Saturday’s Penang Sky Race 50km in Malaysia features one of the better competitive line-ups of the current ATM Season and arguably it’s the women’s race that will draw most attention. Reigning ATM Champion Priya Rai will run against 2022 ATM Champion, former teammate and global trail star Hau Ha! Not to say the men’s 50k won’t be intruiging: Wilsen Singgin, Godwin Mirar, Chris Timms, Alex Tilley, Humberto Baeza: take your pick who is going to win this one! No Grandmaster distance this weekend, but a nice and pure trail competition on an exciting and tough trail course in Penang with start and finish in the Youth Park.

Penang Sky Race is an organisation by MMTF Consultant and is separate from Ultimate Trails of Penang (UToP), the event held annually in October. It is indeed the second time this season that runners will be competing on the island for ATM Championship points, more evidence that Penang is gradually becoming a real trail hub in Malaysia. A miniature Hong Kong, with Georgetown as a modern city surrounded by lush green forests, beaches and hills. Those hills, arguably, are a difficulty level higher than in Hong Kong, though. Saturday’s race has almost 2800 metres of elevation gain for what is essentially 46km.

It is the first time this race is part of the Asia Trail Master Championship series, replacing last year’s Tioman Ultra. Hau Ha must have great memories of that race, as it was undoubtedly one of her most impressive performances ever. Toying with everyone - including the men - and finishing first overall by a big margin. Her first trail experience on Malaysian soil couldn’t be better. But the same can be said for Priya Rai. The young Nepalese took the ATM Championship title at Borneo TMBT Ultra last September in her first outing in the country. It was her breakthrough performance, showing that she has matured as a trail runner and ready to knock on the door of the global trail scene, a door that Hau Ha already smashed two years ago. Six months later, BSc student Priya dominated her home race, Manjushree Trail Race in Kathmandu and says she has recovered and been feeling great since. This Saturday in Penang, Priya could be ready to make that next big leap forward in her competitive development. Of course, they have raced each other a few times before and Hau Ha has always come out on top, clearly so. But the gap between them has become smaller. They also know each other very well. Two years ago they trained and spent time together in Spain and Chamonix. Today they both are in separate ‘teams’ and have different coaches. In fact, Hau Ha had a bit of a rocky start to 2025 as her team change appeared to have happened very abrupt. Any doubts that people may have had were quickly demolished when Hau Ha ran away from Veronika Leng to win at Vietnam Ultra Marathon 70k early March. But it’s only after a few months when the effects of new training and coaching become more obvious, and Penang Sky Race will give us a good indication whether Hau Ha is on the way to that major international victory on the world stage that she has been craving for.

Hau Ha and Priya Rai are the clear race favourites, but there are more solid female trail runners on the start list. The battle for podium should be contested between Sabah’s Lolita Lintanga, ATM Finalist last year and 3rd in BUTM 50 this year, Halimatun Sa’adiah, her first ATM race in ten months, Singapore’s Joy Sim, Thailand’s Siriporn Leumathong (Top 10 in 2024 ATM Final) and a few others.

The men’s race is quite unpredictable with a whole bunch of potential race winners. All things considered, especially the course technicality, overtaking Sabah’s Wilsen Singgin could be the key to victory. Wilsen has been putting more emphasis on speed and 50k races since over a year and it seems to be paying off in competitive performance. Two months ago, for the first time, he put himself between his two peers Daved Simpat and Milton Amat at BUTM 50. Singgin will be up against local powerhouse Alex Tilley, who lives in Penang and knows the trails very well. Chris Timms is also running again, just two weeks after taking a joint victory in Sarawak at Silabur 100. Timms also won UTOP 60k last October. However, the Singapore-based Briton worries about a calf injury that may prevent him from reaching peak performance this weekend. From Bukidnon in the Philippines, the young Godwin Mirar will be making his debut in Malaysia. Mirar has been building up his international race experience of late and - along with Timms - is arguably the fastest pure runner in the field. Mirar won this season’s Mount Kalatungan Ultra 50 early March, showing increased strength and resilience when trails get hilly and technical. If he wins this Saturday, it would be his biggest victory to date. There is a dark horse on the start list who few people will think about: Humberto Baeza. Winner of Lam Dong Trail early in the ATM season, second in Dieng Trail Run and 8th in VUM - the latter perhaps not a true reflection of his emerging status as an elite trail runner in our series. While these five names stand out, there is plenty of other talented runners who can get in the mix for podium this Saturday.

