This weekend there are two points races on the Asia Trail Master schedule: Ultra Trail Jeju in South Korea, and Mount Falaza Ultra Trail in Eastern Russia. Both races are young and keen to develop further into important races on the Asian trail calendar. UT Jeju is a three-day stage race of 100 km in total, while Mt Falaza UT features a 50 km and 39 km race valid for Asia Trail Master points on and around the Falaza mountain that characterises the Promorye region in the very far East of Russia, close to Vladivostok. 

This Friday, approx 110 runners will begin the stage race on the beautiful Jeju Island that belongs to South Korea. On day 1, they are supposed to climb the highest peak of the island, Mt Halla, in a race of 30 km. Day 2 and 3 consist of 36k and 34k respectively. Two weeks ago, harsh weather conditions forced the organisers of Ultra Trail Mount Jiri to reduce their event to 50k, but this weekend should not be that dramatic. 

Mount Falaza Ultra Trail is hosted by the Gribanovka Ski Resort, a popular place for skiing in winter and now also increasingly so for trail running and adventure racing. While still a boutique event this year, the local organiser is a well-known and respected athlete in the North Asia region himself, who is highly motivated to develop the event in the years to come. Trail running is also in eastern Russia still a very young sport. Participants can combine the race with a city visit to Vladivostok, as shuttle bus transport to and from the Gribanovka Ski Resort is arranged by the race organiser. 

As always, via our social media channels you can stay tuned to the action on the scene! 

The Siberian forest on and around Mt Falaza, scene of Sunday's Mt Falaza Ultra Trail 

Ultra Trail Jeju caters for all types of runners in a three-day stage race

The 6th MesaStila Peaks Challenge this year will go into the trail running archive as the toughest edition yet. Not only was the original course including the ascent of Gunung Merapi retained this year, it was pouring down with rain for most of the weekend. The wet conditions turned several trails into slippery mudbaths and the volcano sections at night surprised plenty a runner for being freezing cold despite this being Indonesia! As usual, the tough race profiles of the five race distances are compensated with a solid event organisation, excellent hospitality at the MesaStila Resort & Spa and pleasant atmosphere throughout the weekend. A worthy Indonesia SuperTrail in other words, which had the additional pleasure of seeing Malaysia's Tahira Najmunisaa crown herself as the new women's Asia Trail Master champion. 50-year-old Jan Nilsen, quite simply incredible this year, took the men's 5 Peaks race over 100k against some big names and claimed the points lead in the men's ATM ranking, setting up a major showdown for the title at CM 50 in Philippines next month against, amongst others, Manolito Divina.

The 100k race with 7700 metres of elevation gain started in the early hours of Saturday and provided a good warm up for the runners before the rain began to come down after the first peak - the steep Mount Andong. Defending Asia Trail Master champion and MesaStila champion Arief Wismoyono had prepared himself well for the important race and immediately put the pressure on Jan Nilsen, Kristian Joergensen, Abdul Rahman and a grouo of strong local contenders. ATM points leader Isaac Yuen Wan Ho unfortunately did not start claiming a back injury. Already on Andong it was clear that Tahira Najmunisaa was back at her very best. Coming down from Andong, the Malaysian star ran in fifth place overall and had put quite some distance between herself and her main competitors Mary Josephine Liao, Ruth Theresa and Mila Marlina, last year's MesaStilla winner. 

Tahira Najmunisaa ran a superb race and claims the 2016 Asia Trail Master championship

Arief Wismoyono knew he had to basically win this SuperTrail race to keep his Asia Trail Master title defence in check. The 50 bonus points do matter in the men's ranking. Sadly, the 32-year-old Bandung hero missed a marker on Gunung Merbabu, which put him suddenly behind Jan Nilsen, Muhammad Dzaki and Kristian Joergensen. Yohannis Hiareij, who narrowly lost the spring to Wismoyono at Ijen Trailrunning last May, seemed to have an off-day and would not feature in the debate up front. To be fair, the conditions for running got increasingly difficult, too. The combination of pouring rain, high altitudes and strong winds when night fell turned the race into a true epic. Wismoyono witnessed four of his running friends suffer from hypothermia and decided like a real gentleman that helping him was more important than chasing down Nilsen and Dzaki. Kristian Joergensen, originally from Denmark, also saw no choice but to escape from the frigid elements for a few hours, which put him down the race ranking and out of podium contention. Still, if a strong northerner like Joergensen freezes up, one can only imagine how hard it must have been out there on Merapi and Merbabu. 

