The final ATM points race event of 2025 is upon us this weekend and it’s a new one: New Corella Trail Ultra (NCTU). Taking place in New Corella, located in Davao del Norte, Mindanao, the third edition of the event features a 70km race that serves as a qualifier for the ATM Championship points ranking and, as it’s 70km, for the Grandmaster Quest. The event is organised by AWRA Davao featuring 2-star Grandmaster Alran Cifra, and was a Candidate Race last year.

That edition had a 50km as longest distance and was won by Vincent Philip Sinanggote . The 24-year-old had the better of another promising talent in Eldy Bulod in a tough race , made even more technical and complicated by the heavy rainfall hours before the race start. Sinanggote finished in a time of 7h11. Fastest woman a year ago was Guia Heistaire Angela, who will provide us with a lot of insight this weekend during our live broadcast from the event on Saturday afternoon and evening. The main race starts at 10 pm, implying a night race for the quicker amongst the many participants.

Participants will traverse diverse terrain, from rolling hills and dense forests to river crossings and rugged mountain trails. Amongst the highlights are Bundok Cave, a remarkable 200-foot-long cave that runners will traverse, and the Panas and Casilak Waterfalls. In addition, there is Balaang Bukid, a prominent landmark with significant local cultural and spiritual relevance.

Among the men’s race favourites for the 70km are the trio of Jomarc Ferrer, Yoyong Sacayle and Marjones Abugan. All well-known competitors in ATM and in very good shape as Ferrer and Sacayle have shown already in recent weeks. Other known podium contenders are Sean Aying, Adam Jovane and Marvin Buizon. The two latter runners, plus Ferrer and Sacayle are already on the points board of Season 11 after Mount Apo Sky Race last month.

The women’s race may see an interesting competition as well featuring Shally Yuson, who has become the benchmark in Mindanao, and the young up-and-coming Kimberly Flores, winner of The Punisher and Mount Apo 42km in the past few months. Shekinah Velasques, ATM Finalist just like Yuson, is another challenger for the victory, and there’s other known contenders such as Dolly Alonzo and Jennifer Commandante.

You can follow the action at NCTU live on our ATM Channels with focus on facebook and youtube. The 70km race starts at 22:00 local time.

Jomarc Ferrer

Yoyong Sacayle

Marjones Abugan

Shally Yuson

Kim Flores

Shekinah Velasquez

We are happy to announce a new ATM Candidate Race in peninsular Malaysia, taking place in Selangor not too far from KLIA Airport on the weekend of 4/5 September 2026. The 2nd edition of Tunggul Melati Trail builds on the experience of its debut event and offers trail runners now also a long ultra course of 80km with nearly 3500 metres of elevation gain. Organised by Pasak Adv Empire, ‘TMT” as Tunggul Melati Trail is known in short, has great ambitions going forward.

The race village is based in Jenderam Hilir, where there will also be a sports tourism expo, cultural activities , local vendors and runner services. The long-term objective is to establish Jenderam Hilir and its surrounding attractions as a premier national and international hub for trail running, sports tourism and eco-recreation.

In brief, Tunggul Melati Trail seeks to:

• Position itself as one of Malaysia’s leading trail running races with regional and internation participation

• Promote Selangor as a key destination for nature-based and adventure tourism

• Create long-term economic opportunities for local businesses, homestays, vendors and tourism operators

• Foster healthy lifestyles through inclusive sports programmes and community-driven wellness initiatives

• Discover and develop new talents in trail running and endurance sports, especially among the youth

• Strengthen environmental awareness by encouraging responsible recreation and conservation of Bukit Tunggul, Bukit Melati and the surrounding green areas.

• Ultimately, the event aspires to become a signature annual attraction that contributes to tourism growth, supports local socio-economic development and builds a strong identity for the region through spots, nature and culture.