ATM will be broadcasting and updating live from the Penang Sky Race 50km, with race start scheduled at 3 am local time on Saturday.

Wilsen Singgin: gradually stepping out of the shadow of Milton and Daved

Godwin Mirar: looking for the big breakthrough

Great news reached us from Myanmar this morning, the 2nd edition of Mount Popa Jungle Trail Run has received the go-ahead from local authorities and is now scheduled to take place on 21/ 22 June. The event is organised by MUTRA, the same team as February’s Kalaw Ultra Trail Run, and features a 50km points race for the ATM Championship ranking, and two shorter distances for the less ambitious. Mount Popa is a dormant volcano with an altitude of 1518m above sea level and located in Central Myanmar, in the region of Mandalay and about 50km south of Bagan.

Early February, the Kalaw Ultra Trail Run near Inle Lake was one of the highlights of the current ATM season, not in the least thanks to an amazing vibe among the local running communities. It also encouraged the organising team to beef up their second event, Mount Popa, and present it also on the international Asian trail running calendar. This one is more technical than Kalaw, however, with also over 1900 metres of elevation gain to be conquered in those 50km (technically 47km). The cut-off time at the finish is 14 hours after the race start at 6 am sunrise time. Essentially a daytime race, which means participants can fully take in the beauty of the area.

To reach the event venue, one is recommended to fly to Nyaung U Airport, also the gateway to visit the ancient sites of Bagan, known on the tourist trail. But to take all hassle out of the trip to Mount Popa, we recommend to contact the official event travel partner, Hansar Travel. They have packages including 2-night hotel stay at Mount Popa, airport shuttle bus etc. Hansar Travel can be contacted by email on sales@hansartravelmyanmar.com , and is also reachable via Messenger, Viber and Telegram.

It is recommended to book early.

More details and the online registration for the race can be found via the button below.

Kadamaian Ultra, perhaps better known as KAR Ultra, was a great addition to the ATM Championship calendar last year and we are happy that the Sabah event is confirmed for the same weekend of 26/27 July 2025. Again with two points races for the ATM Championship ranking, 110km and 60km, whereby the longest one of course also provides a Grandmaster point for finishers. Host venue is Kampung Tambatuon, which many will know as one of the aid station locations during Borneo TMBT Ultra.

Sabah remains a highly popular playground for trail runners, both Malaysian and international. Mount Kinabalu as backdrop remains magic forever. KAR Ultra has proven over the last three years that it is not a copy of TMBT and has managed to develop its own character. Local runners also turn up en masse. Including the competitive ones: last year the victories in the 110 and 60 all went to the Sabahans: Milton Amat, Rejlen James, Wilsen Singgin and Shamiera Auther.

As the KAR website reads: “Runners can expect to ascend and descend Bogung Hill, a formidable obstacle that will test their physical and mental strength. The course will also showcase the breathtaking beauty of the region, with stunning views of lush forests, crystal-clear rivers, Kadmaian valleys, and majestic Mount of Kinabalu.”

Sabah is always challenging terrain and the trails are highly affected by weather conditions. Despite the beauty of the course, this is never a pic nic. Participants should come prepared for technical sections, and for potentially smoking hot weather, too. When you are ready for everything, prepare for a wonderful experience supplemented even more by the strong spirit of community that is characteristic of Sabah.

International runners fly into Sabah via Kota Kinabalu and can make use of the shuttle service to the event venue. This shuttle van needs to be reserved in advance, details can be found below and on the event website. Online registration goes via CPS.

