New on the Grandmaster Quest calendar this year was last weekend’s Pahang Eco. Taking place out of Kuantan on Malaysia’s east coast, Pahang Eco has been around for some years and was a Candidate Race just after the covid crisis. Now offering Grandmaster points, many runners took the call for the 100km race category. A race that lived up to its reputation as being one of the country’s toughest. Heat and humidity is obviously common in Malaysia’s trail racing scene, but during Pahang Eco it seems to hurt runners more than elsewhere.

The finishing times of the podium runners on the 100km distance reflect this as well. Race winner Adam Danial Zailani took top honours reaching the finish in 18h53. Last month, he also won the equally challenging Transnaning Ultra, also a race on the Grandmaster Quest calendar. One hour later, Johari Mohd Ali grabbed second place ahead of Hanafi Hasan.

First female runner was Nurul Emyra Fazira Isnariah Absi in 25h11. Just four weeks ago, she won the 100 Miles race at KAR Ultra. She’s having a great competitive season and with two more Championship Qualifiers to go in her home country - TMBT and Jagoi - she could still get herself in the top five of the ranking and get qualified for Team Malaysia in the upcoming ATM Championship Final in Vietnam on 3 October. At Pahang Eco, it got tough for her as well towards the end as her margin over Yee Mei Ang came down to just 14 minutes. Yee Mei Ang, herself in great shape this year, also scored her first Grandmaster star with her race finish last weekend. Third on the podium was Najah Adibah Ridzuan.

The next two weeks runners in Malaysia can continue to collect Grandmaster points in their home country at Borneo TMBT Ultra and its 109km category, and at Jagoi Ultra with its 70km category.

Adam Zailani is boosting his profile a lot in recent weeks

Just three weeks after KAR 100 Miles, Nurul Emyra again was the strongest in a tough 100k race

Ang Yee Mei scored her 1st Grandmaster star at Pahang Eco and a 2nd place in the race to boot

Godwin Mirar took an important step forward towards qualification for his country’s team in the upcoming Season 11 ATM Championship Final at Mu Cang Chai Ultra Trail in Vietnam. At last weekend’s Marilog Ultra in the western Marilog District of Davao in Mindanao, the 25-year-old ran in the lead from basically start to finish to take another ATM race victory, just one month after MUSPO 100. It was his third race of the season in our series and he now totals 1260 points. In a country such as Philippines that is most likely not enough, given the high number of competitive runners in the country aiming to be part of the Championship team in Vietnam. In the ATM points ranking, it’s the best four results of each runner that count. Mirar is scheduled to run Jagoi Ultra in Malaysia next in two weeks.

While Roberto Cain III - himself still aiming for a team spot for the Championship Final - Zaire Abecia and Yoyong Sacayle were running second, third and fourth for nearly the entire 70km race at Marilog, it was the youngster from Santa Cruz Danny Gumia who reached the finish line in second place! Showing great stamina and grit for such a young trail runner over this distance, it was an eye-opening ATM debut for Gumia.

Roberto Cain III managed to score third on the podium, just ahead of Yoyong Sacayle, who at age 40, is incredibly almost a veteran in this region of the Philippines. While narrowly missing out on the podium, Sacayle did completed the third level of his Grandmaster Quest and is now a 3-star Grandmaster. Moreover, he kept his chances alive for qualification for the ATM Final. Zaire Abecia finished in fifth, ahead of Reymar Taleon and Marvin Buizon, both very consistent top finishers this season.

In the women’s 70km, it was overall ATM points leader Kimberly Flores who scored her fourth race win of the season! The runner from Bukidnon, also still just in her twenties, took a conservative start, but chased down early leader Valerie Mae Marcos after the second aid station and consolidated her winning margin afterwards. Marcos held on to a superb second place, her best performance so far in an ATM Qualifier, especially considering she stayed ahead of Shally Yuson in third. When it comes to female trail running in Mindanao in Season 11, it was all about Kimberly Flores. Only Angelie Cabalo had the measure of her in Hardcore 100 Miles in Luzon at the start of May.

