As Bhutan's stage race The Last Secret came to its conclusion last weekend, the Asia Trail Master ranking has been updated and will remain as is during the summer break. The next race on the calendar takes place in Mongolia on 5 August.

China's Xie Zhangrong and Hong Kong's Yuen Kit Shan will therefore continue to see their names on top of the ranking sheet. However, the Last Secret did cause a few movements as runners finished their second ATMs race of the season. Remember: after the Shaman Trail in Myanmar, it is each runner's best three point results that count for the final classification to decide the championship. 

Mongolia Sunrise 2 Sunset is in fact a cult classic on the international trail running calendar, featuring a 100km ultra and 42km marathon distance in the grasslands. A non-profit organisation to the benefit of Khovsgol National Park, it is a chance for everyone to visit this remote but breathtaking area. It takes time to get there, so runners should consider turning participation into a short holiday. Registration is still possible via the event website. 

August will be a busy month with also races on Lombok (Mount Rinjani Ultra), Russia (Altai Ultra Trail) and Malaysia (Borneo TMBT) on the programme. 

The Bromo Tengger Semeru Ultra trail is the fourth Indonesian race in this year's Asia Trail Master series and arguably the toughest. The longest distance is no fewer than 170 km and has a five digit elevation gain number. Slight less ambitious runners can also go for the equally hard 102 km race distance. Finishers on both these distances will score points for the Asia Trail Master ranking, which is not unimportant given the timing of the event and the difficulty - meaning a lot of performance points may be up for grabs as well for those strong enough to make it to the end. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Bromo Tengger Semeru Ultra has a  high DNF quota.

You can sign up now via the official race website. A few key details can also be found here.

Plenty of action coming up in Indonesia:  the next race  that is part of the Asia Trail Master series is the Mount Rinjani Ultra on Lombok on 7 August. Later that month there is also the 2016 Candidate Race Ijen Trail on East Java on 22 August. 

Race 7 in the 2015 Asia Trail Master series witnessed a thrilling battle for victory against the might backdrop of Bhutan's Himalaya mountains. Hong Kong-based American Marcia Zhou's dash on the sixth and final stage was just sufficient to claim the win at the expense of France's Isabelle Dufour, who had been leading the standings since day 3. Saudi Arabia's Mo Foustok, who also won Cambodia's Ancient Khmer Trail last year, was the best in the men's race.

Trail running in Bhutan remains very special as the natural surroundings are not only breathtaking but also still unspoilt. However, the high altitudes - some stages go well above 3000m - are to be reckoned with and some acclimatisation before the race begins is highly useful.  It was the 3rd edition of the Last Secret stage race, 200 km in 6 stages,  and with three different female leaders and stage winners, including a stunning finale, certainly had a lot of spice this year.

Marcia Zhou actually began the race well with a win on the opening day, but then dropped back behind Canada's Chloe Onofrychuk and Isabelle Dufour of France mid-week. Dufour then lost her advantage during the longest and toughest 53.5km stage 5, which set the scene for a showdown with lightweight Zhou in particular on the last day. The American ran for her life and finished the stage second overall, only marginally behind Australia's Scott Coey! Eventually, she preceeds Dufour in the final classification by 2'17" only. Onofrychuk completed the podium.

Scott Coey may have won the last stage in the men's race, but the race was almost a one-man-show by Mo Foustok, who claimed all other stages. The podium battle was quite  intense here as well, though, and Great Britain's William McMillan and Canada's Chris Hum were the ones flanking Foustok at the end. 

Bhutan remains one of those countries that remain a mystery to most of us. Following a Gross National Happiness philosophy rather than focussing on GDP, the Himalayan Buddhist country is unlikely to be high on people's travel lists either. Bhutan retains a very strict quota on the annual number of foreign tourists.  As such, the name of the trail stage race that starts on Sunday, The Last Secret, is very well-chosen. Organised by German company Global Limits, The Last Secret is a 6-day race over 200km that will make its participants feel very special and honoured.

It is the 3rd edition of the event, which starts 80km east of Thimphu - Bhutan's capital city - and finish in the most spectacular monastery, Taktshang Goemba (Tiger's Nest). The longest stage is stage 4 on Thursday over a length of 52km. During the week, the runners will conquer no fewer than 10 000 metres of elevation gain. Little rain over the past weeks and a fine weather forecast means that the trails are in good condition. Participants as usual come from all corners of the globe.

