Brunei Darussalam Ultra Trail Marathon has claimed a rightful spot on the trail calendar with its daring loop concept. The inaugural event last weekend had received the ATM Candidate label and saw a fine competition on a 5km loop course that was - as so often in Brunei - more challenging than most had anticipated. Race-wise, we saw an impressive performance by Sabah’s Wilsen Singgin, who of course always thrives when the trails are tough. Singgin took victory on the 50km by passing local hero Sefli Ahar on the last lap. In the women’s competition, Mailin Salungin -also from Sabah- was the strong winner.

BDUTM took place at night time in the Tasek Lama Recreational Park and had over 3000hm of elevation gain for the 10-lap 50km race. Other than the 50km, there were also shorter distance categories, with Milton Amat winning the 30km, for instance, as he prepares for his upcoming ATM points races BUTM 50 and Lantau 70.

As in almost every race he starts, Sefli Ahar decided to set the pace from the beginning. A multiple race winner in ATM in the early seasons, Ahar returned to the scene at TMBT last year and scored second behind John Ray Onifa on the 50km. Now approaching 50 years of age, Sefli is still very fast, but the much younger and technically very skilled Wilsen Singgin turned out to have a little more power left at the end. Singgin will also be featuring at BUTM 50 and Lantau 70 in March. Sefli Ahar came second ahead of his countryman and ATM Grandmaster Alexander Chung Kwei Ming.

The experienced Mailin Salungin, who has scored podium places in a.o. TMBT in the past, was leading most of the race, with Kona Liau and Jennyifer Townsend joining her on the 50km podium.

In early June, runners can score ATM Championship points in Brunei as well at the Simpur Ultra event.

This weekend there is also an interesting ATM Candidate Race on the programme in Brunei. BDUTM, shot for Brunei Darussalam Ultra Trail Marathon, is taking place in the capital city on a 5 km loop course, which should create a running festival atmosphere. The longest race is 50km, i.e. 10 loops. The start of the main race is at 21:00 local time on Saturday, which implies a night time race in cooler temperatures.

The event is organised by HJ Khai Event Management and is centred around the Tasek Lama Recreational Park. BDUTM is meant to promote the country as an outdoor and trail running destination with the Tasek Lama Park being the most iconic region to do so. Estimated elevation gain for the 50km is 3100 hm, which is considerable! Moreover, people who have been running in Brunei know the hills are often quite steep and more technical than expected.

The event has attracted very competitive field for its first edition, mainly coming from Brunei itself and other parts of Borneo island. That includes, amongst others, Wilsen Singgin and Gustin Tiam. Both from Sabah and unafraid to test the waters of something new. They will face very well-known local stars such as good old Sefli Ahar, last season still second at TMBT 50 behind John Ray Onifa. Sefli certainly has home advantage and could be the top favourite for the victory. Amirul Tuah and Alexander Chung are other ATM Grandmasters who can shine this weekend.

Also the women’s 50km looks very good on paper. Here we find Sarawak’s Sally Yap on the start list. Still young for trail standards, Sally was the 2022 vice -ATM champion. 2023 did not really go as planned - from a racing point of view - and Sally has also picked up further university studies again, restricting her options to travel and compete. It will be interesting to see how she fares this weekend, as the extra rest between races might actually do her some good. Experienced Sahabans Kona Liau and Mailin Salungin are other contenders, and Laslin Sarawi cannot be underestimated either.

ATM will be reporting live from the BDUTM event from start to finish on our usual channels.

For the first time since 2018, next year Brunei features again on the ATM Championship calendar with the Simpur Ultra Run on the weekend of 8/9 June. The 54 km long points race was a tough and exciting Candidate Race this season. Start and finish is in the capital city of BSB, Bandar Seri Begawan, which is a great bonus in terms of logistical planning for those planning to attend the event. The exact host venue is Dermaga Diraja.

The cut-off time for the 54k is set at 20 hours and there’s six aid stations and checkpoints planned between start and finish. As can be seen on the course profile below, trail running in Brunei means a lot of steep up & down hills that make it harder than it looks on paper.

Registration is already open and can be accessed via the button link below. Runners with less ambition can also choose for one of the shorter race categories, such as the 30k or the 8k and fun run.

