Alongside the three Vietnamese classics in the Asia Trail Master Championship series, we have a new points race this year that takes place in a stunning landscape as well: Mu Cang Chai Trail Ultra. The event, which will be organised for the 2nd time, is scheduled for 24 September and has a 50k as the main race category.

Mu Cang Chai is located in the Northwest of Vietnam, albeit somewhat lower than Sapa, the famous trekking and tourism town that functions as host of the Vietnam Mountain Marathon every year. This is hilly, if not mountainous, terrain and so one does need to spend some time on a motorised vehicle to reach it. Furtunately, the event organisation is having shuttle busses from Hanoi, and one package option also includes already the local homestay in Mu Cang Chai. The logistical details can be checked below and via the official event registration page.

ATM Championship contenders need to sign up for the 50k race to score points in their attempt to enter Team Vietnam for the ATM Final in December. Less ambitious runners can also opt for the 25k or 15k options. Great to see is also that the 50k main race will start at 5am, meaning participants actually get to see the breathtaking landscape of Mu Cang Chai. The precise route will be made public in due course. Registration is already open.

The rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai at their most stunning

Two events in Vietnam on our ATM race calendar have just announced their weekend dates for 2022. In fact, it will be back-to-back weekends in September with the oldest and classic Vietnam Mountain Marathon (VMM) scheduled for 9 to 11 September, and the Mu Cang Chai Trail Ultra (MCC) one week later on 17 September. It’s a combo that may appeal to trail runners who can spend a week in the northern part of the country.

The Vietnam Mountain Marathon will once again a wide range of race categories. Important for runners aiming to qualify for Team Vietnam and the ATM Championship Final: it’s the 100 miles and the 100 km races that matter. There’s also a 70k category, which is of course valid to notch up a point for the individual Grandmaster Quest challenge, but not for Championship points.

While VMM may thus attract the long ultra runners, Mu Cang Chai in Yen Bai province may cater for runners who prefer to be speedy over the medium distance, in this case 50 km. MCC will be a points race for the first time after a Candidate race stint in 2020, at a time events were cancelled in most other countries in Asia.

Registration will open in due course. The first event in Vietnam on our ATM calendar is Dalat Ultra Trail in the southwest of the country at the very end of March. More details on that popular event are coming soon after the Tet Festival (Vietnamese New Year).

VMM offers 100 miles and 100 km as the points races for the ATM Championship contenders

MCC is the event for the lovers of faster and shorter races: 50 km of action-packed running guaranteed