Tampin Transnaning Ultra, brought to you by Himalaya Sports, has moved two months forward on the trail calendar and is taking place again this weekend. It’s one of the toughest trail challenges in peninsular Malaysia. A race over several loops through the heart of Transnaning, featuring seven peaks in 34 km. Start and finish of the event is at the Tampin Water Park in Negeri Sembilan. Finishers can score a Grandmaster Quest point if they finish the Ultra race of 68km (4800 hm!) or the Challenger race of 102km (7200hm)

On the start list several known runners and Grandmasters seeking to add another point to their records. Including Golden Grandmaster Kenneth Mun Keat Yow, who is already on the Trail to Immortality. Also 2-star Grandmasters David Khoo and Siokhar Lim - long time no see - are expected to run the challenger course of just over 100km. 2-star Grandmaster Beng Siong Lee and Ang Yee Mei are familiar names on the 68km Ultra start list.

The official website of Tampin Transnaning Ultra describes the route very well: “ Starting from Tampin Water Park, runners begin by taking on the outer segments of the Trans Naning route. This opening section serves as the warm-up, but make no mistake, it is no easy start. Over the first 14km, runners will face more than 600m of elevation gain, with rolling hills on tarmac and forest access roads through the rural foothills. Along the way, runners will pass Kolam Marine A.R.M and the rustic Malaysian kampung landscape before reaching Gunung Datuk Foothill where the real adventure begins. From there, the next 20km reveals the true heart of Trans Naning: a rugged traverse along the southern spine of the Titiwangsa Range, summiting all seven (7) iconic peaks:

• Gunung Datuk

• Gunung Rembau

• Gunung Gagak

• Puncak 701

• Puncak 705

• Gunung Tampin Utara

• Gunung Tampin Selatan

Tamping Transnaning Ultra could become an ATM Championship Qualifier in the near future. It will therefore again be interesting to see how the race unfolds this weekend.

Kenneth Mun Keat Yow is on the Trail to Immortality

David Khoo is a 2-star Grandmaster

2-star Grandmaster Siokhar LIm

2-star Grandmaster Beng Siong Lee is aiming for the 68km this weekend

A successful 4th edition of Camiguin Island Trail in the north of Mindanao last weekend, an event with a 70km long ultra offering a Grandmaster Quest point for all finishers. As expected, we also got to discover several new faces at the front of the 70km race, which saw some nice tight racing for victory.

In the men’s 70km, Bryan Jay Mundiguing proved fastest at the end to complete the course as race winner in 9h42. That was 12 minutes ahead of established competition runner Marjones Abugan and 16 minutes ahead of Marlonette Esquierdo in third place. The times also indicate the toughness of the island course.

The women’s race was even closer with Mekaila Abel Cruz taking top honours in a winning time of 13h36. Just 8 minutes ahead of Linajane Aluba. Completing the podium was Jessa Vicente in 14h30.

Camiguin Island Trail is organised by Vertical To Sky and may develop into an ATM Championship Qualifier next season.

Ms. Makaila Abel Cruz from Jasaan Misamis and Bryan Jay Mundiguing from Ifugao Province

Winning the race: Bryan Jay Mundiguing

Female race winer Makalla Abel Cruz

Marjones Abugan had to settle for second place

Just 8 minutes away from victory: Linajane Aluba

Marlonette Esquierdo, third place.

Jessa Vicente, completing the female podium

This weekend the spotlights are on Camiguin Island Trail, just off the northern coast of Mindanao. a popular event by Vertical To Sky - known from The Punisher, Mount Apo Sky Race and others - and is again part of the ATM Grandmaster Quest calendar this season. The race distance to focus on is the 70km.

Camiguin is an island in the Bohol Sea, approximately 10km off the northern coast of Mindanao in the Philippines. The trail event is held out of the island’s and provincial capital Mambajao. The island has some lush green forest reserves, even protected under the ASEAN Heritage Park label. Camiguin also has a rich cultural history and treasures, such as Old Mambajao Fountain and the façade of the Santo Rosario Church in Sagay. This is a mountainous island, which offers the opportunity for some splendid trail running, including some technical mountain sections. The highest peak is Mount Timpoong, which towers a respectable 1500 metres above sea level.