Shamiera Auther won last year’s female 60k race at KAR

Meanwhile a classic race on the Asia Trail Master calendar, we are happy to confirm that the 11th edition of The Punisher on Samal Island will again be the final Filipino ‘qualifier’ for points in the Championship ranking this season. The event is scheduled for 16/17 August. The 80 km course will be modified to accommodate a new and improved start/finish venue at the Botanical Garden in Barangay Bandera in the Kaputian District of the island Samal, which is located just off the coast of Davao City and reachable by a short ferry ride.

The event is organised by Vertical To Sky under Grandmaster Doi Calbes and also offers shorter distance categories for the less ambitious: 50km, 25km and 15km. Runners looking to score points for the ATM Championship ranking and the Grandmaster Quest need to focus on the 80km as usual.

The Punisher is often labeled as a ‘boutique’ event and attracts hardcore trail runners, or runners ‘of the first hour’ who do not need all the bling bling and just enjoy the camaraderie and challenge in a beautiful and relaxed setting. Trail running at its natural finest. No surprise that the event has always attracted a wealth of elite runners, too. Hisashi Kitamura has won it twice and twice ahead of Arnie Macaneras. John Ellis came third in 2019, Jcy Ho won it that same year and so on. Last year, it was Angelie Cabalo who ran a fantastic race to take the women’s win, while Kik Suello and Eldy Bulod came in together as joint male winners. As the 2025 edition will again be the last chance for Filipino runners to score ATM Championship points on home soil before the Season’s Final in Vietnam on 4 October, many of the country’s elites will be circling the date in red. Contrary to last year, The Punisher is not the last ‘qualifier’ on the international ATM calendar, though. Afterwards, we still have Borneo TMBT Ultra in Malaysia and the new Ijen Mountain Marathon in Indonesia.

The course of The Punisher is typically a nice mix of runable and technical. The start is at 4 am, the cut-off time is 25 hours, i.e. 5 am on Sunday morning.

International runners will be pleased to see that there’s again more and more direct flights to Davao. This is also the case for Hong Kong and for Singapore. From the airport in Davao, it is quick and easy to reach the ferry to take you to Samal island, where plenty of accommodation options are available. Take a look at the Vertical To Sky website and stay up-to-date via its Facebook Page for all details.

Runners on the Grandmaster Quest will be delighted to learn that The Magnificent Baling 100, a.k.a. TMB 100, has been entered onto the GM calendar. The Malaysian event organised by Running Project is scheduled for the weekend of 15/16 August and takes place in Baling, which is located in the southeastern part of Kedah towards the north of peninsular Malaysia. TMB 100 is the event that followed The Magnificent Merapoh Trail, which concluded its five-year-project back in 2019 and was one of the more popular races in Asia Trail Master before the corona crisis. Now in its third edition, Baling joins the ATM calendar for the first time.

The event is managed by Running Project, which also organises the successful Twin City Marathon (road) and EcoTrail Putrajaya. It features a 100km as main race distance category valid for the Grandmaster Quest. There’s three more shorter categories for less ambitious runners, including a 50km, 25km and 10km. Elevation gain is relatively modest, but as we also know from TMMT earlier or Silabur 100 in Sarawak last weekend, that does not mean it is not tough. The 100km has 2500 metres of elevation gain and a cut-off time of 26 hours. 100km participants should take note of the mandatory gear list, and also of the race start time: that’s set for 16:00 on Friday afternoon!

All details can be found via the webpage below and via the event’s facebook page. To reach Baling, you can fly to Kuala Lumpur but Penang is significantly closer.

Check out the event teaser video as well below or on YouTube.

The only Sarawak event on our Asia Trail Master calendar once again proved that little elevation gain in trail running does not necessarily mean an easy run. The participants in Silabur 100 had to cope with a heavy rain shower that affected the trails significantly and turned them into a mudfest. Fast runners such as pre-race favourite Chris Timms could not develop their usual pace, and Timms was condemned to chase Sabah’s young and upcoming talent Oswald Maikol until about km 70. Maikol began to slow down and eventually it was the Singapore-based Briton applying pressure on the Malaysian. He clearly had the upper hand going into the last section, but both had agreed to run to the finish together and so they arrived as joint race winners in 13h18. That was nearly two hours ahead of third place, popular Filipino Allan Gadong. Leoniel Perez claimed fourth and Jainuddin Bin Sainuddin fifth.

