The 3rd edition of The Manjushree Trail in Kathmandu, Nepal, was a great trail running festival with a bright future ahead. Part of the Asia Trail Master Championship series for the first time, MTR saw some amazing runs by especially local trail talents of whom we are bound to hear more in the forthcoming weeks and months. With three points race on the programme, 100miles, 100km and 50km, there were quite a lot of race protagonists. Arguably standing out were Arjun Rai Kulung as the faster-than-ever winner of the men’s 100 miles after a great battle with the UK’s surprising Alistair Masson, and Priya Rai winning and finishing ahead of reigning ATM Champion Rashila Tamang on the women’s 50km.

The 100 Miles started already on Friday morning at around sunrise. Last year’s winner Arjun Rai Kulung and his expected challenger Ramesh Limbu were quickest in the first few hours, with Alistair Masson and Roland Hunter chasing them. In the women’s competition, two runners immediately took command and would continue to do for the whole race: Anita Rai and Nirmala Rai. The very young (U24) Ang Furba Sherpa and UK’s Sally Moulds were the other two brave women on the Miler, and they would also finish as third and fourth. Saturday daytime turned out to be more hot and humid than anticipated, affecting many runners. Ramesh Limbu suffered the most, and would eventually even DNF with dehydration signs. Arjun appeared in control, but was probably also surprised when - after taking a nap at CP 12 on Saturday night - he found out that Alistair Masson was already quite a long way further up the trail around the Kathmandu Valley Rim. It added spice to the race, the more because as far as anyone could tell, Masson was an unknown entity on the 100 miles and even more so in Nepal. Arjun Rai Kulung kept his head cool and composed and managed to bridge the gap to Masson in the early morning at CP14. Moreover, Arjun felt he could still beat his best time set last year and pushed on to victory in 26h52. Masson was unable to follow that pace, yet finished a great second about one-and-a-half hours later. In the battle for third, Hunter still got caught by Bijay Magar and even lost the podium in the final kilometers by a mere two minutes. Next was Nirmala Rai, who outpaced Anita Rai towards the end to win the women’s race in 34h34’. The gap at the finish was just over one hour.

The 100km was dominated by Man Kumar Rokka Magar in 14h45. Furpa Singi Tamang took second two hours later, and Abinash Devkota third a few minutes afterwards. The women’s 100km went to Padam Kumari Sunwar in a narrow finish with (another) Anita Rai .

The medium distance of 50km had a tight race in the men’s, won eventually by Harilal Singh ahead of Nimsang Limboo in 7h17. Dipesh Tamang was the third man on the podium in 8h04.

The women’s 50km had a pleasant surprise before the start as reigning ATM Champion Rashila Tamang, who is also involved in the event management team of Manjushree Trail, decided to have a go at it. Rashila injured her thigh muscle in the dying moments of Lantau 70 in Hong Kong a few weeks ago and was still plastered up. Nevertheless, she had a more than decent run to secure her wild card for this season’s ATM Championship Final (former champions receive a wild card as soon as they finish 2 ATM races in the current season regardless of race results). Not being at her best level, she had to settle for second place, however, as Priya Rai turned out to be too powerful last weekend. Priya is not unknown on the international scene and was also a training mate of Hau Ha last year, but MTR 50 was her debut in our ATM series. A debut in great style, finishing fifth overall and 50 minutes ahead of Rashila Tamang and Chhoki Sherpa, the latter scoring her second ATM podium after Koboi Malaya Classic in Malaysia a year ago.

Several of Nepal’s competitive runners will now make the long transfer to the west of their country, in order to take part in the 50km race Jumla Rara Ultra next weekend. In order to qualify for the ATM Championship Final, runners must finish two ATM races as a minimum requirement.