Finishers will score 175 distance points for the Asia Trail Master ranking, as well as performance points according to their ranking in the final overall result of the race. Updates after each stage will be posted on facebook and twitter. 

We are continuing to post a selection of quality images of the past four Asia Trail Master series races in China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan on our dedicated channels like Pinterest, Instagram and facebook. Shots were taken by professional photographers within the Kuai Sports Promotions media network. 

Images are credited particularly to Studio Zag, Hong Kong (Dalian 100, Gede Pangrango Marathon), and Red Plus Studio, Shanghai (Tsaigu Tangsi Plus)

Asia Trail Master Pinterest board

Dalian 100 Endurance Trail (facebook)

Tsaigu Tangsi Plus (facebook)

Gede Pangrango Marathon (facebook)

Tengri Ultra Trail (coming soon)

The 1st edition of the Tengri Ultra Trail in Tamgaly Tas, approx 120km from Almaty in eastern Kazakhstan lived up to its pre-race hype. The 300 participants enjoyed a gorgeous day on the varied but tougher-than-expected course, and are already looking forward to more. Local hero George Shejko was the fastest man on the 55km distance in 5:37:15. A member of the national team of Kazakhstan in olympic (speed) walking, Shejko discovered the sport of trail running with this race as also for him it was a new experience. The women's race was won by Akmaral Meirman in 6:48:31. 

The whole event was a true outdoor experience as participants camped in tents along the clean Ili River at Tamgaly Tas, a place where one can also do rock climbing. The long distance race consisted of two laps of 27,5km featuring a variety of terrain, including pristine grassland, steep and bushy hills and an impressive but technical and rocky gorge.  It was the best possible introduction to trail running for local athletes. A select group of non-Kazakhs who had made their way to the event spoke of a lifetime experience. 

Men 55 km:
1.Shejko Georgiy 1989 05:37:15
2. Galimbekov Ilyas 1995 06:13:42
3. Denis Vlasov 1983 06:22:44
Women 55 km:
1.Meirman Akmaral 1983 06:48:31
2. Teich Elizabeth 1991 07:41:55
3.Mergenbaeva Diana 1988 09:03:55

The race is set to continue next year and registrations are likely to open already at the end of this year. 

The Asia Trail Master ranking has been updated with the results of the Tengri Ultra Trail. There are no major changes at the front as Xie Zhangrong (men) and Yuen Kit Shan (women) lead. George Shejko enters in 13th place and Akmaral Meirman in 11th. 

This weekend will see the first ever major trail running race in Kazakhstan take place along the Ili River Valley in Tamsgaly Tas, approximately 120km from Almaty in the east of the country. The Tengri Ultra Trail over 50km or 25km will be characterised by superb views and an endless horizon. Mixed with the green colours of the grasslands will be the bright red of the local flowers.

About 300 runners are expected to start the race from a campsite at te Ili River in the early morning of Sunday. Among them also a number of international runners from Hong Kong (supported by Air Astana and Action Asia magazine) and China, who will claim a sort of pioneering role as Kazakhstan is bound to become a popular destination for adventure lovers. Also because the local population is discovering the pleasures of outdoor activities, and cycling, skiing and running in particular.  The Tengri Ultra Trail also plays the adventure angle, as all participants are expected to camp and sleep in tents on Saturday night before the race. There is no wifi or mobile service neither in the area.  Security measures have been taken all along the trail, though, and the 50km and 25km participants will be looping in opposite directions. 

The winners of the 50km race, men and women, will score 450 points for the Asia Trail Master ranking. Podium placers this weekend will also receive prizes by ATMs partners Newline Sport and Simple Hydration. 

A report and main results will be published here on Monday, and a more comprehensive feature article on the event will be published in a summer edition of Action Asia magazine.

Now the Gede Pangrango Marathon has been concluded, we of course have an influx of Indonesian runners into the new Asia Trail Master ranking. Respective male and female winners last weekend, Jumradi and Mila Marlina enter the ranking in 15th and 12th position respectively. 

Updated ranking 5 May 2015 

Gede Pangrango is the shortest race on the calendar this year, which also means the fewest distance points were on offer. Indonesian runners are bound to be protagonists in this year's first edition of the Asia Trail Master series, as the country is hosting four races on our calendar. For the final championship ranking at the end of the year in December, only the best three points results count for each runner.  Also Chinese runners in theory do not need to travel abroad to score points, but there's many athletes all over Asia who are planning to do exactly that. 

