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

When one season ends, the next one is ready to go! Last week we were still in Vietnam celebrating the new ATM Champions at the final race of Season XI in Mu Cang Chai, and now we are already in neighbouring country Laos for the opening of Season XII. Just like a year ago, Luang Prabang Trail hosts the seasons opener with its 75 km race starting at 5:30 am local time on Saturday.

All runner accounts have been reset, everyone starts back from zero and the qualifying for next year’s S12 Championship Final begins! The regulations have remained exactly the same for the new season, i.e. winners of ATM Championship Qualifiers score 500 points, second place gets 450, third place 425 and so on until rank 25 in the race result. Each runner’s best four races will be taken into account for the final points ranking at the end of the season. The best five men and best five women will be automatically invited to join the Final - scheduled to take place in another exciting location in Myanmar by the end of October. Indeed, it will be a few weeks later due to the world championships of trail running taking place early October. Check out the regulations in any case, there’s also some bonus points for people who do a race abroad and for people who finish in the top 25 of a 100 miler (or longer). Everything is as transparent as ever and can be consulted on our dedicated webpage.

As previous seasons have shown, it hasn’t become easier to win or score Top 10 in our annual Championship, but achieving that and even just qualifying for it has therefore also become all the more rewarding for efforts done over a period of twelve months.

Luang Prabang Trail takes place in a great location for the opening of S12. A UNESCO World Heritage City, former capital of Laos, and an event that appeals to genuine trail enthusiasts. Deliberately kept ‘boutique-style’ by organisers Green Step to avoid overcrowding on the precious trails around the city and its nature reserves. The 75 km race course was introduced last year and has an estimated elevation gain of 2780 hm. That sounds moderate, but participants should not focus on the numbers here. If anything were proven in 2025 it was the underestimation of the difficulty level. First of all, we’re in Laos and surrounded by rainforest - it’s going to be hot and potentially humid.

Japan’s Taichi Yui was the men’s winner in 11h28 - with quite a gap on the other contenders. For Yui it was the first step towards a very successful Season 11 campaign, in which he finished 12th and second Japanese behind Kitamura last weekend. In other words, Taichi Yui is a serious competitor and he needed 11h28 for the 75km here. Fastest woman a year ago was Vietnam’s Luong Dong Anh in 20h04…

Looking at the start list for this weekend, we first of all see the names of three Golden Grandmasters - two of which have even already become ATM Legend: Philippines’ Mario Yap and Malaysia’s Kenneth Mun Keat Yow. Both seem to be going head-to-head in their attempts to finish the Trail to Immortality, introduced in January for runners who have completed the four levels of the Grandmaster Quest. Mun Keat Yow, by the way, ran the open public race at Mu Cang Chai last week, too! The third Golden 4-star Grandmaster on the start list is also from Malaysia: Munin Sundram. The trail runner from Taiping has had a relatively quite year hampered by injury and is basically returning to the scene this weekend, hoping for better luck in Season 12.

Among the expected victory contenders we are looking forward to T8 athletes Isaac Yin Tse King in the men’s and Jessica Lam Hoi Yee in the women’s. For Isaac it will be a step up in competitive distance, being known in Hong Kong for excelling in shorter distance races. Indonesia’s Yanizar Surydratama could be a great guide for him. Already once on the podium in Laos in the other event, V-Trail, Surydratama - running for Salomon - proved to be in good form just over a month ago at the ATM Candidate Race Tunggul Melati Trail in Selangor, Malaysia. Good old Thailander Santi Phongsraphang can also never be underestimated when he feels good on the day. Just like Amorn Kimnguan and Monthatip Rakpan, Santi did run Mu Cang Chai last week also, though. In Laos, there’s also always expat runners showing up who could create the surprise. Philippines’ Lauron Rizalyn could also be a podium contender in the women’s 75k race.

ATM will be broadcasting live from Luang Prabang on Saturday with start and finish, and produce the usual video and text updates throughout the day.