Priya Rai made a fantastic ATM debut, winning the 50km ahead of Rashila Tamang and Chhoki Sherpa

Still visibly ‘damaged’ from Lantau 70, Rashila Tamang nevertheless managed to take 2nd place and obtain her wild card for this season’s ATM Championship Final as reigning champion

Arjun Rai Kulung had a bit of a challenge from Alistair Masson and initially Ramesh Limbu, but won the 100 miles in a new course record time

The surprise of the day on the 100 Miles: UK’s Alistair Masson

Anita Rai and Nirmala Rai dominated the female 100miles. Nirmala scored the win, eventually

Padam Kumari was a convincing winner of the female 100km race

Man Kumar won the men’s 100km

Bukidnon Province in the northcentral part of Mindanao in the southern Philippines is increasingly profiling itself as a trail running hub in the country and beyond. A few years ago, events such as MUSPO and Mt Kalatungan Ultra put the region on the map - also in ATM - and since then plenty of runners have emerged. Think of Yoyong Sacayle and Mary Joy Sumanda, just to name two competitive athletes in our ATM Championship circuit. More runners means more opportunities to set up new trail events, too. Hence, Point Trail on 8/9 June. Directed by the aforementioned ATM race winner and 2023 Finalist Yoyong Sacayle, Point Trail is centred around Bukidnon’s capital city Malaybalay and has applied for Candidate Race status. The event offers three race distances, of which the 50km is the main one. Less ambitious runners can also choose the 30km and 15km. The 50km course map and profile reveal a total elevation of 2360 hm and basically seven distinct ‘peaks’ , of which the second, third and fifth stand out. Along the way, runners will be treated to magnificent views across the area. Bukidnon means “highlander” or “mountain dweller” so you know what to expect. In fact, the province is one of the country’s leading rice, corn and pineapple producers, too, and is stated as one of the Philippines’ fastest growing economies.

To reach Malaybalay from outside Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro is arguably the easiest and closest as it is a main domestic flight hub.

Via the official facebook page you can stay up-to-date with the latest news about the new event. Registration can be done via the link below.

ATM race winner and Finalist Yoyong Sacayle is the RD of Point Trail Ultra

If last year’s edition showed anything it was that Cuc Phuong Jungle Paths near Ninh Binh in Vietnam is a trail event with two significantly different faces. On the one hand a borderline extreme 100km going deep into the old rainforest, and on the other hand a very runable and pleasant 42 km. No wonder the event attracts all kinds of trail runners to the oldest national park in Vietnam, 120km south of Hanoi. Also this weekend, runners score ATM Championship points in both the 100k and 42k races. Those only looking for a Grandmaster point can also opt for the 70km.

Plenty of runners hardly knew what happened a year ago. Cuc Phuong’s 100km has a total elevation gain of about 2600 hm, which is peanuts in Asian terms. The first half of the race until CP6 also reflected this. But not only is most of the elevation covered in the second half, those hills are also deep into the jungle of Cuc Phuong with continuously treacherous, slippery and dark single trails. Armies of leeches added even more to the flavour. Some runners felt it was more adventure than trail running and retired at the first logical opportunity to do so. Those who continued to the finish loved it and were truly excited about their achievement. Nguyen Si Hieu in the men’s and Shindy Patricia in the women’s were the greatest stars of the day. This year’s 100km is virtually a mirror copy. The difference is that runners have been warned and should be better prepared. Among the expected contenders for the race victory we have Nguyen Tien Vo, already 4th in VTM in January. In the women’s 100km, Thailand-based Tara Savage is no stranger to tough ultras and might be the one to look out for. Savage won UTCR 125 last year and was an ATM Finalist, too. At VTM earlier this season she finished 5th. Vietnam’s Vy le Phuong has the experience, too, to eye a strong result.