Jan Nilsen: "Running smart is better than running fast" 

But when the going gets rough, one guy never seems to be too bothered: Jan Nilsen continued his amazing form this season and was in control of the race. The Thailand-based Norwegian was not even too concerned when the surprising local runner Muhammad Dzaki came closer and closer and reportedly even caught up with Nilsen with less than 10k to go! Dzaki had been training for a long time for this race, and his efforts, along with knowledge of the route, clearly paid off. Still, Nilsen had an extra gear left and ran solo to the finish at the MesaStila resort in just under 20 hours. In his usual style, Nilsen had a thing or two to say about trail markings and other inconveniences, but he quickly returned to smiles and began to  realise himself that he had just done another serious exploit - after dominating Rinjani 100 earlier this year! Muhammad Dzaki finished second, and another Indonesian Muhammad Fauzi Difinubun moved up to third place in the latter parts of the race. Abdul Rahman was fourth and consolidates his top five ranking. Joergensen, in his first 100k outside his resident country Philippines, had to settle for seventh. 

That was after Tahira Najmunisaa had taken victory in the women's race and by doing so becoming the new Asia Trail Master champion. Tahira scored two SuperTrail victories this season (Malaysia Eco 100, MesaStila 5 Peaks) plus two more ATM wins at Beach Bunch (Brunei) and Merapoh Trail (Malaysia). As the best three results count for the final ranking, only Ma Yanxing (winner China SuperTrail) and Yuen Kit Shan (winner Hong Kong SuperTrail) can mathematically still catch up with Tahira, but both would need to win CM 50 as Philippines SuperTrail next month, and another third ATM race to boot. A scenario that is unlikely. Last Sunday, the 26-year-old Malaysian was joined on the podium by Ruth Theresa, in her first 100k race (!), and Majo Liao. The latter, multiple race winner in the Philippines, showed true grit and did a great job returning from a nasty ankle injury. Majo still has two more ATM races lined up and can finish the season high in the final ranking. 

The statistics of Tahira Najmunisaa 's Asia Trail Master campaign do not lie: 5 career ATM race victories and undefeated! She also has collected four Grandmaster points already. To receive the honourary title of Grandmaster, a runner must complete 6 races of 70k or more inside 24 months.

This year, the cut off time of the MesaStila 5 Peaks had been extended by four hours to a total of 36 hours, which resulted in more finishers (28) and more delighted runners afterwards. Being an official finisher in the epic 2016 MesaStila Peaks Challenge will be remembered for a long time! 

Muhammad Dzaki and Muhammad Difunubun kept the local honours very high

Whereas the 100k, or the 5 Peaks race, obviously gets the most attention, it does somewhat injustice to the 65k race, which is essentially the same route minus Gunung Merapi and a massive elevation gain of almost 5000m as well. Given those numbers, it was decided earlier this year to grant the 4 Peaks also 1 Grandmaster point. Both the men's and women's competition was tight with changing positions and possibilities. Firdaus dropped Polish runner in the last 7km only for a superb home victory. However, Jessica Lintanga made it a double hit for Malaysia as she took the women's race after a good battle with last year's winner Ina Budiyarni. Lintanga, from Sabah, is a first-year trail runner who - like Tahira - belongs to her country's Running Project to prepare aspiring athletes for UTMB in a few years. It was her first race victory outside Malaysia. Ina Budiyarni may have missed a second consecutive race victory at MesaStila, but now has five Grandmaster points in her bag. One more, and she will be the first ever female Asia Trail Grandmaster. A feat she aims to accomplish at Bromo-Tengger-Semeru next month! 

Podium of the 5 Peaks Challenge: Nilsen, Dzaki and Difinubun

Kristian Joergensen thinking "what the hell was this?" 