The event features several race distance categories of which the 80km is now the key attraction. Less ambitious runners can also opt for the 60km, 40km or 15km. Pay attention to the start time of the 80km: Saturday at 18:00h, meaning faster runners are looking at a nighttime race. The 60km starts at midnight, with the two shorter distance at 4:00 and 7:00 am respectively. Cut-off time for the 80km is 22 hours, 17 hours for the 60km and 12h and 6h for the 40km and 15km.

Registration goes easily via the well-known Checkpointspot site, linked below.

We are thrilled to announce a brand new extension to our Grandmaster Quest, the individual trail challenge for runners of all performance levels. This comes in response to popular demand by some of our Golden **** Grandmasters and even Silver *** and Bronze ** Grandmasters - who have been asking ATM for a new goal and new incentives to keep on participating in trail running events after completing the four levels of the Grandmaster Quest.

Months of contemplation and brainstorming have now resulted in two additional levels that will nudge Golden Grandmasters on the Trail to Immortality !

In a nutshell:

• For Golden 4-Star Grandmasters who wish to continue exploring the trails of Asia

• The gate leading to the Trail to Immortality opens on 1 January 2026

• No time limit to complete the Trail to Immortality .

• Two steps to reach Immortality

1. Become Legend

2. Become Immortal

• Become Legend by running Grandmaster distances at ATM promoted events in five different Asia/Pacific countries.

• Collect 500 points in as many races as you want. Each kilometre = 1 point (i.e. 100km = 100 points, 75km = 75 points).

  Note that running 5x 70km races is therefore not enough as only 350 points, and that you must be an official finisher in each race to score points

• Become Immortal by running Grandmaster distances at ATM promoted events in ten different Asian countries and collect 1000 points.

  Your points achieved to become Legend remain active and valid (i.e. no points reset).

• Bonus Points for elevation gain: for every 25000 hm accumulated : 25 bonus points

• You must be an official finisher of the race to score your points

• Each event, and each country, only coints once during the Trail to Immortality. However, you can choose an event you did already during your Grandmaster Quest

Runners who become Legend and Immortal will receive exclusive achievement tokens as trophy. The Trail to Immortality has been designed also keeping the four core objectives of Asia Trail Master in mind. We hope that this new addition to the Grandmaster Quest will inspire trail runners to keep going!

The Trail to Immortality opens for runners who have collected these four Grandmaster caps

It’s been well over two years since Masafumi Yamamoto grabbed his 4th star.

After scoring gold, Philippines’ Rhea Batac has been taking a break from trails

In the most epic edition of Izu Trail Journey ever, Hirokazu Nishimura and Honoka Akiyama both scored their third victory at the event in impressive style. Nishimura made his move at the very end after a smart and controlled race, while Akiyama was the outstanding female athlete this year finishing even in eleventh overall.

Heavy rain characterised the first five hours of the 70km race across the Izu peninsula south of Tokyo. While it wasn’t that cold, the wind along the mountain passes ensured that the rain-soaked runners had to protect themselves and layer-up to prevent hypothermia. Still, many participants would suffer that fate. Including none other than John Ray Onifa, the 2023 ATM Champion who was keen to be the first male foreigner to win ITJ. Alas, his bid ended at CP 3 and km 52, when he had already been dropped for good by the top five in the race. Also the young Natsuke Tomii, third female last year, would not make it to the finish along with over 650 others who had taken the start. Many others actually did not even turn up at the start due to the bad weather. Unseen at this event, just showing how tough it was out there and how rain can suddenly turn a fairly runable trail race into an absolute slugfest.

