The Echigo Country Trail around Nagaoka in Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, has been the traditional first Japanese points race in the Asia Trail Master Championship series since Season II in 2016. Several top runners have gone there for a weekend of what can best be described as sheer trail running pleasure. The race course has now been extended from 52 km to 63 km , but it remains one of the more manageable races on our ATM calendar despite the often very steep “muscle biters” inside the forests. Pre-summer heat, as is again forecast for this weekend, makes the race often harder than many expect it to be. Niigata is a region north of the well-known Japanese Alps.

The event is traditionally preceeded by a great welcoming party in the host town’s main hall, and many runners choose to stay also in a local homestay. After 2 years of cancellations due to covid, it is fantastic that the event is starting again.

Japan is still basically closed for foreign entries, so the race will see mainly Japanese and expat runners. As always in Japan - a country where people quite simply love running - we may see a surprising podium, but two ATM protagonists are determined to score a great result on Sunday: Hisashi Kitamura and the returning Tomohiro Mizukoshi. UGLOW Ace Kitamura will be entering his second ATM points race of the 2022 season after his 3rd place in BUTM (following time penalties). The Karate Kit is clearly in top shape as a recent string of excellent performances in high-level Japanese races have shown. Echigo might as well be his first ever Japanese race victory this Sunday! The ATM Championship is very much his 2022 goal, and Tomohiro Mizukoshi could become a very welcome ally in that masterplan. More experienced than Kitamura and a former race winner himself - think Plataran X Trail Bali in 2018 - Mizukoshi is coming back from serious illness and injury that plagued him throughout the covid crisis. His recent runs on training suggest that he is gradually getting back to his high level of 2018, but Echigo might still come a few months too early to compete with the younger armada.

Echigo will be an important race for Japanese elites in the context of qualifying for the ATM Championship Final in December. Given the ongoing restrictions on entering the country, races such as Hakuba Trails in September are not yet confirmed for ATM Championship points this season.

For Tomohiro Mizukoshi Echigo is a return to the ATM front after two very tough years

In-form Hisashi Kitamura is looking for a top result in Echigo this year

Tokyo-based Carole Fuchs was a protagonist in Niigata before the covid crisis

One of the most-anticipated events on the ATM calendar is now open for registration following the pandemic: Ulju Trail Nine Peaks in South Korea. Scheduled for 29/20 October, ‘UTNP’ is directed and promoted by Jsceno, known from Korea 50K, and offers an extensive programme with two race categories that provide ATM Championship ranking points. Long distance runners can look forward to a challenging 124km with over 9210 metres of elevation gain, which on paper makes this one of the toughest races on our calendar this season. Faster-paced medium distance enthusiasts can also opt for the 44km race (Ulju Trail Five Peaks), which nevertheless also has more than 3500 hm! Shorter distances are also available with ‘2 Peaks’ or ‘1 Peak’ , but these have no ATM points. People with more time on their hands and happy to stay in Ulju for some days can also choose to do the ‘9 Peaks’ in different stages (5 days, 4 nights).

It will be a tough but beautiful day in the office in the southeastern part of the country. International access is easiest via Busan, an enjoyable major city to visit in its own right. However, you could also fly to Seoul and take a train from there. The races of Ulju Trail Nine Peaks will offer you sweeping views of forested valleys and silverglass fields.

Registration for runners outside of Korea goes via an online form first, following which you will receive a payment link. Good news: enter ‘ATM’ in the field ‘affiliated organisation’ and get a 15% discount on the registration fee. Moreover, for visitors from outside Korea there are hotel options with free shuttle transportation and a free touristic tour! Practical details can be obtained via Jsceno

Two ATM Candidate Races took place simultaneously in Indonesia and Philippines last weekend and both with considerable success and appeal for next year’s ATM Championship calendar. At Sierra Madre Trail Ultra 75, Larry Apolinario beat Elmer Retolado and Sherlyn Fugaban asserted herself as the new Queen of the Rizal. At Bukit Lawang, local Sumatran runners proved they can run trail, too, on an interesting course with impressive support from the local community and the indigenous inhabitants of the rainforest: the orang utans.