It is one of several events. in Philippines that may become part of our ATM Championship calendar in future, too. The 70km race has well over 3700 elevation gain, which is not to be underestimated.

On the start list this weekend we find nearly 150 runners for the 70km category, which is a good number, Amongst them, Golden 4-star Grandmaster and now on the Trail to Immortality, Masafumi Yamamoto from Japan. Masafumi continues to enjoy the down-to-earth boutique style of trail races and has received a lot of respect from the communities everywhere. Also Bronze 2-star Grandmaster Blanka Wong from Malaysia will be looking to score another GM point on the way to 3-stars. For the battle up front, with MUSPO 100 just one week ago, the start list does not immediately see the biggest of names, which only means we will get to know some new faces again. Arguably, Marjones Abugan will be the one to beat. Jonathan Pido, however, is a former Mount Apo Sky Race winner - all the way back in 2015. Henry Joe Cottillon may also be in podium contention this weekend.

As of July 2026, Asia Trail Master is creating a number of ATM Grandmaster Hubs in cooperation with recognised partners across the region. Grandmaster Hubs are places where trail runners can gather and collect Grandmaster achievement tokens, such as Grandmaster caps and Gold, Silver of Bronze achievement tees. The first two official Grandmaster Hubs are Trailside Treats near Kuala Lumpur City in Malaysia and Red Dot Running Company in Singapore.

As more and more trail runners have embarked on their Grandmaster journeys, it has become a logistical challenge to prepare and distribute achievement tokens at events. Hence, the idea of Grandmaster Hubs came to fruition. Hubs will be located in places with lots of runners and usually have a direct link with Asia Trail Master as well.

Trailside Treats, for example, is managed by a.o. Carly Balmforth, herself a 2-star Grandmaster already, and is located near Bukit Tiara, one of peninsular Malaysia’s main trail running training and gathering areas. It’s a coffee, tea and cake venue, breathing trail running, and so it also makes for a great gathering venue while you collect your Grandmaster token(s).

Red Dot Running Company in Singapore was founded by Jeri Chua, legendary endurance athlete and someone who has been supportive of Asia Trail Master since the very beginning. RDRC, as it is commonly known, is the reference store for runners - both trail and road - in Singapore. ATM has often had livestreams and gathering sessions at RDRC over the years.

In the coming weeks we aim to announce more Grandmaster Hubs, including in the Philippines. Meanwhile, similar venues keen on becoming a Grandmaster Hub can reach out to kris@asiatrailmaster.com for more information.

Addresses

• Trailside Treats: Located near the green Bukit Kiara forest at G-3, Wisma WIM, Taman Tun Dr Ismail

• Red Dot Running Company Store - 108 Sims Avenue, Singapore 387432

Socials

One of the events that is becoming every more popular on our ATM calendar is Prenn Trail Summit in Dalat, Vietnam. Scheduled from 9 to 13 December 2026, trail runners on the Grandmaster Quest will again have no fewer than four categories to choose from in order to collect a new GM point. The longest race category is the 250km mega ultra, but the programme also offers the more traditional 100 Miles, 100km and 75km distances.

Organised by Unique Events & Media that also brings you Brah Yang Trail Summit in March, Prenn has been catching the attention since its inaugural edition back in 2023. Dalat in the southern Central Highlands of Vietnam has no shortage of trail events any more, but Prenn draws appreciation for its emphasis on the basics of trail running, the communities, combined with a solid and pleasant organisation. The event centre, also expo place and finish line for all distance categories, is the Prenn Tea Resort.