Nevertheless, ultra specialist Nguyen Si Hieu has decided the 42km is enough for this season. He will start as a race favourite in any case, with the likes of in-form Tu Do and Tomohiro Mizukoshi as other known contenders. Mizukoshi was also a survivor of the 100 last year, but the Japanese Grandmaster will find the 42km perfectly suited to his competitive ability. A year ago, Hisashi Kitamura took top honours. Can Mizukoshi step into his footsteps? Trinh Nam Phong was a strong local contender last season. Can he make it onto the podium this time? The women’s 42km will feature Loi Luong, winner of the Lam Dong Trail in Dalat last November and part of the Mude Sports Team, which also features Hau Ha and the aforementioned Tu Do. Loi Luong may find the path to victory obstructed by her own teammate Akane Nemoto, Japanese but based in Ho Chi Minh City. Nemoto was an ATM Finalist last year (6th) and particularly quick on a 42km distance. Phung Thi Trang was third last year and is back on the start list. Can she cause an upset?

ATM will be reporting live from Cuc Phuong with focus on the 42km and 100km race. Mobile connectivity is not guaranteed outside of start/finish, so we need to wait and see how much information comes through in real time.

Last year he won the 100km, this year he is going for the 42 km

Loi Luong burst onto the competitive trail scene last year, a.o. with a great victory in Lam Dong Trail

ATM Finalist last year, Tara Savage will be trying to follow into Shindy Patricia’s footsteps on the 100k

Starting on Friday morning, trail runners will be competing along the famous Kathmandu Valley ridge line during the third edition of the Manjushree Trail Race, an event that is quickly gaining reputation and developing itself as the main international trail event in Nepal. Riding the wave of Rashila Tamang’s popular victory in last year’s Asia Trail Master Championship, the ‘MTR’ is also the first Nepalese points race in ATM since 2018’s Ultra Trail Nepal. Participants can score points on the 100 Miles, 100km or 50km in their attempt to qualify for this year’s ATM Final in Malaysia on 14 September. Runners aiming for Grandmaster points of course need to focus on the 100km or 100 miles only.

The MTR 100 miler looks very appealing to ultra distance enthusiasts. As the official website says: ‘The race route takes runners along the famous Kathmandu valley rim ridge line and across the seven peaks that surround the valley. As part of this, the racecourse also crosses the two national park (Nagarjun and Shivapuri) that border the valley. Over 85% of the route is single track, where it sometimes takes hours before runners come across a little settlement. Even though you are technically still within the Kathmandu valley, you will feel like you are far away from urbanization many times during the race.’ Looking at the course map, you see one big natural loop that measures 175 kilometres (so it’s actually longer than 100 miles). The names of the seven peaks are Jamacho, Shivapuri, Nagarkot, Pulchowki, Champadevi, Basmandur and Chandragiri. It’s a clean oval loop, but with a total elevation gain of over 12000hm, this is a race runners need to be physically and mentally prepared for. The race starts on Friday early morning and the cut-off time at the finish will be reached after 52 hours.

There’s quite a few runners taking up this challenge, mostly Nepalese themselves. We are bound to get to know some new names this weekend. But also familiar ATM competitors such as 4-star Grandmaster Masafumi Yamamoto, 2022 ATM Final qualifier Thang Huu Hoang from Vietnam and Indonesia’s 2023 ATM Finalist Qheiza Wiranda Edelwise feature on the start list of the ‘miler’.

As always, more people consider the 100km or 50km enough for their liking and we will see larger fields with a number of well-known Asian and Asia-based runners. Hong Kong’s Fuk Cheung Tsang and USA’s Chris Miller have had great results in ATM races before. Singapore’s Vincere Zeng is a double ATM Finalist and Himalaya mountain lover per excellence. On the 50km she will be up against Priya Rai , who until recently was a teammate and training partner of 2022 ATM Champion Hau Ha. Being neighbours to Nepal, we also find a lot of runners from India on the start list, including those who did well in Malnad Ultra in Karnatika, the ATM points race near Bangalore in November.

As of Friday morning, you can follow the action with our multimedia coverage live from Kathmandu, provided to us by Adventure III. As usual, tune in to ATM Facebook for ‘first news’, highlights will also appear on our ATM Instagram and ATM YouTube.