From the get-go, established race favourites Arief Wismoyono and Thimo Kilberth were put under pressure by the quick pace of local runner Ongki Saleh. The first half of the 42k long Bukit Lawang Jungle Trail is very runable and certainly not very technical, allowing for relatively easy sub-five minute kilometres. However, the second half is an entirely different story. Runners enter a thick rainforest on narrow single trails and have to negotiate two very steep ‘bukits’ or hills. The descent of which are just as steep and technical. Thimo and Arief were therefore not yet alarmed when they heard Ongi Saleh had distanced them by nearly ten minutes at km 22. However, the local athlete, seemingly inexperienced, was stronger and more resilient than expected. Ongi Saleh lost ‘only’ half of his advantage on the bukits, and came home solo in first place. A brilliant victory that was celebrated extensively by his friends at the impressive start/finish arena. In an intense battle for second place, 2015 ATM Champion Arief Wismoyono caught up again with Thimo Kilberth in the final few kilometres, but the Bali-based German had a little extra fuel left in the tank for the final slope uphill to the finish line. Two weeks after his third place at the Batur Trail Challenge, Kilberth proves again he is in the best running shape of his life. In the women’s 42k, a young woman from Aceh drew all the attention. Ina Lydia Utari arrived at the halfway point in fifth place overall, and just like Ongi Saleh in the men’s did not lose a lot of ground in the technical second part. Nice to see runners from Sumatra doing so well, and we hope to see more of them in the ATM Championship points races coming up this season.

The same applies for Sherlyn Fugaban in the Philippines after two convincing victories in the Rizal mountains in the past month. Fugaban outpaced Cecile Wael and Cheryl Navarro last Saturday on the tough 75k course of Sierra Madre. The first Filipino points race this season is MUSPO 100 in Budkidnon, Mindanao. Curious whether she can open her points account there with a full whack of 500 points. Fugaban is increasingly seen as a potential favourite for this year’s women’s ATM title. The returning Aggy Sabanal ran a solid race and even held second place until the halfway point, when she missed a marker and lost too much time to still feature up front in the race.

At Akyathlon 2019, Elmer Retolado had the better of Larry Apolinario, but the table got reversed at Sierra Madre 2022. The two of them were in a league of their own, but this time Apolinario had a little extra to take a great win. Anthony Calixterio grabbed third on the podium.

Ina Lydia Utari won the 42k race in great style

Thimo Kilberth had a great scrap with Arief Wismoyono

Arief Wismoyono showed a lot of grit but had to settle for 3rd just behind Thimo

Riverside at Bukit Lawang with rows of homestays, restaurants and warungs

The organisers of Bukit Lawang know how to build a great event arena, including a large marquee tent

Real jungle trails at Bukit Lawang

After winning Santa Ines last month, Sherlyn Fugaban also controlled Sierra Madre in another part of the Rizal mountains

The women’s podium at Sierra Madre

The men’s podium at Sierra Madre

The second of two new Candidate Races in the Rizal mountains east of Manila takes place this Saturday. However, the Sierra Madre Trail Ultra covers basically entirely different trails than the Santa Ines Adventure Run a month ago. Rather unique in today’s trail scene is that the event only offers one race distance category: 75 km, ultra distance no less! And it’s a challenging 75k as total elevation gain is well over 4000 hm. The winners of last month’s race are back, too.

Sherlyn Fugaban was a surprisingly strong female champion in one of her very first long distance trail races, and will be aiming to repeat that success this weekend. On the basis of her performance at Sta Ines, Fugaban could be the next Filipino female contender for this year’s Asia Trail Master Championship title, as Ces Wael is reportedly taking a sabbatical from competitive racing to focus on her advanced studies. At Sierra Madre, Fugaban wil need to watch out for the experienced Cheryll Navarro and for the 2018 vice Asia Trail Master Champion Aggy Sabanal, who is making her return to competition now as a young mother.

Elmer Retolado proved at Sta Ines that the covid pandemic did not affect him very much. The 2019 Akyathlon winner will now face the man he beat 3 years ago in the Cordillera race, Larry Apolinario. That should make for an interesting race, with also Richard Akol, Rudy Paghubasan and last-but-not-least, Al Telias, on the start list.

ATM will be on-site and reporting live from Sierra Madre Trail Ultra tomorrow.

Sherlyn Fugaban and Elmer Retolado can crown themselves as the Heroes of the Rizal this weekend

Aggy Sabanal returns to competition this weekend

This weekend’s Bukit Lawang Jungle Trail Run marks the first ever ATM-labeled event in Sumatra. A new destination for Indonesian and regional trail runners and we are looking forward to how the Candidate Race will unfold. On the programme is a 42k main race in which the bite comes at the end. Less ambitious and beginning runners will attempt the 24k or 11k races. Bukit Lawang Jungle Run largely follows the concept of Tahura Trail in Bandung and thus we will have a sunrise time start tomorrow.

The race venue is approx 3 hours from Medan, capital city of North Sumatra and also features the Gunung Leuser National Park, one of the richest rainforests in Southeast Asia. It is home of the Sumatran Orang Utan and a wide range of other animals. The race profile shows little dents and even goes slightly downhill until two peaks - the bukits - that need to be conquered in the last 15 km of the 42k race.

