Baling: Ritzy Amor and Karim Ibrahim head-to-head for overall 100k win!

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