Bandung Ultra 100

16-17 September 2017, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia

Bandung 100 K is a race with magnificent views in the northern mountains around the city of Bandung. The event is organised by the renowned team of Bandung Explorer, which features some of the country's best trail runners such as Arief Wismoyono and Ruth Theresia. The new race joins our list of 2018 Candidate Races, which means that it is in pole position to be granted a slot on the calendar of the 2018 Asia Trail Master Championship. 

The event has three race categories;

100 K with elevation gain 6.360 m, COT 32 hours.
50 K with elevation gain 2.680 m, COT 15 hours and
Ekiden, a relay team of 4 take 25 K each person with COT 8 hours

Start: Tahura
Finish: Villa Istina Bunga

Registration via: https://bdg100.id/registration/

The Penang Eco 100 again lived up to its reputation of being a seriously tough event for even the best trail runners in the region. The Malaysia SuperTrail in the 2017 Asia Trail Master championship series brought Hitchcock-like suspense and drama, with a number of turnabouts nobody saw coming in both the 100 miles and 100k races! 

If one major conclusion can be drawn after the event it is this: trail running experience and tactics outweighed sheer running pace. Sefli Ahar, Kim Matthews, and Isaac Yuen Wan Ho all set a blistering pace in the early and rather flattish part of their respective races, but none of them arrived first at the finish.

On the 100k, local Ultron runner Steven Oong grabbed his second ATM race victory of the season, after UTKC 100. The Malaysian overtook Wilnar Iglesia from Philippines after km 62 and found the technical hilly sections very much to his liking. Oong's race story could be printed unedited in a trail running guidebook. Unbothered and smiling when Brunei's Sefli Ahar took off like a bullet with Iglesia trying to keep up, Oong bode his time and balanced his effort in the hot and humid conditions of Penang. When the race went into the rainforest and the hills after about 40k, the number 2 in the Asia Trail Master Championship ranking began to focus and chase the front runners. Even Kim Matthews from Australia was running ahead of him at that point. Matthews herself ran like stung by a bee, which was amazing given she had started the race with a broken rib sustained in a household accident. Up front, Sefli Ahar discovered that technical trail running is very different from his maiden discipline: road running. The Bruneian won the Hong Kong Half Marathon a few years ago, and has developed an appetite for trail running after winning both editions of the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge in the past two years. Ahar has the ATM Championship in mind. He started the hilly section of the race with an advantage of approx 20 minutes on Iglesia, but his inexperience in trail cost him dearly. Ahar missed a marking, got lost and seemingly panicked. Unfortunately, he went on to end up at the start/finish arena rather than track back to the point he lost the right trail. The race director had no choice but to disqualify Sefli Ahar from the race result.

Iglesia took over the lead, but Oong charged forward, overtook the Filipino and finished in 15:47. In the end, thanks to his technical proficiency and stamina, Oong had even opened up a time gap of almost two-and-a-half hours over Iglesia, who did great in his ATM debut. Iglesia hails from the Manila area and will be back on the ATM circuit later this season. Oong now more than ever looks like a serious candidate for the ATM Championship. His Malaysian compatriot Yim Heng Fatt adopted a similar strategy than him. Fatt came also from behind, was never mentioned in the top five at checkpoints, but then reached the finish in a clear third place! Yim Heng Fatt in so doing retains his 4th ATM championship ranking with another great result. Singapore's Norman Koh was a popular and remarkable fourth place in the race - he ran on slippers! Man Kok Fai completed the top 5. 

In the women's, everyone at the finish was waiting to celebrate the victory of Kim Matthews, until Dong Minfei (China) appeared in the final strait instead! A new name on the scene, Dong Mingfei ran her first 100k and hails from Zhejiang Province. She had passed Matthews under the radar at CP9 with only some 10k left to go.  The Thailand-based Australian had suffered a knock of the hammer and got sick (like so many runners on the weekend). Matthews even fell asleep at the checkpoint, which allowed the Chinese girl to return. Dong Minfei obviously had a mental boost and managed to stay clear of a struggling Matthews by some 15 minutes.  The two female runners both had an outstanding performance nonetheless, considering they were also fourth and fifth overall in the race! The battle for the last female podium spot was interesting throughout the race and decided in favour of Katanya Kapelli (USA). Home runner Lynn Law won the battle for 4th place ahead of her compatriot Siawhua Lim. Shindy Patricia came in sixth, followed by her Indonesian compatriot Eni Rosita, who had clearly not recovered yet from all the ultras she did in the past few weeks.

