The Vietnam Mountain Marathon is up next this weekend in the Asia Trail Master series, and many people are looking forward to that. Not only because it is the only major trail run in the country, but also because it is witnessing a boom in registrations from all over the region. Saturday's race "on trails beaten by buffaloes"  is the third edition of the event organised by Topas Travel in Sapa, in the northwest of Vietnam. 

The event offers 4 different race distances, of which the 70km and 42km are points-scorers for the Asia Trail Master ranking. Finishers on the longest 70km also get 1 point for the Grandmaster Quest. This is a mountainous race with 3000m of elevation gain on the long distance, and together with the altitude and potential high temperatures the race can be very tough. 

Among the many hundreds of runners will also be Thai star Sanya Khanchai, who will be one of the men to beat on the 70km. There will be many Thai runners in Sapa this weekend, along with a large contingent from Malaysia and Singapore, but also many local Vietnamese runners will take the start, in what is clearly a boost for the trail running sport in the country. Let's see if one of the local runners can cause an upset this weekend! 

Topas Travel, an adventure travel agency based in Sapa, organises the event together with the Danish embassy and regards it mainly as a social event through the rice fields and breath-taking valleys, cross bamboo bridges, bypass water buffalos, mountain pigs and cheering local children. VMM  is the result of a lifelong love of running and a fascination with Vietnam, and participants will run on paths in the  Hoang Lien National Park that are traditionally not-used by trekkers. 

Even though our inaugural edition of the Asia Trail Master series is still in full swing, preparations for next year have already begun. Event organisers who are keen to join us in 2016 are kindly invited to check our latest guidebook and fill in the event application form below or online. The earlier you contact us, the more we can do for you. 

Several new events have already applied and are being included in next year's calendar. The first version of the 2016 race calendar will be released at the end of next week. We are delighted and grateful to see the Asia Trail Master series maturing so quickly, and are looking forward to working together with all  of you! 

A general remark: just like this year, there is a maximum of 5 races per country.  An application does not automatically mean inclusion in our calendar, and will be subject to proper evaluation. 

As today, runners score points in all races they finish, but only their best three results will be taken into account for the final ranking at the end of the year. Runners who finish a 70km race also get 1 point for their Grandmaster Quest. By the waym in 2016 we are likely to have our first Asia Trail Grandmasters, who will enter our Hall of Fame! 

LINKS

2016 Event Application Form

2016 Guidebook for Event Organisers 

CONTACT

Email to info@asiatrailmaster.com 

One of the early protagonists in our inaugural Asia Trail Master series is China's Yan Longfei. Winner of the Tsaigu Tangsi Plus 58km race in his home country's Linhai (Zhejiang Province) in April, Yan Longfei continued with another solo victory only one week later on the 50 km race distance in Dalian. Before that, he had already beaten the course record on the Vibram Hong Kong 100 in January. As successful Yan Longfei has been in Greater China, outside of Asia fortunes have been more mixed in his first season as an international elite. Modest by nature, Yan Longfei knows his current limits and continues to train and learn to push those limits ever further. A short Q & A with an impressive athlete. 

Translated from Mandarin by Xiaozhao Zhao

1）You run a 2:15 marathon and were part of the China National Team, what made you make the leap to trail running instead?

YLF: I chose to end my career as a professional road marathon runner in 2013 out of my free will. Because I think, as I get older, I am more and more eager to be myself and do not want to live under the regime of a team. My first trail race is the 2013 Hanghzou 100km, but due to little experience in training for trail running, I hurt my Achilles tendon one month before the race and had to quit after about 20km.  However, I fell in love with trail racing from then on.

2）You won't miss the possibility to go to an Olympic Games? 

Of course, I would try again with a full effort provided there is a chance. Running the Olympic Marathon for Team China has been a kind of honor and a boost to my self-esteem when I entered the professional team.

3）What is your main goal to achieve in trail running?

I do not have any specific target and just like to keep running like what I have been doing. I enjoy running and racing, fulfilling my deepest love of the sport.

4）Where do you usually train?

I usually train in Shanghai, where the atmosphere within the running community is very good. But Shanghai is a city and relatively flat. So I have to go to Hangzhou for training on proper trails.

5）What is your favourite type of terrain? High mountain, hilly or flattish?

Hilly terrain and mountain definitely. After trying trail running, I have found road running to be quite boring. Perhaps I ran too much flat courses before, I prefer the alpines now.

6）How do you prepare for a race the day before?