Just like the current season, the new ATM Championship Season XII (12) will commence with a ‘hidden gem’ : Luang Prabang Trail in Laos on the weekend of 10/11 October 2026. The event, organised by Green Step - also known for V Trail - will again feature a highly scenic 75 km race for points, both for the Championship ranking and for the Grandmaster Quest. Luang Prabang is a large UNESCO World Heritage Site and a wonderful place to spend a few days.

A boutique event on purpose, i.e. the number of participants is strictly controlled to ensure the best possible experience for all trail runners. Registration has just been opened and early bird rates are available.

The 75km course will largely copy the one from last year, which was new and deemed great by the participants. A great mixture of runable and technical parts, the estimated elevation gain of 2100 hm is certainly not excessive. It’s a daytime race initially with an early morning start on Saturday to allow everyone to enjoy the magnificent landscape around Luang Prabang. Of course, it also means it can be hot.

Luang Prabang has plenty of accommodation options in all budget ranges, which you can find easily online. To get there, you could consider a flight to Luang Prabang directly. There’s available options from Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang Mai), Vietnam (Hanoi), China (Kunming, Haikou) and Cambodia (Siem Reap). Alternatively, you fly to capital city Vientiane and take the high-speed train from there (Luang Prabang is a stop on the Vientiane-Kunming network), or a bus.

The event’s facebook page, linked below, provides the latest details as well as the international contact number (whatsapp preferred).

Last year, the 75km race saw the emergence of Japan’s Taichi Yui as race winner. The women’s race was won by Vietnam’s Dong Anh Luong.

The 2026 course map will largely mirror the one from last year

Tokyo’s Taichi Yui won his ATM debut race in Luang Prabang in Laos, the opening event of the new Championship Season 11. A friend of last year’s winner and ATM protagonist Yuta Matsuyama, he controlled the men’s race from start to finish. His time at the finish was 11h28. Yui, born in 1985, says ATM is an objective for him in the coming year with qualification for the Championship Final very much on his mind. The redesigned race in Luang Prabang is receiving praise from runners for its wonderful scenery and fantastic aid stations. While the 2800 metres of elevation gain does not sound too much, the 75km race is another example of ‘numbers can be deceiving’. Less technical and tough than V Trail, yet Luang Prabang also has its share of technical jungle trails with some significant descents.

In second place we had Vietnam's 25-year-old youngster Khanh Dam Quoc in 13h11'. Belgium's Antoine Deligne, in his long ultra debut, scored third place in 13h58. Thailand's Peeramata Chiemchit took fourth and Switzerland's Raffael Alpiger fifth.

The winner of the women’s race was Vietnam's Luong Dong Anh, who finished just ahead of Philippines' Merionne Dimen Elkins in 20h04. Both runners are also new faces on an ATM podium. Nakin Visisombat gave home country Laos a podium on the 75km main distance category with third place. Australia's Liz Colee came back to the finish in fourth.

The next ATM qualifying points race event is V Trail in Vang Vieng, scheduled for 14/15 March 2026. Luang Prabang Ultra Trail will take place on the same weekend of 17/18 October 2026.

Tomorrow, 18 October 2025, Asia Trail Master fully enters its second decade since the inaugural Championship season in 2015. The new Season 11 kicks off in Laos with the Luang Prabang Ultra Trail in the famous UNESCO World Heritage city, also former capital of the country before that honour went to Vientiane. Organised by Green Step, trail running pioneers in Laos and founders of V Trail in Vang Vieng, the event has been redesigned for this year and now features a 75km points race for both the ATM Championship points ranking, which leads to qualification for the Season 11 Final in Vietnam’s Mu Cang Chai on 3 October 2026, and the Grandmaster Quest. 

The 75km race starts at 9 am local time and has a rather modest elevation gain total of 2900 hm. Numbers can be deceiving and certainly in Laos, as everyone who as run V Trail knows. Still, Luang Prabang is known to have friendlier terrain than Vang Vieng and participants with a decent running pace should have the edge on Saturday. 