Some strong runners will take the start, including 2015 ATM Champion Arief Wismoyono and Bali-based Thimo Kilberth, who scored a third place at the Batur Trail Challenge just a fortnight ago. But it will also be interesting to see how some of the local trail runners fare in their home race.

ATM will be at the race venue and reporting live on Saturday morning.

Arief Wismoyono returns to the ATM scene this weekend at the Candidate Race in North Sumatra

We are happy to announce another new ATM Candidate Race taking place on 23/24 July in Kuantan, on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. Pahang Eco, organised by Elpis Event Management, offers three main race categories of which the 50k is the longest. Start and finish is on Teluk Cempedak Beach, but the run in the hinterland is not to be underestimated. The 50k has a total advertised elevation gain of 2850 hm, which is considerable. Less ambitious runners can also choose the 25k or 12k options.

This race course traverses through the white sandy beach and beautiful pine trees lining the coast, with some rocky promontories facing the incessant waves of the South China Sea and beautiful trails of Bukit Pelindung and Bukit Tokki. The cut-off time at the finish is 18 hours.

The event aims to promote healthy lifestyle practices in the community, and provide exposure and awareness of the environment, especially coastal areas and forests that are still preserved. Pahang Eco also will help raise the image, and introduce Kuantan in particular as a holiday destination to outsiders.

Further details can be obtained on the official webpage, where you can also find the online registration.

With regret we need to announce that the new-style Luang Prabang Ultra Trail in Laos has been moved to 2023 as a consequence of ongoing covid-19 mitigation measures in the country. Concretely, access to the UNESCO World Heritage town remains restricted so holding a mass participation sports event is not yet feasible. Luang Prabang Ultra Trail was scheduled for the weekend of 24/25 September. The news, provided by event organiser Green Step, serves as a reminder that - unfortunately - we are all not out of the woods yet. Nevertheless, Green Step emphasises that their traditional trail running event in the country’s south, Vang Vieng Trail (aka V Trail) is confirmed to take place on the weekend of 12/13 November. International access to that event is via Laos’ capital Vientiane. V Trail is one of the tougher jungle mountain races on our calendar with Salva Rambla and Alessandro Sherpa sharing the victory in 2018 and Milton Amat dominating in 2019.

We are happy to announce the latest new ATM Candidate Race in Malaysia on the weekend of 5-7 August. The Himalaya Sports Transnaning Ultra Challenge in Tampin, Negeri Sembilan, offers an interesting concept with a 33K loop that can be completed 1 tot 5 times. One of the key people behind the project is 2017 Asia Trail Master Champion Steven Ong, himself still a fervent ultra runner.

The loop is not just an ordinary loop, it follows for more than 20 km the famous Trans Naning Trail. That’s a reputedly tough trail, challenging mentally and physically, with thick forests, steep slopes, and two genuine mountain peaks. Start and finish is at the Tampin water park. Each loop is 33km long and has a whopping 2180 metres of elevation gain. Participants can choose to do it once, twice or even up to five times for a total distance of 165 km and 10.900 metres of elevation gain. Quite obviously, this is an event for the mountain ultra runner who does not mind some jungle neither. Tampin sits at 764 metres above sea level, so the air is somewhat cooler.

The looping concept has the advantage that spectators and friends can see the runners a few times as they return to Tampin Water Park after each lap.

The event’s objective is to promote the Tampin/Rembau Towns, Tampin Hill, Gunung Datuk and the mountain & eco-channel around it. Registration is open via Checkpoint Asia below.

The third confirmed Thailand event in the 2022 Asia Trail Master Championship series is Doi Nhok Trail on 5/6 November. It’s the second official edition after 2019, and the first time it is part of our calendar. DNT, as it is commonly called, is organised by the same team as a.o. UTKC, UT Chiang Mai and UT Panoramic, i.e. Teelakow. As has become common in Thailand, trail runners can choose between an abundance of race distance categories. However, in the context of the ATM Championship rankings, the focus can be maximum on two of those and at DNT the spotlights will be on the 125 km and the 60 km categories. Both have the same status, so the winners collect 500 points. The Grandmaster Quest challengers can opt for the 80K and 100 miles as well to bank a point.

‘A Beautiful Nightmare’ is the slogan of the event and it probably describes the race course accurately. Elevation gain is substantial, making DNT on paper among the toughest races on the ATM tour this season. The 125km category has 6300 hm and the 60km (actually 58km) is just shy of 3000 hm. That’s a lot of uphill climbing, but fortunately teelakow is known for being very considerate with their cut-off times.

The online registration has been open for a while, but now that traveling to Thailand is again increasingly straightforward, DNT is on the radar of many international runners, too. Follow the link below to secure your bib.

More details on the race courses will become available very soon.

