Sandi Menchi: unbeatable on 50K

Sungai Menyala Forest Trail is not for nothing called the ‘fastest 50k trail in the Asia Trail Master circuit’. Whereas last year rainfall had made several sections muddy and slippery, conditions yesterday were dry and smooth. It led to course records in both the men and women’s races, with a blistering 3:49 winning time for Britain’s Harry Jones! The young Chiang Mai-based runner took over the ATM championship points lead from Wilnar Iglesia by shaking off a very competitive field in Port Dickson. Two of the other pre-race favourites, Azuan Asmuni and Byeungwwon Park even quit the race halfway when already dropped by Jones, who was just flying. After two laps of 25K, Jones crossed the finish line witha bonus of nearly half an hour on eternal second Mohamed Affindi, and Indonesia’s new trail protagonist Margono not far further back. Affindi actually was outstanding himself, having just returned from the draining Beach Bunch Trail Challenge 100 last week (where he also came second). For Margono it was the second ATM podium this season after 2nd in Tahura Trail. Also the second time he proved to be quicker than Arief Wismoyono on this distance. The 2017 championship runner-up did well to arrive in fith place nonetheless, scoring more championship points after two fourth places earlier this season. In fourth place we had a surprise name: Japan’s Tomohori Mizukoshi. 

Alessandro Sherpa suffered again from his ankle injury sustained at UTKC in February and had to be content with 8th place. Lim Wen Shan did not start the race, unfortunately. 

It’s still early days in the ATM championship, but as some top runners have already put three race results on their 2018 account a few tendencies and theories can be developed. Harry Jones has 3 wins and looks like the one to beat. Yet, it may take some time before he returns to the ATM scene, as the professional runner has assignments in Europe in the coming months. To win the ATM championship, the best five race results in terms of points count, so three race wins won’t be enough. Other top runners will catch up in the ranking as the months pass by. 

Sandi Menchi remains undefeated on the ATM tour as she again proved her fast legs at Sungai Menyala. She repeated her victory of last year in this race and was again unchallenged. In fact, second place went to the same woman as well: Jassica Lintanga. And that deserves an extra round of applause, too. Just like her Malatra teammate Affindi, Jess ran the 100k in Brunei as well just a week ago. That performance made her a Grandmaster, and yesterday she showed she is still quick on the shorter trails as well. She preceeded her sister Adelinah Lintanga on the podium. Adelinah is better on the long ultras, but was in good form to stay ahead of Shindy Patricia. 

Ruth Theresia remains on top of the ATM championship standings, but sees Jassica Lintanga move up to a joint fourth with Sri Wahyuni. Second-placed Majo Liao is running again in two weeks in China, so the leadership may change yet again at Ultimate Tsaigu. 

Credits to Malatra

Harry Jones wins it BIG, but shows a lot of respect for his competitors such as Mohamed Affindi

A surprise 4th place for Japan's Tomohiro Mizukoshi

Indonesian "speed walker" Margono is rapidly making a name for himself on medium distance!

New Grandmaster Jassica Lintanga recovered very well to claim 2nd again at Sungai Menyala

The 50 km of Sungai Menyala Forest Trail in Port Dickson, Malaysia, is often dubbed "the fastest trail in Asia"and is likely to be blistering fast this Sunday when a star-packed field takes the start shortly after sunrise. While Sandi Menchi is the top favourite to win the women's race like last year, the men's race has so many contenders you need both your hands to count them. To note is Harry Jones, the Briton who will be racing his 3rd points race of the year and therefore challenge Wilnar Iglesia's lead in the ATM championship. 

Sungai Menyala is a race through ancient rainforest not too far from Kuala Lumpur airport, which makes it easy for a weekend break. The 50k is very runable, but the heat and a number of muddy sections can disrupt a runner's pace. As such, it's the kind of race - like last week's Beach Bunch Trail Challenge in Brunei - that is much tougher than one expects looking at the race map and profile. "A mental game," as ATM points leader Ruth Theresia said after her victory in Brunei. 