For Timms it was already his second ATM victory of the season, having also won UTOP 60 back in October. With also a 2nd place at Prenn Trail Summit already in the bank, Timms is basically certain of qualification for Team Singapore in the ATM Final. Oswald Maikol, on the other hand, scored his first points of Season 10, but has plenty of time left to ensure his place in Team Malaysia. Timms described Maikol afterwards as “the real deal” and “not far behind the Sabah stars Milton, Daved and Wilsen anymore”.

First female into the finish, and a great sixth overall, was Grandmaster Tara Savage, the pre-race favourite. Early on, the Thailand-based American had to keep an eye on the expected young challenger from the Philippines, Guia Cabigas. Sadly though, Cabigas sprained her ankle in the majestic Silabur cave - highlight of the course (see video footage below) and would drop out of podium contention, but not out of the race. She finished in 11th place. Tara Savage, no newbie in tough 100k trail races, ran a consistent pace and would take her fourth career ATM race win by nearly an hour over second-placed Jamilah Durat, a young Malaysian who was already sixth in BUTM a couple of months ago. Third place was for Vivian Shin Ying Tong, with 2-star Grandmaster Carly Balmforth in fourth and Dazeree Joan Joannes fifth.

The next Malaysian points race event on the ATM Championship calendar is already in a fortnight: Penang Sky Race 50km.

This weekend’s Silabur 100 in Sarawak is the third Malaysian points race event of the ATM season. As last year, the event has attracted an impressive number of participants for the long ultra, the 100km race: more than 160 runners will be taking the start. Amongst them Chris Timms, the Singapore-based Briton, already a winner earlier this season at Ultimate Trails of Penang and second in Prenn Trail Summit in Vietnam. He is the logical favourite for the men’s race this Saturday, but 100km is a long distance for Timms, who is typically targeting shorter categories. Herein may lie the chance of other victory contenders, such as Sabah’s young talent Oswald Maikol. Twice a podium placer in Sabahan races last season, Maikol may finally be ready to make the step forward many have wished for him since some time. The better known established Sabahan stars such as Milton Amat, Daved Simpat, Wilsen Singgin or the Lintanga sisters have opted to focus on the upcoming Penang Sky Race in a fortnight. In their absence, it allows many other runners to score useful ATM Championship points this weekend, and to make a name for themselves.

The women’s competition is likely to see Grandmaster Tara Savage at the front. The Bangkok-based American and two-time Championship Finalist has already scored a 2nd place at V Trail in Laos a good month ago, and also placed herself in the 9 Dragons earlier. The start list also features Filipino Guia Angelie Cabigas as a potential contender for the top prizes. Cabigas has been doing well racing ‘at home’ , let’s see if she can challenge Savage in Sarawak. 2-star Grandmaster Carly Balmforth is also among the more experienced female trail runners this weekend and one who has been becoming ever more competitive. Perhaps a first ATM race podium is on the cards.

Silabur 100 is considered one of the ‘easier’ long ultras on the calendar, with modest elevation gain numbers and runable terrain. One of the highlights is the Silabur cave that runners will pass. Sarawak is Borneo, so ‘easier’ is relative and very much subject to weather conditions during the race. Last year, the 100km was won by Gustian Tiam and Rejlen James.

Mark Jinmin is in Sarawak this weekend to report live from SIlabur 100 on the usual Asia Trail Master channels.

Sierra Madre Trail Ultra once again proved to be one of Luzon’s most respected trail running events and witnessed an impressive first win in ATM for Randolf Gonzales and an equally strong fifth ATM race win for Cecille Wael. Barely a week after Gonzales came 7th in Lantau 70 in Hong Kong and behind Kristian Joergensen, he seemed more recovered than the latter and switched positions to take victory in Rodriguez. Wael had her own issues before the race, as she barely made it to the starting line following her regular daytime job in Manila. But once she got going, Wael outpaced Malaysia’s Rejlen James and took an important victory for her own self-confidence, after several races had not gone to plan due to her sensitivity to nutrition-intake while competing. The male and female top 3 was completed by Kik Suello and Jericha De la Paz, respectively.