Yuya Kawasaki took the bull by the horns and went solo at the front, crossing the Nishina Pass first . Although the rain finally stopped right after the front runners crossed the Pass, there were no stunning Mount Fuji views this time. Short distance specialist Shoma Otagiri was close in second and also Hajime Kasagi and Hirokazi Nishimura were within just a few minutes. Tatsuya Itagaki was in fifth but losing touch with the lead quartet, as John Ray Onifa behind him also kept losing terrain. Hisashi Kitamura was running 14th at this point. One checkpoint later at km 52, three runners were practically back together. The one missing was Kawasaki, who seemed to be paying a bit of a price for his earlier attack. While Kasagi and Otagiri gave it their best shot on the ondulating final 15km, the experience of Nishimura proved decisive. When the winner of 2019 and 2023 and second-placer last year, made his move at the end of the race, the others no longer had a response. Nishimura crossed the new finish line in 6h13. Otagiri took second just under two minutes later, Kasagi third. Kawasaki and Itagaki held on to rank four and five, but Kento Tamura barely made it to sixth as Hisashi Kitamura ran a superb second part of the race to take seventh place still. Yuta Matsuyama suffered from the cold and came in in 36th place. He has placed Top 20 before in ITJ.

Some way behind Honoka Akiyama, who took her victory in 7h14, it was Arika Ito and newcomer Saegusa Moeka who scored second and third. The latter only started trail running three months ago! To note, both also still finished in the overall Top 50, which means something at Izu.

The next Japanese qualifier for Season 11’s ATM Championship ranking is Deep Japan Ultra in Niigata at the end of June.

This Sunday’s Izu Trail Journey promises to be one of the best of recent years with last year’s stars Koken Ogasawara and Hirokazu Nishimura challenged by a large number of domestic contenders - including Hisashi Kitamura - plus John Ray Onifa, who will aim to become the first non-Japanese man to win the classic 70km race across the Izu Peninsula. The 2023 ATM Champion from the Philippines is no stranger to Japan, and with the weather forecast showing uncharacteristic rain for race day, his chances of success may increase even more.

Veronika Vadovicova (2019) and Eszter Csillag (2023) already managed to win the women’s Izu race, but so far no “foreign man” has come really close to beating the local elites. John Ray Onifa, in excellent shape the past months, could just be the right man to accomplish this feat. It’s a course and a distance that suits him very well, and he finished ahead of last year’s race winner Koken Ogasawara at the latest world championships in Spain. While not every race is the same, it’s fair to assume that Ogasawara was not in Spain to enjoy a nice holiday either. Although Onifa has been around winning races in Hong Kong and Asia for several years now, a win this Sunday “in the lion’s den” could elevate his international standing still quite considerably. Last year, Ogasawara and Nishimura - also a former winner of this race - finished about a minute apart in 6h00. With rain expected, finishing times may be slower by default. The mid-section of ITJ has several technical downhill sections. With temperatures very moderate for the time of year and some slipping and sliding expected, Onifa could not wish for ‘better’ conditions for himself. One contender who knows Onifa like the back of his hand is Hisashi Kitamura. A regular participant in ITJ, he has never managed the top five (his best was sixth), but Kitamura has had several outstanding runs this season in Japan - including race wins. Let’s see if he can get closer to Nishimura, Ogasawara, Yuya Kawasaki, Kento Tamura and the like this year.

In the women’s race eyes will be focused on 2022 winner and last year’s runner-up Honoka Akiyama. A year ago, she put up a great effort against China’s Xiang Fuzhao but had to settle for second place. Natsuki Tomii , third on the podium last year, will be one of her rivals for the victory.

ITJ is attracting ever more international runners. Also ATM Grandmasters Alfredo Reyes Jr (Golden Grandmaster). Trevor Lim, Mario Yap, Nick Pilapil and Julie Mae Marquez are running tomorrow.

You can follow the race live on Asia Trail Master facebook and Youtube as usual with the race start at 6am local time (5 am Hong Kong/Manila time)

2023 ATM Champion John Ray Onifa this year won the 50/50 at The 9 Dragons

Hisashi Kitamura has shown superb form in Japanese races this year

ITJ has some of the most amazing scenery of any trail in Asia, but rain and clouds may hamper the joy

Running back in time

Niigata has become one of Asia Trail Master’s permanent race regions over the past ten years and we are happy this tradition continues also in 2026. Deep Japan Ultra is confirmed as an ATM qualifier for Season XI’s Championship with its usual two Grandmaster Quest race distances: 100 miles and 80km.