Follow the action as of Friday via our usual channels, with live updates via ATM Facebook

This is a natural 100 Miles course

Indonesia’s Qheiza Wiranda Edelwise will be in action in Nepal this weekend

Singapore’s Vincere Zeng is no stranger to Nepal and the Himalaya. She climbed Everest last year

We are happy to announce the latest ATM Candidate Race event in the Philippines, scheduled for 27/28 April: the Altra 50 Amuyao Mountain Ultra. This is bound to be a very scenic trail run as it takes place through the great natural landscapes and heritage culture of the Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao, northeast of Baguio.

Runners can look forward to a 50 miles (approx 87km) race as the longest distance category. Less ambitious runners can also opt for the shorter varieties of 42k, 25km and 10km. The 50 miles race is serious business with 6700 metres of elevation gain. Ifugao is still part of the Cordillera mountain region. The highest peak in the province is Mount Amuyao at an altitude of 2702m above sea level. Views from the summit area are breathtaking.

The Banaue Rice Terraces are a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its breathtaking beauty and intricate agricultural engineering. The route typically winds through the terraces and the surrounding mountainous landscapes, offering participants a unique and challenging running experience. The event not only promotes physical fitness and sportsmanship but also serves as a platform to showcase the natural and cultural wonders of the region. The event is scheduled at the beginning of planting season, when the terrace fields are bursting with green and the weather is fairly predictable. The course features breathtaking sceneries, ancient rice paddies, forest trails, and steep mountains that will surely captivate and challenge outdoor sports enthusiasts from local and abroad.

The event aims to position the Banaue as being one of the prime destinations in the Philippines.

To get to the event, you first make your way from Manila or Clark to Baguio City.

Check all the details on the official event website, and register soon. The official number of participants is restricted so get your bib as soon as you can!

The third Malaysian points race of this Asia Trail Master Championship season is a newcomer on our calendar: Tioman Ultra 50. Organised by the MMTF Consultant crew on the weekend 1/2 June, this event was an attractive Candidate Race last year and takes place on a relatively small island 32km off the southeastern coast of peninsular Malaysia. The 50km is the only race distance for points, and so we can look forward to an exciting competition!

As stated on the official website of the island, “Tioman is a duty-free island off Peninsular Malaysia's east coast, acclaimed as a geological wonder, ecological paradise and one of Southeast Asia's most beautiful travel destinations.” Runners reach Tioman via ferry from Mersing in Johor, or Tanjung Gemuk in Pahang. There’s hotel resorts and chalets for tourists, nice beaches and great surfing and scuba diving options.

Malaysia and beach, sounds like it will be hot. True, but the 50k race course does have no fewer than 2670 metres of elevation gain with a peak of just over 1000m above sea level as one of three main hillclimbs. That is Gunung Kajang, the highest peak on the island. Participants will begin the ascent of the mountain already after about 9km. With the starting time scheduled for 3 am, this implies runners will witness sunrise on the mountain. Following Gunung Kajang, runners will continue on the “dragons back” ridge from Old Juara Road to Kampung Air Batang, start and finish venue of the event.

Logistics and accommodation are a little more complicated for this event, so early registration to ensure a bib and appropriate accommodation is a must. You can sign up via the button link below.

Last year’s male winner: Yusof Abdul Manan

Last year’s female race winner: Siokhar Lim

Since 2017, mountain runners who focus on Asia Trail Master have set their eyes on Mantra 116 in East Java’s Malang in Indonesia. It is the high mountain trail per excellence in our series with altitudes reaching way above 3000m and trails that remain mouthwatering for even the most technically-skilled trail runners. The event is set for 6/7 July this year and will again feature the 116km long ultra and the 68km medium distance as points races for the ATM Championship ranking and Grandmaster Quest. Registration is open.