We are happy to announce the latest new ATM Candidate race in Brunei, scheduled for 17/18 February 2024: Brunei Darussalam Ultra Trail Marathon, abbreviated as BDUTM. The event is organised by HJ Khai Event Management and is centred around the Tasek Lama Recreational Park. On the programme are four race distance categories, of which the 50km is the longest. Less ambitious runners can also opt for the 30k, 15km or 5km. Note: this a race with loops, which means the 50km is 10 loops of 5 km. BDUTM is part of the ‘Brunei Loop Series’ .

BDUTM is meant to promote the country as an outdoor and trail running destination with the Tasek Lama Park being the most iconic region to do so. Estimated elevation gain for the 50km is 3100 hm. People who have been running in Brunei before know the hills are often quite steep and more technical than expected. Heat is another obstacle, as of course in many Southeast Asian races. At BDUTM the decision has been made to have the 50km flag off at 21:00, implying most of the race will be held at night with cooler conditions. The looping of course allows for a fun and entertaining event for fans and friends as well, given runners will be passing by on a regular basis.

Registration is open and can easily be done via the official website linked below. The website also has English contact details and everything you need to know in terms of mandatory gear, cut-off times and other race regulations and entry conditions.

Tasek Lama is close to Brunei’s capital city Bandar Seri Begawan, where there’s plenty of accommodation options. BBS also has an international airport.

The BDUTM Loop of 5km around Tasek Lama Recreational Park

Chun Kwei Ming was the great winner of last weekend’s Simpur Ultra 50, as pre-race favourite Sefli Ahar pulled out just over halfway following an injury sustained in a fall early on in the race. Just like the earlier BBTC event in 2016-2018, Brunei’s trails once again proved to be very treacherous despite what some would call a lack of elevation gain. The forest trails around the city of Bandar Seri Begawan are very technical and slow even the quickest runners down so much that we had a very solid and proven competitor as Chun Kwei Fung winning in just over 10 hours for 50k. It’s easy to deduct his average speed. The local Bruneian was 6th in Borneo TMBT 100 in 2019, for instance. He was one -and-a-half hours ahead of 2nd placed Haji Ibni Bin Haji Nudin, and over three hours ahead of Junaidi in third place.

Nur Ainulhakimah Mahmud was the fastest woman in the race in a time of 15:44:12, after a long and exciting competition with Norazimah Mohd Zin, who ultimately finished just six minutes later in second. Tellingly, only two women managed to beat the cut-off time. Overall, Simpur Ultra was clearly a killer, with just 23% of the starters in the finish.

Despite these dramatic numbers, people agreed the event has a bright future ahead and with some fine-tuning can become a Bruneian classic.

Video footage of race finish and interviews by Mark TWT for ATM

This weekend our attention finally again turns to Brunei, where on Sunday the inaugural edition of Simpur Ultra Run will take place - a new ATM Candidate Race. It’s been five years since the demise of the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge, and we are looking forward to getting to know many new runners. Covid mitigation efforts made it very hard still for Bruneian trail runners to travel and race in 2022, but things are looking good for the new season. And who else but local running legend Sefli Ahar features as the posterboy of the new event in and around the country capital Bandar Seri Begawan.

On the event programme we find a 50km main category and a 18km shorter distance. Sefli Ahar will go for the 50km that starts at midnight on Sunday, and which will be reported live on on our usual ATM channels. For those who may have forgotten, Sefli Ahar is a 6-time ATM points race winner in the early years 2016-2018, which is still a record for male trail runners he shares with John Ellis, Hisashi Kitamura and Milton Amat. Working as a police officer in Brunei, traveling abroad is not that easy and Sefli, now in his mid forties, has taken a step back from international competition in ATM since then. However, this weekend he is at home in BSB and anyone aiming to win the race will certainly need to run passed him.

Sefli Ahar has won 6 ATM points races between 2016 and 2018, a record he shares with John Ellis, Hisashi Kitamura and Milton Amat.

We are happy to announce a new ATM Candidate in Brunei Darussalam on the weekend of 25/26 February 2023: Simpur Ultra Run. It will be the first ATM promoted race in the country since 2018’s Beach Bunch Trail Challenge, and a great opportunity to put the spotlights on the traditionally strong Bruneian trail running community. Simpur Ultra Run will take place in the nation’s capital city Bandar Seri Begawan and has a 50k course as the main race category. Total elevation gain will be around the 3000 hm mark, which is not nothing for a 50k and those who remember Beach Bunch know that the hills in Brunei are of the short but steep kind.