Organised by well-known runner Hiroaki Matsunaga, the event takes place in Niigata Prefecture, roughly 2-3 hours by shinkansen northwest of Tokyo. There’s also a few international flights to Niigata city directly. Visitors not familiar with Japan will experience the real countryside, which often remains unexplored. The host venue is the Mount Asakusa Park. Participants should be prepared for technical mountain trails, which at higher altitudes may still be covered in snow. Especially if you sign up for the 100 miles, do not come unprepared and unfocused. This is not a race to ‘try out’ 100 miles for the first time. The 80 km category has plenty of spice and technicality as well. Those who take it seriously will be rewarded with one of Asia’s finest endurance trail runs.

Make sure you read all the requirements in terms of mandatory gear. The website - linked below - is very detailed and in English , so you can prepare in the best possible way.

Register as soon as you can, because spots are limited. Note also that there is a strict registration deadline of 28 February. Too late is really too late here. Give yourself time to plan the event, including accommodation and travel, and get yourself ready for a wonderful trail experience next June!

Keen on a weekend in Singapore with the family and grabbing some ATM points while you are at it? Also in 2026, Mountain Goat Running Club is making that possible again with its popular UTSG event. Pay attention: the event is scheduled one month earlier than normal. Runners should pencil in the weekend of 30/31 May.

The UTSG trail course maps are being redesigned as well, and even the start/finish venue may change. These will all be confirmed in due course. Important for runners to note is that the ATM qualifying race for Championship points will measure 60km instead of 50km and will take place on Sunday instead of Saturday. New in 2026 will be a single day 80km race on the programme. 80km , that’s more than 70km , so it qualifies for the Grandmaster Quest. It will be the first time in ATM’s 11-year-history that race finishers can score a GM point in Singapore.

Via the below facebook and webpages you can and will get all the info needed to plan your trip to Singapore. Registration for the races goes via the RunnerReg platform, which is also linked below.

The UTSG 50 race has had some fantastic winners in the last two years with 2024 ATM Champion Jeff Campbell, 2022 ATM Champion Hau Ha, local road star Wen Sheng and Japan’s Chisato Kario.

We are glad to announce that Harkor 4: Ultra Trail Balakayo Mountains will offer a Grandmaster Quest point for all finishers of the 75km race category in 2026. The event, an ATM Candidate last May, is the first of its kind offering GM points in General Santos, which is a city in the south of the large Mindanao island in Philippines. It is scheduled for the weekend of 16/17 May 2026.

The event features a 75km main race distance with over 4000 metres of elevation gain, but is known to be quite runable. The event is organised by the Drunken Runners Team and Team Akbri.

Registration for the event is already open and can be accessed via the button below. There is a quota on the participation numbers, so if you are keen - better be quick. In 2025, the 75km had a cut-off time at the finish of 25 hours. Important, flag off is on Saturday at 14:00 in the early afternoon.

Last weekend’s Soimalai Trail in Tak province in northern Thailand saw many hundreds of runners taking part in one of several race distance categories, which even included a 100 miles and 100km. Soimalai Trail is the fourth and last event of the annual popular Tak Trail series and had obtained the ATM Candidate Race label - just like Tulay Trail six weeks ago. Doi Soimalai is a mountain area covered in pine forests that lies roughly 1600m above sea level, and is known for its ‘sea of fog’.

On the 100 miles we saw very familiar Thai face, Sanya Khancai. However, he had to settle for second place as Kodthananat Anupan managed to grab the win by just two minutes in 27h51. Santichai Salad was third on the podium. Kittiya Piyawan was first female in just under 40 hours. Keson Sinchang and Ravikarn Kumkong joined her on the podium.