The event will again start and finish at the Kaliandra Eco Resort, roughly two hours drive from Surabaya in East Java, the main international hub to get to the event. The 116km has a total elevation gain of 7400hm, but it will feel like more. Gunung Welirang and Arjuno remain the attraction, and runners will start climbing basically right after the start. Since 2023, the gruelling and by many disliked out-and-back section on Mahapena has been removed from the course, making the race a bit more manageable. Nevertheless, the Putuk Lesung climb will certainly test your mettle towards the end.

Participants need to be aware that it can get very cold on Welirang and Arjuno, especially if there’s rainfall. Even though it’s Indonesia, you need to be prepared for ‘northern’ conditions. The organisers are, rightfully, paying a lot of attention on safety and security and will not tolerate any infringements on the mandatory gear list. Mantra 116 is not a walk in the park.

Accommodation and food can be found in and around the race venue at Kaliandra, or nearby.

Watch our race recaps of the 2023 and 2022 races at Mantra below to get an idea of what will be awaiting you in July.

News reel Mantra 116:

Sierra Madre Trail Ultra proved itself once more as one of the Philippines’ marquee events for competitive runners. Kristian Joergensen dominated the men’s 75km race, while the women’s saw a great battle between five runners that remained exciting until the very end when the surprising Christine Muntoya opened up a decisive gap to Cecille Wael. The battle for ATM Championship points in order to qualify for Team Pilipinas in the ATM Final is still wide open!

Organised by the Maharlika Team led by Emman Manongsong, Sierra Madre is laying emphasis on a pure competition between top runners with great prizes as a reward. The 75km is the only distance category so runners cannot avoid each other. It was no surprise that Kristian Joergensen was far ahead in the men’s race, he stands his ground even in ‘global’ competitions and is the second runner-up in last year’s ATM Championship Final. But behind him, many Filipino runners were eyeing the remaining podium spots. Davao’s Jensen Pasaforte, Jomarc Ferrer and - initially - Henry Joe Cottilon were laying claims on that, with others like Bhert Orpiada and Florence Alave and youngster John Ivan Zonio, who finished 2nd in this race last year, not far back either. Sierra Madre is one of those races where you can blow up, even though moving the event from May to March was slightly better in terms of weather conditions. Cottilon in particular began to drop down the leaderboard, while Maynard Encormal suddenly moved up in rapid fashion. Encormal - winner of Bagtit Ultra 100 last month - came third last year, and clearly learnt from that experience. He needed a little bit of luck to take second, as Pasaforte went a wrong way for a while, but Encormal looked solid nonetheless - knowing in advance that Joergensen would be impossible to beat. Pasaforte held on to third place, which is a great result for him. Ferrer and Zonio came fourth and fifth. Jordan Bugnay was sixth not too much later.

Five women controlled proceedings in the women’s race. Last year’s race winner Ann Jilian Pulanco, Cecille Wael, Mary Joy Sumanda, Shally Yuson and Christine Muntoya. All of them very much in shape these months as their recent results have shown. Positions kept changing during the race and the gaps between them remained manageable. One imagined that the more experienced racers Wael and Pulanco were biding their time. Towards the end, Mary Joy Sumanda seemed to be going for her first ever ATM race win after several podium placings. But then Wael accelerated and so did Muntoya, the least expected among the front runners in this field. Kathleen Logan - winner in Danao City ahead of Wael last January - had already thrown in the towel by then. At the final checkpoint before the finish, Muntoya and Wael were leading. Sumanda was 12 minutes behind, herself just a few minutes ahead of Yuson and Pulanco. The last 8 km left no doubt about who the strongest of the day was: Muntoya ran away from Wael and put no fewer than 18 minutes between them at the finish! A fantastic maiden race win for her in ATM. Ces Wael was happy to settle for second, citing acid reflux in the final stint. Sumanda managed to hold on to third and another podium. She had to work for it because Pulanco came within three minutes. Yuson arrived in fifth place.

Another outstanding performance by Kristian Joergensen

Winner in Bagtit, 2nd in Sierra Madre: Maynard Encormal is going strong!

