The scenic Dieng Trail Run in Central Java, Indonesia, opened season 10 of the ATM Championship and as expected saw a number of new faces enter into the spotlights. Yogyakarta-based Colombian Edixon Daniel was clearly the fastest runner on the 60km points race distance, winning comfortably in a time of 9h32. The 60km was held mainly at nighttime, which was probably a bit unfortunate given the majestic views one could enjoy in this part of Central Java. Daniel led almost from start to finish and saw Singapore-based Humberto Baeza take second place , and Asril Rozzaq third place on the podium. Baeza is reportedly a newbie in trail and is said to be one to watch in the coming months. Rozzag sprained his ankle early into the race, but managed to hold on. The trails were quite dry and hard-packed, making for a runable course.

The women’s 60k race saw Bali’s Endang Suryani Borupayung take victory ahead of West Sulawesi’s Fauziah and Christyo Widorukhi . Borupayong’s finishing time was just above 15h. Let’s not forget there were over 4000 metres of elevation gain to be conquered also.

The Mount Apo Sky Race has become a genuine classic over the years in the Asia Trail Master series and we are happy to announce that runners on the Grandmaster Quest can again highlight the event dark red in their agendas. The 7th edition of the event, which is basically a sea to summit race of 100km to the highest point of the Philippines and back, is scheduled for the weekend of 30 November/1 December 2024. Host venue is once again the beach resort Playa de Obuza in Santa Cruz, just 30 minutes’ drive outside of Davao City.

Organised by Vertical To Sky and one of Mindanao’s pioneering race directors in trail running, Doi Calbes, the Mount Apo Sky Race has built up a solid reputation for mountain trail lovers, looking for wild and even unspoilt trails. We were happy to have the event as the 2022 ATM Championship Final, won by Arnie Macaneras and Hau Ha, and continue its legacy in 2024. For one season, we skip the Championship label to give opportunity to another event, but Grandmaster-point seekers will find Mt Apo a very fulfilling race to have on your record. And of course, winning this 100k race still puts you in a very selected list of top runners.

Registration is open and as usual restricted to a fixed number to ensure the mountain area does not get overburdened. This is a protected nature area, after all. The link to the website and registration portal is below.

Last year, Isaiah Paraiso had his breakthrough moment winning the men’s race, while Julieann Morales established herself as the ‘Trail Queen’ of Davao by winning the women’s race.

Isaiah Paraiso was the fastest 100k runner on Mt Apo last year

Julieann Morales was the strongest woman on Apo last year

After a thrilling race at Borneo TMBT Ultra in Sabah, Malaysia, Hong Kong’s Jeff Campbell and Nepal’s Priya Rai crowned themselves as the new Asia Trail Master Champions. Both elite athletes came out on top of a star-studded field after over 80 km of racing on a treacherous course that saw various re-routes due to heavy rainfall preceeding the start. Campbell and Rai succeed John Ray Onifa and Rashila Tamang, winners of last year in the history of the ATM Championship, while Team Nepal claimed the ATM Team Championship ahead of Team Philippines and the home team Malaysia.

While Priya Rai turned out to be utterly dominant in the women’s competition, leaving Vanja Cnops and defending champion Rashila Tamang no chance, Canadian-born Jeff Campbell had to dig deeper than ever before to salvage an advantage he ran together halfway into the race. First 2022 Champion Arnie Macaneras, and then eternal competitor Hisashi KItamura, appeared hot on his tail in the final 10km , which is notoriously almost entirely uphill to the finish line.

After some early skirmishes following the 5:15 am race start , mostly featuring John Ray Onifa and four of the Nepalese runners, the men’s Final had a first decisive moment around aid station 4 (km 30). Nepalese runners Arjun Rai Kulung and Lokendra Rai missed a marker and went off course by a long way, effectively eliminating themselves from contention. Milan Rai, also still very young, paid better attention and arrived at the aid station in the lead with… Arnie Macaneras, closely followed by home hero Milton Amat, for whom the race seemed to be going perfectly. Jeff Campbell was just a minute behind, but Onifa came in later and visibly struggling with stomach cramps. Kristian Joergensen was next, not looking too happy either. Both Onifa and Joergensen would later throw in the towel at AS 6. Kitamura arrived 13 minutes after Campbell.