A worthwile trip all the way from Poland: Michal Kaszorowksi, 2nd in 4 Peaks 

Jessica Lintanga arrives to win the women's 4 Peaks race in another downpour

It is time for the Indonesia SuperTrail! The 6th edition of the MesaStila Peaks Challenge this weekend in Central Java has record participation numbers and will see a significant battle for points in the 2016 Asia Trail Master championship. Ranking leaders Tahira Najmunisaa and Isaac Yuen Wan Ho are both registered along with a whole list of potential challengers to their thrones. On the agenda for them, of course, is one of the toughest races on the Asian trail calendar. An elevation gain of approx 7500 hm in 100 km, including the ascent of Gunung Merapi, is a big feat. Everyone who finishes this race within 36 hours will be a hero. 

MesaStila is the name of a boutique luxury spa and resort in Magelang, between Yogyakarta and Semarang, and close to the legendary temples of Borobudur. Trail running and trekking is inherent to the magnificent area, characterised by volcanic peaks that are scattered all over the place and offer breathtaking views. The race has gradually developed over the years and is proud to be the Indonesia SuperTrail in the Asia Trail Master series. Race director Sri Agus explains: "Indeed, it has been a long journey. In 2011 we started with the Losari Challenge, a 16km run, and one year later the name MesaStila Challenge was born: a Half Marathon following old train tracks. In 2013 the MesaStila Challenge went from rails to trails, and in 2014 we introduced the first Ultra distance of 60k. Last year we then added the 100k category. "

Last year, however, the event was affected by the major forest fires nearby. Gunung Merapi was closed at the time so that runners this weekend will conquer the nearly 3000m high volcano for the first time as part of the MesaStila 5 Peaks Challenge. Only 100k participants will proceed as far as Merapi. The 65k, nicked the 4 Peaks Challenge, reaches until Gunung Merbabu.  "Gunung Merapi is one of the most active volcanoes on earth and it is the signature item of our 100k race,"says Sri Agus. "It is a difficult trail to go up Merapi compared to other mountains nearby.  It is very steep in parts, and there's loose volcanic rocks. Overall this is technical terrain.  All participants on the 100k are advised to focus, pay attention and forget the racing when climbing up to the Pasar Bubrah check point. Once one top you will be rewarded by a view you will never forget. Take your time to take it in, then descend again carefully and only then start thinking of the race again. Safety should always come first."

Mila Marlina will try to repeat her victory from last year

The champions from last year are back. Arief Wismoyono, who laid the foundation for his successful Asia Trail Master championship here, and Mila Marlina are both on the start list for this weekend's 100k - or 5 Peaks - race. Wismoyono will be aiming to get himself in the mix to defend his ATM title. He already has a victory under his belt this year, at Ijen Trailrunning, but he needs more points after a DNF at Rinjani 100 last July. Wismoyono has home advantage, but faces a stern challenge from the amazing Rinjani champion Jan Nilsen. The 50-year-old Norwegian, who lives in Thailand, was the only finisher on the volcano in Lombok and is still in outstanding form. Last week, Nilsen finished third in MF 42, a preparatory race for the Clark-Myamit Falls Ultra - the Philippines' SuperTrail on 27 November. More importantly, Nilsen was not far behind Manolito Divina and Kristian Joergensen on a trail course that suited him much less. Nilsen and Wismoyono start as big favourites this weekend, but the just mentioned Kristian Joergensen certainly ranks as the dark horse. Joergensen, from Denmark, is a multiple race winner in his resident country the Philippines and is a young runner who can still feature highly in this year's Asia Trail Master championship. The question is: can he keep his fast running pace over a 100k distance?

Someone who can is Isaac Yuen Wan Ho. The Hong Kong runner moved into first place of our rankings last July with a second place in the Magnificent Merapoh Trail in Malaysia. Already completed three races this season, Yuen Wan Ho will aim to score more than 450 points to improve on his total of 1400 ATM points, which means he needs to come second this Sunday to do so.... and Jan Nilsen should not win, otherwise the Norwegian, currently third with 1000 points, will take over the points lead in any case. Technically, also Malaysia's Abdul Rahman can find himself topping the Asia Trail Master ranking after the weekend! Currently ranked fifth with 775 points, Rahman needs a victory, though, and even then it depends on the performances of the others. One thing is for sure: Rahman, a finisher of the Malaysia Eco 100 miles and Merapoh Trail 100, will not have a problem with the long distance. The same can be said of Brunei's Ali Ajis Rasil, number 6 in the ATM ranking today following fine performances at Beach Bunch, Ijen Trailrunning and Vietnam Mountain Marathon. 