Sierra Madre Trail Ultra, by the Maharlika Team, was the second Filipino points race of this ATM season and the first in Luzon. The 75km had some course changes compared to previous years, but Randolf Gonzales was pretty accurate in his own prediction. His goal was sub-9 hours and he did finish in 8h56. That was 14 minutes quicker than last year’s winner Kristian Joergensen. ‘Youth is catching up,” was the Manila-based Dane’s conclusion of the past two weekends’ races. For years, Joergensen has been the benchmark for races in the northern Philippines and the man-to-beat. Now at 40+, he sees a considerably large group of young, talented trail runners challenging him for the victories. Third-placed Kik Suello was the early leader at nighttime and also still finished ‘just’ ten minutes behind Joergensen. It is Suello’s third consecutive third podium place in ATM this season. At present, he is in pole position to join former champions John Ray Onifa and Arnie Macaneras in Team Pilipinas in October this year. Randolf Gonzales has also increased his chances for qualification considerably by means of this Sierra Madre victory. When you look at former obstacle racer Gonzales’ 3 ATM races so far this year, he has proven to be learning quickly on how to bring home big results. In February at 9 Dragons, he still blew himself up big time and would drop down the leaderboard from second to well outside the top ten. Beating Joergensen and Suello - 7th in last year’s ATM Championship Final - offers perspectives for Gonzales, who undoubtedly will still improve as he gains pure racing experience. Roberto Cain III was first of another trio of talents. Jomarc Ferrer and John Ivan Zonio ended up fifth and sixth.

Experience is what Cecille Wael by now has a truckload of, both with positive and negative outcomes. Her ‘acid reflux’ issues in races, along with irregular working hours make consistent training - especially on trails - difficult these days. However, her road running times over the past few months did suggest she is still in great form, and when the stars align for her she is always a potential victory and podium contender. She proved that once more at Sierra Madre. Cecille Wael now has no fewer than five ATM race wins on her record and she boosts her chances to qualify for her country’s team in the Championship Final in Vietnam in October. With also Angelie Cabalo on form already, Team Pilipinas could be stronger than ever this year and a serious challenger to take back the ATM Team Championship Title from Nepal.

Rejlen James kept the pressure on Wael all race and finished second 13 minutes later. James has won multiple ATM races on home soil in Sabah, but previously had always struggled abroad. This solid second place should give her confidence a boost, and she collected another 450 Championship points to go with the 500 for winning BUTM 100 last February. Also in Malaysia it is not easy to qualify for the ATM Final, but James certainly will find herself under less pressure after two fine results already. Jericha Laguna De La Paz scored third in Sierra Madre, a new name and a very decent performance given she kept Shekinah Velasquez behind by an hour. Keziah Loreto finished fifth.

The next Filipino points race event is coming up next month. The Philippine Mountain Trail Festival features the H1 - Hardcore 100 Miles - and the Mount Ugo Marathon 50km as the next opportunities for runners to score ATM Championship points.

The 4th edition of Sierra Madre Trail Ultra is up next in the Asia Trail Master Championship series this weekend. It is the second Filipino points race of Season 10, and it’s one of the most honest and simple races on the calendar: 75km, take it or leave it. Since its conception by the Maharlika organisational team, the event in the Rizal mountains east of Manila has been widely applauded as a highlight for trail runners in Luzon and the whole country, and it has seen some of Asia’s top performers taking part. The 2025 edition has a few modifications, from a midnight start to some significant course changes. Sierra Madre Trail Ultra also celebrates the 154th anniversary of the host town Rodriguez.

The new route consists of both technical and wide trails, river crossings and bouldering with minimal road sections. It’s trail running pur sang and the daytime heat needs to be factored in as well. Total elevation gain is estimated at a bulky 4200 hm. Sierra Madre is a race that takes mandatory gear seriously, so runners need to make sure they carry all that is deemed necessary.