A long descent on a re-routed section, all on tarmac, proved ideal for Jeff Campbell to try a move. Gutsy, because we were not even halfway into the race yet. He opened up a substantial gap using his inherent road running speed and by aid station 6 even looked like he could cruise home with nobody really looking to chase him very hard. Not even Milton Amat, who by then showed signs of fatigue and was not in the best shape we had seen him in before when he won TMBT 100 in 2019 and 2022.

The last 28km loop was known to had the sting in the tail. Plenty of runners in the past have cursed the final 10km section over the years, known from the traditional 109km race course. That includes Hisashi Kitamura, who saw race wins go up in smoke there and who had never been able to make a fist anymore, having already burnt all his matches previously. Enter race strategy and race tactics, and the beauty of race pacing.

As a first-timer at TMBT, Jeff Campbell experienced what Kitamura and so many others had gone through before. His pace slowed, his legs began to hurt and the 15-minute gap was melting before the sun, which in fact managed to peak through the cloud cover as well on occasion. Arnie Macaneras had timed his last attack to perfection and came closer and closer as they started going uphill for the last 10km, as can be revisited via the GPS dot track asia platform. Campbell became aware of the threat, as he saw Macaneras arriving at the last water station just as he was leaving it again. However, what nobody had really noticed up until then was that Japan’s Hisashi Kitamura was also suddenly coming on strongly!

With 5km left to go, Campbell looked cooked, but so was Macaneras. Major cramps all of a sudden ended his challenge and attempt to secure the ATM Championship for the second time in his career. 'Arnie would settle for third, because Kitamura stormed by desperate to still catch Campbell in the dying moments of the race. In the end, Jeff Campbell managed to hold on to a slender advantage of just over two minutes to clinch his first ever ATM title, after scoring 9 race victories in our series already since early 2018. A wonderful achievement by someone who used to be the King of Short Distance, but has now fully grown into a long distance racer as well. Hisashi KItamura was nevertheless a happy second. His strategy nearly paid off, the question can be asked whether he left it a little too late.

The performance of the young Priya Rai should also be underlined as it was her first race of more than 50km. Winner of both Nepalese points races in April, she grabbed the bull by the horns nonetheless and immediately applied pressure on co-favourites Vanja Cnops and Rashila Tamang. Contrary to Jeff Campbell in the men, Priya did not slow down at all in the last uphill. A fantastic performance by another young talent of whom we have definitely not yet seen the last. Singapore’s Vanja Cnops again settled for second on the the podium, while Rashila Tamang took a solid third - being plagued by some leg discomfort. Rashila required her fighting spririt at the end to keep Vietnam’s Loi Leung at bay. South Korea’s Hee Joo Jang was a surprisingly strong fifth, finishing just over two minutes behind Loi Leung at the finish.

Photo by Priya

Outgoing champion John Ray Onifa and behind him co-favourite Kristian Joergensen both called it a day at AS 6 (km 55)

One week after the thrilling conclusion of our Championship’s ninth season at Borneo TMBT Ultra in Malaysia, we already shift our attention to Indonesia for the opening of the next season, Season 10. Dieng Trail Run in Central Java gets the honour this year of opening the new series , which will again lead to a ranking hierarchy that determines qualification for next year’s ATM Final. Season 10 is indeed expected to cover again a full year, contrary to the 9+ months shortened season that just ended.

No amendments to the points regulations for Season 10, the top 25 men and women in each valid race score points. At the end of the season, each runner’s best four results will be taken into account.

At Dieng this weekend, that race to focus on is the 60 km category. This is a challenging course, with the hardest part coming into the second half. No fewer than 4000m of elevation gain need to be conquered. Runners will be at high altitude and often above the clouds. ‘Dieng’ literally translates as ‘abode of the Gods’ and that says all you need to know about this collection of small ancient temples set in the remarkable volcanic landscape of the Dieng Plateau. The misty location, sulphurous springs and colored lakes truly make this a place of natural wonder and cultural significance. The event carries an important ecological message as well , and is establishing itself as one of Southeast Asia’s unique ‘boutique’ events.