Nothing special. Just prepare the necessities and my favorite food for the race,  and then have a good rest.

7）Do you drink a lot during a 100k race? What do you eat? 

I do not need to drink much. 3 litres is enough, usually. I eat some gels and bananas, plus some nuts.

8）What made you start running and try to become a professional runner? Did you have any idols as a child or teenager? 

I was a naughty boy in my childhood. I started running because I did not like sitting down in the classroom all day. Since I have become a professional runner, I have not really had any idols. I just admire and respect some people and I hope I will be better than them in the future.

9）You have won the Tsaigu Tangsi Plus 58k race and the Dalian 50k race, so you have a high place in the Asia Trail Master ranking. Are you keen to take part in a 3rd race of the Asia Trail Master series to try and become the 2015 champion?

If I have enough time, I will try for sure.

10）What do you think about the Asia Trail Master series? Could this be a goal for the 2016 year? 

The more quality races the better. But together with my sponsors I have to negotiate and select races for my international calendar.

11）What have you learnt from your races outside of China, such as Gran Canaria and Australia?

Running abroad has made me more mature than before. I can feel my own growth in thinking. I have learnt a lot about oversea races and have had more opportunities to communicate with  and study from elite runners all over the world.

12）Your more experienced compatriot Yun Yanqiao finished ahead of you in TNF Australia. Does that bother you? Do you think you can beat him next time?

I think no one is perfect and will be invincible forever. Most important is to remain humble to be able to enjoy the races.

13）You have won Vibram Hong Kong 100 in a new record time (9:52:42), will you defend your title there or rather try to win the 170km Ultra Trail Hong Kong on 19 February?

I will again run the Vibram HK100 in 2016. I fear races longer than 100 km are too long for me at this stage of my career.

14）How long do you need to recover after a 100km race?

I need around two months for full recovery.

15）What should be improved in the organisation of trail running races? 

I think it is vital to understand the needs and demands of trail runners. For example, what do runners need specifically in a given race?

16）There are more and more trail running races in China, some better organised than others. Do you have any tips for organizers in China?

I hope the trail running scene in China can keep on developing and attracting more people to come and enjoy the trails and open nature. I support any endeavor which is good for our sport.

Yan Longfei receives another set of prizes from Asia Trail Master sponsor Newline Sports at TT Plus. 

We are delighted to announce our latest official media partnership with RunSociety, the first online magazine for runners in Singapore governed by editorial guidelines and the fundamentals of journalistic integrity. As of October, RunSociety will publish previews and reviews of all Asia Trail Master races on the calendar and throw in a couple of extra stories and reports as well throughout 2016.  Obviously, this is good news for all event organisers under the Asia Trail Master umbrella. 

RunSociety has a particular focus on the Singaporean, Malaysian and Australian running communities and will at times also offer special travel and/or registration deals for some of the events on the ATMs calendar. 

As stated on its website: "The online platform was founded with the purpose of uniting the cumulative interests of runners from all walks of life under a common umbrella; keeping them abreast of the latest developments. It’s a place where both professional and aspiring runners can feel at ease, knowing they are receiving information that has been rigorously vetted by a team of experienced writers". Objectivity, reliability and community are the three main pillars of RunSociety following the motto 'Records are broken by bonds'. 

A few links to recent international press articles on trail running and Asia Trail Master races.

Action Asia Online (03/09/2015)
Colourcoil Borneo 100 TMBT Marathon

New York Times (31/08/2015)
Running in the Wild
 

iMoney Hong Kong (August 2015)
Trail running in Asia (focus on Tengri Ultra Trail) - (Chinese) 

The 5th edition of Clark-Myamit Falls on Luzon in the Philippines takes place on 22 November. Official registration has already closed, but via the Asia Trail Master series a happy few can still enter the 50 miles or the 60 km race.

Easily accessible from many Asian countries via the Clark airport, CM 50 is organised by highly experienced trail runner Jon Lacanlale and goes through a variety of scenic landscapes towards the Myamit Falls. Total elevation gain is just over 3000 Hm on the 50 miles race. 

Find out more via the official website and you can sign up easily via Asia Trail Master but be aware this is the final call. 

Last weekend there was not only Borneo 100 TMBT in Malaysia, but also the brand new and promising Epic Valley Malaysia Eco 100 in the Tokun Hills in Penang: a 2016 Asia Trail Master Candidate Race, organised by Endurance Nature, a company led by two experienced and well-known trail runners Seow Kong Ng and Allan Tan. Runners had a choice between the traditional ultra distances of 100km or 50km. Ho Fai Wong (Hong Kong) and Peng Hoon Ng (Malaysia) won the long distance race for men and women respecitively. 