Starting a new Asia Trail Master season always means opening a new can of runners as well. People one has never heard of before suddenly pop up and claim the spotlights. It won’t be any different this weekend as the 75km start list offers a great mixture of nationalities, but without any big name standing out. We can expect an open race in other words.  Last year, the then-longest distance of 100km was won by Japan’s Yuta Matsuyama and Thailand’s Siriporn Leumathong. Let’s see who comes out on top on Saturday. 

You can follow the action live from Luang Prabang on ATM Facebook and YouTube, with highlights on Instagram. 

While our Anniversary Season 10 is still full underway and the Championship Final scheduled at Mu Cang Chai Trail Ultra in Vietnam on 4 October, behind the scenes work is of course already in progress for next season. Season 11’s opening event has now been confirmed and we won’t hide this exciting news any longer: it’s Luang Prabang Ultra Trail in Laos on 18/19 October!

The event organised by Green Step, which also manages the V Trail in Vang Vieng every year, will enter its third edition and will offer a points race for the new ATM Championship ranking for the second season in a row. Luang Prabang is a well-known city on the tourist trail in Southeast Asia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the former capital city of the country. It’s also a stop on the new and convenient Laos-China high-speed railway that connects Kunming in Yunnan (China) with Vientiane in Laos. Luang Prabang has a small airport by itself, but international runners are likely to land in Vientiane and take the aforementioned train up to Luang Prabang afterwards.

The event basically keeps its 2024 weekend on the calendar, and taking place two weeks after our Season 10 Final, is bound to be a great opener. Green Step has announced changes to the course following feedback of the last two years, and the plan is a main category of 70-75 km to ensure the distance also meets the requirements of the ATM Grandmaster Quest. Precise details will be released very soon, as well as the opening of registration.

Please stay tuned in May for more calendar confirmations.

Japan’s Yuta Matsuyama claimed his 3rd ATM race win in Luang Prabang last Sunday. The colourful ATM Finalist of the past two season, both times also concluding the championship inside the top 10, won the 100km race rather comfortably in 19h02’30”. The UGLOW runner was well-ahead of China's Lyu Meng in second and another Japanese runner Hiroki Yoshikawa in third. Amorn Kimnguan completed the race in fourth place. Yuta Matsuyama had previously twice won the UTCM 100 in Thailand. A perfect start to his Season 10 campaign!

The women’s 100km race was dominated by Thailand’s Siriporn Leumathong, who underscored her great 8th place in the ATM Championship Final at Borneo TMBT last month. For Leumathong, who resides in Malaysia, it was the first ever ATM points race victory.

The 55km race in the men’s category was won by Thailand’s Danon Rattanatumrong in 7h56’07”. His second ATM race win after UTKC 70 in 2022. He was 34 minutes ahead of Hong Kong’s Rod Henderson, an ATM Finalist in 2023. Henderson was chased to the line by Australia’s Fergus Macleod. The women’s 55km race went to Canada’s Cassandra Inthavong, by 25 minutes over Sawoeisook Miskow. Third place on the podium went to Toukta Inthavong.

Luang Prabang Trail was the first Laos event of Season 10, which could be followed by two more points race events in the country later in 2025.

This weekend we also have a new destination on our championship event calendar in Laos! The Luang Prabang Ultra Trail in the old UNESCO World Heritage city follows into the footsteps of the renowned V Trail in Vang Vieng, member of ATM since 2018. Green Step manages also this event, which has the potential to grow into a trail classic. Luang Prabang was the royal capital of the country until 1975 and sports an incredible artistic heritage. Reasons enough to pay a visit in itself, and now trail runners can also exercise their favourite hobby while doing so.