The start list does not feature a lot of big names, which can also not be expected one week after the Championship Final. We are therefore bound to discover new names this weekend. Rachmat Septiyanto and Ma’Mun Khariri are two of Indonesia’s ultra trail stars, but both signed up for the 100km category, which only provides a Grandmaster point for finishers. Two star GM Rija Gubes from Malaysia and also Georgy Mimi Chu are also on the 100k start list. Let’s see if, in particular, Khariri wishes to change distance last-minute. For the Mantra 116 winner in July, it would be a great start of his points campaign.

ATM will be reporting from Dieng Trail Run throughout Saturday and Sunday on our usual channels.

Ma Mun Khariri is one of Indonesia’s emerging trail stars

Season 9, the shortest season in the history of the Asia Trail Master Championship that ran from December 2023 to September 2024 will have an explosive conclusion this Saturday at Borneo TMBT Ultra in Sabah, Malaysia. The start list of the 78km long Championship race is full of regional trail elites, even to the extent that nobody can say for sure who will be the successors of John Ray Onifa, Rashila Tamang and Team Philippines as ATM Champions. In fact, we are happy to see that both Onifa (Philippines) and Tamang (Nepal) will be defending their titles so the likelihood of someone scoring a second ATM Championship victory are higher than ever - with also 2022 Champion Arnie Macaneras and 2018’s Alessandro Sherpa in the race along Mount Kinabalu on Saturday.

Borneo TMBT Ultra is one of Southeast Asia’s true trail classics and we are indeed delighted that the Borneo Ultras team led by Mr Claus Pedersen and Ms Aileen Yong decided to host this year’s ATM Final in cooperation with Sabah Tourism. TMBT hardly needs an introduction, it’s the 12th edition of an event where beauty and challenge go hand in hand. The runners in the ATM Final, who all qualified by scoring points in races on the ATM calendar throughout the season and finishing in the top five of their country’s points ranking, will embark on a modified and partially unique course of 78km with a separate 5am starting time. One hour later, at sunrise, there will be the flag off of the standard open public 110km and 50km races.

Trail fans can follow the race via the livestreams and video updates on Asia Trail Master’s Facebook and YouTube channels, with updates on Instagram as well. Moreover, a live GPS tracking platform allows anyone to follow one’s favourite runner in real time along the course.

John Ray Onifa is for several people still the top favourite to retain his title, but the Filipino star has been less dominant than he was last year. It is unlikely he will distance his closest rivals again by more than hour, as he did at Siksorogo Lawu Ultra in Indonesia last December. Still, Onifa is no stranger to TMBT - having won the 50km race here last year. He also returned from Europe two weeks ago with some frustration for not having achieved the results he had wanted. A competitive athlete whose pride got hurt can be double as dangerous. The fact that his compatriot Arnie Macaneras is also in the race on Saturday will motivate him even more. After all, Onifa and Macaneras both like to be considered the ‘number 1’ in their own country. In trail running, the top guys seldom compete against each other and, regardless of the others, Onifa vs Macaneras is a fantastic race-within-the-race that will keep Filipino trail fans on the edge of their seats this Saturday.

As long as they do not hurt each other so that someone else benefits to steal the bigger prize. Jeff Campbell managed to outpace Onifa in Singapore last June in his comeback race after a long injury break. Milton Amat is the home favourite in Sabah, having won TMBT 100 already twice in 2019 and 2022. In both races he managed to keep Hisashi Kitamura behind, the fast Japanese runner who has been chasing the ATM Championship title and a race win at TMBT for five years now. The ‘Karate Kit’ claims he is now in the best shape ever and has specifically trained on the last 10km of the course, the relentless uphill section where he got overtaken by Milton Amat the first time. Alessandro Sherpa is a pure Championship competitor and has been preparing himself in Bali and Chiang Mai since late July. After the title in 2018, 3rd place in 2022 and 2nd last year, the Italian hopes he will be the first runner to be crowned ATM Champion twice. Another expat, Kristian Joergensen from Denmark residing in Philippines, came third last year and is keen to improve on that result - having been successful in Malaysian races before. Joergensen had a wisdom tooth removed last week, so he may start with a handicap. The list of victory and podium candidates goes very deep, but one ‘dark horse’ is certainly worth mentioning still: Nepal’s Arjun Rai Kulung. The long ultra specialist will be making his debut in Malaysia and its heat and humidity levels, having qualified by doing both Nepalese ATM points races back in April. We know Arjun is strong and resilient. Does he have the fast pace to follow the others over 78km in the climate of Borneo? For sure, he is the biggest question mark of all the contenders in the men’s race.

