Conditions for the third edition of Cuc Phuong Jungle Paths in Vietnam were very similar to last year: damp, moist, cloudy and humid but not that hot. 100k ultra runners were warned in advance and clearly were better prepared mentally for the task at hand. Last season’s ATM Finalist for Vietnam, Nguyen Tien Vo was quickest of all in 15h45 and scored his first ever race win in our series. Tien Vo was in a league of his own, finishing almost two hours ahead of Tran Van Bac and Trung Nguyen, a double ATM Finalist for Singapore in the past two seasons. Trung entered the race battered and bruised from a bad fall on training, but nevertheless scored a solid podium. Do Trung Kien had to settle for fourth just a few moments later. Then, it was American Tara Savage as fifth and winner of the female 100k. Based in Thailand and already fifth in VTM early this year, Savage lived up to her status as race favourite and kept main challenger, the experienced Vy Le Phuong, behind by some 45 minutes. For Savage, who has a background in martial arts and is also coaching track & field in schools, it is the second ATM race win after UTCR 125 last October. Third place went to Pham Thi Thu Thuy.

On the (much) more runable 42km medium distance points race, Nguyen Si Hieu more than beat his own expectations. The winner of last year’s 100km finished first in 3h45 - well under four hours and that for a trail marathon! A very impressive result and only six minutes slower than established marathon runner Hisashi Kitamura a year ago! Is Nguyen Si Hieu actually even more competitive on the medium than on the long ultras? With that speed, he can get very far in this year’s ATM Championship Final. Only 20 minutes later, Nguyen Xuan Tu came second - also a strong run. The final step on the podium went to Tokyo’s famous Roppongi Runner Tomohiro Mizukoshi. No longer the youngest in the field, but still fast and competitive. The 42km course was also perfectly suited for him. Tomohiro clocked 4h36. Another pre-race favourite, Tu Do, did not have the best of days with stomach issues, yet still managed to get fourth place.

The women’s 42km was hotly contested and the most exciting to follow from a competition point of view. Ho Chi Minh-based Japanese Mude Sports runner Akane Nemoto grabbed the victory after a tight battle with primarily Claire Berton and last year’s Lam Dong Trail winner and teammate Loi Luong. Nemoto, sixth in last season’s ATM Final in Indonesia, is typically very fast on runable trails and did not want to let this opportunity slide. She kept Berton behind by a mere two minutes and scored her second ATM race win after VMM 70 in 5h14.. However, the latter then got strangely disqualified by the race referees for not having a headlamp with her. Strange, because the race was held from sunrise to sunset in daytime. Loi Luong inherited second place in 5h21. Officially, third place went to Nguyen Phuong Van.

CPJP: Nguyen Tien Vo and Tara Savage grab 100, Si Hieu and Nemoto the 42