Trail of Man: Kunno and Morgan excellent home winners

The Trail of Man night race in Chiang Mai City delivered some outstanding performances by runners new to the Asia Trail Master Championship series. Victory in both the men’s and women’s 54km points race went to locals: Thosaeng Kunno and Nisachon Morgan (picture left). Especially Kunno had to battle hard for it as he was under consistent pressure from Vietnam’s youngster Tran Van Nghia, France’s Chris Devoize and Hong Kong’s Luis Alvelais. Kunno finished in 7:28, just four mnutes ahead of Tran Van Nghia from Run For Life , who is now the second youngest ATM race podium finisher at the age of 22 , after Filipino Godwin Mirar, who took 3rd at The Punisher last year at the age of 21. Nghĩa Trần is a member of Run For Life club in Ho Chi Minh City and hails originally from Dalat. This was his first ATM points race, as it was for Kunno. Devoize placed 4th in April’s Cuc Phuong Jungle Paths, just behind Luis Alvelais. In Chiang Mai they switched positions. Both in any case did a fine job to boost their chances to get into the ATM Championship Final in December. Julien Petit from France was fifth. He scored two third places at VMM 70 back in 2017 and 2018 and is now returning to the front, apparently.

The race was more technical than most expected, but runners gave the thumbs up for the course and overall organisation. Some argued it would be better to race in daylight so you can actually witness and enjoy the scenery.

Nisachon Morgan won in 9h 11 and was 7th overall. She was out on her own and had wide margin over the other women. Roan Biguasen came second, for the third time this season in an ATM points race. The Filipino, based in Malaysia, is basically guaranteed already of her spot in Team Pilipinas for the ATM Championship Final with those results. Biguasen has been active all season, running well and selecting the races as to the best of her own ability. She also takes over as overall women’s points leader in the ATM rankings from her compatriot Irish Glorioso, who also already has four results in the bag this season. In the second semester of the year, they both can focus on trying to eliminate their worst result as only a runner’s best four results count in the ATM ranking. Third place in Chiang Mai went to Nachpraewa Srichokhtam ahead of Singapore’s Poh Suan Puah.