The women’s race is projected to be equally exciting to follow. Rashila Tamang and Vanja Cnops will continue their battle of last year’s Final in Indonesia. While Cnops has the advantage of having already won TMBT 50km twice, Tamang also has some Malaysian racing experience under her belt. The defending ATM Champion seems fully recovered from the injury that plagued her early in the season and has been able to focus fully on her running over the months. Can she keep Cnops behind again? The Singapore-based Belgian is an outstanding short distance trail runner, but once beyond 50km her pace always seems to decline. Always smiling, Cnops does have a fighter’s spirit and after so many race victories in ATM, the motivation seems there to make 2024 her year. When the invitations were sent out to all qualified athletes, Vanja Cnops was the first to confirm her participation. However, it’s not only going to be between Rashila and Vanja. For starters, just like Onifa and his teammates, there are other Nepalese girls who might just as well win on Saturday! Priya Rai won both 50k races in Nepal in April and has been racing internationally before. One caveat: Priya has never gone beyond 50k in racing trim. That’s not the case for Padam Kumari Sunwar, winner of MTR 100km. And Chhoki Sherpa never finishes far behind Rashila when they race together. Could Vietnam’s Loi Leung take centre stage? Flying perhaps under the radar, let’s not forget she won Lam Dong Trail last year ahead of none other than Angelie Cabalo, who finished 3rd in last year’s Final behind Tamang and Cnops. By the same token, Loi Leung was pushed down to second place in Cuc Phuong 42km this year by Japan’s Akane Nemoto, another runner who should not be underestimated at TMBT. Small detail: Loi Leung and Akane Nemoto share the same coach as Hau Ha. What can we expect from the Philippines’ ladies this weekend? Julieann Morales won three ATM races this season and is faster than she’s ever been. TMBT will be her first race abroad, however. Also from Mindanao, Shally Yuson has probably been the young woman who has visibly been getting ever more competitive race after race. Clearly motivated for a good result in her first ATM Final, Yuson can be in the mix for the top positions on a 78km distance. The same applies for Cristine Montuya, another newcomer. Mary Joy Sumanda and the “reborn” Irish Glorioso complete a competitive and robust Filipino women’s squad, which gives them cards to play in their pursuit of also retaining the ATM Team Championship title. Team Malaysia will do everything they can to prevent that, of course. The 2022 Team Champions were off the pace a year ago, but now field a similarly strong team as the Filipinos. Rejlen James and Shamiera Auther are probably the two runners who can aim for the individual race win, with Adelinah and Lolita Lintanga, and Lynda Marylyn backing them up. Rejlen has been almost unbeatable on home soil in Sabah since the end of covid, and a year ago she had the better of Indonesia’s ultrarunning icon Shindy Patricia in TMBT 100. If Rejlen can keep her head together during the race, many people will be surprised how fast and tough she can be. But what about youngster Shamiera Auther? One of Malaysia’s greatest trail talents of late, Shamiera has been - wisely - restricting herself to 50-60k and shorter races, winning or podiuming them, but has accepted the opportunity to compete for Team Malaysia on the longer distance of 78km. Many insiders will be very keen to find out how she fares. She has been excellent in not attracting any attention to herself over the past weeks….

While Team Pilipinas and Team Malaysia are the obvious teams to watch for the Team Championship, one should not ignore some of the others. On paper, Team Hong Kong and Team Nepal are strong, and so is Team Japan. Also Singapore and Brunei have complete teams with three men and three women, the minimum requirement for a team ranking.

The outgoing and defending ATM Champions this Saturday: John Ray Onifa and Rashila Tamang

The home favourite: Sabah's Milton Amat has won TMBT twice already

Alessandro Sherpa: Champion in 2018, third in 2022, 2nd in 2023. Highly motivated to be number 1 again

The Dark Horse: Nepal's Arjun Rai Kulung runs in ATM for the first time outside his home country

After 3rd and 2nd the past two seasons, can Vanja Cnops win the biggest prize this Saturday?