Flag off time will be midnight on the 26th, meaning the competitive and faster runners will be mostly running in cooler temperatures at nighttime.

The event is organised by Passion Ku and the Simpur Ultra event manual can be consulted via their website. There you can also register for the 50k, or for the 18k if you’re less ambitious.

The draft course map of the 50 km Simpur Ultra Run

Sefli Ahar remains the measure of all things in the Bruneian trail running scene. For the third consecutive year the former winner of the Hong Kong Half Marathon won the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge, the premier trail ultra event in the country. It was arguably his most impressive victory of the three, in fact, looking at who finished behind him and how much distance he was eventually able to put between him and the others. Sefli crossed the line in 11:50, more than 1-and-a-half hours ahead of Mohamed Afindi and Wilnar Iglesia!! Sefli was a class apart last Sunday. It's 6th career ATM race victory. 

Being a police officer in his country, Sefli has found it hard to travel and cannot predict yet if he will again be able to challenge for the ATM Championship later this year. What's for sure is that he is now slowing down. Malaysia's Mohamed Afindi was already second behind Sefli at last summer's Magnificent Merapoh Trail, but the gap then was just about half an hour. While Afindi seems to be joining Isaac Yuen Wan Ho in the League of the Nearly Men, his first big victory in ATM is just a matter of time. Afindi proved his warrior instinct during the Beach Bunch and raced for the win against Sefli, rather than be happy with second. It nearly cost him second, as Philippines' Wilnar Iglesia still came quite close (10 minutes) at the finish. Iglesia himself was spent at the finish in another piece of evidence of how tough this so-called 'flat' race really is. It's Iglesia's first podium of the season after 4th in Akyathlon and 5th in Cordillera. His third top result propelled him into the lead of the ATM Championship for the first time in his career. Championship challengers better take note, because Iglesia was also 2nd in Penang Eco last year, a race he will return to next May! 

In fourth place was local runner Alex Chung. And that deserves a special mentioning. Chung, third last year in this race, was only 9 minutes behind Iglesia and 19 behind Afindi. A very consistent pace and a very promising result for the future. 

There is more than just Sefli in Brunei in any case. Another local, Amirul Tuah, became the 16th Asia Trail Grandmaster by finishing the 100k, his sixth ATM long distance finish within two years. Tuah joins his compatriot Ali Ajis Rasil ,who earned the Grandmaster title last December as first Bruneian. 

Also the women's race was spectacular and had a tighter battle for the race win than the men's. Indonesia's Ruth Theresia repeated her feat from last year, but clearly had to dig deeper as her compatriot Sri Wahyuni had the bit between her teeth! Ruth even had to catch her as Wahyuni took a faster start on the long road section before the runners hit the trails. But when everyone thought Wahyuni would quietly fade away and be happy to consolidate her second place, she kept on putting pressure on her more experienced and lauded compatriot. The gap was never more than half an hour and at the finish it was back down to 23 minutes. Ruth Theresia herself ran a great time of just over 17 hours (50 minutes faster than last year!), and regains the ATM championship lead with this second win of the season after UTKC in Thailand. It's also Ruth's 6th career win. But Wahyuni is certainly the new face of Indonesian female trail running: both quick and resilient. Beach Bunch was her 4th podium finish in ATM races, it won't be long before she claims that first victory. 

Malaysia's Jassica Lintanga took third on the podium. She decided not to mix with the two Indonesian ladies up front as her main goal was to claim the Grandmaster title. Her sister Adelinah already became a Grandmaster at the end of last year, and now "Jess" achieved the same in Brunei. Lintanga finished comfortably in 21:44 , earned a truckload of ATM championship points with her 3rd place, and will "race for position" already next week at her team Malatra's home race in Sungai Menyala, where she finished 2nd last year. Lintanga could become a genuine championship contender this season, although it is Ruth Theresia who has now regained the points lead at the expense of Majo Liao.

