Still at the beginning of Season 10 in the Asia Trail Master series, there’s three runners who have completed the fourth and last level of the Grandmaster Quest. Japanese runners Hisashi Kitamura and Masafumi Yamamoto were joined by the first female 4-Star Grandmaster Rhea Batac from Manila in the Philippines in July 2024.

There’s 9 runners wearing the 3-star badge at the moment, with Tomohiro Mizukoshi (JPN) and Ruth Theresia (INA) both on the verge of scoring their final 4th star.

The full list of ATM Grandmasters has been updated following the Lam Dong Trail in Vietnam on 9 November 2024. SC 70 and Mt Apo Sky Race will be processed in the coming week. The Grandmaster list will now be updated every month. As previously mentioned, due to the fact that event organisers all use different time-keeping and results producers it is often difficult to keep track of each runner’s achievements. Please contact us on info@asiatrailmaster.com or via our facebook page messenger if your GM finisher result(s) have not been incorporated already. Thank you.

The Grandmaster Hall of Fame is also being updated , as we are changing systems. Furthermore, as of January 2025 there will be an extra token of achievement coming! Stay tuned..

Grandmaster Quest

Rhea Batac is the first female 4-star Grandmaster. She joined Japanese runners Hisashi KItamura and Masafumi Yamamoto as the only trail runners to have reached 20 ultra finishes.

Ever since the then-19-year-old Godwin Mirar finished fourth in The Punisher 80km, hot on the heels of Hisashi Kitamura, Arnie Macaneras and John Ellis, a great future in trail running was promised to him. The smart youngster from Bukidnon has kept his head cool in the past years and focused primarily on developing his pure running ability first, rather than aiming for as many kilometres and as much elevation gain as possible. Flashes of his great talent came out again after covid, for example when he battled with John Ray Onifa and Kristian Joergensen at VMM 2023’s 50km race., and again with Onifa earlier this year on a 30k short distance in Cebu. His youth and relative inexperience as a high-level competitor still costs him sometimes, but Godwin Mirar made another big step forward in his development last weekend at the 7th Mount Apo Sky Race. He came and conquered his first ever 100km race (what a choice for a 100k debut as well!) in 15h21 , a solid 40 minutes ahead of Jevie Cagatin , ATM Finalist at Borneo TMBT last September and already second on Mt Apo last year (behind Paraiso). Cagatin is also the last winner of the Mount Kalatungan Trail Ultra in March and the highest Filipino points scorer in ATM Season 9. Quite a performance by Mirar. Of course, this season’s edition was not a points race for the ATM Championship ranking, but still.

Rhod Axel Butac came third in the race and completed the podium in 19h10.

Fastest female runner was Rizalyn Lauron in 23h27, an hour and a half ahead of Jenny Grace Padillo. Cheryl Bihag completed the podium in third.

This year's Mt Apo Sky Race did not offer any points for the championship ranking, but gave all finishers a point for their Grandmaster Quest. That was the goal for Manila's Cheryl Bihag as well, and by finishing third in the race she even managed to underline her performance of becoming a 3-star Grandmaster! Cheryl has been active on the ATM circuit for many years and was one of the first female Grandmasters ever. Last weekend, she added a third star to her badge!

This weekend, Grandmaster point seekers again have an opportunity in Santa Cruz, Davao, with the 7th edition of the legendary Mount Apo Sky Race - our ATM Championship Final host in 2022. This is probably the race that really started things off for international trail running in Davao and it remains an icon. Running from the beach to the summit of the highest mountain of the Philippines at nearly 3000m above sea level and back still speaks to the imagination of many people, both runners and non-runners.

This season, the Mount Apo Sky Race is focused on the Grandmaster Quest and not the ATM Championship ranking. Host venue is still the Playa de Obuza Beach Resort in Santa Cruz and event organiser is still Vertical To Sky led by Doi Calbes, who also has another Davao classic in his trail portfolio: The Punisher, which will take place again mid-August 2025 as the last Filipino points race of the ATM Championship season before the big Final.

