team
2.11 Podium placers, top 10, are required to attend the podium ceremony on Sunday morning at the race venue
2.12 All Finalists agree that photos and video footage will be taken of them during the event and distributed via social media and other media channels
2.13 All Finalists agree to have a profile photo taken at a designated spot during Race Pack Collection and immediately after the finish line
2.14 All Top placers in the race result agree to be available for media interviews after the finish
Additional notes & advice:
You can use trekking pole but the RD advises not to do so. This will avoid side/joint pain and trail imbalance.
If you decide not to continue the race, you should inform the visible crew and walk to the nearest AID Station or DNF Point (see DNF point at Race Details) for your own safety and transport back to race venue.
If you have complaints or wish to protest against cheating, violation of rules and misconduct (ex. fighting, provoking, shouting on trails, tampering of markers, disrespect to the locals and personnel, etc.) you should address the race officials at the finish, and put it into writing within 1 hour after you crossed the finish line. There will also be a ‘protest’ fee to be paid, which you will get back if your protest is deemed valid. The fee deposit is to avoid keeping the race referees busy for no legitimate reason.
Mandatory gear list
*Hydration Pack or belt - minimum carry 1.5 liters
*Headlamp - with extra battery
*Whistle
*Jacket - water proof/thermal ( it gets cold on the summit !)
*Gloves - use in mountaineering/trailrunning
*Headwear - anything that covers your head, protects you from the sun during the day and potential cold on Mt Apo in the dark
* Food items - with ziplock and can last from AS to AS
*Cellphone - with load and fully charge battery
GPX Course File download on sports watch and/or smartphone
*MedKit - First-Aid kit for LBM, stomach-ache, headache, emergency blanket, etc.
*Extra Money - for emergency transportation & snacks/drinks at a local store
National Team Tees
Team Philippines (by OTSO)
Team Malaysia (by T8)
Team Vietnam (by Mude)
Team Thailand (by T8)
Team Japan (by OTSO)
Team Singapore (by UGLOW Sport)
Team Indonesia (by Summit)
Team Hong Kong (by T8)
Team Korea (by OTSO)
Team Australia (by T8)
Team Brunei (by Ole Athletic)
More (potential) teams to come soon (e.g, China, Asia Expat, India etc)
Aid Stations & Checkpoints
75KM - 8 AID STATIONS
*9km @ Barangay Hall Sibulan
*19km @ Lower Tibolo
*24km @ Lower Tudaya
*28km @ Sitio Colan
* 37 km @ Mount Apo Summit (checkpoint only)
*47km @ Sitio Colan
*52km @ Lower Tudaya
*57km @ Lower Tibolo
*66km @ Barangay Hall Sibulan
This is an out-and-back course so there’s four locations for aid stations that will be frequented twice. A key station is AS Sitio Colan, which is the last station before the summit attack and the first one coming back down. Please note that there is a checkpoint on the summit , but no aid station. Stock up at Sitio Colan before going up!
Guesthouses & hotels partnering the event
ACCOMMODATION
SOTING RESTO & HOTEL BY THE SEA
Contact No. +63-9469473526/+63-9297182667
TABING DAGAT FAMILY INN
Mr. Leonardo Pesante +63-9487683143
4 JEWELS HOTEL
Ms. Letty +63-9097543395
MGL Hotel
Ms. Mercy +63-9075307415
Bay Coronon Beach Resort
Contact No +63-9100175000
L'CIRCULIO SEA BLUE GARDEN RESORT
Contact No. +63-9513835297
PLAYA de OBUZA BEACH RESORT
our race venue -for assistant you may contact Ms. Letlet, Tourism Officer +63-9502680831
Qualified runners will have the offer of spending 3 nights in one of these places. There will be a shuttle service from the accommodation to the race venue before the race start on Saturday. Any questions on logistics, please contact Vertical To Sky and Doi Calbes.