At BBTC there was a second A-race for ATM points. The 50K was surprisingly won by Filipino-Australian Andrew Hill in 4:44. He stayed 13 minutes ahead of Pablo Diago Gonzales, who returned after sustaining a knee injury at the 9 Dragons in Hong Kong last month. Amirul Jamil from Brunei claimed the final podium step. 

In the women's 50K, Kathryn Deuerlein from Canada took top honours in 6:56. She was joined on the podium by local runner Judy Leslie and Singapore's Jeri Chua from the Red Dot Running Company, her second ATM podium finish after Sungai Menyala last season. 

The women's 100K podium: Ruth Theresia, Sri Wahyuni and new Grandmaster Jess Lintanga

Hail the new Grandmaster from Brunei: Amirul Tuah!

Wilnar Iglesia and Mohamed Affindi did what they could, but Sefli was just a tick too fast

The 3rd edition of the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge in Brunei this weekend brings us a very interesting cast for both the 100k and 50k points races in the Asia Trail Master championship. The spotlights shine firmly on local hero Sefli Ahar, twice winner of the BBTC already, who is making his first appearance of the season. Sefli is up against none other than Malaysia's Mohamed Affindi, the young gun from Team Malatra who is determined to put Sefli Ahar under pressure. In the women's Ruth Theresia will defend her BBTC title as well, and if successful can become the new points leader in the championship. 

Sefli Ahar and Mohamed Affindi know each other very well from The Magnificent Merapoh Trail last summer. In that 100k race Sefli had to tolerate the company of rising star Affindi for a long part of the race. At the finish, the difference between the two was also not that overwhelming. Now with more trail experience in the bag, Affindi could get even closer to Ahar this Sunday. The Bruneian star is a local police officer and is very limited in his travel opportunities. Just like last season, Sefli needs to pick his races carefully and see where the ship sails throughout the year. If he can reach five race finishes by mid December, for sure he will again be a candidate for the ATM championship title. But first is the title defence in his home country. Other podium candidates in the men's 100k race this weekends are Alex Chung, also from Brunei, and Filippino Wilnar Iglesia. After coming fourth and fifth in Akyathlon and Cordillera Mountain Ultra, Iglesia is gunning for his third A-race finish of the season and therefore is in with a shot to take over the championship points lead from Dean Perez. Wilnar Iglesia needs to finish higher than 9th to achieve that. Given his speed in the two previous races that should be feasible, although a lot can happen on 100k. 

Another Bruneian, Amirul Tuah, will be competing mainly with himself on Sunday. Tuah is just 1 race finish short of completing his Grandmaster Quest! If he succeeds in the 100k, he will be the second Bruneian after Ali Ajis Rasil to obtain the 1-star Grandmaster. 

Also in the women's race we have someone keen to become Grandmaster this weekend. In the footsteps of her sister Adelinah, Jassica Lintanga is not only a favourite for the podium - maybe even the victory - but also a well-deserved Grandmaster if she reaches the finish of the 100k. Indeed, if Jassica has a good day, she will give Indonesia's Ruth Theresia a run for her money. Theresia aims to repeat last year's victory and take over the championship points lead from Majo Liao in her 3rd ATM race of the season. Twelve months ago, Theresia delivered one of her best performances ever on trail during the Beach Bunch. The question is can she do it again? This Sunday, another Indonesian functions as the dark horse for the top honours. Surabaya's Sri Wahyuni has proven to be both fast and resilient over the past half a year with podium places in three ATM points races in Indonesia. Still a relative newbie to trail, Wahyuni could grow into this race if Theresia and Lintanga were not to have their best day. 

There is also a 50K in Brunei and that one is also regarded as an A-race for the ATM points championship. That means the winner only scores 50 points less than the winner of the 100K, yet those 50 may turn out to be crucial at the end of the season. Last year, Tahira Najmunisaa opted for the 50k here, and lost the points championship to KIm Matthews by 35 points... 

A major protagonist on the 50K is Pablo Diago Gonzales. The Singapore-based Spaniard is returning from an unfortunate DNF at the 9 Dragons Ultra due to a knee injury, and will be keen to open his points account for 2018. In the women's, Singapore's Jeri Chua from the Red Dot Running Company could be the one to follow if you hoped to win the race. 