Andres Villagran passed Yuen Wan Ho in the final stages to win the men's 100 miles

Dramatic turn of events as well on the 100 miles. Hong Kong's Isaac Yuen Wan Hong led most of the race but got sick in the final sections . He was ultra fast early on, running 105k in 12:20! Andres Villagran from Ecuador chased him down and eventually won the 100 miles race in 28:13! His first career race win after several podium finishes in the US, and a new course record. Villagran is 33 years old and this was his first race in Asia: "i m so happy with my first win," he said. "I did not expect it as the Hong Kong runner was so fast, but I saw him throwing up towards the end. Great organisation and a very tough race, which makes my win even sweeter." Isaac managed to hold on to second place. "This was so tough, especially the descents are very technical," said the visibly tired runner, who seems to have a subscription on second places. Yuen Wan Ho nevertheless did a good job for his ATM Championship ambitions, and deserves a lot of credit for his resilience. 

ATM championship leader Arief Wismoyono was third. The Bandung Explorer ace had taken the fastest start, in fact, until Yuen Wan Ho took over. Wismoyono kept a good pace throughout and never saw his podium place under threat. The Indonesian was also visibly battered, though. Liew Tho Fatt from Malaysia was fourth. Fedok Ompiduk (MAS) fifth. Hendra Siswanto eventually came in as number 6 and again accumulated useful points for his championship ranking. Shannon Lee was 7th, followed by William Beanjay.

First woman was Malaysia 's Christine Loh, ahead of pre-race favourite Ruth Theresia. Loh finished in 34:30 approximately, which was amazing in her first 100 miler! Loh was ahead from the beginning, with Theresia a few minutes further down until the Indonesian got lost. And she got lost for a very long time, which dropped her all the way down the leaderboard halfway through the race. To her credit, Theresia did not give up and began to fight back. She finished her first 100 miler still in second place, which is important for the ATM Championship as she now has 25 points more than defending champion Tahira Najmunisaa in as many races (3). Lily Suryani was another runner who proved that on 100 miles, experience counts. Suryani finished on the podium, ahead of the younger and faster-paced Adelinah Lintanga, who faded towards the end but also deserves applause for completing her own debut on the 100 miles.  

Christine Loh won the 100 miles for women! 

Second ATM race win of the season for Steven Oong in the 100k 

Isaac Yuen Wan Ho set an excruciating pace in the first part of the 100 miles, but eventually had to settle for second place

New girl on the block: Dong Minfei from Zhejiang in China. Winner of the women's 100k.

Malaysiá Yim Heng Fatt continues his brilliant trail season with a third place on the 100k

The 4 women who managed to complete the 100 miles within the cut-off time of 40 hours

Indonesia's Arief Wismoyono retains his lead in the 2017 ATM Championship ranking with 3rd place in Penang Eco 100 miles

The second SuperTrail race of the 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship series is taking place this weekend in Malaysia. The 3rd edition of Penang Eco 100 in Bukit Mertajam is the biggest so far and can sport an outstanding quality field of participants on the 100 miles and 100k races. As such, this event can again have major implications for the championship, as it did last year when Manolito Divina and Tahira Najmunisaa laid the foundation here for their respective ATM champion titles. Organiser Seow Kong Ng, himself a relished ultra runner since many years, is delighted to see his event grow so well and attracting some of the best runners in Asia. Because make no mistake, despite the relatively modest elevation gain, Penang Eco is a hard one with most of the venom in the tail. The 100 miles, especially, is basically flattish for 100k (!), before it becomes quite hilly and technical for the last 60 km, which makes this race quite unique. You need to be a solid runner, and keep enough fuel in the tank to survive the hills at the end. 

