On a truly beautiful running day in and around Moc Chau, Vietnam-based Frenchman Valentin Orange won the Vietnam Trail Marathon 70km just inside the course record time set by Quang Tran earlier! It’s Orange’s first ever ATM points race victory in a time of 7h01'40". He ran solo for basically the entire race as co-favourite Hung Hai had an off-day and never challenged for the win. It’s the kind of performance that would make Valentin Orange a favourite for this season’s ATM Championship. Until halfway, Nguyen Si Hieu was able to keep the gap at around 15 minutes, but in the second half of the runable but steep rollercoaster Orange boosted his advantage to an impressive margin of over 1 hour at the finish. Nguyen Si Hieu still got caught by the ever improving Nguyen Duc Tuan Anh (better known as Tu Do) and the two finished side-by-side. Si Hieu admitted that Tu Do had waited for him in the final kilometers. Nguyen Tien Vo was fourth and kept the podium within reach but was unable to close the gap in the end. Hung Hai appeared somewhat disinterested but still finished fifth. Who knows those ATM points can still be important later in the season.. Tomohiro Mizukoshi was running 6th for as far as 50 km, but then began to suffer from the midday sun and dropped down the order quite dramatically to finish 12th. Brian Angwin did well in the second half to take sixth ahead of Luis Alvelais.

Men's Top Results:

1. Valentin Orange

2. Nguyen Duc Tuan Anh (Tu Do) at 1h03'48"

2. Nguyen Si Hieu (VIE) at 1h03'48"

4. Nguyen Tien Vo (VIE) at 1h'18'12"

5. Hung Hai (VIE) at 1h35'42"

6. Brian Angwin (GBR/VIE) at 2h30'17"

7. Luis Alvelais (MEX/HKG) at 2h31'38"

8. Tran Van Bac (VIE) at 2h40'34"

9. Ivan Grigoriev (RUS) at 2h42'46"

10.Nguyen Hoang Nghia (VIE) at 2h49'57"

In the women’s race, New Caledonia’s Leslie Nowicki won convincingly ahead of pre-race favourite Vanja Cnops. It was Nowicki’s first race in Vietnam, and nobody had seen her coming, but she is quite experienced as a trail runner. A surprised Vanja Cnops never realised until only halfway into the race that she was running in second. Still, Cnops admitted she did not have the best of race days and finished 23 minutes after Nowicki. Both Nowicki (5th) and Cnops (7th) finished high up the overall result list, indicating their high level of performance. Vietnam-based Japanese Akane Nemoto, 6th in the ATM Final early December, confirmed her competitive progress in long distance races once more with third place on the podium. Vietnam’s Le Thi Hang came fourth (after running a marathon on each day of 2023) just two minutes ahead of Thailand’s duo Tara Savage and Sutinee Rasp.

VTM was the first Vietnamese points race of this season’s ATM Championship series. The next one is Cuc Phuong Jungle Paths early April.

Women's Top Results:

1. Leslie Nowicki (FRA/NCD)

2. Vanja Cnops (BEL/SIN) at 23'22"

3. Akane Nemoto (JPN) at 1h41'19"

4. Le Thi Hang (VIE) at 2h18'17"

5. Tara Savage (USA/THA) at 2h19'35"

6. Sutinee Rasp (THA) at 2h33'30"

7. Mai Thi Hoa (VIE) at 2h52'34"

8. Thuy Nguyen Thu (VIE) at 3h19'26"

This Saturday, for the first time in its 6-year history, the Vietnam Trail Marathon in Moc Chau is a points race for the Asia Trail Master Championship series and Grandmaster Quest. ‘VTM’ has been the traditional series opener of the Vietnam Trail Series, which also includes September’s classic Vietnam Mountain Marathon, and offers a majestic course across Moc Chau’s tea plantations and peach blossoms. The 70km race is the one for points and starts on Saturday morning at 5 am.