On the programme this weekend are both a 100km and a 55km category with points for the Top 25 for the ATM Championship ranking, which leads to potential qualification for the Championship Final in September 2025. While the aforementioned V Trail is renowned for its seriously tough course, Luang Prabang Trail offers a more runable course with total elevation gain for the 100km estimated at 3700hm. The 55km category has nearly 1800 hm. That implies we may see some different local Laotian names on the leaderboard than in Vang Vieng. Looking at the 100km start list, however, the name of Tokyo’s Yuta Matsuyama stands out as a well-known victory contender. Matsuyama scored top ten in the last two ATM Finals and has a double victory in Ultra Trail Chiang Mai on his record. One caveat for the colourful Japanese runner is the tropical heat, which he often struggles with. Malaysia’s Wont Kudin, who recently earned his Grandmaster title, is a regular top five placer in his home races in Sabah. Amongst the familiar names on the start list, he could be Matsuyama’s biggest challenger. Also Amorn Kimnguan from Thailand, Hiroki Yoshikawa from Japan, Lyu Meng from China will be competing for the podium. The women’s 100km has Thai runner Siriporn Leumathong as arguable the favourite for the victory. She was the surprise on the top ten podium of the ATM Championship Finat at Borneo TMBT more than a month ago, showing the competitive potential that had always been there but only occasionally came out. She will be up against Visisombat Nakin.

More runners on the medium distance of 55km, as usual. A great international mix as well. Among the potential victory contenders we find Thailand’s Danon Rattanatumrong, winner of UTKC 70 in 2022. Hong Kong’s Rod Henderson, ATM finalist in 2023, is also always in for a good result. We are looking forward to seeing the local runners, too. On the basis of V Trail last season, Laos’ own trail runnes are indeed growing in number and in competitiveness.

Yuta Matsuyama looking to score another win in Southeast Asia

Siriporn Leumathong could be scoring her first ATM race win this weekend on the 100km

Rod Henderson was a finalist for Hong Kong last year

Trail runners across Asia will be happy to learn that Luang Prabang Trail in Laos is a new addition to the ATM Championship calendar of Season 10. The 3rd edition of the event, organised by the same team as V Trail, will be held on the weekend of 19/20 October 2024 and features two points race categories (105km, 55km) for the Championship ranking, and one for the Grandmaster Quest (105km). Luang Prabang is the former capital of the country, and now a large UNESCO World Heritage Site and tourism magnet.

While trail runners can look forward to a very scenic new destination, they should also come prepared. Luang Prabang Trail - like V Trail in Vang Vieng - is no walk in the park. The 105km race has an estimated elevation gain of 6850 hm and the 55km has approx 3500 hm. Luckily, the cut-off times are reasonable - as you can see in the image below.

Trail running in Laos is still very much in its infancy, but the team of Green Step has built a solid reputation since 2018 with V Trail. International runners are highly encouraged to join the event’s facebook page to stay up-to-date with latest developments in English language. Event Director Philip Tay is also available via whatsapp for any queries there may be. There are a number of international flights to Luang Prabang from Thailand, Vietnam, China and Cambodia. Alternatively, you transit in Laos’ country capital Vientiane , or take a long distance bus from there. Accommodation is plentiful via the usual hotel booking agents online.

With regret we need to announce that the new-style Luang Prabang Ultra Trail in Laos has been moved to 2023 as a consequence of ongoing covid-19 mitigation measures in the country. Concretely, access to the UNESCO World Heritage town remains restricted so holding a mass participation sports event is not yet feasible. Luang Prabang Ultra Trail was scheduled for the weekend of 24/25 September. The news, provided by event organiser Green Step, serves as a reminder that - unfortunately - we are all not out of the woods yet. Nevertheless, Green Step emphasises that their traditional trail running event in the country’s south, Vang Vieng Trail (aka V Trail) is confirmed to take place on the weekend of 12/13 November. International access to that event is via Laos’ capital Vientiane. V Trail is one of the tougher jungle mountain races on our calendar with Salva Rambla and Alessandro Sherpa sharing the victory in 2018 and Milton Amat dominating in 2019.