Impressive victories by Henrique Nicolau and Jessica Lam in Laos
Season XII (12) opened in Laos last weekend with the beautiful Luang Prabang Trail. Excellent trail conditions and relatively cool weather made the 75km race significantly faster than last year. Portugal’s Henrique Nicolau took a convincing first victory in a race under ATM. He grabbed the lead from France’s Hugo Soro at the km 42 mark and extended the gap till the finish. He is the first winner of the new Championship season and so collected 500 points. Nicolau’s finish time was quick at 9h12.
Hugo Soro arrived in second place in 10h01. Roughly 50 minutes behind race winner Henrique Nicolau. The Frenchman lives in Lao and also for him it was the first appearance in an ATM Championship Qualifier.
Nizar Surydratama scored a third place on the podium in 10h49. The Balinese runner likes Laos as he has been on the podium of V Trail in Vang Vieng already before. Surydratama managed to stay just ahead of the first female runner: Jessica Lam from Hong Kong. Member of the T8 team, Jessica Lam ran an outstanding pace in what was for her unfamiliar territory. Coming in after 10h52, Lam may very well become a regular contender for ATM race wins in this new season.
Half an hour afterwards, Jaap Hamelink from the Netherlands finished in fifth place overall. There was a great result for local Lao runner Sengpaseuth Keobounnam to claim fifth male in 11h31. He was followed by Italy's Nicola Nodari. A solid run was done by Thailand's Amorn Kimnguan, one week after running the S11 Championship Final last weekend. Kimnguan scored 7th place and that meant a good points haul already again. In eighth, we had Lyu Meng from China. Golden Grandmasters Kenneth Mun Keat Yow, Munin Sundram and Mario Yap all finished the 75km race as well and added points to their records as they proceed on the Trail to Immortality.
In second place on the female podium we found local runner Chitsamai Souklueangkham, for whom it was her longest ever race distance. In third was Thailander Monthatip Rakpan, who also ran last weekend's ATM Final in Vietnam.
Season XII continues already next week with Ultra Fish’n Sheep in Hong Kong.
Jessica Lam was outstanding in the women’s 75km race
Chitsamai Souklueangkham finished as second female