Fantastic achievement by Jensen Pasaforte. Third, but even had 2nd within his grasp

Another ATM podium for Cecille Wael, but Christine Muntoya was too strong for the win

In a highly competitive edition of Lantau 70 in Hong Kong, reigning ATM Champion John Ray Onifa showed once more he is in a league on his own with a dominant win in 6h53’11” - an astonishing forty minutes ahead of Malaysia’s Milton Amat! The women’s ATM Champion Rashila Tamang on the other hand found Hong Kong’s humid conditions in combination with the famous stairs still a difficult challenge. It was Singapore-based French woman Aurore Dacier who caught the limelight with a very composed and impressive run to win the female race in 8h13’12”. The 2024 edition was 6km shorter due to a landslide so times can hardly be compared, but the original Lantau 70 course record is 8h48’45” set in 2018 by Lucinda Bartholomew. In any case, Dacier’s finish time proves we have a new racing protagonist in town!

Cloudy and temperatures hovering around 22 degrees: it looked wonderful for the 300 solo runners at the start line in Mui Wo at 8:30 am in the morning. However, humidity was high and many would pay a price for an over-ambitious early running pace. Rashila Tamang had arrived from Kathmandu with determination to win for the first time as reigning ATM Champion and put a strong women’s field under pressure immediately on Lantau Peak. She arrived first at the km 13 checkpoint and looked solid running up the stairs, and especially going down. But Aurore Dacier was not far behind. Dacier won MMTF 50 last year and also the 30km V Trail in Laos last month, so we knew she had experience in racing in South East Asia’s conditions. Angie Yan, the exciting winner of the 9 Dragons last month, and last year’s Lantau 70 winner Katrina Hamlin took a more conservative approach but kept the two leaders still within reach. In this race the aid stations are a bit further apart than in most races, so AS 2 only came at km 28 and it was Dacier who arrived first. Tamang had lost of a few minutes, and the others even more. Can the Nepalese runner return in the technical descent towards the water reservoir at AS3 (km 38)? The answer was negative but she did still keep the gap manageable at around 12 minutes. Aurore Dacier looked ever more in control, though, and did not seem to suffer at all from either her own running pace or the conditions. She cruised to victory in the slightly easier final 25km and picked up quite a few male runners on the way. Quite a statement from this sympathetic newcomer in Asia’s trail scene, of whom we are likely to see much more of.

There is another relative newbie of whom we have not yet seen the last of. Hong Kong’s Angie Yan had already shown her incredible grit in the 9 Dragons, turning defeat into victory over none other than Xie Wenfei, and she did the same in Lantau 70. Not Rashila Tamang, but Angie Yan stormed to second place and - what’s more - just 11 minutes behind Dacier! That could only have meant she ran faster than anyone else in the final sections and Strava proved that: she broke the local KOM of Veronika Vadovicova no less! Angie Yan seemed surprised at her own performance afterwards, she clearly has not yet discovered her own limits. With Dacier and Yan, the ATM womens’ championship definitely has two new contenders. And we can add local Lantau runner Katrina Hamlin in the mix, too. Hamlin outsprinted the cramping Rashila Tamang for third place. Tsz Kwan Lee finished in fifth.

As mentioned above, the men’s race developed into another one-man-show of John Ray Onifa. After a relaxed start, Onifa led the pack at the first checkpoint, but Milton Amat - running in HK for the first time since 9 Dragons in 2019 - and Alessandro Sherpa, second last year, followed him within three minutes. Then it was the surprising Matthew Gay, Richard Kimber, Wilsen Singgin, Marc Decamps and many others. The returning John Ellis was just inside the top 20 - making his characteristic slower start. Onifa then switched on his engine for real and quickly increased the gap towards his two main rivals for the victory. Sherpa saw Milton Amat catching him by CP2, and then dropped back - suffering from gastritis and severe dehydration - just like a fortnight ago at BUTM 50. This time, Sherpa could not salvage a podium finish, but he did walk the race out to finish in 33rd place and secure his wild card for the ATM Finals as a former - 2018 - ATM champion. Milton Amat also saw the writing on the wall and focused on keeping second place. Onifa was just out of reach. The other Sabahan ace, the in-form Wilsen Singgin, was looking good to score third place, but the more runable last sections suited Hong Kong-based Richard Kimber better. He overtook Singgin in the last kilometre. Hong Kong-based Belgium’s Marc Decamps once more ended up in the top five of Lantau 70 with a spirited and well-balanced effort. He passed David Longo in the final sector. Australians Michael Ormiston and John Ellis ran themselves into the top 8, for both a great result after all the troubles they have gone through in the last few years.