Apirat Chaitanarit and Limsiao Ai took the victory on the 100km in the men’s and women’s respectively. Chaitanarit completed the course in 18h33, Limsiao Ai in a solid 20h40. There was also a 65km with the win going to Phissanuwat Inon in 8h27 and Arlene de Abreu in 10h26. The 45km went to Paween Kongyai in 5h21 and Sirikanya Phoobhuaphet in 6h47.

On the official event facebook page of Soimalai you can find a big collection of great photos taken at the event last weekend. Stay tuned for more news on the 2026 edition!

New on the Grandmaster Quest calendar in 2026 is Arakan Mountain Run in Cotabato, Mindanao, Philippines. Organised by Vertical To Sky, the second edition of the event has a scenic 80km long ultra and is scheduled for the weekend of 21/22 March. The event venue is the Katipunan Central Elementary School in Arakan.

Less ambitious runners can also choose the 42km, 25km or 14km options.

Arakan is a municipality between Davao del Sur and Bukidnon and blessed with natural resources and magnificent landscapes. Runners should definitely also try the local cacao drink, which is a genuine treat. The 80km course features the 3 famous waterfalls of Arakan -Matigol, Epol and Lebbas. The 2026 course map will be released in due course.

As always, Vertical To Sky remains true to its boutique style of trail events with restricted participation numbers to give everyone the chance to fully enjoy the place and the trails. For registration, kindly check-out the details on the poster, or you can do an onsite registration at Podium Multisport in Davao.

We are happy to announce that Kokol Ultra in Sabah, Malaysia, joins the Grandmaster Quest calendar in 2026. The event was a Candidate a few years with good review, but with (too) much tarmac on the running course. Redesigned since then, Kokol has grown in popularity and will be a great new addition on our GM calendar. The 2026 event i scheduled for the weekend of 23/25 October with a 70km as main distance category.

It’s not so common for events to open registration so early and therefore the event organisers also have the opportunity to provide a limited set of 40% discounted bibs. The 70km is the race that matters, of course, but less ambitious runners can also choose the 50km, 35km, 21km or 15km distance categories. The registration link is pasted below.

Cut-off time for the 70km is set at 24 hours. It is advised to pick up the race pack on Friday, 23 October.

The event is organised By Expertise and is quite easily accessible from Kota Kinabalu, the main city in Sabah where the airport is also located. Follow the event’s facebook page to stay up to date with the latest developments.

The 9th edition of Malnad Ultra in Karnataka near Bengaluru saw several outstanding performances in both the 100km and 50km categories, which both counted towards the Season XI ATM Championship ranking. Vishal Valavi was an amazing winner of the double loop race, finishing the 100km in less than ten hours! He crossed the line in 9h59’25”. Even when Malnad is not the most technical of trail races, this remains an eye-opening performance by Valavi, who also made his debut in an ATM promoted event. For reference, the well-known winner of the past three editions, Shashwat Rao - absent this year - scored a 12h14 in 2023. Second placed runner this year was Subhash Fauzdar, who completed the course in 12h48, and Manikandan was third in 13h17. Let’s hope we get to see more of Vishal Valavi in the months to come, as with that kind of 100k pace he looks like a genuine new Championship contender.

The women’s 100km race was won by Soma Dotta in 18h56. She was roughly half an hour ahead of Grandmasters Isabelle Bedard and Siti Hajar Razali.

The 50km category was split up in a daytime 50km and a nighttime 50km, of which only the former provided ATM Championship points. Also here we saw some remarkable runs by various people. The men’s race was tight and ultimately won by Sanjay Negi in 4h53’09” - very fast. Only some two minutes later, Prajwal S Y took second. Dutchman Frank Meiland completed the podium in third in 5h06 - still fast. Jinesh Pillai was fourth just two minutes behind him. The women’s race went to Australia’s Hayley Anderson in 5h57 ahead of Eline Gerritse from Netherlands and Anna Boessneck from Germany in third.

Malnad Ultra is still the only ATM qualifier in India on the calendar. Runners from the country can look towards Nepal and the Manjushree Trail Race in Kathmandu to score additional points for the 2026 Championship without traveling too far.