For Filipino trail runners this weekend is the last chance to score ATM Championship points in order to try and qualify for the Finals in Vietnam on 3 October. While a few usual faces have their spots already secured, think reigning ATM Champion John Ray Onifa, 2022 Champion Arnie Macaneras, Kik Suello, Jomarc Ferrer, Kim Flores, Mia Revilla, several others still have some work to do if they want to be part of Team Pilipinas. Marilog Ultra in greater Davao is the event where the remaining spots may get decided - even though there’s still a few other qualifier races to go in the next few weeks.

It is the first time Marilog Ultra is on our Championship calendar, after already being on the Grandmaster Quest calendar before. The main race is indeed 70km in length, enough for the Grandmaster Quest. The race is considered quite tough and goes across ondulating terrain for approx 3300 metres of elevation gain and an uphill finish. As quite often in Mindanao, the race has a large nighttime portion. Start is scheduled for Saturday afternoon/evening and the cut-off time is 22 hours later. Start and finish is MWES Marahan in the Marilog district of Davao, to the west of the main city of Davao.

The 70 km race features some big names on the start list. Godwin Mirar, Roberto Cain III and Yoyong Sacacyle, Marvin Buizon, Reymar Taleon and Leoniel Perez will all be trying to keep or get into the ranking’s top five. But there’s also other strong runners such as Eldy Bulod and Marjones Abugan.

In the women’s race we have Shally Yuson and Janet Arnego, who just raced each other at MUSPO 100 last month, too. Shally is having a late attempt to qualify for the ATM Final again after having a lengthy break from trail running earlier this year.

The event is organised by Team Brad and has a new race director: none other than our former Champion Arnie Macaneras, wo hails from Davao, of course.

ATM will be reporting live from the race from start to finish on our usual channels.

Roberto Cain III is one of a few who can propel himself into his country’s Top 5 of the ATM ranking

Also Godwin Mirar still needs points to get qualified for the ATM Championship Final this season

Yoyong Sacayle currently sits third in the ATM ranking and could qualify for the finals again

Shally Yuson relaunched her ATM season last month at MUSPO with a 2nd place

The 12th edition of Dasal Invitational Trail Run in Davao, Philippines, features once again on the ATM Grandmaster Quest calendar and is scheduled for the weekend of 7/8 November this year. Dasal is known to be among the most popular, but also tougher trail running races on Mindanao, taking place in the Marilog District of greater Davao. Grandmaster Quest star chasers need to focus on the 80km race category and, indeed, come prepared.

DASAL pushes runners to their limits through steep climbs, technical terrain, and sometimes cold mountain conditions. The start and finish is at the Datu Salumay Elementary School grounds, which is just adjacent to the Syre National Highway. This is a major highway with public transportation available. Participants on the 80km should prepare well, as there’s about 5000 metres of elevation gain on this course.

Registration is open. All details and links can be found via the Dasal facebook page, linked below.

Last year, the 80km race was won by ATM Finalists Jevie Cagatin and Shally Yuson. Dasal is also on the shortlist of Filipino trail running events to join the ATM Championship calendar in the near future.

The 2025 course map of Dasal. The 2026 course is coming out soon, but won’t be much different.

The 4th edition of Kalaw Ultra Trail Run in Myanmar is scheduled for 13-14 February 2027 and has now opened registration. The premier trail running event in the country will also serve as a perfect warm-up for elite runners aiming for the Season XII Asia Trail Master Championship title, which is set to be decided also in Myanmar in October 2027. On the programma are again two qualifier race distances: 100km and 50km. Grandmaster Quest star chasers need to focus on the 100km. There’s early bird pricing for those looking to save a few bucks. Registration is easy via the new Hong Kong-based platform Bibly.

Kalaw Ultra Trail Run in Myanmar’s Shan State burst onto the ATM scene two years ago with great success and enthusiasm. In 2026, the organising team of MUTRA even welcomed the presence of then-reigning ATM Champions Jeff Campbell and Priya Rai, who both won the 50km, and Singapore’s Trung Nguyen, who won the 100km. The objective is to build upon the experience and attract even more international runners in 2027. The large local trail community is known to show great respect for everyone who travels to the country.