How sexy the Mount Apo Sky Race may look and sound, this remains a tough nut to crack, even for experienced trail runners. The 100km has approx 5000 metres of elevation gain , mostly but not exclusively thanks to the ascent of Mount Apo. On Apo, the final 8km to the summit are adventurous and runners need to make their way up and then down the ‘boulder face’ , also relying a bit on orientation skills to choose the right path up the huge boulders. It’s very technical and over the years participants either love the boulder face or hate it. It’s part of the allure of the race, and the winners certainly cherish this trophy. Runners such as Jevie Cagatin, Rexell Aguirre and - interestingly - Godwin Mirar will all be keen to add their name to the winners’ list this weekend.

From an ATM perspective, however, the main focus this edition is to finish the 100km and score a GM point. And, there is a runner from Manila who may score her 3rd Grandmaster star on Mount Apo. Cheryl Bihag has only just returned to the scene after a bit of a break with a solid finish in the SC 70 race last week. That was her 14th GM point in her ATM trail running journey that started back in 2016! What a great way it would be to collect her 3rd Grandmaster star on the highest mountain of her country. Malaysia’s recently crowned 2-star Grandmaster Munintaran Sundram is also continuing his Quest for a third star.

Live updates on the Mount Apo Sky Race can be found on our facebook page this weekend.

Last year’s winners : Isaiah Paraiso and Julieann Morales

The first Filipino event on our Season 10 Championship calendar is Mount Kalatungan Trail Ultra in Bukidnon, Mindanao, with race start in Pangantucan on Sunday, 2 March 2025. A successful points race already in 2024, runners will again have the opportunity to conquer the country’s fifth highest peak at an altitude of 2860m above sea level. An important distinction should be mentioned between the 85km and the 55km race categories. It’s the 55km that offers points for the ATM Championship ranking. The 85km is for those seeking to score a point on their Grandmaster Quest. .

The event is organised by the Ultra Runners Republic, including the Grandmaster brothers Rene and Ramie Amigleo. Bukidnon is the region roughly between Davao and Cagayan de Oro, from where lots of new trail running talent has emerged in the past few years. The Amigleo brothers have done a lot for the sport there.

Mount Kalatungan is a stratovolcano, albeit with no historical eruptions, and a serious altitude of 2860m making it just a bit smaller than Mount Apo near Davao. Both the 55km and 85km will go to the summit. The mountain features in the first half of the race, which means runners need to save energy for afterwards.

Host venue is Pangantucan and its municipal gymnasium. Runners from outside Mindandao should best look at Cagayan de Oro as the main gateway to the event, well-connected with Cebu and Manila. To go Bukidnon from Davao is also feasible, it just takes a bit longer.

Last March, Jevie Cagatin scored his first ever ATM race win at Kalantungan with the approval of Yoyong Sacayle. Both came into the finish together, but Sacayle argued it was Cagatin who deserved to be called race winner. Kik Suello completed the podium. All three laid a foundation there to qualify for Team Pilipinas in the ATM Championship Final later in September at Borneo TMBT. The women’s race saw Julieann Morales take victory ahead of local Mary Joy Sumanda and Ann Jilian Pulanco. Morales in those months seemed unbeatable on mountain trails in her home country.

Registration is open via Racetech and it is advised to follow the event’s facebook page for latest updates and key details. Questions on logistics and registration payment can also be addressed to the orga team of Ultra Runners Republic.

The 55km is the race for ATM Championship points

The 85km is the race for those seeking a Grandmaster point

Last year’s female top 3 podium with Julieann Morales as winner, flanked by Mary Joy Sumanda and Ann Jilian Pulanco

Last year’s men’s top 3 podium with Jevie Cagatin as winner ahead of Yoyong Sacayle and Kik Suello

We are very happy to announce My Home Trail as a new points race event for the Asia Trail Master Championship rankings. Taking place in Mae Chaem near Chiang Mai in Thailand on Sunday, 15 June 2025, runners can look forward to an exciting 50km labelled as “The Unknown 50”. The race has an estimated elevation gain of 2635 hm and has two distinct peaks, of which the second one - Doi Liam - is the race’s highlight at 1620m above sea level.