The men's race is highly anticipated with no fewer than 8 runners who can realistically fight for the podium and the race victory. Some of them are already very well-known, others not so. The facebook community seems to regard Harry Jones as the most likely to come out on top, especially as he's in fantastic shape this early part of the season. Jones won the 50 miles of the 9 Dragons Ultra in Hong Kong and backed it up with a big win in Philippines at the Cordillera Mountain Ultra. Afterwards, the Chiang Mai-based Briton stayed in the Baguio area for a training camp. Sungai Menyala is flatter and faster than the two aforementioned races, and it is a fact someone like the South Korean Byeunggwon Park has a faster personal best than Jones on the road marathon(2:19!).  Park was struggling on the mountain trail of the Cordillera to finish 4th last month, proving that trail is not the same as road, yet if Sungai Menyala's trails are dry the Korean will be a serious contender for Jones and the rest this Sunday. The rest also has sub 3 hour marathon PBs. The local Malaysian contingent, for example, will be very much in business as well. Team Malatra's Mohamed Affindi is arguably best-known on the ATM tour. Statistically speaking, Affindi is more likely to finish second than win, but Merapoh Trail was his best race in ATM so far and that one's equally fast in normal conditions. Affindi has just returned from the 100K Beach Bunch, but he's such a strong fighter Sunday might as well be his big day. His compatriot Azuan Asmuni might hold a psychological advantage over Affindi, though, having beaten him convincingly in the Mount Tahan Climbathlon early January. Asmuni is first of all a triathlete, but he's developing a bigger appetite for trail running. Sungai Menyala is his first big points race in the ATM Championship. And what to think of Chinese Malaysian, Lim Wen Shan, the local king of the 50k races? One of those top runners dedicated to the medium trail distance. He won the 60K race of Magnificent Merapoh Trail in 2016, well-ahead of Philippines' Marcelino Sano-Oy. That's a big reference, indeed.

Indonesia also has two irons in the fire, and not the least: Arief Wismoyono and his new Bandung Explorer teammate Margono Margono. Wismoyono is a big name since the beginning of Asia Trail Master (champion in 2015, first runner-up in 2017) and third on the podium in Sungai Menyala last year behind Manolito Divina and Steven Ong. He's quicker again then 12 months ago, and his experience of the trails boosts his chances for Sunday. However, Margono is arguably the faster pure runner of the two. His credentials in ATM so far show a great second place in Tahura Trail in January. The former international speed walker for the Indonesian national team was putting the pressure on Jeff Campbell and Alessandro Sherpa for 30K into that race. Now with the assistance of his country's premier trail squad, Margono is expected to become a man to be reckoned with and especially on the 50K distance. Finally, Italy's Alessandro Sherpa returns to the ATM tour after sustaining a major foot injury in Thailand at UTKC mid-February. Sherpa's foot seems healed, as he has been very active in March. Sungai Menyala's trails should suit him and although he prefers long ultras, Sherpa has a good running pace on the short and medium distance. Brief, along with all the other runners just mentioned, Sherpa can claim any place from first to eighth in Sunday's race. What's more exciting than a competition with an unpredictable outcome!   

As mentioned in the intro of this race preview, Harry Jones can take over the lead in the Asia Trail Master points lead. Currently 4th with 982 points, he needs to do better than 14th place to overtake Wilnar Iglesia's 1250 points score. 

While the men's race is perfect for a friendly bet, the women's race is more clear-cut. Philippines' Sandi Menchi returns to Sungai Menyala, a race she won convincingly last season. It is the perfect trail course for her, and it is hard to imagine anyone challenging her this weekend.  Then again, things even go wrong for top runners such as Sandi Menchi. In Pilipinas Akyathlon she ran almost 10K in the wrong direction resulting in a DNF. Her ATM points account is therefore still dry this season, as at the 9 Dragons in Hong Kong she opted for the 50K only and that was not a points race. Excluding the Akyathlon DNF, Menchi is still undefeated in ATM points races. 