The race courses are runable and that time of year it should be dry and not too hot. Perfect running conditions. Still, there is some elevation gain to conquer as well, so you can blow yourself up, too .

Kalaw is one of the country’s tourism hotspots and a known destination for backpackers and hikers. It lies relatively close to the Inle Lake, which also draws many tourists year-round. To get there, you can fly to either Yangon or Mandalay and take a domestic flight to Heho afterwards. Or you arrange car or bus transportation from both cities. Note that the domestic flights tend to get fully booked in advance, so plan ahead. In any case, the event collaborates with local travel agency FLYMYA (https://flymya.com/en/in-web?client=mutra) , which will help you with all your travel needs in Myanmar.

The inaugural edition of the only recently established Yam Trail in the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia only saw happy faces at the finish line. Mongolian trail runners truly enjoyed the 75 km long ultra course or the 10 Miles shorter distance across the vast green grasslands with start and finish at the Genghis Khan Monument, one of the country’s main tourist spots. On top, the 75 km was won by a female runner: the experienced Choijinmagsar Zuunnast. Not only did she take the overall victory, she did it in a time of 7h38’58” … for 75 km and 1800 elevation gain!

The new Yam Trail is part of the Mongolia Empire Adventure Series, which also includes a Gravel Granfondo cycling race the day after. People can do both races. Yam Trail obtained the ATM Candidate Race label and is organised in cooperation with ATM. The ‘Yam’ was a relay-based postal, communication and intelligence network in the era of Genghis Khan.

Accountant by profession, Choijinmagsar Zuunnast is one of few runners in her country with international race experience. Running in the grasslands of her resident city clearly gave her wings and she arguably ran the race of her life. True, with perfect temperatures and dry trails, it was a pure runners’ paradise and lovers of technical mountain trails were at a disadvantage - as they usually are in Mongolia. It was also a daytime race, as the long ultra was flagged off just after sunrise at 6 am.

The male winner was Dorjpalam Unurragchaa, himself in a very respectable finish time of 8h41. He was engaged in a competition for victory with Sonomtseren Ariunbayar, who finished just four minutes later.

The 10 MIles was won by 24-year-old youngster Otgonjargal Lkhagvaragchaa in 1h20. He was slightly faster in a sprint against second-placed Senteg Bat-Otgon. First female was Dashnyam Ulziinaran in 2h04.

The 2027 edition of Yam Trail has already been set for the same weekend and Saturday, 14 August as specific date. Registration is expected to open in the beginning of September to allow international runners plenty of time to plan their trip to Mongolia’s capital city. Indeed, the 75km Yam Trail will also be an ATM Championship Qualifier and will of course also feature on the Grandmaster Quest calendar.

Choijinmagsar Zuunnast felt great at home and won the 75km race overall in a very fast time

Male winner Dorjpalam Unurragchaa (75002) was marginally ahead of Sonomtseren Ariunbayar

The dog followed the 75 km runners almost from start to finish! Asia Trail Dog Champion!

We are happy to announce that Ultra Trail Zamboanga (UTZ) has obtained the Asia Trail Master Candidate Race label for its inaugural edition on 25 October. It will be the home race of local trail running star Kik Suello and a new challenge for trail runners looking to experience the beauty, character, and adventure of Zamboanga City through the trails.

Zamboanga City is on the southern tip of the Zamboanga peninsula in the western part of Mindanao and has over a million residents. It’s the second most populous city in Mindanao after Davao City. It’s here and in its immediate surroundings where Kik Suello does his countless hours of training, which made him a race winner and ATM star over the past two seasons. UTZ, as the new event is abbreviated, will take participants through a mix of beautiful scenery, mountain trails, ridges, and breathtaking viewpoints, from one ridge to another and from one mountain to the next. Zamboanga may not have the highest mountains or the biggest waterfalls, but the organisers believe it has something special to offer: trails that tell a story and views that you will remember. The course will be Suello-like and is designed to be runnable, challenging, and enjoyable.

