The 9th edition of Mount Apo Sky Race is on in Santa Cruz, nearby Davao, this weekend. One week after DASAL, it’s the second of the big ‘classics’ in Mindanao featuring the ascent and descent of Philippines’ highest mountain with its summit just under 3000m above sea level. And at sea level is where the races start!

Organised by Vertical To Sky, which also brings you Camiguin Island Trail and The Punisher, this event has always remained a true boutique event that attracts runners from across the country and region keen on a pure trail running experience without any bling bling. For mountain permit and safety reasons, numbers per race category need to stay below 100. Mount Apo is indeed a tough climb towards the summit, and the legendary boulder face is to be taken seriously by any runner no matter how fast or slow.

The 100 Miles race category, introduced last year, is a genuine test of strength and endurance. 13 runners will take the challenge this year. Just over 50 will do the 50 Miles or 80km category. -essentially the race with which it all started more than a decade ago now. Four star Grandmaster Masafumi Yamamoto will aim the conquer the 100 miles and get his Trail to Immortality really going. Also 3-star Grandmaster Leoniel Perez will try to add the 100 miles race to his record. 2-star Grandmaster Jake Conte and Rexell Aguirre are also experienced ‘milers’. And so is the only female on the start list: Ann Jilian Pulanco, who could earn her second GM star this weekend if she finishes.

The 80km race also has lots of familiar Grandmaster and other names. Interestingly, Mia Revilla is also on the start list - barely a week after winning the gruelling 80k at DASAL! Quite a few runners from Singapore will be tackling Apo, including 3-star Grandmaster Wayne Tang. . No outspoken favourites perhaps, but the winners list of the Mt Apo Sky Race doesn’t lie. Only big names in the Filipino or ATM-wide trail world have won this one.

Last year’s 100 miles podium with Roberto Cain III as the great victor

One week after winning DASAL, Mia Revilla is also aiming to add Mt Apo to her record

The 2022 Team Pilipinas when Mount Apo Sky Race hosted the ATM Championship Final

The 12th edition of Datu Salumay, aka DASAL, lived up to its reputation once again last weekend with the 80km flagship race testing the limits of the many participants. Finishers were happy to receive a point for their Grandmaster Quest.

DASAL takes place in the Marilog District of Davao in Mindanao, Philippines, and is among the most popular trail events on the large island. Runners on the 80km need to cover approx 5000 metres of elevation gain across often technical and raw terrain.

In the men’s race, Jevie Cagatin proved strongest for the second year in succession. Cagatin, who was part of Team Pilipinas in the Season 10 Final, was happy to return to top form after an injury-plagued 2026. He had his work cut out, however, as Justin Glenn Basadre and Dan Fernandez ran ahead early on and stayed close to him until the finish. Using his experience, Cagatin arrived in 13h30, twelve minutes ahead of the duo.

In the women’s 80km we saw a great victory by Mia Revilla, underlining she truly was one of the best female performers in ATM this year. Winner of BUTM 100 in April and 2nd in H1 in May, Revilla was also Finalist for her country’s team in Mu Cang Chai last month. In DASAL, she returned to the finish line in a time of 19h06. That was half an hour ahead of Mekaila Abel Cruz, who herself finished half an hour in. front of Lip Tomaro in third place.

It’s the high season in Philippines right now, and runners can continue their Grandmaster Quest already this weekend with the Mount Apo Sky Race in Santa Cruz, or test the new ATM Candidate Races The Great Cordillera 100 in Luzon and Sinirangan Trail Ultra in the Visayas.

Jevie Cagatin - ATM Finalist in Season 10 - won DASAL for the second time in a row

Held in generally excellent conditions, this year’s Lam Dong Trail in Dalat, Vietnam, was a feast for lovers of more runable trail races through the area’s magnificent pine forests and coffee plantations. Local Vietnamese runner Nguyen Phuong Hieu grabbed the opportunity to shine with both hands and bolted away from everyone else in the men’s 85km race, a qualifier for the ATM Championship. Hieu was the winner of the 100k in Gombak, Malaysia, last year, but in TMBT 50k the same year he could only manage seventh - and quite far behind Godwin Mirar that day. In Lam Dong, it was the other way around, however, as the Filipino had no answer to the blistering pace set by Nguyen Phuong Hieu, who completed the course in 9h30. That was nearly 45 minutes faster than Mirar! France’s Corentin Vitre scored a solid third on the podium thirteen minutes later. The race’s fourth finisher, Tran Van Que, was exactly two hours later than the race winner. William Rickwood George took fifth ahead of established local competitor Le Tan Hi.