When looking at the start list of the longest race distance, the podium favourites are plenty, but a few known names stick out: current ATM championship points leader Arief Wismoyono, his Indonesian compatriots Abdul Aziz Dermawan, Hendra Siswanto and Alan Maulana, Yim Heng Fatt from Malaysia, and Hong Kong's Isaac Yuen Wan Ho. We can expect an intriguing battle between these runners for the 575 points that are up for grabs in this 100 miles race, more points than in any other race on the ATM calendar. Wismoyono has prepared himself with focus on this weekend. The Bandung Explorer ace already scored a race win at Coast To Coast Night Trail this season, along with a third place in Sungai Menyala and fourth in Tahura Trail. However, these were all relatively short races. Can he keep his momentum over 100 miles in the same way that Isaac Yuen Wan Ho has proven he can. The sympathetic Hong Kong runner is a true 100 miler, winning HK 168 last year and always moving up the leaderboard the longer a race lasts. Isaac was second in Beach Bunch Trail Challenge 100 this season, and just like Wismoyono has ambition for the ATM championship. Also Hendra Siswanto is already doing his third race of the ATM season. Currently ranked 9th in the championship, he can move up a few places this weekend. Ultron runner Yim Heng Fatt is even entering his fourth race already and can find himself in second place in the ranking after Penang Eco, or even in first should Wismoyono fail to reach the finish. Maulana - 9th in Tahura Trail - and Aziz Dermawan are set to get their ATM campaign really going this weekend. Watch out for the latter - as he might as well steal the spotlights away from the others! Henry Yang from Singapore is another dark horse. Yang is in Penang to get revenge. He was running in second place last year, until a fall in the late stages of the race forced him to retire with an injury. 

The women's 100 miles also sees the participation of 6 runners, who should all be applauded for their bravery. The cut off time of 40 hours is very tight, as was proven last year by Tahira Najmunisaa, who finished in 38 hours. We can expect a contest between Ruth Theresia from Indonesia and Sabah's Adelinah Lintanga. Theresia normally has the edge in terms of speed, but Lintanga loves this race and won the Penang Eco 100 k race last year in impressive style. It is unchartered territory for both, as it will be their first 100 miler. Currently ranked third and seventh, both runners can make a good move in the women's championship ranking, but they cannot catch championship leader Cheryl Bihag, who has already done five races this season. The other starters are Lily Suryani, Mila Marlina, Christine Loh and Siti Hailwa Marjunit. 

The 100 km race distance also has a comprehensive list of potential winners and podium candidates. Steven Soonseng Ong is arguably the home favourite and very much in shape this season. Ranked fifth in the current ATM ranking, Ong was of course the joint winner of UTKC in Thailand and second at Sungai Menyala. At Penang Eco, he will have to try and cope with the pure running speed of Brunei's Sefli Ahar, the dominator of the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge in the past two years. A former winner of the Hong Kong half marathon, Sefli Ahar has developed an appetite for trail running. What he owns in speed, he lacks in technical trail experience. And that is what Steven Ong and other contenders may need to count on this weekend. 

It is great to see Eni Rosita back in action this year and that is an understatement. Victim of an incomprehensible acid attack last October that required multiple skin surgeries on both her legs, the Indonesian runner has not only returned, she has already found back her quick pace of before, illustrated by podium places and victories in local trail and ultra road races. This weekend in Malaysia, she enters the Asia Trail Master series on the 100k. Given her pedigree, Rosita starts clearly as a podium candidate, and will likely have to deal with her compatriot Shindy Patricia and Australia's Kim Matthews for the victory. Both runners also know how to win races. Other known runners with podium chances are Siawhua Lim (MAS), Montha Sunthornwit (THA) and Jocelyn Cheung (HKG). 

While the 100 miles offers extra bonus points for finishers, you of course need to finish first to score any points. The 100k may therefore turn out to be a smart tactical move by some with a view to the ATM championship. 

As usual, we will be reporting live from the race via our social media channels.  

Isaac Yuen Wan Ho 

Ruth Theresia

Sefli Ahar

Yim Heng Fatt

Penang Eco 100 this weekend has attracted a stellar line-up of protagonists in the Asia Trail Master Championship series. On the start list for the Malaysia SuperTrail is also a whole delegation from Indonesia, a country which has produced several outstanding trail runners in the past two years. Among them, and arguably the latest running star coming from Java, at least in the women's category, is 27-year-old Ruth Theresia. Ruth only got into competitive running about two years ago, but her progress has been more than remarkable. Hailing from Bandung, place of her mentor and male ATM championship leader Arief Wismoyono, Ruth Theresia won the last three ATM races she took part in and is aiming for more, a lot more. The upcoming race in Penang will be her first attempt at the 100 miles distance. If she proves successful, Ruth Theresia will have a significant shot at the Asia Trail Master championship title later this year. Not bad for someone who can certainly still be called a "newbie" in trail running! High time to get to know Ruth Theresia a little bit better. 

By K. Van de Velde

Q: first of all, could you briefly present yourself to the people who may not know you. Where do you come from, and where did you grow up?