Two years ago it was current ATM Champion Jeff Campbell who set the trails on fire, last year it was Kristian Joergensen. The latter, of course a resident in the Philippines, will return this Saturday, despite having run Lantau 70 in Hong Kong last weekend. Joergensen came sixth, after finishing fifth in Vietnam Ultra Marathon just a month ago as well. A third solid result would probably put him already in the safety zone for Team Asia Expat in this year’s ATM Championship Final at Mu Cang Chai Ultra Trail in Vietnam in October. Given his heavy race load over the past month, a new victory in Sierra Madre may not come as easy, however. A group of young, talented Filipinos may be smelling blood. Joergensen has been a benchmark in the Philippines for years, so most certainly the likes of Kik Suello, Roberto Cain III, Jomarc Ferrer, John Ivan Zonio, Randolf Gonzales and Maynard Encormal will be dreaming of more than a podium this weekend. It will make for some interesting racing, also tactically. For the Filipino contenders, any ATM points race is important, given a lot of them want to be in Team Pilipinas at the ATM Final later in the year. Godwin Mirar and Kik Suello are currently 1-2 in the ranking, followed by Gonzales. Former ATM Champions Onifa and Macaneras have already secured their wild card for the Final, so the question is which five other guys will join them in the team.

75 kilometers is of course also a Grandmaster distance, and it’s great to see quite a lot of Grandmasters on the start list on their journey towards the next level and star. Runners such as 3-stars Dward Fuentes and Sean Aying, Ben Chiok, Munintaran Sundram, Mario Yap and Bhert Orpiada.

Traditionally, the women’s race at Sierra Madre has always been very exciting to follow as well with rather surprising race winners even. Ann Jilian Pulanco took her maiden ATM race victory here two years ago, and last year Cristine Montuya surprised everyone with her strong finish to take her first ever ATM race win. Both Pulanco and Montuya are absent this time, but the start list still shows several competitors who can dream of success. The two runners with most wins and podiums on their records are Malaysia’s Rejlen James and Manila-resident Cecille Wael. As outstanding Borneo star Rejlen James has been on home soil, things have never really worked out for her so far when abroad. Can she turn that corner this weekend? Cecille Wael knows the trails by heart and came second behind Montuya last year. Recently, Wael’s been suffering from inconsistent training opportunities and nutritional problems while racing. Last month she ran the 9 Dragons 50/50 basically on just water. Her road running times this year have been solid, though, and she has the potential to give James a run for her money. Julieann Morales and Julie Mae Marquez are two other contenders, but both just returned from Lantau 70 in Hong Kong. Marquez in particular has had a particulary busy few months - also reaching Grandmaster status. Morales, already a Grandmaster and a three-time race winner in Season 9, cannot be underestimated, however, as one has the feeling she has not been emptying her tank over the past couple of races. The dark horse of the women’s race may very well be Shekinah Velasquez. Given Sierra Madre has a history of surprise female winners, this may very well just become her breakthough-weekend. Let’s also not discount the chances of Ellen Cheng from Hong Kong. A bit underwhelming perhaps at Lantau 70 last week, but she did win the V Trail 85km in Laos on a very technical course just a month ago.

You can follow the Sierra Madre Trail Ultra live on our ATM Facebook, YouTube and Instagram channels all day on Saturday.

Running back in time

Sabah’s Rejlen James : already a winner again this season on home soil at BUTM 100

3-star Grandmaster Cecille Wael: 2nd last year. Last month, she finished 9 Dragons 50/50 on water only

Last year’s winner Kristian Joergensen is going for the double at Sierra Madre

Roberto Cain III: one of Joergensen’s top challengers this saturday

Borneo TMBT Ultra, host of the fantastic Asia Trail Master Championship Final last season, has been scheduled for the last weekend of August this year. The premier event in Sabah, Malaysia, will again feature the classic races of 100km and 50km that both offer points for the Championship ranking, and also for the Grandmaster Quest in the case of the 100km. It will be the penultimate chance for runners to score points this season, if they wish to qualify for Season 10’s Final in Vietnam on 4 October.