Finally, remember the tight sprint finish at Ijen Trailrunning this year? Local running star Yohanis Hiareij may have lost that one to Wismoyono, but he's back at MesaStila and might just as well take his revenge. 

Gunung Merapi is the highest point of the 5 Peaks race

Moving over to the women's side, Asia Trail Master points leader Tahira Najmunisaa from Malaysia will be aiming to consolidate her lead this weekend. Another race victory would mean Tahira has got the championship basically all wrapped up. Earlier this season, she won the Malaysia SuperTrail, Eco 100, on top of other victories at Beach Bunch and Merapoh. If Tahira wins her second SuperTrail race at MesaStila, only Yuen Kit Shan and Ma Yanxing can still come alongside her in terms of points, but for them that would imply winning two more races, including the Philippines' SuperTrail in November, AND beating Tahira in a straight dual.  Quite unlikely. However, there is a second scenario in which Tahira does not win this weekend and sees Pinoy running star Majo Liao crossing the finish line first. Majo Liao has recovered from her ankle injury sustained in the Cordillera Mountain Ultra last June and is making her comeback at high level. Scheduled to run also at UT Mapawa at the end of this month and the Clark-Myamit Falls race, which she won convincingly last year, Liao is probably the biggest threat to Tahira Najmunisaa's championship ambitions. 

As such, the experienced Mila Marlina can play a major role in the women's race. As defending champion at MesaStila, Marlina will be keen to please the local Indonesian running community with a back-to-back win. From an Asia Trail Master points' perspective, it would put her back in the mix after difficult races in Hong Kong and Malaysia in the early part of the season, but she can also take away points from the two leading contenders.  

Several more well-ranked runners are doing the 4 Peaks Challenge of 65 km at MesaStila, such as Jessica Lintanga (5th) and Jocelyn Cheung (6th).  Given the high elevation gain (4800 hm), the Asia Trail Master committee decided that the 65 k distance is also valid for the Grandmaster Quest. 

A race on at times dense rainforest terrain like this requires appropriate markings. Runners should pay attention to the following items: 

• MesaStila Peaks Challenge flag
• Sticker reflectors
• Plastic lines
• Paint Markers
• Cut coloured paper  

We will report on the Indonesia SuperTrail from start to finish via our usual social media channels. Stay tuned for what promises to be an epic trail weekend! 

Tahira Najmunisaa can become Asia Trail Master champion this weekend. Her husband Abdul Rahman can jump to the very top of the male standings as well.

The 5th edition of the Tahura Trail in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, has opened registrations for the event on 21/22 January 2017. After the cancellation of The Dirt Track in Thailand, Tahura Trail is set to be the opening race of the 2017 Asia Trail Master series. 

The event features several race distances, but only the longest one of 42 km (marathon) counts to obtain Asia Trail Master championship points. 

This is one of the most popular events in the country, and early sign-up is recommended. In 2016 it received almost 2000 runners as an Asia Trail Master Candidate Race, and attracted strong athletes such as Abdullah Mittiche and Cassidy Jones who won the 42k race for men and women respectively.  Tahura Trail will be preceeded by a trail running expo on Saturday. For international runners, the event can easily be combined with a trip to Indonesia's capital Jakarta, as Bandung is just roughly one hour away. You can check all race and logistical details conveniently via our race cover page on this website, or go to the event website, where you can also register yourself. o

Event website with registration

This weekend the second Korean trail race of the Asia Trail Master season is on the menu. A tough mountainous race in the country's Southern region, on and around the holy Jirisan mountain. Mount Jiri is in fact the second highest mountain in Korea at 1915m above sea level, and the surrounding national park the largest of its kind. Trail runners have 100km or 50km to absorb this weekend. The main race has approx 5900m of elevation gain and a tight cut-off time of 32 hours. Spectactular views and local ethnic culture will accompany the athletes during their effort.  

The weather forecast is not brilliant for the weekend. One week after the debacle at UTMF last week, there are fears that also this big race may be reduced to a shorter distance. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. In any case, the cold temperatures in combination with potential rainfall will make it a tough day for all competitors. [UPDATE: the 100k has been cancelled. All competitors will be redirected to the 50k distance]

The event will have its second edition following a successful test race last year. Organised by the same crew of Korea 50k - the country's best known trail race and also an Asia Trail Master points race in April - UTMJ has the environment to develop further into a classic race on the Asian calendar.  Accessible via Busan, the organisers also arrange transport from Seoul and the main event hotel is the great Kensington resort. 