RT:  My name is Ruth Theresia. Actually people call me Irut. I come from Bataknese family. I was born 27 years ago in Jakarta. I grow up in Jakarta until graduate my senior high school, then I move to Bandung to continue my study at Telkom University (Industrial Engineering program) in 2008 and currently stay here. I am the eldest children in my family. I have 2 young brothers, and I haven’t married yet.

Q: What do you do for a living? 

RT: After I graduate my bachelor program in 2013 I work as a banker until mid of 2016. Then I resign from office. Now my daily activities just for sport. Do the running program, sometimes play basketball and ride my bicycle.

Q: have you always been sporty? 

RT: Yes. Before I run, I was a basketball athlete. I play basketball since the age of 13. I play in several national basketball competition and for a pro basketball club (Rajawali Bandung). After I quit from my club, then I join Bdg Explorer in September 2015. 

Q: what attracted you to running, and in particular trail running?

RT:  Basically, when I started to run I didn't  have any plan to join running competitions. I run just for maintaining my condition, so that I am still fit when I play basketball. Before I join Bdg Explorer, I join BR20 runners first. It is one of Bandung run community, their passion is in road run. In July 2015 my crew influenced me to join a road race. My first time race was in Singapore. I found something new in running. Then I continued to participate in a marathon in the next month until I got to know Bandung Explorer in September. That was the first time I learnt about  trail running. I was curious, then I join BTS 70K in November 2015. That was my first experience in mountain-ultra-trail race. When I am in a road run, I feel bored of the track because of the flat route and it's mostly asphalt. In trail I can see beautiful scenery, run on varried terrain, and combine running with hiking. I also learn about self management and strategy in ultratrail races. Second reason is because I see a big opportunity in trail running, esspecially in Indonesia.

Q: did you have any idols as a youngster? 

RT: Yes absolutely, Mira Rai. She is young, strong, fast, talented, and inspired me in trail running.

Q: can you describe your first ever running race? 

RT: My very first time running race was the Singapore Sundown Marathon 2015. It was my first race experience and I took full marathon. I finished it quite close to the finish cut off time. I felt exhausted and almost the whole of my body felt stiff. People said that I am a desperate runner at this time. I have my own reason, because I want to challenge myself and feel the sport competition atmosphere. I got addicted to running.  Then I join others marathon race the following month.

Q: you made a remarkable progress in a very short time, and arguably are the woman-to-beat in Indonesia these days. You won the last 3 ATM races you took part in. How would you explain this jump in performance? 

RT: It began when I participated in MesaStila Peaks Challenge 2016. It was my second time in a mountain-ultra-trail race after BTS 70K in 2015. I finished 10th place in that BTS 2015. The gap in time was almost a year to MPC 2016. I had started to train and joined several local trail races (not ATM qualified). As a junior to join MPC last year, I had only set "to finish" as a  target, I had never dreamt to catch the podium. But finally I could finish in 2nd place of the women category. MPC 2016 was my moment. The great result became a trigger for me. Then, I went back to BTS 2016 for 102K and finished as 1st women. Both results made me set another target. I feel optimistic and motivated in 2017. I also receive great support from Bgd Explorer team. I train with experts and get running program from a coach. So, I quit my daytime job and have begun as a serious trail runner. Thankfully,  I had background as a basketball athlete already, So I have felt the sport competition vibe before and already built a strong mental strength. 

Q: What is your ambition in trail running? 

RT: I can represent Indonesia in international trail running races, become an Indonesia mountain trail running ambassador, and inspire Indonesian women to get fit and be brave to do sport, especially trail running.

Q: Coming back to idols, are there any Indonesian role models for you?

RT: Arief Wismoyono. One of my role models in Indonesia and my training partner.He shares much his experiences and give some advices to us. He is so humble, so we never be afraid to ask him about training program. When I train with him, he always support me and never leave me far from him. It makes me to follow his pace.

Q: How often do you train per week?

RT:  6 times in a week, 1 day rest on Monday.

Q: what about road running? I have noticed you have a fast pace on the road as well, what's your best time on the road marathon? 

RT: Not so fast hahaha.. My last timing is 4 hr 18 minutes at Jakarta Marathon 2015, then after that I never participate in road marathon anymore. 

Q: What is your favourite race and why? 

RT: Vibram HK 100. Very well organized, nice weather to run, and I can meet and share the experience with some elite runners.