The inaugural event had to cope with rainfall but that did not prevent the participants from having a great run in the scenic Malay countryside. A bit tougher than expected for most people, though. Quite soon after the start the path went up in the area of  the challenging Tokun Hills. Participants therefore really enjoyed the excellent refreshment stations, featuring energy drinks, water and delicious local food. 

The Epic Valley Malaysia Eco 100 clearly has the potential to grow. "We have again established Endurance Nature as a quality event organizer," says Seow Kong Ng. "Eco 100 has proved to be a tough, but beautiful race with yummy food and fantastic volunteers. As first editions go, we have had a few unfortunate problems related to the route marking, but we have analysed these and we will ensure these won't happen again.  Nevertheless, some participants afterwards described our event as 'near perfection'. The future looks good!" 

Avoiding the date clash with TMBT, the event will be held the first weekend of June next year, when it is also an official Asia Trail Master race. 

Start of the 100km race with organiser Seow Kong Ng in the middle

Top 5 results

Men

1. Ho Fai Wong (HKG) 14:38:01
2. Tho Fatt Liew (MAS) 15:19:48
3. Matthew Dyas (GBR) 16:10:57
4. Yew Khuay Lim (MAS) 16:31:19
5. William William (INA) 17:01:04

Women

1. Peng Hoon Ng (MAS) 19:37:14
2. Kelly Hoh (MAS) 19:47:50
3. Soot Goh Ng (MAS) 20:29:10
4. Tsae Ling Toh (MAS) 21:24:33
5. On Tzu Wong (MAS) 21:35:46

The winner of the 50km race 

Malaysia has discovered a new trail running star in Daved Simpat as the 33-year-old local won Borneo 100 TMBT around the southern slopes of Mount Kinabalu in 15:05:05. Simpat, part of the Champion System Adventure Team most known for its cycling exploits, had never run beyond 50 km and claimed the race lead only towards the very end as he passed Singapore-based Indian runner Ullas Narayana. 

Simpat eventually ran an advantage of together of 11'32" to take victory in front of his home crowd. Narayana had run a smart race himself by not overdoing things in the first half. He got into the lead by the penultimate checkpoint in Keranaan, but could not hold off Simpat. Only three weeks ago Narayana managed to get 8th place in the Mount Rinjani Ultra (MRU) on Lombok, which means that he is leaping to 3rd place in the 2015 Asia Trail Master ranking with 732 points. Simpat collects 500 points for his win (400 performance points + 100 distance points). 

Norway's Jan Nilsen was the third runner who saw chances of glory during the tough and hot race, during which the runners also had to cope with heavy rainfall at some point. Nilsen faded in the final 20 kilometres, but his third place was never in danger. Regis Cabaret and Gaspard Dessy, two runners who had an opportunity to propel themselves to the top of the Asia Trail Master ranking, enjoyed a fine start of the race before they dropped back in the order at later checkpoints.  Cabaret, who had come fourth in MRU, ran out of fuel entirely and suffered from dehydration in the second part. He would not make it to the finish line on this occasion. Great Britain's Fintan West scored 25th yesterday and moves up to the top 15 of the 2015 Asia Trail Master ranking with 538 points behind his name. 

The women's race witness an incredible performance by Australia's Joanna Kruk. Not only did Kruk finish over 3 hours-and-a-half ahead of second-placed Deborah Chinn (USA), she crossed the line fifth overall in 16:58:16! The podium was completed by Malaysia's Chong Hsiao Shiang.  Important from an Asia Trail Master point of view was the fourth place of Tan Seow Ping. Malaysian but now residing in Hong Kong, Tan Seow Ping was third in UT HK earlier this year and now again scored 400 points last weekend. She thus grabs the overall lead in the 2015 championship with 900 in total, 325 more than Yuen Kit Shan. 

