Ranking update: Xie Zhangrong is the new leader in the men's!
Following the two races in China, Tsaigu Tangsi Plus and Dalian 100, we have a new leader in the current Asia Trail Master ranking for men: Xie Zhangrong (picture left) managed to finish second in both long distance courses of the aforementioned events, and therefore does slightly better than race winner Yan Longfei, who opted for the shorter, and therefore less prestigious, 52km B-distance in Dalian.
Runners finishing the longest A-distance race of an event not only receive more distance points (1 km = 1 point) , but also score more performance points (see the points table), as by default the best runners take part in the long rather than the short distance races.
Yan Longfei is in training for one of his season's goals next month in Australia, hence his decision to run the 50km, which actually was 52km, in Dalian last weekend. The same applied for Dong Li, one of China's leading female runners. In the women's ATM ranking today, Yuen Kit Shan (Hong Kong) and Véronique Messina (France but based in Cambodia) remain on top. Dalian race winner Ma Yanxing (China) enters in 5th place, while Janet Ng, co organiser of the Vibram Hong Kong 100, completes the top 10.
A lot of races are still to come this year, a lot of points to be won. And remember: at the end of the year, only the best three results for each runner will count. The 2015 Asia Trail Master champion will not only receive the honour, but also a cheque of USD 1.000.
Race 5 will be the first of four in Indonesia this year: Gede Pangrango Marathon in West Java on 2 May.