As Kik always says, “Run all the way if it’s possible.”

Expect a combination of runnable sections, climbs, descents, ridgelines, mountain-to-mountain trails, and scenic viewpoints that will test your strength and endurance while allowing you to experience the unique character of Zamboanga’s trails.
And, of course, you can expect the kind of aid stations and race support that the Zamboanga Trail Runners are known for. With the experience of organizing and participating in trail events, the team is committed to providing runners with a safe, organized, and memorable race experience.

The event location will be the Freedom Park-Girl Scout in Pasonanca. The main race will be 75km and the start will be given at 3am. As the organisers say: “The early morning start is part of the adventure. As the race progresses, runners will experience Zamboanga’s trails as the sun rises and the mountains begin to reveal the scenery around them. It is an invitation to run, explore, struggle, enjoy, and discover.” In any case, with over 4600 hm of elevation gain for the 75km, participants better come prepared. Of course, there are also shorter distances on offer, too.

For race updates, announcements, registration information, and other details, please follow the official event page.

Trail running is certainly not always about racing and competition, and sometimes it is even purely about supporting good causes. The Lake Balanan Trail Run in Siaton, Negros Oriental, Philippines is one of those events. An event with the purpose of purchasing a bangka (local boat) to be donated to the pupils and teachers of Managubsob Elementary School as modus of transportation across the lake.

Organised by Parokya ni Basti Happy Feet Events and its director Rhodel Sarande, Lake Balanan Trail Run will have its 4th edition on 28/29 November and has obtained the ATM Candidate Race label.

Siaton is the southernmost municipality in Negros Oriental, one of the islands in the visayas. It is about 50km from main city Dumaguete, which has a domestic airport well-connected to the rest of the country. Lake Balanan is a mountain lake surrounded by lush green forest and waterfalls.

The main race is 50km in length and is quite spicy with over 3000 metres of elevation gain. The cut-off time is 17 hours with start at 11 pm at night.

Via the official facebook page you can stay up-to-date and reach out to the event team for any queries on logistics.

The goal of the event

The 50km course map this year will be the same as in 2025

We are delighted to announce a new ATM Candidate Race in the Province of Bukidnon in Mindanao, Philippines. Lilingayon Ultra Trail is scheduled for 7 February 2027 and will have Valencia City as host city. The main race category will be a punchy 55km with over 3000 hm of elevation gain. Less ambitious runners can also choose shorter options as there are 42km, 21km and 10km.

Lilingayon Ultra Trail is organised by Dagan Ta and supported by the Bunal Running Club. Despite also taking place in Valencia, the new event will have a different start & finish venue (Barangay Hall) compared to MUSPO and will also feature a different course showcasing the highlands of Lilingayon. Mountainous terrain with some proper rainforest jungle and less than 10% of paved roads. The start of the 55km race is planned for 2 am and the cut-off 12 hours later at 2 pm.

To get to Valencia and Bukidnon, you could fly to both Davao and Cayagan de Oro, the latter being closer but having no international connections that Davao has.

Trail running in Bukidnon has boomed since the corona crisis. Within just five years several Filipino elite runners have emerged from this province including but not limited to Godwin Mirar, Yoyong Sacayle, Shally Yuson, Kim Flores and Mary Joy Sumanda.

2024 ATM Champion Jeff Campbell wasn’t to be denied another race victory - his second of the current season after Kalaw in Myanmar - and added Akha Trail in the far north of Thailand to his ever expanding ATM resume. He took command of the tough mountainous jungle trail early on and extended the gap to his nearest rivals for the win. The Canadian living in Hong Kong crossed the finish line in 13h10 - showing how difficult this race is! This year’s edition turned out to be a very muddy one, too.