The competition is quite open with a great mix of local Korean athletes and international runners. The conditions during the race may affect performances, so it really remains to be seen who will emerge victorious. 

You can follow the action at UTMJ live via our social media channels this weekend. 

THe 100 km race distance of the Vietnam Mountain Marathon was won by two European runners in the male and female categories: Petr Novotny from Czech Republic, and Nathalie Cochet from France. They both had a clear advantage over the next runners, who were both locals from Vietnam: Cao Ngoc Ha and Chi Nguyen. As expected, the race was tough with 34 finishers in total. This includes China's Wang Xin, Denmark's Caster Nielsen, Malaysia's Syed Abdul Rahim and  Brunei's Ali Ajis Rasil, all of whom had scored Asia Trail Master points before this year and will thus move up in the ranking.

There was another French winner on the classic 70km distance in Sapa: Team Uglow's Antoine Epinette was a good 17 minutes faster than American Cory Lewandowski. The female winner came from Japan: Sayaka Matsumoto proved outstanding and gave the opposition no chance. Canada's Amber Lane was second and Hong Kong's Cherrie Chung third. Interesting from an Asia Trail Master points perspective was the 7th place of another Hong Kong runner Jocelyn Cheung. 

The Asia Trail Master points championship continues next week in South Korea with Ultra Trail Mount Jiri.

This weekend's Vietnam Mountain Marathon in Sapa finally launches the second part of the Asia Trail Master championship season. The  4th edition sees a record number of 1600 registered runners spread out over five distances, of which three are valid for ATM points. New this year is the 100km race distance, and it has attracted not a bad number of athletes, including number 18 in our current Asia Trail Master championship, Ali Ajis Rasil from Brunei. The 100k is the hardest single day footrace in Vietnam and climbs up to an altitude of 1779m above sea level. After the start at the Topas Ecolodge, 100k participants will go on a new loop of 30k, before joining the traditional 70km loop. Along the route will be plenty of ricefields, plantations and villages of ethnic minority peoples. On the horizon looms Mount Fansipan, the highest mountain in Vietnam. The weather is always a factor in this race as well. 

A tough but very rewarding event that has put Vietnam firmly on the trail running map. It is fantastic to see how many local and Vietnamese people in general have decided to take part in VMM this year and spend a glorious weekend in the Sapa mountain region. Very much an event for everyone, all finishers on the 100 and 70k races will also score 1 point for their individual Grandmaster Quest.

Ali Ajis Rasil has a great opportunity to propel himself back in the top 10 of the ATM championship ranking for the second time this season. Coming from another country that only very recently has embraced the sport of trail running, the Bruneian has had solid finishes at Ijen Trailrunning in Indonesia and the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge in his home country so far this season. Hong Kong's Jocelyn Cheung (27th, 425 ATM points) and Vietnam's own Thanh Vu (37th, 400 ATM points) are two women who could jump forward in the female championship ranking this weekend as both are registered for the 70km race. 

Stay tuned for updates on the races in Sapa via our social media channels on the weekend. 

CURRENT ASIA TRAIL MASTER POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP RANKING

1. Isaac Yuen Wan Ho (HKG) 1400 points (incl. Abroad Bonus)
2. Manolito Divina (PHI) 1050 points
3. Jan Nilsen (NOR) 1000 points
4. Xu Xiutao (CHN) 800 points
5. Abdul Rahman (MAS) 775 points
6. Aleksis Capili (PHI) 737 points
7. Marcelino Sano Oy (PHI) 710 points
8. Alan Toh (MAS) 690 points
9. Philip Kian Yong Yeo (MAS) 680 points
10. Matthew Kennedy (GBR) 641 points
11. Zhong Guan (CHN) 640 points
12. Vincent Chalias (FRA) 635 points
13. Yong Yunseok (KOR) 600 points
14. Carlos Paz (ESP) 561 points
15. Raymond Cheung (HKG) 550 points
15. Zhaohong Hua (CHN) 550 points