2015 Borneo 100 TMBT champion Daved Simpat

Top 10 Borneo 100 TMBT

Men:

1. Daved Simpat (MAS) 15:15:05
2. Ullas Narayana (IND) 15:26:37
3. Jan Nilsen (NOR) 15:50:16
4. Munintaran Sundran (MAS) 16:55:38
5. Michael Galligan (USA) 17:14:15
6. Ahmadul Tahir (MAS) 17:35:48
7. Phairat Varasin (THA) 17:38:10
8. Joshua Hengen (USA) 18:13:58
9. Pierre-Henry Coppere (FRA) 18:36:40
10.Soh Hian Lim (MAS) 18:40:48

Women

1. Joanna Kruk (AUS) 16:58:16
2. Deborah Chinn (USA) 20:33:15
3. Chong Hsiao Shiang (MAS) 20:57:11
4. Tan Seow Ping (MAS) 22:09:23
5. Siow Yun Mee (MAS) 22:28:14
6. Lim Mun Yin (MAS) 23:32:06
7. Leana Savenkova (SIN) 24:48:09
8. Pakanee Prutphakdee (THA) 25:16:16
9. Evergreen Edward (MAS) 26:07:18
10.Linda Poong (MAS) 26:31:04

Mount Kinabalu

It's UTMB time in France, but a top weekend is coming up for trail runners and the Asia Trail Master series in Malaysia as well. The country's most renowned race is on in Sabah - the Borneo 100 - The Most Beautiful Thing (TMBT) - and in western Malaysia the inaugural Epic Valley Ecotrail 100 looks set for a great start. What's more, we may get a change in leadership in the women's Asia Trail Master ranking as a few starters are ready to challenge Yuen Kit Shan's 575 points tally!

The Borneo TMBT Ultra Trail Marathon, organised by the Sabah Adventure Challenge crew, is having its 5th edition already on Saturday and will celebrate a new participation record of over 1300 runners spread over 4 distances. As per our regulations, only the two longest distances, 100km and 55km, qualify for scoring Asia Trail Master ranking points. All finishers on the 100km also get 1 point for their quest to become an Asia Trail Grandmaster (6 points in 2 calendar years). 

In Asia, this is certainly one of those epic races and arguably among the genuine classics already. TMBT takes runners from Lingkubang to Kundasang on the western and southern slopes of Mount Kinabalu, via paths in and around native dusun villages few people ever get to experience. The route does not include a summit climb, but is more than tough enough. Not only is there a 5305m elevation gain to be conquered, runners also need to deal with tropical humidity, dense vegetation and even keep an eye on the clock as there is a 30-hour cut off time. A physical and mental challenge with clearly a high appeal factor for people in the still very young Malaysian trail running scene. 318 athletes will attempt the 100km run this weekend. 

Among them also Tan Seow Ping, third in the women's Ultra Trail Hong Kong earlier this year and therefore 8th in the current Asia Trail Master ranking with 500 points,  75 points less than Hong Kong's Yuen Kit Shan. The local Malaysian runner has a great opportunity to claim the lead in the ranking: she only needs to finish the race to score 100 distance points. However, Tan Seow Ping should also keep an eye out for Indonesia's Ina Budiyarni, recently winner of the Rinjani Altitude Run on Lombok. Budiyarni herself can move ahead of Yuen Kit Shan if she crosses the finish line in the top five this weekend.  

Xie Zhangrong's lead in the men's ranking is theoretically also threatened this weekend, but it would take a victory for Belgium's Gaspard Dessy to remove him from the top spot. Dessy was third in the Gede Pangrango Marathon last May and can certainly make a big leap forward, just like France's Regis Cabaret and Great Britain's Fintan West, all of whom have already scored top five spots in Asia Trail Master races in the course of the year. 

On the other side of the country, in peninsular Malaysia and Penang, Endurance Nature is organising the first edition of the Malaysia Epic Valley Eco 100, also an official 2016 Asia Trail Master Candidate Race. A course that presents its own elevation difficulties but that is certainly quite suited for pure distance runners with several long flattish sections. As described very nicely on the event website:

The route will start from the eco village of Sungai Lembu, taking runners through oil palm plantations, rubber plantations, pineapple plantations, several Malay kampungs, Chinese new villages and Indian temples, paddy fields and of course the challenging hills of Tokun.  This is a race which will showcase the typical Malaysian geographical, social and cultural heritage (...). During the race, the runners will be sampling the local cuisines in the food and drinks provided at the aid stations along the course of the race.

Our media partner Action Asia has just released its September/October issue, including coverage of the latest Asia Trail Master races in Indonesia and Mongolia. Available throughout Southeast Asia, for further inquiries please contact Fion Chan in Hong Kong. 

Trail running in Indonesia has taken off seriously this year, as illustrated with four entries in the Asia Trail Master series, and another fifth event is looking to become part of the series next year. Ijen Trail Running was organised for the first time in Bondowoso, East Java, last weekend and of course had Ijen volcano as its core feature.

