This weekend already the second Vietnamese points race event takes place a few hours south of Hanoi near Ninh Binh: it’s the 2nd edition of Cuc Phuong Jungle Paths. An event by Race Jungle with several distance categories, of which the 100km and 42km offer ATM Championship points. On paper the course here is fairly runable, but moist or wet conditions may make it tougher than expected. despite modest elevation gain of about 3000hm for the 100km and only 1000hm for the 42 km.

Cuc Phuong is the oldest National Park of Vietnam, founded in 1962, and located 120 km southwest of Hanoi and close to Ninh Binh. It’s very big and densely forested with limestone mountains, rice terraces, hundreds of birds species and all kinds of wildlife. It’s also the home of the Muong ethnic minority. Close by are also Tam Coc and Hoa Lu, famous sites on Vietnam’s backpacker tourist trail.

Competitive runners are divided between the categories (and there’s even a 70km option as well..), but both the 100km and 42km should see some great action for the top placings. Arguably the biggest star on the start list, Hisashi KItamura, has chosen the medium distance for this weekend in an attempt to extend his premium form for longer than was the case last year, when he gradually burned out in August and September. Also, contrary to the 100km that starts at 10 pm Saturday night, the 42 km will be held entirely in day light with the start scheduled for Sunday morning 7 am at Mac Lake. Looking at the profile, this should be Kitamura’s kind of race. but he will receive a challenge from two newcomers on the ATM scene: Hong Kong-based Mexican Jose Luis Alvelais and Vietnam’s Nguyen Phuong Quang. Avelais belongs to the Gone Running-Joint Dynamics Team, which also consists of a.o. Jeff Campbell. Coming back from injury, he last week took part in the Lantau 70 Relay race with a.o. Ezster Csillag. Alvelais has ambitions for this year’s ATM Championship, but says his favourite running distance is actually 70 to 100km. However, medium-distance speed work first, as he is also scheduled to run Korea 50K next month. Hanoi’s Nguyen Phuong Quang impressed the local community in recent months with some strong performances in short races with considerable elevation gain. Question now is how does he fare on more runable terrain. Outsiders for the 42km podium are Britains’ Alex Tilley - winner of the V Trail in Laos two months ago -, France’s Chris Devoize and Vietnam’s Bui Duc Long.

On the longest distance, the runner-to-beat is probably Nguyen Si Hieu. Always meticulously prepared, Nguyen Si Hieu has been accumulating ATM race podiums for years, seven in total now, and recently still so in Dalat Ultra Trail (3rd). This weekend presents him with a good chance to score his first victory since 2018, when he was fastest in the 70km race of VMM. But it won’t be straightforward because Filipino Yojong Sacayle has been in great form of late. Sacayle, from Mindanao, won Mt Apo 100k last December and finished second behind Elmer Retolado in Santa Ines Mountain Adventure 80k two months ago. It’s his first race abroad, however, but the fact the Cuc Phuong rainforest is cooler than those at home allegedly plays in his favour. Other podium contenders are Thimo Kilberth, always solid on runable courses just like Tokyo’s Tomohiro Mizukoshi. On the Vietnamese side, we also watch out for Vu Tien Viet Dung, Le Trong Nghia, Vu Xuan Binh and Vuong Xuan Hoa.

In the women’s race, Indonesia’s Shindy Patricia might as well collect another international race victory this weekend. From a competitive point of view, Shindy hardly ever has a bad day and it would be surprising if we don’t see her on the podium again. The runner from East Java is especially known for her mountain climbing strength (she was the fastest climber on Mount Apo during the ATM Final last December, en route to a 4th place in the race). Still, she has also won more speedy races like Cameron Ultra 100 (2019). Her main competitor for the race victory in Cuc Phuong may be Paulina Svoboda, Czech but living in Singapore and a former winner of MMTF (2018) and TTMT (2018). Vietnam has ATM Finalist Vu Thi Lan Huong and Pham Chi Mai in the women’s 100k race.

Hung Hai, one of Vietnam’s top runners, is the course director of Cuc Phuong Jungle Paths and will not be racing himself.

ATM Champion Hau Ha is taking a rest after Dalat Ultra Trail and a road marathon in the past weeks.

ATM will be reporting live from Cuc Phuong on Saturday and Sunday on our usual channels, with livestreams of the start and finish planned on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, and video updates throughout the race including on instagram.

Cuc Phuong: battle on two fronts