TMBT is not only a classic trail challenge for runners of all levels, it’s also been a major battleground for competitive athletes over the years resulting in some of the most memorable races in ATM history. Not just last year’s exciting Championship conclusion with Jeff Campbell narrowly staying ahead of Hisashi Kitamura and Arnie Macaneras. Local heroes Milton Amat and Daved Simpat have left their marks at TMBT, particularly when competing against the same Japanese runner Hisashi Kitamura, who has finished second on no fewer than four occasions now, but never won. Will 2025 be the year he finally nails it? Kitamura, based in Tokyo, in any case has TMBT on his race calendar again.

The 50km has its own characteristics, culminating in a steep uphill finish. ATM stars such as John Ray Onifa and Vanja Cnops have put their names on the list of winners of that 50km already.

The event takes place five weeks before the ATM Championship Final at Mu Cang Chai Ultra Trail in Vietnam. Preceeded by The Punisher 80km in Philippines and followed by Ijen Mountain Marathon 50km in Indonesia, TMBT is the last points race event in Malaysia this season.

Access to the event is typically via Kota Kinabalu, where the airport is. Most runners stay in the city and take the official nighttime shuttle bus three hours before the start of the races.

Registration is open for Borneo TMBT Ultra, which you can do via the button below.

A typical view with hanging bridge during Borneo TMBT Ultra

Last year’s Team Pilipinas at the ATM Championship Final, hosted by Borneo TMBT Ultra

Hisashi Kitamura and Milton Amat have fought numerous battles at TMBT over the past years. Local hero Milton has always had the better of the Japanese ‘Karate Kit’, except last year… but then there was Jeff Campbell.

Omnipresent in our Asia Trail Master Championship series for many years, Tomohiro Mizukoshi has completed level 4 of the Grandmaster Quest at Lantau 70 in Hong Kong last Saturday. The 50-year-old runner from Tokyo finished his 20th ATM Ultra and is now a 4-Star ‘Golden’ Grandmaster!

Tomohiro Mizukoshi has been one of the most popular and recognisable trail runners in ATM since he first appeared in 2017. Traditionally wearing a pretty wide headband, he has also been one of the most successful competitive athletes in our series. In 2018 he finished third in our Championship, behind Alessandro Sherpa and Salva Rambla. He scored one race victory, an impressive one, in Plataran X Trail Bali in the same year. In total, Tomohiro scored nine Top 3 podiums during his ATM journey, the latest one just a year ago at Cuc Phuong in Vietnam. He has been part of Team Japan in the ATM Championship Final every season and things are also looking good for him in 2025. Having reached age 50, Tomohiro arguably needs to find the perfect trail course and form-of-the-day to eye a podium result, but when he does he still uses the opportunity. Last December he came 4th in Prenn Trail Summit in Dalat, for example.

While originally focused on medium distance trail races, Tomohiro Mizukoshi gradually began to challenge himself on longer ultras, too. Even in hot and humid climates such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Always flying in from Tokyo, mind you. A true ambassador for the sport and for adventurous spirit, unafraid to leave his comfort zone, Tomohiro is a great new Golden Grandmaster. For the record, he collected his last five GM points to reach gold status at Lantau 70 (Hong Kong), Borneo TMBT Ultra (Malaysia), Vietnam Trail Marathon, Siksorogo Lawu Ultra (Indonesia) and Deep Japan Ultra.

Tomohiro Mizukoshi is only the fourth trail runner to complete the four levels of the Grandmaster Quest, after his compatriots Hisashi Kitamura and Masafumi Yamamoto and Filipino Rhea Batac, the only woman to accomplish this feat.

