Season 11 continues this weekend with a new entry on our ATM Championship calendar: Ultra Fish N Sheep is the third qualifier or points race event in Hong Kong. Taking place in the New Territories with start in Fanling on Saturday morning 8 a.m., the 5th edition of the popular event introduces a 75km category for both Championship and Grandmaster Quest points.

It’s a pretty serious race with an estimated elevation gain of 4400 hm for the 75km distance. Moreover, after a week of cool weather, the heat is expected to return to Hong Kong this weekend with temperatures reaching 30 degrees celsius. Normal conditions for the average South-East Asian trail runner, but in Hong Kong it remains a topic that circles around in runners’ heads. We could be seeing some surprises on the race leaderboard in other words.

The men’s start list shows some big names including the still reiging ATM Champion Jeff Campbell. It’s been three weeks since the cancellation of the Season 10 Final at Mu Cang Chai Ultra Trail , a race for which Campbell undoubtedly had prepared very well for. If he has preserved that form, he should be the logical one to beat on Saturday. However, this year in Hong Kong has also proven that he can be beaten at times. His T8 teammate Wai Hei Ng finished ahead of him at Lantau 70, for instance. One of the most exciting newcomers on the ATM scene in Season 10, Wai Hei Ng also won the 50km at The 9 Dragons in February and may be Campbell’s greatest challenger in the Fish N Sheep race together with Lodewijk Vriens, also Team T8. Vriens was the 50km race winner at this event last year, and also looked impressive in winning Bali’s BTR 60 last May. There’s 275 participants for the 75km race, let’s find out if anyone else can get between these three top runners.

On the women’s side, we will be paying attention to Indonesia’s Ruth Theresia, now based in Hong Kong. Our 2018 ATM Champion has had a decent training block over the past few months and looks ready to finally get that 20th ATM ultra race finish, which would mean her 4th Grandmaster star! If she completes Fish N Sheep 75, she will be the first Indonesian Golden Grandmaster and only the second female in general after Philippines’ Rhea Batac in July 2024. Of course, a strong Ruth Theresia also implies she won’t be far away from the podium and the women’s race win either. Other contenders are expected to be Nicole Lau, third on the 50km last year, Kai Hei Chan, Kimmy Leung and Nikki Han.

ATM will be reporting live from Ultra Fish N Sheep from start to finish. The race starts at 8 am local time.

Top favourite for the men’s race and still reigning ATM Champion: Jeff Campbell

Wai Hei Ng: finished ahead of Jeff Campbell at Lantau 70 and won the 50km at 9 Dragons this year

2018 ATM Champion Ruth Theresia aims for her 20th ATM Ultra finish: the Golden Grandmaster title

BTR 60 race winner Lodewijk Vriens will aim to give Campbell a run for his money

We are happy to announce a new entry in Hong Kong for Season 11 of the Asia Trail Master Championship series : Ultra Fish’n Sheep joins the ATM Championship and Grandmaster Quest calendar with its event scheduled for Saturday, 25 October 2025. It will be the 5th edition of the popular Ultra Fish’n Sheep, but the first time it will feature a 75km long course, which will be run during daytime from Fan Lin in the north of the New Territories to the finish at the YMCA Junk Bay Youth Camp. It’s a typical Hong Kong trail course, which means a decent amount of elevation gain as well. The 75km is estimated to have over 4300 metres of elevation gain. The start is at 8am and the cut off time at the finish is 2 am on Sunday morning, i.e. maximum 18 hours.

Joining The 9 Dragons and Lantau 70 in the early part of each year, Ultra Fish n Sheep will thus be the third Hong Kong points race in Season 11 of the ATM Championship, which begins the week before in Laos with Luang Prabang Ultra Trail on 18/19 October. Hong Kong continues to have a vibrant trail running scene, in which this event has managed to secure a solid footing over the past four years. Ultra Fish n Sheep is organised by Sky Sportage.

Registration is open and it is recommended to sign up early. Apart from the 75km there are other distance categories, but note that only the 75km provides ATM points. On the official website linked below you can also download the GPX file of the race course. Remember, just like 9 Dragons in February, this is a race from A to B. Luggage can be transported by the event crew from the starting point to the finish point at the YMCA Junk Bay Youth Camp.