Also in the women’s 85km race one runner stood out from all the rest, competitively speaking. Luu Hong Van scored her first ever ATM race victory with a strong performance to finish ninth overall in 12h50. She was more than one-hour-and-a-half faster than Kon Tap Trang and Japan’s Tamae Harada in third place.

The next trail running event in Vietnam on the ATM calendar takes place in a different part of Dalat: Prenn Trail Summit in December. That event has several race categories with a Grandmaster Quest point on offer. The next Championship Qualifier in Vietnam is the traditional January event, Vietnam Trail Marathon in Moc Chau.

Datu Salumay, better known as DASAL, is on for the 12th time already this weekend. The renowned Filipino event takes place in the Marilog District of Davao and is widely considered one of the very toughest trail races in Mindanao. Once again, runners can score a Grandmaster Quest point if they manage to complete the 80km race distane within the cut-off time.

“Beelieve you can” is the tagline of the event. The bee was intentionally chosen as the race’s official mascot to highlight the crucial role bees play in preserving the natural environment. Historically, the DASAL organisers have always cared about raising eco-awareness among the general population. In any case, participants on the 80km must believe in their capabilities as trail runners given the distance and the 5000 metres of elevation gain on often steep, technical terrain. Rain is also never excluded. Just like H1 in Philippines’ northern Luzon Province, DASAL seems to be a race everyone should have at least attempted once. This year, the 80km category has about 375 registered starters. The event itself has many hundreds more spread out over shorter distances, too. It’s a real trail running festival.

Last year, Jevie Cagatin and Shally Yuson were strongest in the male and female gender categories respectively. Shally Yuson is back again this weekend, along with other podium and victory candidates such as Mia Revilla - winner of BUTM 100 this year - and Anglie Guia Cabigas. Also Jevie Cagatin will be trying to repeat his victory from last year. For the big majority of participants, it will just be about finishing and scoring another Grandmaster point, however!

Vietnam trail running suffered one setback after the other at the end of last year as typhoons and other foul weather caused event cancellations throughout the country. Not so in 2026, luckily. After a very successful ATM Championship Final in Mu Cang Chai and the Grandmaster Quest event Vietnam Jungle Marathon, we are now heading south for Lam Dong Trail in Dalat. For the third time, the long distance ultra of 85km is an ATM Championship Qualifier and finishers also score a point for their Grandmaster Quest.

Lam Dong Trail is a traditional “Dalat Race” including beautiful passages through large pine forests, coffee plantations and a number of hill summits with exquisite views over the area. The event’s motto “Back to Nature” is indeed spot on. The 85km trail course may look gentle on paper, but many runners in the past found it treacherously underestimated. Weather can be anything and can change quickly, too.

The start list features names of runners who were registered for the cancelled 2025 event and transferred to this year. It is a bit of a question mark if all these will also be actually present this Saturday. Singapore-based American Humberto Baeza, for example, is someone we haven’t seen for a while. Baeza was the last race winner, though. Two years ago, he scored his first ATM race victory here ahead of Tran Van Nghia and Scott Pugh - also from Singapore. Fastest female in 2024 was Julia Duong Nguyen, ahead of Loi Luong and Pham Ngoc Dan Chau, who was an ATM Finalist for Vietnam last month. Let’s see who comes out on top this weekend!

The 85km race starts at 3 am local time.

It does feel like trail running is making a bit of a comeback in the mountainous Cordillera region in Luzon, Philippines. That’s something that can only be applauded. In pre-covid years, the Cordilleras were pretty much in the spotlight in ATM every season. Afterwards, things quietened down a lot. PMTF has been there of course, but technically Nueva Vizcaya is not part of the Cordillera region.

We are therefore happy to announce a second ATM Candidate Race to take place in the region, just a few weeks after UTCP. The Great Cordillera 100 has big ambitions and will be held on the weekend of 13/14/15 November. Organised by RiCON, the event features several race distance categories with start and finish in the familiar Camp John Hay in Baguio, the city that functions as the gateway to the mountain area. Flagship race is of course the 100km. The course is built on two distinct loops that connect Mt. Marikit, Mt. Bidawan, Mt. Kotkot, Mt. Palanchey and Mt. Ulap. The course moves through pine forest ridges,  eight river crossings and the mountain villages of Itogon, Benguet. It tops out at Mt. Ulap, with open ridgeline views across the Cordillera range. The aim is for runners to experience the full character of the Cordillera, its landscape and its communities, in one race. The 100km is serious business, though. It has an estimated 6660 metres of elevation gain for 103km and a cut-off time of 32 hours. The highest peak of the race is 1800 metres above sea level, so that is still quite modest for a Cordillera race. Note that the 100k starts on Friday night at 11 pm.