The battle for the podium will be hot, however, as also the numbers 2 and 3 of 2017 are running again: Jassica Lintanga and Jeri Chua. Both have just returned from Brunei, where "Jess" even became the latest Asia Trail Grandmaster for completing her 6th 70+ ultra in 2 years. Jess finished third in the race, amazingly without really pushing it as she considers Sungai Menyala a major objective. That makes sense, because Jassica Lintanga has a good running pace and this is of course her Malatra team's home race. Her sister Adelinah Lintanga, also a Grandmaster, is arguably stronger on the long ultras, but can never be underestimated and is also in the race on Sunday. Singapore's Jeri Chua scored a podium on the 50K last week, and seems to improve again by the week after returning from quite a nasty injury. 

Indonesia also has a podium candidate in the mix with Shindy Patricia. Although probably better on technical ultras, Patricia was 2nd in UTKC Thailand in February, which was an excellent start to her ATM season. Not yet as well-known on the ATM tour but certainly hot for the podium is Malaysian Norhani Mohd Jaffar. She won the 25K race of Sungai Menyala last year, and is now stepping up to the big league so to speak. Others to watch are Faherina Mohd Esa and China-based Mexican Maria Aranalde. 

Sandi Menchi won last year ahead of Jess Lintanga and Jeri Chua. 

One of the fastest races on the Asia Trail Master Championship calendar has opened the registration for next year's edition, scheduled for 1 April 2018. Sungai Menyala Forest Trail offers a 50 km trail in dense ancient rainforest and is also one of the more accessible races with Port Dickson being just an hour's drive away from Kuala Lumpur. 

The event also has shorter distances on its menu for the less ambitious runners, or indeed for people who would like to get a first taste of running on trails as opposed to running on roads. For the ATM Championship, though, it is the 50K that matters with the standard 500 points to be scored by the winners (100 finisher points, 400 performance points). 

Filipino runners set Sungai Menyala alight last April with ATM Champion Manolito Divina beating a star-filled race including the likes of Steven Ong, Arief Wismoyono and Pablo Diago Gonzales. In the women's, Sandi Menchi scored one of her three ATM race victories this season ahead of Jessica Lintanga and Jeri Chua. Also in 2018 race director Razif Yahya expects an influx of fast trail runners into Port Dickson. 

Everybody is welcome to register for the event now via Raceyaya. 

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Philippines' Asia Trail Master champion Manolito Divina was again a class on his own in Port Dickson, Malaysia, as he beat a strong field over 50km in the Sungai Menyala Forest Trail. Divina took command early on as his pace on the fast course was too high for the competition. He finished the race, which did have a number of technical sections, in 4h27'30". It's Divina's second ATM win of the season after Rizal Mountain Run, and with 1000 points in the bag again features up front in the provisional championship ranking.

A few runners have already finished more races than him this year. Indonesia's Arief Wismoyono has actually regained the points lead thanks to his third place in Sungai Menyala. The Bandung Explorer ace, 2015 ATM champion, has clearly returned to his best form this year.  He had to succumb to local runner Steven Oong, joint winner of UTKC last February, for second place, but never really lost ground and kept a high running pace. In fourth was Spain's Pablo Diago Gonzales. He'll be one to watch in the coming months, too. Pablo has only just resumed training, and will be one of the race favourites at the upcoming Mt Apo Sky Race in Davao at the end of this month. Indonesia-based Malaysian Eric Chooi was an excellent fifth ahead of compatriot Yim Heng Fatt, who moves up to third place in the ATM championship ranking.

The women's race was dominated by another Filipino star, the 28-year-old Sandi Menchi. In the absence of ATM champion Tahira Najmunisaa, Menchi had no match in Malaysia and even finished the race fourth overall - ahead of Pablo Diago Gonzales! With two race victories in the bag already this year, she is becoming hot for the championship title. Tahira, of course, already has three race victories in the bag this year and could afford to pull out. The Malaysian star won a 30k road race on Saturday, but sustained a mild injury in doing so and preferred not to take chances. The season is still long. 