Tomohiro has also been an ATM Championship Finalist for Team Japan in the past three years

The 11th edition of Lantau 70 in Hong Kong goes into the history books as one of the most competitive and certainly the fastest edition ever. Although a lot can be said as to why one should not compare times in trail running from one year to the next, when five runners beat the course record time of John Ray Onifa set last year, and the female winner also took a few minutes off Aurore Dacier’s record time - something took place! Moreover, reigning ATM Champion Jeff Campbell took a rare defeat on home soil and not just by one but by two other local athletes: Alex Neyrinck confirmed his 2nd place in VUM three weeks ago was no coincidence and won Lantau 70 by just three minutes over another season revelation Wai Hei Ng - the recent winner of the 9 Dragons 50km! Neyrinck finished the course in a blistering time of 6h35, 18 minutes quicker than Onifa a year ago! Thanks to a superb final section, Campbell managed to still overtake Chun Kit Tsang and Jason Chan for a top three spot in 6h43 (note that Campbell won the race - on a slightly longer course in 2023 in 7h34..). In the women’s race, local Lantau hero Katrina Hamlin was unchallenged to take her second win in three years in 8h07 (versus 8h38 as 3rd last year). The cool and often even chilly temperatures on race day certainly played a role in the faster times, but the competitors were also just really switched on!

Alex Neyrinck, British but residing in Hong Kong and part of the T8 squad, put the pressure on at CP 3 when he caught and overtook early leader Jason Chan, who had taken the bull by the horns in the first and tough hilly sections. Wai Hei Ng always remained close to the lead and sometimes even appeared to have the highest running pace, but arguably spent too much time at checkpoints to bridge that final gap. Probably due to inexperience racing at this high level. ATM Champion Jeff Campbell took a conservative approach early on, and by halfway somewhat looked resigned as far down as fifth place. But he obviously had kept something in the tank for ‘money time’ and ran the fastest split in the last 10km to grab third place and actually only 7 minutes behind the winner. Campbell expressed satisfaction with his own performance and took off his virtual hat in admiration for Alex Neyrinck and Wai Hei Ng, which says a lot. Just 4’30” after Campbell we had the finish of Chun Kit Tsang, also known locally as Ying Ying. Few people had expected him to stay so close with the top three beforehand. This ATM season, Chun Kit Tsang was also third in The 9 Dragons 50/50, so the highly experienced Hong Konger already has a foot into the team for the Championship Final in Vietnam on. October. Next was Jason Chan, also a Hong Kong regular. His quick start was ambitious, but he nevertheless hung on very well and with a finish time of 6h52, he too stayed under Onifa’s time of last year! Number six was Kristian Joergensen, for whom colder conditions are not ideal for him despite being of Danish nationality. Joergensen was in the mix for the podium until the final 20km. Still, again, 7h08 in Lantau 70 is an achievement. That also goes for trail newbie from the Philippines, Randolf Gonzales, who scored seventh place in 7h15. Gonzales had learnt from his 9 Dragons experience, where he blew himself up in the beginning to finish outside the top ten. France’s Jeremy Pelletant was 8th another nine minutes later.

The women’s race had a clear favourite from the get-go, and that was local resident Katrina Hamlin, already race winner in 2023. Already at the first checkpoint at km 13, she had taken control of affairs albeit by just a few minutes over several other women, including Filipino Angelie Cabalo, Zhu Xiaoqian, Kimmy Leung, Chin Nam Ng, Dilu Limbu and Boney Tsz Kwan Lee. As expected, Cabalo got a bit stuck in a lower gear following her 80km race the previous weekend. Zhu Xiaoqian dropped down the leaderboard as the race progressed, and Naomi Fung - winner of last year’s 9 Dragons 50km - was unable to make a big move forward. Fung would finish sixth in the end. While Hamlin ran comfortably to victory in record time, Tsz Kwan Lee turned out to be best-of-the-rest, but later was penalised for a mandatory gear infringement. She dropped from second to seventh in the race result as a consequence of her 1 hour time penalty. As such, Susuki Ng claimed second place ahead of Kimmy Leung and Angelie Cabalo after a nice battle between the three. Nepal’s Dilu Limbu grabbed fifth and important ATM points. Qualifiying for the women’s team in Nepal is not easy, indeed.

The men’s top five with Alex Neyrinck in the middle

After winning the 9 Dragons 50km last month, Wai Hei Ng impressed once more with 2nd in Lantau

Chun Kit Tsang, aka Ying Ying, ran a second strong ATM race this season, finishing 4th just behind Campbell

ATM Champion Jeff Campbell was satisfied with third place