Silabur 100: Timms allows Maikol by his side / Savage grabs 4th ATM race win

The only Sarawak event on our Asia Trail Master calendar once again proved that little elevation gain in trail running does not necessarily mean an easy run. The participants in Silabur 100 had to cope with a heavy rain shower that affected the trails significantly and turned them into a mudfest. Fast runners such as pre-race favourite Chris Timms could not develop their usual pace, and Timms was condemned to chase Sabah’s young and upcoming talent Oswald Maikol until about km 70. Maikol began to slow down and eventually it was the Singapore-based Briton applying pressure on the Malaysian. He clearly had the upper hand going into the last section, but both had agreed to run to the finish together and so they arrived as joint race winners in 13h18. That was nearly two hours ahead of third place, popular Filipino Allan Gadong. Leoniel Perez claimed fourth and Jainuddin Bin Sainuddin fifth.

For Timms it was already his second ATM victory of the season, having also won UTOP 60 back in October. With also a 2nd place at Prenn Trail Summit already in the bank, Timms is basically certain of qualification for Team Singapore in the ATM Final. Oswald Maikol, on the other hand, scored his first points of Season 10, but has plenty of time left to ensure his place in Team Malaysia. Timms described Maikol afterwards as “the real deal” and “not far behind the Sabah stars Milton, Daved and Wilsen anymore”.

First female into the finish, and a great sixth overall, was Grandmaster Tara Savage, the pre-race favourite. Early on, the Thailand-based American had to keep an eye on the expected young challenger from the Philippines, Guia Cabigas. Sadly though, Cabigas sprained her ankle in the majestic Silabur cave - highlight of the course (see video footage below) and would drop out of podium contention, but not out of the race. She finished in 11th place. Tara Savage, no newbie in tough 100k trail races, ran a consistent pace and would take her fourth career ATM race win by nearly an hour over second-placed Jamilah Durat, a young Malaysian who was already sixth in BUTM a couple of months ago. Third place was for Vivian Shin Ying Tong, with 2-star Grandmaster Carly Balmforth in fourth and Dazeree Joan Joannes fifth.

The next Malaysian points race event on the ATM Championship calendar is already in a fortnight: Penang Sky Race 50km.