It is the second edition of the event organised by Nongkwaitong and co-organised by Thailand’s adventure racing and trail running star Jay Jantaraboon as a lead consultant. Mae Chaem is Jay’s hometown, hence “My Home Trail”. The event aims to promote outdoor sports and foster a sense of community among trail running enthusiasts.

Flag-off is scheduled for 5 am on Sunday, 15 June. After a short and flattish warm-up, the first climb already awaits participants with the peak of Mon Mark coming at km 7. Following the short descent there’s quite some up and down before reaching CP 3 at Watprabattapa, foot of Doi Liam. The ascent and descent of Doi Liam will be the most difficult section of the 50k race. The climb begins at km 22 and an altitude of 516m. This implies runners wil govertical for well over 1000m before reaching the summit. Doi Liam means “sharp point” in the local Lanna language, which perfectly described its steep features. Competitive runners will need to save some energy, because afterwards the final 8km of the race to the finish are quite bumpy. The cut-off time at the finish is 18:30, which means runners have a total of 13h30 to complete the course.

The first edition winner of My Home Trail 50K was actually a woman: Kimino Miyazaki, a top elite runner from Japan, who set the first 50K record at 06:16:29.

While the 50km is the ATM points race, less ambitious runners can also sign up for shorter distance categories. My Home Trail offers 30km, 15km and a 5km options as well. All information on registration and details on the race can be found and checked on the event’s facebook page.

Shuttle busses to Mae Chaem are available from Chiang Mai (recommended), but also from Bangkok. It is strongly advised to stay in Mae Chaem on Saturday night. Note there is also a campsite. The start and finish video is the Chumchontambonthapha School.

Online registration goes via the Pathtrack platform linked below. Those who choose wire transfer as mode of payment, please send the proof of payment to the My Home Trail Facebook Page Inbox. Your registration will be complete once you send this proof, following which you will receive a confirmation letter via the registered email address within 5 business days from the date the payment proof is submitted.

Any specific questions , particularly from international runners, can be addressed to the facebook inbox or via email to nongkwaitong2024@gmail.com

SC 70 was the first Grandmaster-only event in Season 10, taking place in Santa Cruz, near Davao City in Mindanao, Philippines. “Grandmaster-only” means there’s only Grandmaster points to be scored, but no points for the Championship ranking. The 70km course had about 4000 metres of elevation gain and is considered tough, with Mount Dinor and Mount Loay as highlights. Moreover, the race had a long nighttime part. Organised by Team Jegol, the feedback from finishers afterwards was generally very positive.

No Championship points, but of course there was still a competition going on. Once again, Roberto Cain III proved to be the strongest of the bunch. Leading nearly throughout the race, he concluded in 11:27:39. That was twenty minutes faster than Marjones Abugan in 11:47:43. Eldy Bulod took third on the podium in 13:13:31.

In the women’s 70km race, there was a surprising winner in Julie Mae Marquez, who ran the best second half to overtake Julieann Morales and grab victory in 14:44:40. Morales was second and in third, also with a solid run, came Guia Cabigas.

For the third year in a row, Grandmaster Shashwat Rao was by far the fastest 100k runner at the 8th Malnad Ultra in Karnataka in Southwest India. Rao had an advantage of nearly 50 minutes over second-place Yogesh Sanap and finished in 13h49’. The battle for third was decided in favour of Pulkit Jain, who stayed five minutes ahead of Santhosh Gowda.

Strongest woman, and in fact the only finisher this year, was Soma Datta. For Datta is was also the second consecutive 100k victory at Malnad.