Q: Did you ever experience the runner's high? 

RT: Never so far

Q: You are attempting the 100 miles at Penang Eco 100, which is a very big challenge given the cut-off time. How do you feel a few days before the race?

RT:  I feel excited but nervous. This is one of Asia Trail Master's super trail races, so I am ambitious to get the bonus championship points.  But I feel nervous because this will be my first 100 miles experience.

Q: Penang Eco 100 is indeed the Malaysia SuperTrail and has 575 ATM championship points on offer for the race winner. If you manage this, you are putting pressure on Tahira Najmunisaa and may even become the woman to beat in this year's ATM championship. Is that a goal for you?

RT: Yes. Penang Eco has the biggest points on offer for the 100 miles. It is one of my red circles on my ATM race calendar this year. So I have to finish it to boost my ranking.

Q: Last year at MesaStila, Tahira finished clearly ahead of you. Do you think you can get closer to her this year ? 

RT: She really did great last year and her performance has even increased this year, it seems.  It was our first head to head at  Mesastila, but I am optimistic to get closer to her this year. 

Q: Just one week after Penang, you are also on the start list of Ijen Trailrunning. Do you think you will be recovered in time? 

RT: I hope so. If I am still fit I will continue to run in Ijen. I will discuss to my therapist for the recovery after Penang Eco.  

Q: Have you ever competed against Sandi Menchi from Philippines, another ATM title pretender this season? 

RT: Never, I haven’t competed against her.

Q: do you enter a race with a specific strategy in mind? 

RT: Yes. First I learn about my competitors to find out my position, then I learn about the maps, elevation gain, weather forecast, and the terrain to project my finishing time. I study the water statiion distance to set my refuel energy plan.

Q: Would you like to represent Indonesia at the Trail World Championships? 

RT: Absolutely, especially in UTMB and UTWT

Q: Any Indonesian race you would like to see in ATM? 

RT: Bandung Ultra 100, Mantra Summit Challenge, Rinjani Ultra 100, and GP Ultra 100

Q: What is your favourite piece of running music? 

RT: All kind of up-beat music like RnB or pop music. Because it helps me to get a good mood during the race. 

The Indonesia SuperTrail in the 2017 Asia Trail Master championship has opened the registration books. MesaStila Peaks Challenge in Magelang, Central Java, will once again offer 50 championship bonus points for all finishers on the 5 Peaks (100km) and 4 Peaks (65km) races. Both distances are of course also valid for the Grandmaster Quest. The 65k exceeds 4500m of elevation gain. The 100k notoriously offers about 7700m of gain! 

Last year, Jan Nilsen was the man of the event in super tough conditions, and Tahira Najmunisaa claimed her ATM championship title by winning the 100k for women. A strong field of runners is again expected to line up at the MesaStila Hotel Resort for the weekend of 7/8 October. Accommodation packages are available at MesaStila itself, but be quick as rooms are limited. 

Find out details about the race via our cover page, where you can also link to the registration site and race website.

Jessica Lintanga (65k) and Tahira Najmunisaa (100K) won the women's races last year

It's already the third edition of the Tengri Ultra Trail this weekend, Kazakhstan's premier trail running event. Well-established on the calendar by now, the event attracts ever more runners to this remote but stunningly beautiful area. Tamgaly Tas along the big Ili River is not for nothing a UNESCO World Heritage Site with rock paintings, canyons and prime grassland with snowcapped mountain peaks on the horizon. The event follows the same concept as last year featuring a 70 km main race, which qualifies for the Grandmaster Quest. Less ambitious runners can also opt for 35 km and 15 km, but it's the longest distance only that counts for the ATM Championship. 

The camping area for all runners at the Heritage Site is still the venue for start and finish, and there is still no connectivity neither (so race updates will come with delay this weekend). 

Experienced Belgian ultrarunner Luc Hapers ranks among the top favourites this weekend, alongside Russian Yura Shtankov, a race winner at home and abroad. Of course, the local Kazakh athletes cannot be underestimated neither. There will be more opportunities to show their talents on the trail soon, as the Altai Ultra Trail is not too far away, and another race in Almaty is under preparation for later this year. 