Race 6 on our calendar follows next weekend. The Tengri Ultra Trail is a 50km and 25km race in the vast green countryside of Tamsgaly Tas, approx. 100km from Almaty in Kazakhstan. 

Photo by Studio Zag, Hong Kong

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The 1st Bussière Xi Shan Trail Challenge was held in Beijing's Haidian District last weekend, a Candidate Race for the 2016 Asia Trail Master series. Candidate races are races that have already applied for entry into our series next year, and pending evaluation of this year's edition, will indeed do so. Xiaozhao Zhao was at the scene last weekend and reports on an event struck by adverse weather conditions. 

Nearly 700 runners participated in the race which consisted of 4 categories: 88km, 42km, 21km and 10km. Among those runners, approximately 140 raced in the 88km (total ascent  4400m) while 160 in the 42km (total ascent 2300m) respectively. The time limitation for 88k is 24hrs, while the 42km is 12hrs.

The West Hills (= Xi Shan) of Beijing is affiliated to the huge Mount Taihang Shan, which embraces the west and the north of Beijing. The Yangtai Shan (1282m above sea level) of the West Hills is the highest point of Haidian District. There is also a large natural view scenery zone in the West Hills—the Phoenix Ridge. In the sunny days without smog, you can have a splendid view around here—steep cliffs, huge trees and Buddha temples from ancient areas, dense forests and winding trails.

The West Hills is not only famous for its natural beauty, but also for its unique story in the WWII. During the war time, the local guerrillas used this area as their supplying line and covert caches for the fight against Japanese intruders. Many heroes gave their ultimate sacrifice for the final victory in Sep, 1945. A French doctor named Jean Jérome Augustin Bussiere, who had a Master in Chinese and had lived in Beijing for nearly 30 years when the war broke out, stood together with the Chinese people and risked his life and career to smuggle medicine along the trails and footpath in the forest here to help the guerrillas and civilians. The command post of local guerrillas is not far from the Mansion of Bussiere in the West Hills. In 2014, Jinping XI, President of China, highly recommended Mr. Bussiere and his great courage and effort under in the 70 anniversary of China-France establishing diplomatic relations. The organizer of Bussiere Challenge Beijing Xishan Trail also hope to pay respect to Mr. Bussiere in their own way—by organizing a tough running event named after him. 

The 88km category started at 0800AM, 2nd, May while the 42km category started 10minutes later.

In 88km, we can see quite a few familiar faces in the trail running community of Mainland China, such as Zhijian DING, Changgui QIU, Fuyue LI and Shuwen CHEN.

Zhijian graduated from university 3 years ago and has kept running despite a lot of pressure at work. His specialty is coping with technical and steep downhills.

Changgui and Fuyue have something in common: 40+ years old, harsh childhood, dedication to training in their limited spare time and extraordinary toughness and peace of mind, which has made them extremely competitive in all the trail races they ran so far. They often score places on the podium of a trail race.

Shuwen is a finisher of 2013 Tour des Geants, but compared with the 3 abovementioned runners, he does not have unique skills. But he is very experienced in running at night.

In the female field, Runqing MAO, a teacher from a university in Tianjin attracted the most attention before the race. Mao is not only good at descending but also highly resistent to exhaustion. Compared to her results in races, her training is one of high efficiency-cost ratio.

All things went smoothly until top runners stormed to the entrance of a trail after a long ascent by stone stairs. The volunteers showed the wrong direction, and runners followed their instructions. Nearly 30 runners of 88km and 42km ran in the wrong direction until they realized how far they went—almost 3km. Despite this unfortunate incident, most runners considered the extra distance as a surprising bonus. It did not affect the outcome of the race neither. 

Zhijian led the race almost from the start to the end, while Changgui and Fuyue took up the 2nd and 3rd positions in turn. But Changui and Fuyue missed a sign a second time later on in the race. 

Around 5 or 6 o’clock, a downpour began and a strong wind began to blow. The organizer altered the course according to the weather forecast and their emergency back-up plan: a shortcut to lower the difficulty and total distance of 88km to 63km in consideration of the safety of runners and volunteers.

In the end, the rainstorm ensured no more than 20 runners finished the long distance race. By the time of 4 AM, all the runners had returned to the finish line safely, which was of course the most important thing. 