There is also a challenging 60k race category with 3700 hm of elevation gain and a cut-off time of 18 hours. No doubt that participants will need to keep moving. Less ambitious runners can also opt for a 21km or a 10km.

People keen on taking part should register quickly and be very mindful of the mandatory gear requirements and the race schedule including the various cut-off times at checkpoints along the way. You can find all details on the event’s facebook page linked below.

Provisional course map of the 100k

Provisional profile map

Two months after Trevor Lim, another trail runner from Kuching in Sarawak, Malaysia, has completed the fourth level of his Grandmaster Quest. Mohd Nizam Arabi is a new Golden Grandmaster!

Twenty long ultra finishes under ATM and Mohd Nizam did that in just three years! He began his journey in September 2023 with Borneo TMBT Ultra 109 and finished also in Sabah, completing a very big circle, with Kokol Ultra 70 last week.

Actually, his plan was to score his fourth Grandmaster star at his home event in Sarawak, Jagoi Ultra at the beginning of September. However, that event got cancelled due to the toxic haze engulfing Sarawak and plenty of other southeast Asian places at that time. Arabi therefore had to wait another six weeks before Kokol Ultra to complete his Quest, but in so doing has a record that reads from Sabah to Sabah.

After collecting his third star at Lantau 70 in Hong Kong last March, Mohd Nizam Arabi continued early May with the Merapoh Rainforest Trail 100 and then UTSG 80 in Singapore and Deep Japan Ultra 80 in Niigata. A bit of rest was warranted after those races. At the end of August he added Pahang Eco 100 to his record as number 19, showing that he was certainly not afraid of tackling the toughest races on the Grandmaster calendar. Two weeks after Pahang, Jagoi should have been the big home celebration, but alas. That came then in another race held in challenging conditions: Kokol Ultra 70 last week.

A four star Golden Grandmaster in three years, a huge congrats and a big round of applause for Mohd Nizam Arabi!

  Mohd Nizam Arabi Grandmaster Record

1. TMBT 109KM 2023

2. MMTF 100KM 2023

3. Vietnam  Trail Marathon 70km 2024

4. BUTM 109KM 2024

5. Silabur Ultra Trail 100km 2024

6. Kar Ultra 110km 2024

7. Trail Des Gombak 100km 2024

8. Ultimate Trail Of Penang UTOP 100km 2024

9. IZU trail Journey Japan 70km 2024

10. BTR Indonesia 100km 2025

11. Mantra  Indonesia 68km 2025

12. The Magnificent Baling 100km 2025

13. Himalaya Sport Tampin Transnaning Ultra 68km 2025

14. Ultra Fish N Sheep  Hong Kong 75km 2025

15. Lantau 70 hong Kong 70km 2026

16. Merapoh Rainforest ultra 2026

17. Utsg  singapore 80km 2026

18. Deep Japan Ultra 80km 2026

19. Pahang Eco 100km 2026

20. Kokol Ultra 70km 2026

Heat & Run Trail Ultra is a new event in North Cotabato, Mindanao, organised by the Kampo and Mountaineers Trail Runners (KUMTR). The event has received the ATM Candidate Race label for its new edition on 13/14 February 2027. The main race category will be the 60km, which has an elevation gain of approx 2675 hm.

The main race is scheduled to start at 3 am and will have an 18-hour cut-off time at the finish.

The course features scenic yet technically challenging open mountain trails, rolling hills, river crossings showcasing the natural beauty and rich cultural heritage of Mindanao. KUMTR is fully committed to runner safety, eco-friendly trail management, and high-quality race execution. The goal of the event is to establish Heat and Run as a premier international ultra-trail event in North Cotabato, Mindanao, promoting sports tourism and community-led trail conservation.

The event venue is the Presbitero Elementary School, Brgy. Presbitero, Pigcawayan in North Cotabato. To reach the place, you could consider flying domestically to Awang Airport nearby. Cagayan de Oro, which lies north of Cotabato, is another possibility.

You can stay up-to-date with the event via its official facebook page, linked below.

Also in peninsular Malaysia trail runners can keep looking forward to new event experiences as new races get established and further developed. One of those is Selama Ultra in Perak, which enjoyed a very successful edition this year with nearly 2000 participants. The organisational team is now aiming to increase the visibility also across borders and has applied for the ATM Candidate Race label for the next edition from 8 to 11 April 2027. On the programme are five race distance categories, among which a 85km long ultra.

Race venue of Selama Ultra is Dewan Semai Bakti, FELDA Ijok, Selama in the northern part of the State of Perak. The 85 km is the main category and has approx 3500 hm of elevation gain. The course offers a combination of technical trails, forest sections, rural landscapes and the Bukit Ganding area. Less ambitious runners can also choose the 55km with about 2500 hm, or shorter distances, such as the 35km, 15km or 5km fun trail.