TOP 15 WOMEN

1. Tahira Najmunisaa (MAS) 1600 points (incl. Abroad Bonus)
2. Gretchen Felipe (PHI) 760 points
3. Adelinah Lintanga (MAS) 690 points
4. Patricia Shindy (INA) 660 points
5. Jassica Lintanga (MAS) 650 points
6. Ma Yanxing (CHN) 550 points
6. Yuen Kit Shan (HKG) 550 points
8. Akmaral Meirman (KAZ) 500 points
8. Ann Mari Lillejord (NOR) 500 points
8. Zhou Dongmei (CHN) 500 points
8. Qu Lijie (CHN) 500 points
8. Yukako Takashima (JPN) 500 points
8. Yukari Fukuda (JPN) 500 points
8. Tseng Wei Lin (TPE) 500 points
8. Xiao Jing (CHN) 500 points

Photo: David W Loyd Photography

While the second part of the 2016 Asia Trail Master season still has to commence next week in Vietnam, we have been looking further preparing next year's series over summer. In the past few weeks we have already been presenting a number of confirmed races on our calendar for next year, and now we would like to focus briefly on the 2017 Asia Trail Master points championship. The basic principles remain the same, but a few amendments will nevertheless be introduced as our series keeps developing.

The 2017 points system

The points allocation for the 2017 'championship' will differ slightly from the system used now in 2016. The most important change is that as of next year the best five points results of each runner will count for the final Asia Trail Master championship ranking at the end of the year, and no longer just the best three. A second significant amendment to our points regulation follows popular demand from runners: certain B and C races of a big event with a high degree of difficulty, for example a 100 km race when there is also a 100 miles race, or the Rinjani 60k with a huge elevation gain in itself, will be better rewarded with performance points. This means that the winners of the 100 miles and 100 km races of one and the same event (e.g. Malaysia Eco 100) will both score 400 performance points. However, every finisher of a 100 miles will get an additional 25 bonus points to still have a distinction between the two distances. Finally, and this also as a result of popular demand, in 2017 it will no longer be required for a race to have 42 km in length when the elevation gain exceeds 2000 metres, By opening this door, the Asia Trail Master series will become even more diverse and offer opportunities for all types of trail runners to do well. 

From the beginning, the Asia Trail Master points system has been designed to be easily understood on purpose. No algorithms or complicated mathematical formulas, runners should at all times be able to calculate what their approximate points reward will be while they are still racing. We invite you to read the nitty gritty and check the points distribution tables in the dedicated web section, but in a nutshell just remember that everybody scores two types of points:    

• Finisher points: each runner who finishes a race scores finisher points 
• Performance points: based on a runner's official result in a race 

Also next year a select number of events will receive the SuperTrail label. SuperTrails offer 50 bonus points for finishers on the two longest race distances of the event, which implies they are important for fast and ambitious runners who aim for the championship or a high final ranking in general. The first SuperTrail in 2017 will be Unseen Koh Chang in Thailand on 17/18 February. Then there is still the Abroad Bonus: runners who score points in 3 Asia Trail Master races get a 50-point bonus if 1 of the 3 races took place outside the runner’s country of residence at the time of the race. Our series is not just about competition, it is also about mixing and socialising with each other across country borders. 

A final remark on joint finishers. Sometimes you see people arriving at the finish of a race together. While we absolutely have nothing against this form of camaraderie, it could lead to confusion, and complaints, as to who deserves how many performance points. The joint finish can also be tactical gameplay, namely. In the case of a complaint, we reserve the right to consider the race positions of the concerned runners at the last checkpoint before the finish to determine the number of performance points each gets. 

The Asia Trail Master ranking will be updated immediately after each race, and published on the ATMs website via http://m.racetimingsolutions.com/rankings , followed by a press release. The points are allocated according to the official race results as provided to us by the local race organiser. 

This is not all. A number of new initiatives for 2017 are in the pipeline and will be announced in due course! 

The Asia Trail Master series will bring you to picture perfect places also in 2017!

Japan's Echigo Country Trail in Oguni Forest Park near Nagaoka last June was one of the most eye catching races of the year so far for plenty of runners. The 52km race received full support from the local community, which resulted in a pleasant festive atmosphere all weekend. Participants from outside Japan also got a close look into the local culture and lifestyle of the people...and of course of the beautiful green and hilly landscape. The Echigo Country Trail contains quite a bit of road to connect between villages, but make no mistake as the 2000 metres of elevation gain make themselves felt for every runner. The single trails in the forests and hills are often very steep and even require ropes at times. This is a tough race. And it will be back as an Asia Trail Master points race next spring on 17/18 June! 