Two happy faces: Aurore Dacier for winning a great women’s race and RD Jeremy Ritcey for a superb edition

It’s not only Lantau 70 this Saturday, but also Sierra Madre Trail Ultra in the Rizal mountains east of Manila in the Philippines. Taking place two months earlier compared to 2023, Sierra Madre was one of the highlights of last season in terms of technical organisation and atmosphere in the field of ‘grassroots events’. It is a pity the event now clashes with a Hong Kong classic, because Sierra Madre also deserves full attention. On the start list we also find none other than recent 9 Dragons 50/50 winner Kristian Joergensen.

The 75km long race has start and finish in Sitio Wawa in Rodriguez in the Rizal. All year round it’s a hub for trail runners from Manila and surroundings, who gather there on weekends during their training outings. The course has well over 4000 metres of elevation gain and is a nice mixture of wide and technical single trails, including a number of river crossings. Heat and humidity can play a big role, which is the main reason why event director Emman Manonsong moved Sierra Madre Trail Ultra from May to March. Last year, several runners got cooked during the day. Jeff Campbell was the outstanding winner ahead of John Ivan Zonio and Maynard Encormal. While Campbell is out of action with injury, Zonio and Encormal are both back on the start list and will certainly try to put some pressure on Kristian Joergensen. But with the sun-loving Dane in great shape, it will be hard to see victory. Plenty of other podium contenders, though. Eldy Bulod, Florence Alave, Henry Cottillon, JC Murillo, Jomarc Ferrer and so on.

A year ago Ann Jilian Pulanco scored her first ever ATM race victory at Sierra Madre Trail Ultra, proving her inherent competitiveness. Just two weeks ago, she showed to be in good shape again with second place in Mt Kalatungan Ultra behind Julie Ann Morales, who’s been dominant in the ATM races in Philippines this season. A repeat victory is certainly not far-fetched. However, there’s other contenders with maybe a little more freshness in the legs: Cecille Wael and Kathleen Ligan, for example. Ligan won Danao 50 ahead of Wael, the latter then won Bagtit 50 a month ago. Mary Joy Sumanda has kept on improving in terms of competitiveness and was third in Mt Kalatungan. Will this be her weekend? Other challengers for the win and the podium are Ram Rongavilla, Shally Yuson and Melanie Hingpit, who was on the podium in third last year.

The Sierra Madre Trail Ultra starts at 2 am local time on Saturday. Subject to connectivity, we will be reporting live from the event on our usual channels.

Kristian Joergensen the obvious favourite for the men’s race at Sierra Madre

Can Ann Jilian Pulanco score a back-to-back victory at Sierra Madre this Saturday?

The young John Ivan Zonio surprised last year with a second place. Can he do that once more?

The women’s top 5 in 2023

The men’s top 5 in 2023

This year’s Lantau 70 promises to live up to its reputation as one of Hong Kong’s genuine classic trail races. Reigning Asia Trail Master champion John Ray Onifa is up against last season’s vice-champion Alessandro Sherpa and Malaysia’s Milton Amat on a slightly reduced course of 64km tomorrow. 2023 race winner Jeff Campbell is unfortunately still sidelined after sustaining an injury earlier in the year.