On offer in this Candidate Race were 70km, 30km and 10km distances. The long distance was won by Bandung Explorer duo Alan Maulana and Arief Wismoyono, with Hadi Firmansyah completing the podium. Wismoyono  just won the Mount Rinjani Ultra two weeks ago and is said to be focussing on Bromo Tengger Semeru in November as well. If he keeps up this level of form, he could be a favourite to win the first Asia Trail Master championship. 

The 30km race was won by Moh Soni Prasetyo in the men's, and Sara Manurong in the women's. With runners from the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom also on the 30k podium, Ijen Trail running did attract a number of international athletes already. 

Numbers 1 and 2 in the men's 70km flanked by the  winner of the women's 30km. 

Courtesy of Ijen Trail Running

Courtesy of Ijen Trail Running

Courtesy of Ijen Trail Running

Courtesy of Ijen Trail Running

Arief Wismoyono gave the Indonesian trail running community something to cheer about as he became the first local winner of the country’s most renowned trail race, Mount Rinjani Ultra (MRU) on Lombok Island. Hailing from Bandung in Java, the 31-year-old Wismoyono held off a late charge by Hong Kong’s Kwok Lun Ng to cross the finish line in 13 hours and 9 minutes and 39 seconds (gun time). Switzerland’s Caroline Roehrl claimed the women’s title in just over 17 hours, making the difference on the climb up Mount Rinjani. 

450 participants from 38 countries travelled to Senaru, the traditional gateway town for multi day trekking trips on Gunung Rinjani, the active volcano that towers high above the small island at 3726m. MRU may only be 52km in distance, but it has a massive 5800 metres of elevation gain. As if that were not enough by itself, the organiser - Indonesian outdoor hero Hendra Wiyaya - also imposes a strict cut-off time of 22 hours. The DNF quota was very high in the first two editions of the event, and it was no different this year with only 34 out of 183 effective starters beating the challenge. All finishers of course score points for the 2015 Asia Trail Master ranking, and by exception - given the event's high degree of difficulty - also get 1 point for their quest to be come an Asia Trail Grandmaster (6 points required within 2 years). 

Participants were greatly rewarded for their efforts by fantastic views at the peak of the crater lake and even of Gunung Agung on Bali. In addition, there was the enthusiasm and appreciation of the local community. The start of MRU was at 10 p.m., which means that most runners had just reached or were on the way to the peak of Rinjani come sunrise. Those who competed in the 21km shorter Rinjani Altitude Run (RAR) could still look forward to the gorgeous sight of the volcano crater lake at 2600m as well.

Arief Wismoyono is on a roll this year, as he also won the Tambora 200 ultra race on Sumbawa last April. With two more big Indonesian races coming up in the Asia Trail Master series this year, Wismoyono has a good chance to finish high in the championship at the end of the year. His winning time at MRU is not a course record, though,as American Thomas Zachary achieved 12:44 in 2014. Similarly, Caroline Roehrl was half an hour short of the female best mark set by Nora Senn from Hong Kong, i.e. 16:30. 

“This is one of the toughest races out there, and very technical. People usually trek for three days on this volcano” said Pablo Diago, based in Singapore and third on the podium. “It is a bit crazy, but that is why we are here!” Women’s champion Caroline Roehrl was happy but totally empty at the finish. “I ran out of gas in the final part of the summit climb. It was so painful afterwards...” She kept an advantage of 49 minutes over the duo Woon Ping Leung and Lam Lai Po. 

26-year-old Caroline Roehrl was the fastest woman after a rocket climb up Mount Rinjani

The short distance race was won by Hong Kong-based Spaniard Daniel Perez and by local star Ina Budiyarni from Java in the women’s. 

Top results 52 km MRU:

1. Arief Wismoyono 13:09
2. Kwok Lun Ng 13:17
3. Pablo Diago 14:44
4. Regis Cabaret 15:17
5. Alan Maulana 15:57
6. Emmanuel Abade 16:25
7. Anthony Leung Kin Yang 16:33
8. Ullas Narayana 16:52
9. Fandi Ahmad 17:00
10. Caroline Roehrl 17:01
14. Woon Ping Leung 17:51
15. Lam Lai Po 17:51

Daniel Perez was unstoppable on the 21km Rinjani Altitude Run (RAR)

Podium of the women's RAR race with winner Ina Budiyarni in the middle.