Jessica Lintanga can join her sister this weekend as Asia Trail Grandmaster

Ruth Theresia won last season: she is top favourite again in her 3rd ATM race of 2018

Fantastic runs last weekend at the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge, the first ever ultra event in Brunei on Borneo Island. Local star Sefli Ahar proved that in his forties he has no issues going beyond standard marathon distance and won the men's 100k in a blistering time of just over 12 hours. Leading from start to finish was also Indonesia's upcoming trail talent Ruth Theresia, who took her second ATM race victory in two weeks after Coast To Coast in Yogyakarta. The 26-year-old from Bandung was clearly not intimidated by the strong women's field in Brunei, including Singapore's Jeri Chua and the Lintanga sisters from Malaysia. Theresia opened up a gap on the initial 9 km road section and never looked back. She finished the 100k in a time of 17:53. It was also her third successive win in an ATM points race, as she won Bromo Tengger Semeru 100k last November as well. Ruth Theresia now has 1000 ATM championship points and moves up to second place in the ranking behind the defending champion Tahira Najmunisaa (photo above), who also claimed another race victory in the Beach Bunch event. One week after the grueling UTKC 100 race in Thailand, the Malaysian star settled for the 50k in Brunei. She won convincingly in 5:41 (third overall!), but had to stay focused as Scotland's Margaret Rait had a great run herself to finish second in 6:14. As the 50k was credited with 400 performance points as well, Tahira boosts her 2017 total to 1500 points. For the ATM championship, the best five results of each runner are taken into account. 

Sefli Ahar: unbeatable on home soil 

Behind Sefli Ahar and Ruth Theresia, the battle for the podium places on the 100k distance was exciting to follow. Hong Kong's Isaac Yuen Wan Ho, local runners Chung Ming and Muhdabdulfarid Hjsufri, and Malaysia's Yim Heng Fatt - fifth in UTKC 70 a week ago - were all in contention. Yuen Wan Ho, in his first ATM points race of the season, had a bit of a scare when he lost the right trail and dropped far back around the km 35 mark. Being an excellent and experienced ultrarunner, he managed to stay calm and gradually ran his way back to Chung Ming, and eventually left him behind for second place in 13:46. The Bruneian Chung Ming settled for a great third place on his 100k debut. Yim Heng Fatt came in fourth and scored more points for the ATM championship, still led by Arief Wismoyono. South Africa's Christo Swart was fifth. 

Jessica Lintanga stayed ahead of her younger sister Adelinah to claim second place roughly two hours behind Ruth Theresia. Youngsters themselves, the sisters from Sabah in Team Malatra continue to improve on the ultra distances. Adelinah even showed very fast legs still in the final hundreds of meters as she sprinted with Bruneian Shazana Nabilah Hj Ayob to the finish to get the final podium spot. Filippino runner Cheryl Bihag took a fine fifth place, ahead of Moana O'Sullivan, Mila Marlina- in her third race weekend in a row - and Melissa Woo. Bihag enters the top 5 of the ATM championship ranking, after finishing 3rd in the Rizal Mountain Run last month as well. Jeri Chua, on of Asia's best-known and celebrated trail running stars, sprained her ankle in a muddy section at night while running in second position with Jessica Lintanga. She wisely decided to avoid risking serious injury and pulled out of the race at km 43. 

The 100k race started in damp conditions after a serious downpour earlier that night. However, as the skies cleared out and the sun came out, the second part of the race was held in hot conditions. 

The men's 50k was dominated by two locals, who had a great fight for the win. Eventually, it was Md Norrisman Ismail who grabbed the race win in 5:05:25. Mohd Nazrul Effendy Bin Ali Hassan Jambul settled for second after leading most of the race in 5:14. Australia's Dave Smith claimed the third place on the podium in 5:45 

Three-in-a-row: Ruth Theresia scored another win, her first outside her home country

Local runner Chung Ming delivered a great performance with 3rd place on the 100k

It is only end of February and this weekend we can already look forward to the sixth points race in the 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship series. The Beach Bunch Trail Challenge in Brunei was an exciting newcomer last year, and this time the event goes from marathon to ultra! The list of participants shows several big names, including the almost inevitable Asia Trail Master champion, Tahira Najmunisaa. Winner of the Beach Bunch race last season, the 26-year-old Malaysian will be going for the 50k barely a week after her stunning victory at UTKC in Thailand. She will not get her 8th ATM race win on a silver platter on Sunday, though, as Great Britain's Margaret Rait could give her a challenge coming off a win in another race on Borneo last weekend.