Rejlen James: after covid she has been almost unbeatable on home soil in Sabah

Julieann Morales: pretty outstanding on home soil this season, can she also do it abroad?

Nepal's Priya Rai is used to 50km races. Can she keep her high level on Saturday's 78km?

The race course of the 2024 Asia Trail Master Championship Final at Borneo TMBT Ultra in Sabah, Malaysia, has been finalised by the technical team of the event. The 78km long course will feature the usual highlights, such as Pineapple Ridge, plus a few unique and never before used trail sections. The start venue at Lingkubang and the finish venue at Perkasa Hotel in Kundasang are the same as for the 110km regular race, and the ATM Finalists will also pass by Kundasang already a first time for Aid Station 6, which is approx km 50.

As you can see on the map, runners go from the start in a mostly southern direction towards Kundasang, before entering a loop of 28km around Liposu (WS10) and Kibbas (WS11). From Kibbas it is basically uphill for 8km to the finish line, so contenders for the championship title still need a few matches to burn when they hit that final section! Remember local hero Milton Amat still passing Hisashi Kitamura for the win there in 2019!

Borneo is known to be potentially very hot and humid by nature. However, TMBT has always been more moderate in this context as the race course gradually goes upwards to above 1000m and even finishes at 1400m above sea level. The ATM Final also starts at 5am, one hour earlier than the open public race and therefore still in darkness.

Stay tuned in the coming few days for more updates on what promises to be a real nail biter this Saturday. Both the men’s and women’s race have several contenders for the victory and the title. Also the ATM Team Championship will likely see a tight battle between several country teams.

We are happy to announce that VJ 100 Ultra Trail Challenge in Baguio City is a new ATM Candidate on Luzon in the Philippines. Organised by the experienced team Intrepid Spirit, VJ 100 aims to highlight the beauty and the challenge of trail running in the Cordillera region. This is a logistics-friendly, and supporters-friendly event at the end of the year, scheduled at the Camp John Hay in Baguio City itself for the weekend of 14-15 December.

VJ 100 is just one event in the extensive portfolio of Intrepid Sprit, Inc. Also e.g. Pulag 100 and the Philippines Mountain Trail Festival are organised by this team led by Robert Watson, a long-time resident and organiser in the country. VJ 100 is essentially an endurance run on a 10km loop that can be done once, twice, five times or -indeed- ten times for a 100k. The course is very solid: there’s 700m of elevation gain in just 10km, and you will be running on soft trails and rolling hills through countless ascents and descents. If you are a beginning trail runner, the 10k - maybe even the 20k - is a perfect start to your (mountain) trail journey. If you are experienced and aim for the 50k or the 100k, you better do not take this race too lightly. No matter what choice you make, you will encounter various different trail conditions and be challenged while enjoying the beauty of the pine forests and the Cordillera mountains.

The cut off time for the 100k is set at 32 hours for both men and women. A distinction is made for the 50km and the shorter distances, e.g. 15h15 for men on the 50km, while women can allow themselves 45 minutes longer (16h).

As the event takes place in the city, suitable accommodation is plentiful and there is no official event hotel. To reach Baguio, you could fly to Clark (CRK), which is a 2,5 hours bus drive from Baguio. Alternatively, just fly into Manila, which will then take you 4,5-5 hours to reach the event destination.

Registration and details on specifics, such as mandatory gear, can be found on the official website, which you can link to below. VJ100 also has a Facebook page that you can follow for quick updates.

A successful Candidate a year ago, SC 70 in Santa Cruz, Davao in Philippines has now been rewarded with a spot on the new ATM Grandmaster Calendar for Season 10. The event organised by Team Jegol Runners will be held on 23/24 November and ‘70’ in the event name stands for the 70km long Grandmaster point distance.

SC70 will be the first Grandmaster-only event on our ATM calendar, following the announcement made last week (read it again here: http://www.asiatrailmaster.com/news/2024/8/30/grandmaster-quest)

Santa Cruz, just a half hour drive south of Davao City in Mindanao, has become a real trail running hub since the corona crisis and even more visibly so since the 2022 ATM Championship Final, the Mount Apo Sky Race. That event is how things started in Santa Cruz, which is now not only the main gateway for hikers to the highest mountain in the Philippines, but also the venue for several trail running events during the year.