Britain’s Jake McCardle took second place and Thailand’s Danon Rattanatumrong third on the podium. Evgenii Makarov finished fourth. Earlier in February he had already scored a second place in Kalaw Ultra Trail Run as well. Hong Kong’s Jeremy Ritcey finished seventh behind Thailand’s Narin Kongsiri. Also ATM Legend Mario Yap finished yet another race in 23h08 minutes (rank 25).

Japan’s Yasuyo Hotta won the women’s race ahead of Malaysia’s Vivian Shin Ying Tong and Philippines’ Merionne Demin, who was leading earlier but got off course towards the end. The Filipino actually looked like she was going to take victory, but she got off course towards the ends for a long time, allowing Yasuyo Hotta and Vivian Shin Ying Tong to overtake her. For Hotta it was the first ever ATM race victory. She was part of the Championship winning Team Japan at the 9 Dragons in Hong Kong early this year.

Akha Trail was the only Thai qualifier in Season 11 of the ATM Championship, but in Season 12 , there’s scheduled to be at least three already, beginning with Tulay Trail at the end of October.

The Magnificent Baling in northern Malaysia’s Kedah State has grown into one of the country largest trail running events in terms of participation numbers with over 4000 runners spread out over five distance categories. The flagship TMB 100, or 100km, is part of our Grandmaster Quest calendar for the second year in a row. Baling offers a runable course when dry - which it was all weekend this time around - giving newbies to long ultra trail running a great opportunity to finish a 100k race for the first time. However, the sting is in the tail, as the toughest part with one significant hill climb and a few more bumps come in the last 30km.

The male and female race winners finished just five minutes apart. Karim Ibrahim was too fast in the last climbing section for Ritzy Amor to take an overall victory in 13h30. Ibrahim scored a nice 4th place at Trail des Gombak last month also. Grandmaster Ritzy Amor is keeping a very busy race schedule, but nevertheless was 1h36 faster than her own best time in Baling last year (when she carried an injury, though). Muhammad Azamuddin Nurdin was second male in the finish in 13h47. Senee Seesen was third man on the podium a few minutes behind him. In second place in the women’s race was Grandmaster Siokhar Lim, last week still overall winner of Tampin Transnaning Ultra 100! Guan Shin Law completed the podium in third place.

It’s the high season for Malaysian trail runners now and in a few weeks there’s more chances for Grandmaster Quest chasers in Pahang Eco, and afterwards Borneo TMBT Ultra and Jagoi Ultra - all still this season.

Karim Ibrahim had to dig deep to catch Ritzy Amor again on the last hillclimb and win the race overall

Muhammad Azamuddin Nurdin took third overall not so far behind the top duo

It would not be right to say he is closely following the footsteps of our first ATM Legend, Mario Yap, but Malaysia’s Golden Grandmaster Kenneth Mun Keat Yow has also already become Legend in just five months! Having collected 510 points (= kilometres) in minimum five countries, Mun Keat Yow accomplished this feat at the Tampin Transnaning Ultra event in Negeri Sembilan. In his famous yellow/blue Run Happy shirt, which has almost become his trademark outfit, he finished the gruelling 102km ultra course at that event - in second place in the result even. Going through his Grandmaster record and his six races on the Trail to Immortality so far, we can see that Mun Keat Yow is not shunning the toughest ultras out there, but smartly mixes them with more runable races, too. The recipe for being able to absorb so much in a short time frame.

As Mario Yap, Kenneth Mun Keat Yow only needs four more countries to meet the first of two requirements to become Immortal. The second requirement is to accumulate 1000 kilometres. In this, Mario has a 50-point lead over Kenneth at the moment.

Mun Keat Yow’s Trail to Immortality record

Legend Milestone achieved via 6 countries / 510 km

• 1) 100km (MYA) Kalaw Ultra Trail Run

• 2) 80km (PHI) Arakan Mountain Run

• 3) 80km (SGP) Ultra Trail Singapore

• 4) 80km (JPN) Deep Japan Ultra

• 5) 68km (INA) Mantra

• 6) 102km (MAS) Tampin Transnaning Ultra