Sefli Ahar is back for the 100k

The 100 km in the men's will see last year's local running hero Sefli Ahar, winner of the marathon here twelve months ago, give it a shot on  the ultra distance! Interestingly, he will be up against, amongst others, Isaac Yuen Wan Ho again. The Hong Kong runner was chasing Ahar in the Beach Bunch Trail Marathon last year, and having had a wonderful time returns to Brunei this weekend. Yuen Wan Ho was third in the final 2016 Asia Trail Master championship ranking. Initially collecting podium placings, he finally got the well-deserved race victory at HK 168 last November - a 100 miler, no less. The BBTC will be his first of the 2017 campaign. 

Also in the field and a podium candidate, returning from Koh Chang, is Malaysia's Yim Heng Fatt. On the 50k, local runner Hj Saifullah is one to watch out for. 

Jessica Lintanga aka Jess Boubie

While Tahira Najmunisaa thus opts for the 50k, the 100k bursts with female trail running talent as well. Indonesia's Ruth Theresia is in prime shape this year and could be the top favourite. A COMPRESSPORT athlete, Theresia won the Coast to Coast Night Trail Ultra two weeks ago and has ambition for this year's ATM championship. The two Borneo sisters Adelinah and Jessica Lintanga could be her main competitors on Sunday, along with Singapore star Jeri Chua. Adelinah won the Penang Eco 100k last season, and her sister the MesaStila 4 Peaks Challenge in Indonesia. Jeri Chua of course does not need an introduction as one of the pioneers in Asian trail running. It will be her first start in an ATM points race, though. Other podium candidates are Mila Marlina and Filippino Cheryl Bihag, both already active this season with podium placings in Coast To Coast and Rizal Mountain Run, respectively. Local ultra star Melissa Woo will be trying to get herself in the mix, too. 

ATM Championship points seekers have a choice between 100 km and 50 km, and winners on each distance will be rewarded with 400 performance points along with 100 or 50 finisher points, respectively. The 100k will start at midnight on Sunday, and as usual you can follow all the action live on our social media channels. 

Ruth Theresia, 26,  came to the fore at MesaStila and BTS last autumn 

Brunei's Beach Bunch Trail Challenge is one of those new events in 2016 that caught the eye of plenty a trail runner in Asia. Brunei as a new destination for runners, but the race itself as it had a 50% DNF quote despite "only" being of 42k marathon length. For once, the term "challenge" in the event's title was not just randomly added. The race was a test of running abiility, but arguably even more so of mental resilience and even tactical choice of running gear.  While the forest section in the first half of the course definitely was made for hardcore trail shoes, this type of footwear sank people's feet deep into the loose beach sand in the second half, draining their legs. Significantly, a pure road runner won the men's race: Sefli Ahar, a former winner of the Hong Kong Half Marathon, pushed Isaac Yuen Wan Ho into second place. 

In 2017 the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge goes ultra with the main races over 100 km and 50 km. There is also a 30 km distance for beginners. The tale of the trail reveals that elevation gain is limited to 1830 hm on the 100 km, and a mere 570 hm on the 50 km, so lovers of runnable courses should still mark this race red hot in their calendars. In terms of points for the Asia Trail Master championship, special conditions will apply to this event. On both the 100 and the 50 km races the winner will pocket 400 performance points. The difference will be, logically, in the finisher points, whereby 100k finishers score the usual 100 and the 50k finishers 50 points. As such, the winner of the 100k will have a 50-point-advantage over the winner of the 50k, but in the grand scheme of things (in 2017 each runner's best five results count for the final ranking at the end of the year) the difference might be neglible. 

Running along the beach is of course an important part of the race: mind your choice of shoe! 

Rizan Latif, organiser of the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge, is looking forward to seeing the protagonists of his 2016 race and of the Asia Trail Master championship come to Brunei on 25-26 February, for what will effectively be the first ever ultra trail distance in the country on Borneo island. 

Registration is open until 6 January 2017, but it is advised not to wait till last-minute as slots do fill up quickly. 

But it is not all beach neither: the forest section was determinant in 2016! 

Bandar Seri Begawan also catches the eye from a tourism point of view