The 70k ultramarathon trail has an elevation gain of about 4000hm, and will feature scenic and iconic places in Santa Cruz, namely, Mt. Loay, Mt. Dinor, Tacub Laya Falls, Pilan River, Sinoron, Lipantod, Camotes Ridge, and Mt. 796. The course profile is actually quite distinct and interesting from a competitive point of view. Mount Dinor is the cornerstone and highest peak in the first half, Mount Loay in the second half. Runners should also be aware that after the final descent of Loay, there’s still a 10km flattish section to the finish back in Santa Cruz. That could hurt for some, while be a tactical all-in section for others. The precise 2024 course map will be made available soon.

Last year, SC70 was the event were we got introduced to youngsters Shally Yuson and Eldy Bulod, two competitive runners whom we have gotten to know very well since then! Shally has just completed her Grandmaster Quest and is part of Team Pilipinas at the upcoming ATM Championship Final. Eldy Bulod was the joint-winner of The Punisher, together with Kik Suello, just a month ago. Bulod stated we will see more of him in Season 10.

It is highly recommended to follow the event’s Facebook page, as is common in Philippines, to receive the latest updates and links to the registration portal.

Last year’s winners of SC70 have since then become well-known: Eldy Bulod and Shally Yuson!

Roberto Cain III and Shekinah Velasquez were the great winners of Marilog Ultra 70 in Davao, Philippines, last weekend, one of several events that obtained the ATM Candidate Race label this season. Marilog was blessed with the participation of several Filipino top runners, and their feedback of the 70km long race, over ondulating terrain was generally very positive. Team Brad, including female star and triple-race-winner this ATM season Julieann Morales, is gradually becoming a reference in Mindanao.

Roberto Cain III was also a recent winner at MUSPO 100 in Bukidnon, a race that was not part of the ATM Championship but nevertheless has built a solid reputation with Larry Apolinario and John Ray Onifa as previous race winners over there. To win last Sunday, Cain had to stay ahead of ATM Finalist Jevie Cagatin and recent co-Punisher winner Eldy Bulod. Even when Cagatin said that he did not push 100% with a view to the upcoming ATM Championship Final race at Borneo TMBT, it remains a remarkable performance by Cain III. Yet another upcoming talent from Mindanao!

In the women’s race, Shekinah Velasquez had the upper hand almost from the beginning. Geia Hestra came second.

Season 10 is approaching with Dieng Trail Run in Central Java, Indonesia, on 21/22 September as our opener this year! Every new season we reevaluate both our competition regulations for the ATM Championship and the Grandmaster Quest. In the context of the ever more popular Grandmaster Quest - the individual non-competitive challenge whereby runners need to finish six ultras on our ATM calendar within a period of two years - there are two rather significant updates that will go into force as of Season 10.

Firstly, due to the growing enthusiasm of the Grandmaster Quest across Asia, we will be publishing a separate Grandmaster Quest event calendar that will have a number of events not featured on our Championship calendar. That means there will be 70+km races where you can score a GM point, but no Championship points. The first one of those “Grandmaster-only” events will be SC 70 in Santra Cruz, Davao, Philippines on 23/24 November.

Secondly, as the number of events with GM points on offer is expected to grow, it has been argued that an amendment to the regulations is required in order not to make obtaining the Grandmaster status too easily. Instead of asking runners to complete more than six races within a period of two years to become a Grandmaster 1 star, we will request runners to do one of their six ultras abroad or in any case outside of their resident country. In other words, if you live in Malaysia, you will need to complete one of your six ultras in another country to receive the Grandmaster title. As such, we also remain true to one of the core pillars of the Asia Trail Master series, which is ‘fostering a pan-Asian trail community and bring people from various distinct countries, cultures and backgrounds together’.

These changes will thus go into effect as of Dieng Trail Run on 21 September.

Runners who wish to embark on their Grandmaster Quest are still kindly invited to sign up via the google form here, so it is easier for us to keep track. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhJmjAgjEV44_CPEpDBwHa0o2XdrUGkhPioL9VhoZYQ4mw3A/viewform

Please note that we will also be updating the ATM Hall of Fame to include all new Grandmasters of the past season. Stay tuned for more and exciting updates regarding this!