If the men’s competition looks exciting enough, the women’s Lantau race will also be a cracker with reigning ATM female champion Rashila Tamang at the start line against last year’s winner Katrina Hamlin and other in-form Hong Kong runners such as Angie Yan and Naomi Fung, and Singapore-based Aurore Dacier - winner of MMTF 50 last November.

Lantau 70 features one big loop with start and finish in Mui Wo. The course is far from easy and features quite a bit of the traditional ‘Hong Kong stairs’ , loved by some, dreaded by others. Knowing the terrain and the trails certainly helps if you want to be competing for the prizes. Here’s where John Ray Onifa and Katrina Hamlin, who lives on Lantau, of course have an advantage over the likes of Milton Amat, Wilsen Singgin, Gaetan Morizur on the one hand and Rashila Tamang or Aurore Dacier on the other.

John Ray Onifa has been unbeatable on the ATM circuit for months now and is therefore certainly the top favourite. Alessandro Sherpa ran this race a year ago and finished second behind Campbell. Over the past months, he has also spent quite a bit of time in Hong Kong and rumours are he is going very well on the stairs. Just a fortnight ago, he was running ahead of Amat and Singgin at BUTM 50 until the humidity got to him and severe dehydration set in. Tomorrow’s weather in Lantau is forecast to be cloudy and with mild temperatures, which should favour the Italian. Milton is arguably strong on longer distances, but both him and Wilsen Singgin have been working on speed and especially the latter has seen a peak in his performance curve. Can Singgin cause a surprise tomorrow? What can we expect from Gaetan Morizur, who is kind of returning to the scene after becoming a father early last year, and 2019 ATM Champion John Ellis? Ellis is trying to find back his peak performance level after a prolonged period of injury rehabilitation. It’s not been the easiest of comebacks so far, but a strava upload of 100 miles in Florida last month indicates he is in any case still very motivated. Other outsiders for the top placings in the men’s race are T8’s David Longo, Japan’s Tomohiro Mizukoshi, Richard Kimber, James Balagot and Marc Decamps.

Angie Yan and Naomi Fung both looked great in the 9 Dragons last month and are certainly able to give Nepal’s Rashila Tamang and Katrina Hamlin a run for her money. For Angie, who appears to like starting conservatively, it will be key to manage the gap to the others. Originally, Rashila had not planned to run Lantau 70 but a disappointing DNF in another major HK race in January did not sit well with her. The ATM champion is looking to set something straight, a month before her home race in Kathmandu - the Manjushree Trail. Other contenders for the top placings not yet mentioned are Katia Kucher, Meg Sterling, Kimmy Leung, Rachel Chan and Tsz Kwan Lee.

We will be reporting live from Lantau 70 from start to finish on our usual channels with live broadcasts of start and finish on Facebook, YouTube and X, video updates throughout the race on Facebook and highlights on Instagram.

Rashila Tamang will be competing in her first ATM race of the season

John Ray Onifa has been unbeatable for a long time on the ATM circuit

Milton Amat won BUTM 50 just a fortnight ago

A year ago Alessandro Sherpa came in battered and bruised, but in second place.

On 29 June runners can score Asia Trail Master Championship points in SIngapore for the first time since 2018. UTSG, the Ultra Trail Singapore Series managed by the large X-Trailblazers running community, is organising its 50km event for the third time and it’s a new points race for our rankings in support of the many Singaporeans who usually always need to travel abroad to take part in trail events including those under the ATM umbrella.

Everybody knows Singapore is a small country devoid of any major mountains or - in technical terms - elevation gain. Any trail race is therefore bound to have a fast course suiting those with a solid pace in the legs. Nevertheless, in case of rain the trails can get muddy and slippery to slow things down and demand more versatility from the participants. The precise route will be announced in due course.

Meanwhile, we recommend to follow the UTSG Facebook page to remain up-to-date with the latest news about the event. Registration is open. Needless to stay the race can be easily combined with a weekend trip to Singapore with family and friends.