After 7 podium places in ATM points races since the 2018, Cecille Wael delivered an impressively quick performance at last weekend’s Cordillera Mountain Ultra to claim her first major victory in her trail journey. The UGLOW runner was on fire from the start at 3am, showing remarkable speed despite still being ‘in recovery’ from the previous weekend’s MMTF 90km ultra race. Motivation and determination is key to win trail races, and Wael probably wanted to make a statement. She was nearly 20 minutes ahead of 2018 vice-ATM champion Aggy Sabanal, who had prepared well for CMU in a final attempt to get into the top 5 of the Filipino ATM ranking, and almost 50 minutes ahead of Angelie Cabalo! Cabalo, yes, the winner of MMTF a week ago who on that day beat Wael by nearly 50 minutes. All things considered, competitively-speaking, this was Ces Wael’s masterpiece run to date.

South Korea’s Boyoung Jang secured fourth place in the race, not too long after Cabalo. Boyoung is also qualified as part of Team Korea for the ATM Final on Mount Apo, together with her husband Kim Jisub, amongst others. Irish Glorioso did a great run to protect her qualification for Team Pilipinas by coming in 6th and ahead of Julie Ann Morales in seventh. Their respective results meant Aggy Sabanal and Angelie Cabalo are now in the waiting room as first and second reserves for the ATM Finals, in case either Emily Raga, Ces Wael, Rhea Batac, Irish Glorioso or Jullie Ann Morales cannot make it to the Mt Apo Sky Race in 2 weeks time. Let’s also note the surprising and interesting result of newbie Myra Montiveros in 5th place at CMU, right behind Boyoung Jang. One to follow in 2023!

The men’s race was won by Kristian Joergensen, which was no surprise and yet Arnie Macaneras was able to challenge and push the Philippines-based Dane forward all race. Macaneras, like Wael, is still searching that breakthrough victory in an ATM race after several impressive podium places. Could Mount Apo be that moment on 17 December? Macaneras’s competitive form has been rising since a number of weeks and nobody of any qualifyer for the ATM Championship knows the mountain as well as him - being a Davao resident who climbs Apo for training on a regular basis. He is part of a strong men’s team that also includes Larry Apolinario, Sean Aying and thanks to their great runs at CMU, also Poy Brilliantes and Angelito Vertudazo. The latter duo managed to jump Yojong Sacayle in the rankings. Sacayle, unfortunately, could not make it to CMU last weekend. Behind Joergensen and Macaneras, 2018 ATM Champion Alessandro Sherpa continued his comeback in Asia and claimed the third spot on the podium. His focus is exclusively on Mt Apo and CMU for him was ‘training according to programme’. In fourth and fifth we had Koi Grey - proving he is really back - and Jeffery Zonio, in his first ATM points race. Zonio has been winning domestic races in Philippines throughout the year.

Below are the two finish videos of the top competitors. Check out all the ATM race videos on our facebook channel, as well as a great photo collection by Adventure III .

Ces Wael scores first big victory at CMU