Top 3 male:

1 Zhijian DING-11:18
2 Fuyue LI-11:53
3 Changgui QIU-12:47

For top females, Runqing Mao lost her way several times and ranked 2nd, while a new face, Xuetao ”Bee Queen” Wu,  became the champion in her debut race over a +50km  distance. It took them about 5 hours to run alone in the rain and then the dark wild. Ultra trail running is the game for brave and tough girls.

Top 3 female:

1 Xuetao WU-14:05
2 Runqing MAO-15:28
3 Ning ZHAO-15:54

In the 42km, we also saw familiar elites like Kailun WEI (from Liaoning Province, the fastest Chinese with best rank in the Tour des Geants: 107hrs 25min, 59th overall), Duanyang BI(Marathon PR under 2hrs 45min) and Qiuyu MENG(finished Vibram HK100 within 14 hrs) plus Jingfeng LIU(F, Marathon PR under 3hrs 15min). For those who practiced along the course already a couple of times, experience was their secret to finish, or even prevail. 

There was an innovation in this race, which is also the first attempt in a trail running race in Mainland China. If a runner of 88km category wanted to switch to 42km category, he/she could do so at a special checkpoint under the supervision of organizer’s representative. 1 UTMB point was still available after switching, but of course there was no access to the podium of the 42km. The race director, Mr. Daqing WANG said that it is the TNF100HK gave him inspiration to set this rule in regulation.

Top 3 male:

1 Dunyang BI-04:54
2 Linhu LI-05:06
3 Jindong LI-05:23

Top 3 female:

1 Jing LIU-06:36
2 Yan SHI-06:58
3 Liping WANG-07:12

Father & Son

Maofu WANG is the son of Yan WANG and Jingli ZHANG. Wang is a devoted trail runner and photographer in his spare time along with his wife, Jingli. As a Tecnica-sponsored runner, Wang will run the 2015 Tour des Geants this autumn in Italy and he also finished several 100km in Mainland China and Hongkong with solid performances. In 2014, he completed the TNF100km Beijing (105km, total ascend 6900m) in dark night and in dense fog within 20hrs. In Bussiere Challenge, he ran the 21km with his little son all the way. ”This is a good opportunity to teach him the meaning of challenge and achievement, as well as enjoy and respect the nature. Of course, he is very happy all the time. He finished the 21km all by his own efforts because I told him if he relies on my strength, he will be disqualified by the organizer. And, I trust his determination and fitness.” Wang said. “At the first I am a little worried about them because I lost contact with them, perhaps due to the bad signal of mobile phone. But on seeing them back at the finish line so happy, I am really excited! I am so proud of my family. ”Jingli said. She was a volunteer in the timing group and photographing during the race and offered more than 12hrs service.

The race director also appointed Maofu, the youngest finisher of 21km to distribute medals to some 21km finisher behind him. Maofu enjoyed it as a game, he also set the record of the youngest volunteer.

Furthermore, a charity running group including 10 handicapped runners finished 10km and they will continue their adventure in Gobi desert in Gansu Province soon.

Regarding the many participants on the 21km and 10km, most of them were recreational hikers and it was their first try of trail running.

Despite the bad weather conditions for the long distance runners, the event brought a lot of smiles. The organiser has taken note of the technical issues faced by some of the runners and will solve these for next year's 2nd edition. 

This weekend's first Indonesian race of the 2015 Asia Trail Master series was won by local Indonesian runners Jumardi in the men's category and Mila Marlina in the women's. 26-year-old Jumradi had an advantage of almost 50 minutes over second-placed Wijanarko and crossed the line (picture below) in 9:48:08.

The 42km long marathon distance proved to be a real hard nut to crack for most of the participants. Climbing up the two peaks was always meant to be tough. No fewer than 4000m of elevation gain had to be conquered on "just" 42km. On the bonus side, runners enjoyed spectacular views of the national park. 

Quick podium results:

Men: 1. Jumradi (indonesia) 9:48:08; 2. Wijanarko (Indonesia) 10:35:32; 3. Gaspard Dessy (France) 10:54:17 
Women: 1. Marlina (Indonesia) 14:43:37 . No other women made the 16h cut off time

View on the top

This Saturday, 2 May, marks the first of four Asia Trail Master races in Indonesia on the calendar. The Gede Pangrango Marathon takes place in a beautiful national park in West Java, roughly 2,5 hours away from Jakarta, capital city of Indonesia. It is a race for mountain goats and nature lovers. The 42km distance covers no fewer than 4000 altitude metres and two big (volcanic) peaks, and is a points-scoring race for the Asia Trail Master ranking. Start and finish is in Cibodas. 