As usual, the 50k category was also a points race for the ATM Championship ranking. The overall podium raised quite some eyebrows. Sandeep Kumar won the race in a fast time 5h09’ - remember there’s approx 1600 hm to overcome - , which was 13 minutes quicker than Mohammad Sahil Annigeri. Amazingly, they were followed by the first woman: Rayja Laxmi Rawal from Jumla in western Nepal! The young woman is no unknown on the ATM scene. Last April, she gave our reigning ATM Champion Priya Rai a serious run for her money in the Jumla Rara 50k, leading that race until just the last few kilometres. Her victory in Malnad last weekend, on completely different terrain, shows Rayja Laxmi Rawal is yet another major Nepalese trail running talent with abundant speed to match her technical mountain running skills. She ran the 50km in 5h40’, well ahead of her Karnali Sports Club teammate Mimu Budha in 6h27. Mimu Budha was 5th in April’s JRU race. Allison Lowenstein completed the women’s podium in 6h43’.

Shashwat Rao has now already collected 875 ATM points this season in two races, which puts him in a very solid position to qualify for next year's Season 10 ATM Final. Also, Rayja Laxmi Rawal and Mimu Budha collected 500 and 450 points, respectively, and so lead the very competitive Nepalese ATM ranking in this still early part of the new season.

Malnad Ultra is the only points race in India on our ATM calendar. In neighbouring country Nepal, the Manjushree Trail in Kathmandu has already been confirmed for 14-16 March 2025, while Jumla Rara Ultra is about to be announced for the weekend of 12 May 2025.

Nepalese runners from Jumla left quite an impression at Malnad this year (photo by Karnali)

Mimu Budha, 5th in JRU last April, scored her first ATM podium on the 50km in Malnad (photo by Karnali)

The start of the 50km

Rayja Laxmi Rawal : another new Nepalese ATM Champion in the making?

This weekend SC 70, short for Santa Cruz 70, will test the endurance and technical abilities of runners looking to score an extra point on their Grandmaster Quest. The Filipino event organised by Team Jegol may only just qualify as a Grandmaster race with its 70km, but it’s a tough 70km. Elevation gain is estimated at over 4000 Hm and the course features some iconic places around Santa Cruz, such as 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, too. 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.

Plenty of solid runners will be taking part this weekend, including 2-star Grandmasters. Cheryl Bihag and Alfredo Reyes Jr. It is the first time SC 70 is on the calendar, so all finishers this weekend can score an additional GM point. The race does not offer points for the ATM Championship ranking, but will be interesting nonetheless with many competitive athletes on the start list, including last year’s winner Eldy Bulod. Marjones Abugan, Florencio Alave, Roberto Cain III, Isaiah Paraiso and others will be challenging him for the victory. In the women’s field we find Julieann Morales on the start list, as well Guia Cabigas, Dolly Joy Alonzo and Razzil Sumalinog to name a few.

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.

One of Hong Kong’s classic events will take place on Saturday, 29 March in 2025. Lantau 70 by The Trail Hub takes runners across the island and back to Mui Wo. It’s a race with a significant history and one that all the competitive elites - especially the local ones - like to add to their record at least once. Jeff Campbell and John Ray Onifa were the last two male winners, Katryn Hamlin and Aurore Dacier the fastest females since the end of the corona crisis.

The 2025 course will be slightly amended but start and finish remain the same. It’s a daytime race with flag-off at 8:30 am, which means you can enjoy the great Lantau scenery during your run. Most elevation gain comes in the first half of the race, and the 13km long first section to Ngong Ping is arguably the toughest. It can get warm and treacherously humid already in Hong Kong at the end of March, so make sure you keep your hydration in check. Plenty have been surprised by that already in this race, even past ATM Champions Rashila Tamang and Alessandro Sherpa discovered that to their detriment.

The classic 70km solo race is of course the one that offers ATM Championship points and a Grandmaster point. Less ambitious runners can also opt for the relay race, for which you need a team of four.

While Mui Wo has accommodation options as well, it is perfectly possible to stay in the bigger city centres of Hong Kong and take the ferry to Mui Wo on Saturday early morning in time for the start of the race. If you stay in Tung Chung on Lantau island already, taxis can also get you to Mui Wo without hassle.

Registration is open already, and if you decide quickly you can score some great limited edition T8 goodies as well.