While technically our 9th ATM Championship season already started with Izu Trail and Mt Apo Sky Race last month, VTM is the first points race event in 2024. With also V Trail in Laos, Bagtit Ultra in Philippines and The 9 Dragons in Hong Kong coming up in the next few weeks it will indeed be a busy start. The set-up and regulations for the new Season IX mirror those of the past two years. In each race, the fastest 25 runners (male and female) score points for the ATM Championship ranking and at the end of the season the best five male and female points scorers get an invitation to join the ATM Final race to decide the new ATM champions. This year’s final event is projected to take place at the end of Q3 in September, as we are moving gradually away from the usual end-of-year date in December.

Vietnam Trail Marathon is known to have a runable course that nevertheless has about 3000 metres of elevation gain. Looking at the below course profile, competitors for the win and podium do need to keep something in reserve for the final 20km and all participants better measure their efforts early on as the trails go up almost immediately after the start.

Vanja Cnops has been coming to VTM already quite a few times and the 2023 vice-ATM champion will be back again this weekend to open her new ATM season’s account. The more runable trails suit Vanja a lot , even when the race lasts for 70 km. She is clearly the top favourite in the women’s race this Saturday, but behind her the battle for podium seems quite open. Le Thi Hang, who just completed her Project 365 to run a marathon each day in 2023, will be there, but also Japan’s Akane Nemoto. A 2023 ATM Finalist, Nemoto is now part of Team Mude Sports and after being outstanding in Vietnam’s shorter race distances for years is looking to reach the same level of performance consistency on the 70km. Last September, she won the 70km at VMM but then had a tough day at Lam Dong Trail 75 (5th) before claiming 6th in the ATM Final at Siksorogo Lawu 77km. Thailand’s Sutinee Rasp was 3rd in VMM 70k last season, and Tara Savage - winner of UT Chiang Rai and 13th in the ATM Final last year, are other podium candidates.

The men’s 70km is likely to see a battle between Hung Hai and Valentin Orange, with Nguyen Si Hieu, Tomohiro Mizukoshi, Luis Alvelais, Nguyen TienVo and Nguyen Duc Tuan Anh and Ivan Grigorev heading a larger field of podium contenders. At VMM last September, Hung Hai was back in top form, winning the 100km in a very fast time ahead of Sange Sherpa. Definitely the more experienced runner on an ultra distance, Hung Hai has an advantage over Valentin Orange, who has only really moved up from the shorter distance categories in the last year. Orange does carry a lot of speed with him, and as a member of the Mude Sports Team it will be fascinating to see how he fares against Hung Hai this Saturday. And what to expect of Nguyen Si Hieu? His record lists 9 ATM podiums with 2 race wins. Nguyen Si Hieu is always there and can never be ignored for the prizes at the finish.

ATM will be reporting live from VTM from start to finish, starting at 5am local time.

Hung Hai is the man to beat on the 70km this weekend

Vanja Cnops will be looking to score her 8th ATM points race victory

 

We are happy to announce that Vietnam Trail Marathon in Moc Chau will for the first time be a points race event in the new season of the Asia Trail Master Championship. The sister event of VMM is scheduled for 20 January 2024. Runners aiming for championship and Grandmaster points need to focus and sign up for the 70 km race category.

Vietnam Trail Marathon follows VMM and VJM as the third offering by the Topas Team, and is a wonderful early season event characterised by a not-too-difficult and colourful course thanks to the many orchards with white and pink blossoms. This 70k ultra has everything that Moc Chau has to offer. As usual, participants will go through some remote areas and enjoy a warm welcome by the villagers. The course covers a huge variety of trails and landscapes, taking runners to wild areas rarely visited by anyone but locals. Total elevation gain is estimated at 3000 hm.

Registration is already open, click on the button below.

Moc Chau is also located in the north of the country. The international gateway is Hanoi , from where there’s shuttle busses to the event venue. Travel packages including accommodation are also available as usual. The official website has details. Please also make sure you read the mandatory gear list for the 70k race.

Vietnam Trail Marathon 70 will be the first of two Vietnamese points races in the first semester of 2024. The second one will be Cuc Phuong Jungle Paths in April.