Undoubtedly one of the most challenging and most popular events on our ATM Championship calendar made a brilliant return this season after five long years. The 9 Dragons in Hong Kong now looks confidently ahead to its 5th edition, which has been set for Valentine Day’s weekend 14-16 February 2025. The trademark 50/50 category and the 50km category will again be the points races for the ATM Championship ranking, while the 50/50 and the 50 Miles (87km) category can also give finishers a point for their Grandmaster Quest. Registration is open via the official event website, linked below, and interested runners are encouraged not to wait until the last moment as the 50/50, in particular, has a fixed quota and is expected to sell out in advance.
Taking place in Hong Kong’s New Territories, the 9 Dragons is one of those relatively few events in Southeast Asia that places a big emphasis on competitive performance, while at the same time showing heaps of respect towards every single finisher on Sunday afternoon. The marquee event, the 50/50, is essentially a stage race and merely turning up on Sunday morning at the start of the 50km long second stage is arguably tougher than the elevation gain to be conquered during the runs. Some runners disintegrate during the 50km, others just seem to come alive. It makes for unpredictable situations and surprising changes of fortune at the front of the race, ultimately what sports fans enjoy to see.
Kristian Joergensen in the men’s and Angie Yan in the women’s came out on top this season, after fierce battles with a.o. Lodewijk Vriens, Oleksii Melnyk, Solomon Wettstein and Arnie Macaneras, and Xie Wenfei and Wong Ki Chun. Both came from behind to secure victory on Sunday.
While the 50/50 captures the limelight at The 9 Dragons, the single 50km race also has a reputation as being one of the most competitive and toughest-to-win of the season. ATM Champion John Ray Onifa was outstanding this year, and local talent Naomi Fung managed to just keep Philippines’ Angelie Cabalo behind.
Thinking back on the 2024 edition, we can hardly wait for next February!