The first Filipino points race in the 2022 Asia Trail Master Championship series takes place in Mindanao in the south. MUSPO Ultra is a new entry, too, after a successful stint as a Candidate Race back in 2019. MUSPO takes you the hilly terrains of Mount Musuan of Maramag and around the majestic Lake Apo of Valencia. With about 650 meters of elevation, Musuan Peak gives you a panoramic view of the province. Lake Apo gives you a mystical feel of nature with the lake and nearby mountain ranges.

The event offers 4 distances, but it’s the 100km that matters for ATM points, both for the Championship contenders and the Grandmaster Quest challengers.

The trails are quite fast and runable with some portions that are technically challenging. On paper a nice mixture that should attract everyone. Valencia is kind of sandwiched between Mindanao’s bigger cities Davao and Cagayan de Oro. Those are also the international arrival options, particularly Davao.

Registration is open for the event now, and pay attention, slots are limited still!

The 100k race map is subject to only minor modifications still

The 30-minute race summary of the 2022 Batur Trail Running Challenge in Bali is now ready for watching on our YouTube channel and Facebook pages, or embedded here below. The 30k main race and points race for the ATM Championship series was won by Malaysia’s Mohamad Affindi in the men’s, and Singapore-based Belgian Vanja Cnops in the women’s. It was the second edition of the event organised by Bali Trail Running. An imposed maximum quota of 500 runners (covid mitigation) took part in the event.

Mohamed Affindi and Vanja Cnops were the great winners of the 2nd edition of the Batur Trail Running Challenge in Bali, Indonesia, last Sunday. For Affindi it was the confirmation of his excellent condition already on display at BUTM in March and his second ATM race victory of the still very young new season. For Vanja Cnops it was the confirmation she can be one of the women-to-beat in this year’s battle for the ATM title.

Trail running in Indonesia still has a number of covid-mitigation protocols to follow, such as a quota on the number of runners permitted to take part in the races, but the presence and participation of Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism in Bali was a wonderful token of support for the event organisers Bali Trail Running. The weather around the famous Batur volcano turned out to be fantastic as well on Sunday morning, so the atmosphere at the event was blissful to say the least. BTR Challenge could become a classic on the ATM trail circuit, indeed, and another welcome piece of evidence trail running does not always need to be about ultra long distances and massive elevation gain profiles.

While the big majority of local Indonesian trail stars decided to sit this race out, it was great to see a new Lombok face fastest out of the start blocks at 6 am. Moh Wisnu Haizufi entered the black lava field first after 2 km, and was able to stay ahead of the Singapore Shufflers trio of road stars Darren Southcott, Malachy Kirwan and Vincent Casanova for a few kilometers. Last year’s winner Thimo Kilberth, German but based in Bali for over ten years, Malaysia’s Mohamed Affindi and first woman Vanja Cnops - Belgian but living in Singapore - were following a short distance further back. Last year’s female winner Emma Payne, predominantly a Bali-based UK triathlete - was showing grit by trying to keep up with Cnops, who just returned from a bronze medal in the Belgian Championship half marathon (1:15:46!). Haizufi would logically slow down a bit, which brought trail newbie Darren Southcott to the front of the race. The terrain in the lava field and low forest is runable and favours the quick legs in the participation field. A little surprisingly perhaps, or just a great tactical sense, Affindi already switched to a higher gear before the crucial ascent of Mount Batur, in pursuit of Southcott. Malachy Kirwan and Thimo Kilberth were three and four respectively.

Climbing and descending Batur, Southcott managed to keep Affindi some 45 seconds behind him in what was developing into a great dual. Kilberth counted on his wealth of trail experience on Batur to try and make his decisive move during the fast but often technical descent. He caught Kirwan, struggling on his Vaporflys, and put himself into a podium position, but the two leaders had run out of range.

Southcott came out of the lava field first to take on the final 2km long uphill road climb to the finish…. and suddenly ran completely out of fuel. Affindi caught him almost immediately and left the Britain standing as he kept running up that hill as if it was flat! Now age 37, the Malaysian winner of Tahura Trail in Bandung 2018 looked stronger than ever. Initially wondering what happened to Southcott himself, Affindi was delighted with his second ATM race victory of the year as he crossed the finish line in a course record time of 2:53. He is now the overall ATM Championshop points leader with 1000 points in the bag, and may already have nearly secured his spot in Team Malaysia - one of the most competitive - for the ATM Final in December.

A visibly exhausted Southcott held on to second place, which by all means is a big achievement in his first real trail race. Thimo was a happy third in 2:59, three minutes faster than last year. Malachy Kirwan took four, ahead of female winner Vanja Cnops, and Vincent Casanova completed the race in sixth overall - also on totally worn out Vaporflys (a pair he was ‘retiring’ anyway). Emma Payne beat her time of last year by 15 minutes to take second, and Elsa Bardin was another newbie on the podium in third place.