The 2nd edition of Ijen Trail Running, scheduled for the weekend of 21/22 May 2016, has opened the online registration this week. The event in Indonesia's East Java region offers three race distances, of which the 70km and 42km options are points-scorers for the 2016 Asia Trail Master series. Last August, Alan Maulana and Asia Trail Master champion Arief Wismoyono finished a joint first in the inaugural event.

Ijen is a popular destination for adventure travellers and hikers, and relatively easy to reach from Bali as well. The race will be one of five Asia Trail Master races in Indonesia in 2016, and on paper it is the most runnable as having the least amount of elevation gain. Nevertheless, 2448 Hm over 70km is still considerable and the 16 hour cut off time is quite tight. Runners will reach an altitude of 2300m when climbing the Ijen volcano. The marathon race distance of 42km, which does not go all the way up to the summit but stays on the mountain sides, has a 10 hour deadline.

The 70km race also offers finishers 1 point for the Grandmaster Quest.

The event, organised by Egon Trails, is held on Ijen plateau, in Sempol, Bondowoso. The course passes by the picturesque Ijen volcano crater, the world's largest highly acidic lake and isthe site of a labor-intensive sulfur mining operation in which sulfur-laden baskets are hand-carried from the crater floor. Many other post-caldera cones and craters are located within the caldera or along its rim. The largest concentration of post-caldera cones forms an E-W-trending zone across the southern side of the caldera. Coffee plantations cover much of the Ijen caldera floor, and tourists are drawn to the waterfalls, hot springs, and dramatic volcanic scenery.

Please find key information on our own event cover page, or visit the event website. Take note that the early bird rate for the event ends on 15 January 2016.

Ijen Trail Running opens registration!