For non-domestic participants, please see a gentle reminder for the MANDATORY GEAR List, as published on the event organiser's social media pages. 

1. BIB (Running number)
2. Drinking Water 1.5 Liter
3. Food
4. Headlamps + extra batteries.
5. Emergency Survival Blanket (minimum 130cm x 200cm)
6. Whistle
7. Warm Outfits
8. First-Aid Kit

Participants also strongly advised to have Travel/Accident Insurance.

There will be shuttle bus to ferry runners on race day from a city location in Jakarta to the race venue inside the National Park.

For more information, please contact:
Contact: 081210000469 (Ary) atau 0817181187 (Rama)
Email: debrads.id@gmail.com

DEPARTURE
Location: In front of FX Sudirman (https://goo.gl/maps/wbuCW)
Date/Time:
Saturday, 2 May 2015 02:00 WIB (for 15K dan 21K)
Saturday, 2 May 2015 01:00 WIB (for 42K)

RETURN
Location: Race Central at Cibodas Botanical Garden
Date/Time:
Saturday, 2 May 2015 15:00 WIB (for 15K dan 21K)
Saturday, 2 May 2015 22:00 WIB (for 42K)

FEE:
IDR 150,000/pax (for 15K and 21K)
IDR 170,000/pax (for 42K)

Terms and Condition:
1. Available only to confirmed (paid, with BIB number) participants.
2. Fee is IDR 150,000/pax for 15K and 21K participants, IDR 170,000/pax for 42K participants.
3. You will be included in the passenger list only after we confirmed your payment.
4. Shuttle bus capacity is 48pax/bus for 15K and 21K, 15pax/bus for 42K.
5. You will be grouped based on total number of passengers.
6. Grouping will be based on paid passengers.
7. Minimum number for group departure is 38pax/group for 15K and 21K, 12pax/group for 42K.
8. If minimum number in 7) above not reached, the group's shuttle bus will be cancelled and all payments will be refunded.
9. Departure will be on 2 May 2015 02:00WIB for 15K and 21K, and 2 May 2015 01:00WIB for 42K.
10. Return trip will be on 2 May 2015 15:00WIB for 15K and 21K, and 2 May 2015 22:00WIB for 42K.
11. Snacks will be provided during the trip.
12. We take no responsibility on your belongings, please take care of your own stuffs.
13. No littering are allowed in the bus or out to the open street.
14. By registering for this shuttle bus service, you agree to the terms and condition.
15. Payment can be done by bank transfer to BCA 4761178886, Account holder's name is Diah Kirana Putri.
16. Send your registration information, with payment proof, to debrads.id@gmail.com. Please include:

• Name
• Race Category (15K, 21K or 42K)
• Bib Number (Check yours at http://www.gedepangrangomarathon.com/id/about-gpmarathon/entry-list)
• Contact Number
• Attachment of Payment Proof

NOTES:
Do not forget to upload a copy of you Photo ID for Park purposes

Following the two races in China, Tsaigu Tangsi Plus and Dalian 100, we have a new leader in the current Asia Trail Master ranking for men: Xie Zhangrong (picture left) managed to finish second in both long distance courses of the aforementioned events, and therefore does slightly better than race winner Yan Longfei, who opted for the shorter, and therefore less prestigious, 52km B-distance in Dalian. 

Runners finishing the longest A-distance race of an event not only receive more distance points (1 km = 1 point) , but also score more performance points (see the points table), as by default the best runners take part in the long rather than the short distance races. 

Yan Longfei is in training for one of his season's goals next month in Australia, hence his decision to run the 50km, which actually was 52km, in Dalian last weekend. The same applied for Dong Li, one of China's leading female runners. In the women's ATM ranking today, Yuen Kit Shan (Hong Kong) and Véronique Messina (France but based in Cambodia) remain on top. Dalian race winner Ma Yanxing (China) enters in 5th place, while Janet Ng, co organiser of the Vibram Hong Kong 100, completes the top 10. 

A lot of races are still to come this year, a lot of points to be won. And remember: at the end of the year, only the best three results for each runner will count. The 2015 Asia Trail Master champion will not only receive the honour, but also a cheque of USD 1.000. 

Race 5 will be the first of four in Indonesia this year: Gede Pangrango Marathon in West Java on 2 May. 

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