This weekend the 3rd edition of the Tengri Ultra Trail in Kazakhstan is on the Asia Trail Master agenda. A 70km relatively fast race through grasslands and rocky canyons of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tamgaly Tas, roughly 120 km from major city Almaty in the East of this big country. TUT is a genuine outdoor experience with camping along the Ili River included before the race. Increasingly more international runners with an adventurous spirit are travelling to Kazakhstan for the race. Belgium's Luc Hapers is one of those trail running globetrotters and has been since many years. This weekend he will be among the top favourites for the victory in the Tengri Ultra Trail, as his pace is still quick, too. Formerly living in Bali, Indonesia, Hapers is also familiar with trail running in Asia and that makes for an interesting talk. 

By K. Van de Velde

Q: Luc Haepers, born in Belgium but quite familiar with Asia and in particular Indonesia. How's that?
LH: My first introduction to Asia was Bali. I was 18 back then. I fell in love with Bali immediately and I went back nearly every year since. Year after year I explored more and more countries in Asia. 

Q: When did you start running?
I started running when I was 30. That's when my older brother convinced me to join him in a 5 km race.

Q: Did you have any running or sports idols as a youngster?
I practice sports a lot, but don't really like to watch it. And if I do I am neutral so I never have to be disappointed after a game or race. 

Q: You're known as an ultra runner, doing several races a year. How do you recover between races? 
I guess I can say that I usually recover very well after an ultrarace. In some cases I only needed a day or 2. But when my body needs more time to recover I listen to my body. I'm asking a lot of my body but sometimes you have to give something back. It works both ways...to me  it's just like a relationship...give and take. I treat my body well and I get strength and performance in return.

Q: Do you keep a training and nutrition plan? 
I do not stick to any nutrition or training programme. I don't want to get a sense of pressure. I eat healthy all the time...it has become a habit...a lifestyle to me. I strongly believe that it helps me to perform better. I'm always experimenting with my nutrition intake and way of training. Nobody knows your body better than yourself.

Q: What's the toughest race you have done so far?
That must have been either 'la diagonale des fous' in Reunion last year or 'la echappe belle' in France.

Q: What's your ambition still in trail running after all these years? 
My plan was to compete in the Asia Trail Master series but I'm not sure I will be able to join enough races to do that. I would love to do a multiple stage race like Transpyrenean or Atacama crossing. A few more podiums would also be lovely. 

Q: How do you select races on your programme? 
I always combine my races with a holiday. I try to pick at least 1 country I haven't been to every year. 

Q: How do you see your chances of reaching the podium in Kazakhstan this weekend?
Looking at last year's results I would be able to win...but every year is different. Podium should be feasible...if everything goes well!!

Q: Having done plenty of races in Indonesia and Asia in general, would you say there is a difference in the organisation of Asian and European trail events?
I think that Europe has some benefits in terms of sponsors, expertise, status of some races...etc but me personally I prefer the smaller races. 

Q: Do you have a recommendation perhaps for organisers in Indonesia based on your experience? 
In general, trailrunning in Asia is still in its infancy compared to Europe. Communication can be an issue in some cases and lack of information before as well as during the race. Oh...one more important thing...keep the trails free from rubbish. Disqualify the ones who litter!

Q: How should people in Asia imagine racing in Belgium?
You would think that trailrunning in a rather flat country as Belgium is nearly non-existent...but it's not like that at all. In fact we do have some hard races in here. A self-navigating 250km race with around 9000m of altitude gain for example. The biggest difference is probably the fact that we don't have this long, never ending ascents and descents. 

Q: Would you like to see trail running become an olympic sport and why or why not?
I'm not waiting for it to become an olympic sport. I prefer to keep it low key. 

Q: Do you feel trail running merits more institutional oversight, e.g. in the field of safety? 
I would say it's the job of the organizer to determine the safety of the course. He also has to make it clear on the website and during the briefing.

Q: What do you think of the Asia Trail Master championship series? 
The Asia Trail Master series is still new to me. But I definitely like the concept. 

Q: Do you like running with music? if yes, what's your favourite tune? 
As I mostly run in nature I hardly listen to music while running because I don't want to exclude myself from nature. but if I had to choose I would go for Sigur ros' music because their music is one with nature!  'Ik loop' from Belgian band  Halve Neuro is one of my favorite roadrunning songs. 