The website of the event is incredibly detailed and you can find all you need to know right there. In a nutshell, the 250km race - labeled “The Gods” - has an estimated elevation gain of 11730 hm and a cut-off time of 73 hours. Runners start the adventure at the Kala Lake at lunchtime (13:00) on 10 December . 100 Miles participants also start at the Kala Lake on the 11th at 7 am. They will conquer over 8000 hm and need to complete the distance in 55 hours. Those who thought a few years ago that running in Dalat is ‘easy’ surely have changed their minds by now :-).

The 100km also has a respectable 4500+ hm and 29 hours of cut-off time. Important, this category starts more or less at sunset on Friday at 18:00. The 75km starts at 3 am on Saturday and comes close to 4000hm and a cut-off time has been placed atv 24 hours.

Dalat is accessible by airplane , or you can also arrange overland transport from Ho Chi Minh City. The website also offers lots of options how to reach the Prenn Tea Resort.

The annual ATM appointment on Samal Island off the coast of Davao City in Mindanao saw the 19-year-old Michael Angelo Lorono and Merudin Idsla as fastest male runners on the 80km long course. Strongest female was Ana Fe Gamo, who a month ago also finished first in SIlabur Ultra Trail 100 in Sarawak, Malaysia. The 12th edition of The Punisher was part of the Grandmaster Quest calendar.

No elite superstars on the start list meant that upcoming talents had a great opportunity to show themselves. Lorono and Idsla did that in style, completing the course in a time of 14h30. Joshua Pateno and Rennier Arcenal came next in 15h45.

Ana Fe Gamo took the women’s race win in 15h53 , fifth overall. Jasmin Dela Pena and Devere Galo joined her on the podium.

Golden Grandmaster Mario Yap has come very close to becoming Legend by finishing The Punisher. Mario has already accumulated 480 kilometers (= 480 points) in five different countries. Originally, he had planned to reach the Legend milestone of 500 kilometres at BTR Ultra in Bali two weeks ago, but there he suffered an uncharacteristic DNF. In any case, Mario Yap seems keen to be first!

The Punisher is organised by Vertical To Sky and was one of the pioneering trail running events in Mindanao alongside the Mount Apo Sky Race now well over a decade ago. It remains a great introduction to long ultra trail running given its varied course and easy accessibility from Davao City. Moreover, Samal Island is worth a weekend stay no matter what.

Photos below credited to Vertical To Sky (facebook page)

Trail runners on the Grandmaster Quest now also have a chance to score a point at the rebranded A1 Philippines - Cordillera Mountain Terraces event in Banau, Ifugao, Luzon. Previously known as Amuyao, a Candidate Race in 2024, the event now features a 100 Miles race as longest ultra, alongside a 50 Miles, which still carries the name Amuyao Mountain Ultra 50 Miles. These are the two categories in which a Grandmaster point can be earned.

Less ambitious runners can also opt for shorter categories such as 42km, 25km and 10km.

A new name, but the event will actually already be held for a 10th time in 2026. Scheduled for the weekend of 20-23 August, it is also a fund raising event to support the rehabilitation od Batad Village, which was heavily affected of the landslide caused by the recent typhoon. We are in the heart of the Cordilleras here.

The official event description says it all: “Set in the stunning landscapes of Banaue, Ifugao. Runners will pass through the extreme natural landscapes of the great Ifugao and Mountain Province villages, mountains, and terraces, which were built more than 2,000 years ago and are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It will pass also with the two prominent mountains of Cordillera - Mt. Amuyao and Mt. Napulawan. Brace yourself for rugged trails, breathtaking views of the famous Banaue Rice Terraces, and an unforgettable adventure alongside fellow passionate runners! leave your mark on one of the toughest courses in the Philippines.”

As beautiful as it may be, this is also very tough terrain. Start and finish is at Banaue Ethnic Village. 100 Milers already begin their long journey on Thursday at 15:00 in the afternoon, and are supposed to be back 72 hours later. The 50 milers start at 3 am on Saturday early morning need to return by 15:00 on Sunday as well.

Registration is already open. Via the facebook page below you can get all necessary details. As always for the Cordilleras, coming from Manila or Clark, your first gateway is Baguio.