The event takes places in the countryside of the Chubu region, but is well-connected via Shinkansen from Tokyo. However, from several places in Asia you can also fly directly to Niigata if you wish to skip Tokyo all together. It is possible to turn Echigo into a weekend trip. 

Please check the race report of the 2016 Echigo Country Trail event. 

The Echigo Country Trail will not be the only Japanese points race next spring, however. Another popular local event is joining our calendar on 28 May 2017: the Kushigata Wind Trail! Organised by the same crew as the Echigo, the Kushigata Wind Trail has Tainai City, also in Niigata, as event host and offers a relatively shot but very crispy trail race. It essentially takes runners on a mountain range and ridge with splendid views of the snowcapped Iide Mountains. More than 2000 metres of elevation gain need to be conquered on a total distance of approx 35 to 42 kilometer. Hiroaki Matsunaga, race director, is currently still exploring options and will confirm the full 2017 course in the next weeks. Also the Kushigata Wind Trail event will be much more than just the race. An opening ceremony with welcome party, as well as an onsen (hot spring) visit to a top location are all part of the experience for runners. Stay tuned for more updates as they become available, but enter the weekend in your running diaries already! 

Preliminary 2017 Asia Trail Master calendar

* more races will be added in due course

22/01/17 - Indonesia - Tahura Trail
29/01/17 - Philippines - Rizal Mountain Run
17-18/02/17 - Thailand - UT Unseen Koh Chang - SUPERTRAIL
25-26/02/17 - Brunei - Beach Bunch Trail Challenge
04-05/03/17 - Philippines - Cordillera Mountain Ultra
23/04/17 - South Korea - Korea 50k
24/04/17 - Nepal - Ultra-Trail Nepal - Run for Recovery
07/05/17 - Kazakhstan - Tengri Ultra Trail
13-14/05/17 - Malaysia - Eco 100 - SUPERTRAIL
20-21/05/17 - Indonesia - Ijen Trailrunning
28/05/17 - Japan - Kushigata Wind Trail
18/06/17 - Japan - Echigo Country Trail

Race director Hiroaki Matsunaga (in red) is the driving force of trail running in Niigata

Next in our 2017 Race Preview is Ijen Trailrunning, an event that deservedly got rave reviews for its second edition last May. The 70k race to the Blue Fire of Ijen volcano in East Java witnessed a grand sprint for victory between Arief Wismoyono and Yohanis Hiareij - almost unheard of in the trail world after a 70k race -, as well as a majestic run by Singapore-based Norwegian Ann-Mari Lillejord in the women's. But what made people like the event even more was the quality of the technical organisation and the well-balanced trail course with appropriate cut off time. The climb to the Ijen crater is the highlight, but there are plenty of runnable sections in this race. 

Egon Trails, the outdoor company based in Surabaya and main organiser of Ijen Trailrunning, has announced that in 2017 a new 100k will be introduced to the event alongside the existing races over 70km, 42km, and 21km. Other than Ijen, the new longest distance will also feature another climb. Race venue is set to remain Bondowoso, with Surabaya as main international gateway on Java, but Bali as an attractive alternative. As with many trail races in breathtaking venues, getting there and away does require some time but at least you have 9 months left to plan. 

Asia Trail Master championship points will be scored on the 100, 70 and 42k distances, and the 100 and 70 also qualify for the Grandmaster Quest. 

Stay tuned in the next weeks as more technical details of the 100k become available. 

Please check the race report of the 2016 event. 

Preliminary 2017 Asia Trail Master calendar

* more races will be added in due course

22/01/17 - Indonesia - Tahura Trail
29/01/17 - Philippines - Rizal Mountain Run
17-18/02/17 - Thailand - UT Unseen Koh Chang - SUPERTRAIL
25-26/02/17 - Brunei - Beach Bunch Trail Challenge
04-05/03/17 - Philippines - Cordillera Mountain Ultra
23/04/17 - South Korea - Korea 50k
24/04/17 - Nepal - Ultra-Trail Nepal - Run for Recovery
07/05/17 - Kazakhstan - Tengri Ultra Trail
13-14/05/17 - Malaysia - Eco 100 - SUPERTRAIL
20-21/05/17 - Indonesia - Ijen Trailrunning
 

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Confirmed again as Malaysia's SuperTrail, the 3rd edition of Malaysia Eco 100 is on the agenda for 13/14/15 May 2017. The event in Penang will be further fine-tuned here and there, but essentially builds on the groundwork laid out in the first two successful editions. That means runners will be provided with three well-tested options of 100 miles, 100km or 50km to score points for the Asia Trail Master championship ranking. Less ambitious runners can also go for 30 km during the long weekend.