Let’s conclude this announcement by putting the spotlights on our three four-star Grandmasters to date: Masafumi Yamamoto, Hisashi Kitamura and since July also the first female : Rhea Batac! They are the only runners so far to have completed 20 ultras on the ATM calendar. Some of you have asked the question “will you add a 5th star?” . Our answer remains “no , we won’t”. We believe 20 ultra finishes and 4 stars is a great number, and all good things end some time ;-).

However, we will introduce a new non-competitive challenge for trail runners in due course..

Masafumi Yamamoto, 4-star Grandmaster

Rhea Batac, 4-star Grandmaster

Hisashi Kitamura, 4-star Grandmaster

We are happy to announce that Bislig Ultra Trail in the Caraga region of Mindanao in the Philippines has obtained the ATM Candidate Race label for its edition on 13 October. Taking place at Brgy. Burboanan in Bislig City, Surigao Del Sur, the event offers three race distance categories of which the 50km is the longest. It is the first time an event receives our label in this region, which has plenty of tourism potential. Bislig City is located just north of the Davao region.

As the official event tagline reads: “the race routes designed to challenge and inspire you amidst the stunning natural beauty of Bislig. Whether you are tackling the 50km, 25km, or 15km category, you are about to embark on a journey that showcases the very best of our region’s landscapes and wildlife.”

Highlight is the magnificent Tinuy-an Falls, often called the "Niagara Falls of the Philippines.

In addition, there is the sanctuary of the Philippine Eagle, one of the world's rarest and most majestic birds. The presence of such unique wildlife adds a special dimension to your run, making it not only a test of endurance but also a celebration of Bislig’s natural heritage.

While the 50km is obviously designed for experienced trail and distance runners, also the 25km and 15km have exciting sections for beginning trail runners to enjoy to the maximum. Total elevation gain is 1600 hm for the 50, 900hm for the 25 and 600hm for the 15km. There will be separate race starting times at 3:30am, 4:30am and 5:30am with the longer distances going first. Cut-off times are 16 hours,8 hours and 5 hours respectively.

Registration for Bislig Ultra can be done easily via the button below that connects with a Google form. For more details and news about the event, it is recommended to follow the facebook page.

Our brand new 4-star Grandmaster, Rhea Batac - first female and Filipino runner to score the 4th star - will be at the starting line as well.

Undoubtedly one of the most challenging and most popular events on our ATM Championship calendar made a brilliant return this season after five long years. The 9 Dragons in Hong Kong now looks confidently ahead to its 5th edition, which has been set for Valentine Day’s weekend 14-16 February 2025. The trademark 50/50 category and the 50km category will again be the points races for the ATM Championship ranking, while the 50/50 and the 50 Miles (87km) category can also give finishers a point for their Grandmaster Quest. Registration is open via the official event website, linked below, and interested runners are encouraged not to wait until the last moment as the 50/50, in particular, has a fixed quota and is expected to sell out in advance.

Taking place in Hong Kong’s New Territories, the 9 Dragons is one of those relatively few events in Southeast Asia that places a big emphasis on competitive performance, while at the same time showing heaps of respect towards every single finisher on Sunday afternoon. The marquee event, the 50/50, is essentially a stage race and merely turning up on Sunday morning at the start of the 50km long second stage is arguably tougher than the elevation gain to be conquered during the runs. Some runners disintegrate during the 50km, others just seem to come alive. It makes for unpredictable situations and surprising changes of fortune at the front of the race, ultimately what sports fans enjoy to see.

Kristian Joergensen in the men’s and Angie Yan in the women’s came out on top this season, after fierce battles with a.o. Lodewijk Vriens, Oleksii Melnyk, Solomon Wettstein and Arnie Macaneras, and Xie Wenfei and Wong Ki Chun. Both came from behind to secure victory on Sunday.

While the 50/50 captures the limelight at The 9 Dragons, the single 50km race also has a reputation as being one of the most competitive and toughest-to-win of the season. ATM Champion John Ray Onifa was outstanding this year, and local talent Naomi Fung managed to just keep Philippines’ Angelie Cabalo behind.

Thinking back on the 2024 edition, we can hardly wait for next February!