Harkor 4: Ultra Trail Balakayo Mountains was held last weekend near General Santos in Mindanao, Philippines, and offered Grandmaster Quest points for finishers of the 75km long ultra. It’s a tough one with considerable elevation gain of over 4000hm, but the beautiful scenery along the ridges make up for the sometimes painful effort. Runners also expressed satisfaction with the aid stations during the event.

Three men set themselves apart at the front of the race. Ronny Jandog, Jeffrey Rivero and Peter Balolong, Jr finished 1-2-3 within 11 minutes of each other. The latter, Peter Balolong Jr , had just become Grandmaster at Silabur in Sarawak, Malaysia, two weeks ago. Winning time for Jandog was 11h04.

Valerie Mae Marcos proved to be the strongest female runner on the Harkor course. She won in 14h32 as 14th overall. Laica Rivas was second and Irene Tan third on the podium.

Ronny Jandog

Valerie Mae Marcos

Last week’s Grandmaster Quest event Zamboanguita Mountain Ultra Trail was held with the first Golden Grandmaster Masafumi Yamamoto part of the participant’s field for the 70km long ultra, minimum race distance for a Grandmaster point. Masafumi completed the course and so also began his Trail to Immortality.

Up front, the race was won by Loyd Echalar from Iloilo in a time of 12h04. Only 23 years old, Echalar was 24 minutes ahead of Johnrey Espadon, himself also just 25 years old. Third place on the podium was for the 43-year-old Chuck Paul Mata. Great to see also a youngster in fourth place, JM Esquilarga, 25. Those four were clearly the fastest of the pack.

The women’s race was won by Resie Gaudiano in 16h07. In second, we found Keziah Marieah Loreto and in third place Mary Rose Canete.

The event was organised by Happy Feet, which in the past also held the Mt Talinis Mountain Marathon in Negros Oriental.

70km runners before the start

Loyd Echalar: new name and a race winner at 23.

Meanwhile a traditional event in the ATM series, Silabur Ultra Trail in Sarawak, Malaysia, featured on our Grandmaster Quest calendar last weekend. The 100 km race attracted a lot of runners from several countries, many with the objective of scoring another Grandmaster point. A large group of 30 runners from Davao in Mindanao, Philippines, even made the trip over to Borneo Island. Quite a few chose Silabur as their mandatory international event, necessary to complete each level of the Grandmaster Quest. And a few also became an official ATM Grandmaster, as separate announcements show on our socials.

The 100 km race in itself saw two runners reaching the finish line together as ‘winners’: Azmil Saripudin and Azman Salama did the course in a time of 14h29. Silabur is not known for its elevation, but the heat of day is slowing a lot of people down. The passage through the famous cave complex always comes as a welcome and cooling relief. I Hsaing Huang was third on the podium just five minutes later.

Joyce Yong Hie Ying was quickest woman last weekend in a time of 18h32. Eight minutes faster than Ana Fe Gamo. Noor Hafizah Zubaidi took third spot on the podium.

Silabur Ultra Trail is starting a rotation scheme with Jagoi Ultra by the same organiser, Alpha Sports Events, for a place on the ATM Championship calendar. This season, it’s Jagoi Ultra 70 early September that also gives runners a chance to score ATM Championship points alongside a Grandmaster Quest point. In fact, Jagoi will be the last championship qualifier in Malaysia this season before the Final in Vietnam on 3 October.

Lots of Filipino elite trail athletes in Danao last weekend for the Danao City International Ultra Trail event on Cebu island. The event is new on the ATM Grandmaster Quest calendar this season as well, and lured none other than Cecille Wael to come and complete her 20th long ultra under ATM! Just a week after finishing third in Sierra Madre Trail Ultra, Wael focused on just finishing the tough 100km in Danao - an event where she finished second on the 50km two years ago. She is the second Filipino woman to score a 4th star and is thus now a Golden Grandmaster!