Elevation gain is not the biggest issue in Malaysia Eco 100. The longest race has 4000 hm, but most of it is concentrated in the second half of the course, which means athletes need to preserve energy during the long runnable sections of the first part. People on the 100k only have 500 hm less to conquer, and the 50k is actually with 3000 Hm the opposite of the 100 miles: namely a race for climbing goats. The heat and humidity play a big role in this race, and were the main cause for the considerable DNF rate on the two longest distances in 2016. In 2017, participants in the 100 km and 50 km races will certainly benefit from an extended cut off time of 30 hours and 20 hours respectively. The ultra runners on the 100 miles are expected to be back within 40 hours. 

Malaysia Eco 100 being a SuperTrail, there are 50 ATM bonus points for all finishers on the 100 miles and 100 km races. Those who complete the 100 miles even get the new 100 Mile Bonus of 25 ATM points on top of that! 

It goes without saying that both 100 miles and 100 km are also valid for 1 point in the Grandmaster Quest. 

In 2016 Manolito Divina from the Philippines delivered a fantastic performance by finishing the 100 miles in 29 hours 47'08 ", and Aleksis Capili crowned himself as the first ever Asia Trail Grandmaster. Read more about it here. 

Registration for next year's event is already open via the event website with early bird rates till 30 November. 

Preliminary 2017 Asia Trail Master calendar

* more races will be added in due course

14/01/17 - Thailand - The Dirt Track
22/01/17 - Indonesia - Tahura Trail
29/01/17 - Philippines - Rizal Mountain Run
17-18/02/17 - Thailand - UT Unseen Koh Chang - SUPERTRAIL
25-26/02/17 - Brunei - Beach Bunch Trail Challenge
04-05/03/17 - Philippines - Cordillera Mountain Ultra
23/04/17 - South Korea - Korea 50k
24/04/17 - Nepal - Ultra-Trail Nepal - Run for Recovery
07/05/17 - Kazakhstan - Tengri Ultra Trail
13-14/05/17 - Malaysia - Eco 100 - SUPERTRAIL

The 3rd edition of the cult race Tengri Ultra Trail near Almaty in Kazakhstan is scheduled for 7 May 2017 and will again be a points race in the Asia Trail Master series. With 70km as main distance, the race is also on the agenda for runners who are on the Grandmaster Quest. Less ambitious runners can again aim for 35k or 15k as well. Tengri Ultra Trail is a true outdoor event, with compulsory camping alongside the Ili River given the remoteness of the area approximately 110km from Almaty, the economic centre of Kazakhstan and main international gateway. The venue, Tamgaly Tas, is actually on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its ancient cave paintings. 

Race director Timur Artyukin is happy with how the 2016 edition went and is keeping the race courses for next year more or less as they are. That means a good mix of flat parts with hills, grassland and canyons. Should it rain in the days before, you may also get your feet wet in a few narrow river crossings. Otherwise this is a trail race that can be negotiated by beginning runners as well. Still the only ultra distance trail in the country, TUT gets a lot of local media exposure and is welcoming international participation. The 2017 registrations will open already soon. 

Please see this year's cover page for more information. 

Preliminary 2017 Asia Trail Master calendar

* more races will be added in due course

14/01/17 - Thailand - The Dirt Track
22/01/17 - Indonesia - Tahura Trail
29/01/17 - Philippines - Rizal Mountain Run
17-18/02/17 - Thailand - UT Unseen Koh Chang - SUPERTRAIL
25-26/02/17 - Brunei - Beach Bunch Trail Challenge
04-05/03/17 - Philippines - Cordillera Mountain Ultra
23/04/17 - South Korea - Korea 50k
24/04/17 - Nepal - Ultra-Trail Nepal - Run for Recovery
07/05/17 - Kazakhstan - Tengri Ultra Trail