Selama is known for its countryside charm, featuring tropical rainforests with waterfalls, old town and ecotourism with emphasis on adventure activities including river rafting and kayaking.

You can stay up to date and find all details on Selama Ultra via its facebook page below, or join the instagram page.

An interesting new entry on the Grandmaster Quest calendar for 2027 is Pangantucan Ultra Trail. Organised by the Ultra Runner Republic - known from Mt Kalatungan Ultra - in collaboration with Sugar Cane Trail Ultra Runners, this event takes place in the southwestern part of Bukidnon in Mindanao, Philippines. On the programme for Grandmaster Quest point chasers is a 70km with approx 3000 metres of elevation gain. Rendez-vous on 20/21 February 2027.

As the aforementioned Kalatungan Ultra cannot be held for the time being, the Pangantucan Ultra Trail will honour the mountain nonetheless by providing stunning views of this fifth highest mountain in the Philippines. The 70km is described as a challenging route with a dirt road to a stunning view of one of the tourist destination,Lake Napalit. Also part of the trails are the famous Kimereges Blue Water and Kidanggin Hot Spring. Less ambitious runners can also choose a 42km and 21km option.

The main objective of the Pangantucan Ultra Trail, aside from promoting trail running as a healthy sport, is building camaraderie among runners and also to showcase the natural beauty of Pangantucan and its trails as an adventure and tourism destination.

All details can be obtained via the facebook page linked below. Note there is a fixed quota of 700 runners at most.

Last weekend’s Taman Negara Ultra in peninsular Malaysia saw a big turnout for its second edition. The event was labelled as an ATM Candidate and its programme featured several race distances including the classic 100km and 50km Organized by Persatuan Rekreasi Taman Negara, the event centred around Kuala Tahan in Jerantut and aimed to showcase the area as a premier eco tourism destination and it is also the gateway to the world's oldest rainforest.

The 100km and 50km logically claimed most attention. Both had significant elevation gain to. conquer with 4500 for the 100k and nearly 2400 hm for the 50k. Both categories had a lot of nighttime running and had to cope with some serious rainfall. The DNF rate was quite high as a result.

Amierul Amin added another race victory to his record and more and more seems to be the benchmark for long ultras in peninsular Malaysia. His finishing time of 19h46 indicates clearly how tough the 100km race was. He was nearly an hour ahead of Adam Danial Zailani in second and Hanafi Hasan in third on the podium. Only three women made the finish of the 100k. Elsa Ng took the victory in 30h23. Goh Pei Fen was second and Roziana Ladde third.

Also the winner of the 50km needed 9h23 to complete the course. Ibrahim Karim took the honours with a significant gap on Mohd Hatta Wahab and Mohd Hasrul Hisham Mazlan.

Halimatun Sa’adiah was the strongest woman last weekend in a time of 11h23. Michelle Ng was second in 12h02 ahead of Chong Mei Tze in 12h56.

Amierul Amin was an ATM Finalist in 2023.

Halimatun Sa’adiah

The upcoming winter edition of Minamiaso Caldera Trail on 19 December has been entered into the ATM Championship calendar of Season 12. The race category to focus on is the 50km. For travellers to Japan, Minamiaso could be combined with Izu Trail Journey, which takes place on the Sunday before, albeit in a different part of the country.

Last summer, Minamiaso had a very wet edition that had to be cut short for safety reasons. It was therefore suggested that the winter edition may be a better option for inclusion in the ATM Championship as the weather - touch wood - is normally much more stable in December. Of course, it could also mean cold temperatures and even some snow, but runners tend to be fine with that. The event will already celebrate its 11th edition this year and takes part in a popular trail running region in Japan. It takes place on Kyushu, one of the larger southern islands of Japan with Fukuoka as best-known major city. Access to Minamiaso is via Kumamoto, another city with its own international airport and roughly 1 hour away from Fukuoka by high-speed train.

The 50km course is quite hilly with 2500 hm of elevation gain. The start is scheduled for 6 am and the cut-off time at 16:00 in the afternoon.

The Minamiaso Caldera Trail was first held in January 2021 to light a beacon of hope for the stagnant sport and local economy of Minami Aso Village. The 11th edition of the event will be held in four categories: 50 km, 30 km, 18 km and 2km, so less ambitious runners can also go for one of the shorter distances.

Registration via the official website linked below and any questions can also be addressed via the email below. Please note that there is also a - payable - shuttle bus service to the race venue.

Also Hoi Yee Lam was at the wet summer edition of Minamiaso

Even snow is possible during the winter edition in December

Golden Grandmaster Tomohiro Mizukoshi

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