On 7 February 2025, for the first time ever, trail runners can score ATM points in Myanmar. The Kalaw Ultra Trail Run goes international and offers 80km and 50km options for points, alongside a few shorter distance categories for less ambitious runners. Outdoor enthusiasts, trekkers and travellers in Southeast Asia are well-aware of Kalaw, a pleasant town north of Yangon (Rangoon) and relatively close to the beautiful Inle Lake. We are indeed delighted to include Myanmar and its trail running community into the Asia Trail Master network this season, and hope to see a number of local Grandmasters and Championship qualifiers soon! .

The Kalaw Ultra Trail Run has been around for a while, but with the help of the Myanmar Ultra Trail Running Association the organisation feels ready to step up and is welcoming runners from the region to the event. The 80km long ultra, also valid for the Grandmaster Quest, starts at 5am on Friday, 7 February - pay attention - and has an approximate elevation gain of 2500 hm. The course is quite runable with the biggest climb coming after about 20km. That climb is also part of the 50km race course.

International runners should first fly to Yangon, which has a lot of connections in the region. Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Singapore are the most straight forward, but even from Hong Kong there are cheap options. To get to Kalaw there are various options. From Yangon there are domestic flights to Heho, nearby Kalaw. Busses and cars (up to five people) are another option. To take the hassle out of your trip, runners should consider contacting Hansar Travel, which offers travel packages including accommodation for the event from Yangon. Details can be found on the registration page via the ‘travel packages’ tab. Hansar can also assist with visas, should these be required. Check it all out via the ‘Momentum Timing” link below.

 

Silabur Cave Trail in Sarawak, Malaysia, has been confirmed as a points race for the ATM Championship ranking and Grandmaster Quest also in 2025. The event, organised by Alpha Sports, will see some modifications, including the date. The event will move forward on the calendar by a few weeks and will be held on the weekend of 12/13 April. Also the start and finish site has moved a bit to allow for better mobile connectivity. It will be at Kampung Lubang Batu, Tebakang, which is roughly 40km from Serian town & 100km from Kuching. As usual, there is a bus shuttle service from Kuching for registered runners. Important also: ATM points seekers need to focus on the 100 km.

Silabur is quite a runable 100km , but if wet can be treacherously slippery in parts. Highlight is of course the Silabur Cave, a.k.a. the Jade Cave. Sabahan runners Gustin Tiam and Rejlen James were the fastest 100k runners here in 2024, in a race with considerable participation numbers for a long ultra. It’s mostly a Saturday day time race with the start set at 7 am in the morning. Cut-off time at the finish is a very accommodating 33 hours. As always, but especially in regions like Borneo, take a good look at the mandatory gear requirements and ensure you are prepared for hot tropical weather.

It’s only been a couple of years that Sarawak is claiming its stake on the Malaysian trail running map. Contrary to its northern neighbours Sabah and even Brunei, events and runners were few and far between. Sally Yap, ‘Alpha’ Siet Fah Lim, Celeste Teo and others have changed that, encouraging event promoters and organisers to build proper trail events, too. Alpha Sports is among those with several events in its portfolio. Silabur Ultra Trail, a.k.a. as Silabur Cave Trail is currently the biggest.

Registration for the event is open via Checkpointspot. The official hotel is in Serian, the Roxy Hotel. Runners could also opt to stay in Kuching, main city in Sarawak and where the airport is, and take the event shuttle bus early in the morning on Saturday.

A tough candidate race in the outskirts of Davao with a 10-year history and a lot of runners. Datu Salumay can be called a classic and the event lived up to its reputation as being hardcore while at the same catering for runners of all levels.. Roberto Cain II was clearly the fastest man finishing the 85k in 16h45. That’s two hours ahead of Yoyong Sacayle and Jomarc Ferrer. Quite a performance! The race was halted at some point due to a swollen river that became unsafe to cross. Kudos to the event organising team to react quickly and appropriately in this situation. Runners were rerouted to ensure safety. The adverse weather also meant nearly 40% of the 85km course was on concrete.

The female candidate race at DASAL was won by Metzi Joy Alson in 20h16’. She preceeded Tressah Banas and Stela Coronica on the podium. Despite being on the start list, former winner Julieann Morales did not take part in the race last weekend.