Female runners stole the show in Danao overall, as the 100km race up front saw an exciting battle between Elizabeth Dangadan and Nepal’s Nirmala Rai - double winner of MTR 100 Miles and making her first appearance in the Philippines. Dangadan set the pace from the beginning, but Rai never gave up and remained close for nearly the entire race. Only at the finish the gap had extended somewhat to 20 minutes. Dangadan won in 18h34, proving again what a tough course Danao 100 is. Angelie Cabalo, winner a week ago at Sierra Madre, took third on the podium. Third was the highest achievable last weekend, but still she finished ahead of Aggy Sabanal.

The 50 km race in Danao saw the appearance of reigning and two-time ATM Champion Priya Rai, the younger sister of Nirmala. Priya is in the midst of university graduation and despite carrying an injury she won the race in 6h44.

The men’s 100km had a fantastic start list including ATM Champion John Ray Onifa, Arnie Macaneras and Godwin Mirar. With also Larry Apolinario, Joebert Elmaguin and former Danao 100 winner Andy Toniaco in the mix, fans were excited to see a tremendous battle between them for victory. Macaneras set the pace early, but would eventually slow down and DNF. Reportedly, Macaneras is between race goals at the moment and therefore not at his peak level. Onifa, Mirar, Elmaguin and Apolinario ran together like brothers. Mirar, however, would also retire from the race towards the end. While many fans were hoping to see a nice sprint between the remaining three stars for the win, they came in side by side. Andy Toniaco was fourth quite a bit later, and Jensen Pasaforte fifth.

Elizabeth Dangadan won the women’s 100k ahead of Nepal’s Nirmala Rai

No royal sprint for victory: Onifa, Appolinario and Elmaguin come in together

One of peninsular Malaysia’s toughest trail races keeps its spot on our Grandmaster Quest calendar this season, but runners should take note of the new event date: Himalaya Sports Tamping Transnaning Ultra has now been scheduled for the weekend of 24-26 July. A race in loops through the heart of Transnaning, featuring seven peaks in 34 km. Grandmaster Quest chasers need to aim for the Ultra race of 68km (4800 hm!) or the Challenger race of 102km (7200hm).

This is an authentic tropical rainforest trail with lots of local history. Start and finish of the event is at the Tampin Water Park in Negeri Sembilan.

The official website describes the route very well: “ Starting from Tampin Water Park, runners begin by taking on the outer segments of the Trans Naning route. This opening section serves as the warm-up, but make no mistake, it is no easy start. Over the first 14km, runners will face more than 600m of elevation gain, with rolling hills on tarmac and forest access roads through the rural foothills. Along the way, runners will pass Kolam Marine A.R.M and the rustic Malaysian kampung landscape before reaching Gunung Datuk Foothill where the real adventure begins. From there, the next 20km reveals the true heart of Trans Naning: a rugged traverse along the southern spine of the Titiwangsa Range, summiting all seven (7) iconic peaks:

1. Gunung Datuk

2. Gunung Rembau

3. Gunung Gagak

4. Puncak 701

5. Puncak 705

6. Gunung Tampin Utara

7. Gunung Tampin Selatan

A checkpoint/water station awaits at the valley between Puncak 701 and Puncak 705 (a.k.a Kem Ultra). The ascent to Puncak 705 is a true test of stamina, as runners drop to the valley floor, reset their elevation, and climb all over again. After passing Gunung Tampin Selatan, runners will then descend and return to Tampin Water Park to complete one (1) unforgettable loop.

Expect dense jungle, narrow ridgelines, steep ascents, and wild, natural terrain throughout the course. With a generous but firm 14-hour cut-off, this category is built for trail runners ready to embrace distance, elevation, and the raw beauty of Malaysia’s mountain heartland.”

Alongside Mantra 68, Transnaning Ultra 68 is valid for the Grandmaster Quest thanks to its elevation gain numbers of more than 4500 hm. It goes without saying that participants therefore need to come prepared for this race.

Registration and more details can be found on the CPS official webpage linked below.