Second place went to her teammate at Team Malatra, Sabah's Jessica Lintanga, who actually delivered a strong and balanced performance to edge out Singapore's running star Jeri Chua at the end of the race. Lintanga saw Chua pulling away from her early on in the race, but came back and proved that she as well is getting stronger and more confident race by race. Her sister Adelinah Lintanga took fourth place. 

Sungai Menyala was a fast race, yet more than tough enough due to the heat and a number of technical and swampy sections. Confirmed for 2018, this is a great event for quick legs and weekend trippers. Port Dickson has easy access to both KL and Sepang Airport, and the organisation committee has announced that in 2018 there will be a new big loop of 50k. 

On our facebook you can watch photos and video footage of the winner's arrival, as well as interviews with some of the protagonists (including Tahira on her DNS decision). 

The next points race is Korea 50k on 23 April, followed by UT Nepal two days later. 

The outstanding Sandi Menchi

Steven Oong did excellent in scoring 2nd

Pablo (left) and Arief (right): 4th and 3rd.

Jessica Lintanga claimed second spot ahead of Jeri Chua

After a short break, this weekend the 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship series enters the second quarter with two points races in Peninsular Malaysia and in Central China (UT Xinxian 100 in Henan Province). The Sungai Menyala Forest Trail arguably attracts most attention giving its stellar line-up including both current Asia Trail Master champions. Manolito Divina (PHI) and Tahira Najmunisaa (MAS) will  not have an easy walk in the forest on Sunday as the competition on paper is tough. 2015 ATM champion and new Grandmaster Arief Wismoyono is traveling to Port Dickson for the 50K race, and appears set to regain the lead from Gaspard Dessy in the current ATM points standings. Tahira will be facing the talented Sandi Menchi from Baguio in the Philippines, recent winner of the Cordillera Mountain UItra. The Sungai Menyala Forest Trail is pure trail running, but with little elevation gain on the 50k course it is a race suited for fast legs. Race director Razif Yahya, himself a very experienced international trail runner and technical organiser, sees a bright future for his latest event, which caters for runners of all levels.

The four race favourites for Sunday

It will be the third ATM race for both Manolito Divina and Arief Wismoyono this season. Both scored race wins: Manolito in the Rizal Mountain Run and Arief in Coast To Coast Night Trail Ultra. While the Filipino ace had an unfortunate DNF at Tahura Trail in the season's opener, the Bandung Explorer leader also scored a fourth place there. On Sunday he needs 350 points - equivalent to a 6th place - to overtake Gaspard Dessy in the ATM championship ranking. Strictly in theory, there is a third participant in the Sungai Menyala Forest Trail who can claim the top ranking spot: Malaysia's Yim Heng Fatt went very well in Thailand and Brunei and is 455 points behind Dessy at the moment in third place. That implies he needs a win and a DNF of Wismoyono, though. 

Another Malaysian to watch out for is Steven Soonseng Ong - joint winner of the UT Unseen Koh Chang SuperTrail in Thailand last February and currently 9th in the ranking. In Thailand, Ong ran a tactically very clever race to come out on top. Can he do it also on a shorter and less technical course? 

Tahira Najmunisaa is already lining up for her fourth ATM points race of the year. Unbeaten in 8 ATM races, she is the record holder as well in terms of ATM race wins. Particularly in Tahura Trail and UTKC, the Malaysian running icon was again blisteringly fresh and quick. Still young herself, she will be determined to extend her string of race victories even more against upcoming young talent Sandi Menchi. The Filipino actually beat Tahira on a climbing course in Sabah last year, but Sungai Menyala is different. Other top female runners at the start will be Gretchen Felipe, the Lintanga sisters, Cheryl Bihag and Jeri Chua. 

As usual, you can follow the action live via our social media channels all weekend. The race itself starts at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. 

..or will runners such as Steven Oong upset the established champions?