Aleksis Capili

The race to the summit of the highest mountain in the Philippines lived up to its reputation. The Mount Apo Sky Race on Mindanao Island was hailed as a tough and technical 70 km course, and the winning time of seasoned trail runner Pablo Diago Gonzales  sums it up nicely: 12 hours and 6 minutes. The 35-year-old Spaniard, who lives in Singapore, was even an hour and 40 seconds faster than the second man on the podium, local runner Rexel Aguirre. Gonzales hereby scored the maximum of 500 points in his second ATM points race of the season after being 4th at Sungai Menyala Forest Trail in Malaysia a few weeks ago. He's now 7th in the current ATM Championship ranking with 900 points in his bag, and Gonzales is aiming for more. As the season moves on, he could indeed become a dangerman for this year's Asia Trail Master championship crown. 

Another protagonist in Davao last weekend, in more than one way again, was Aleksis Capili. Born in the Philippines, but living in Bangkok, he scored his second Grandmaster star by finishing Mount APo, his tenth ATM Grandmaster distance race in his career! Capili is undoubtedly the epitome of endurance runners. And not only does he continue to show grit and perseverance, he is also running faster and faster. Last Sunday, the 39-year-old Capili crossed the finish line in third place in 14:46 and therefore claimed the final step on the podium. That means an additional 425 championship points in his bag as well, which propels Capili up to 3rd place with 1155 points, ten more than Yim Heng Fatt. 

The women's race on Apo was decided in favour of Manilyn Mamugay (time 17:26), who was roughly two-and-a-half an hours faster than Mary Kristines Hernandez (19:54). Daisy Linas scored third place. For Mamugay it was the second career ATM race win, after also grabbing The Punisher 50 miles last December. 

Pablo Gonzales and organiser Doi Calbes

The men's top 3 of the Mt Apo Sky Race

Aleksis Capili now is also the first trail runner to have scored this shield

This Saturday trail runners have a unique chance to climb Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines at 2954m above sea level. Race organisers Vertical 2 Sky have managed to get an exception from local authorities to allow runners to enter the Park area, which has been closed for mass tourism following the big El Nino-inspired bush fire from a year ago. The Mount Apo Sky Race is a technical out-and-back trail of 70 km - Grandmaster Quest distance - and the first of two ATM points races on Mindanao Island this season (Ultra Trail Mapawa follows on 29 October). 

As last year's Mapawa and The Punisher events showed, races on Mindanao seem to open a new can of great runners every time. The established names on the current start list should therefore remain on guard. However, spotlights will shine in any case on Aleksis Capili. The Thailand-based Filipino is going for his second Grandmaster star this weekend at the Apo Sky Race. It's almost a year ago since he became the first ever Asia Trail Grandmaster by finishing six ATM races of 70+ kilometres within two years, and now he has reached 10 - provided he crosses the finish line, of course. What is amazing is that Capili's running speed and results have been improving as well in the course of the past twelve months. Even to the extent that Capili is currently sixth in the 2017 ATM points championship and can move firmly into the top 5 this weekend. Arief Wismoyono and Gaspard Dessy are beyond reach, but Capili could split the Malaysian duo of Steven Oong and Yim Heng Fatt. 

Almost a year ago, Aleksis Capili became the first ever ATM Grandmaster in Malaysia

One of the race favourites on paper is certainly Singapore-based Spaniard Pablo Diago Gonzales. Fourth a few weeks ago in the Sungai Menyala Forest Trail in Malaysia, Gonzales can move up to the top 10 in his second ATM race of the season. He is not only a fast-paced runner, he climbs well, too, making him perfectly adapted to the course of the Mt Apo Sky Race. A local runner to watch out for is Rene Amigleo, who was second in The Punisher 50 miles last December. Finally, a quintet of women will also attempt to do the big 70k race this weekend. 

Stay tuned this weekend on our social media channels for updates on the Mt Apo Sky Race! 

The summit of Mt Apo

The Grandmaster Shield featuring 2 stars

The biggest trail race in South Korea was a textbook example of the growth of the sport in that country, yet international runners took the top step on the podium in the main race of 59 km. South African star Ryan Sandes pulled out at the last moment with a hip injury that he sustained in training, and so the trail was open for Japan's top runner Ruy Ueda to deliver an outstanding performance. Ueda completed the hilly and tough course in a blistering 5:41:12. He was in a league of his own finishing nearly 40 minutes ahead of number two. In fact, two more Japanese runners completed the podium with Takeshi Doi overtaking Tomonori Onitsuka in the final stages to claim second place. Shimjae Dok, second last year, had to settle for fourth place. He was 41 minutes off the podium, which indicates just how quick the Japanese ran. Second Korean was Jisoo Kim. Al Telias from Philippines was one of the pre-race favourites, but he did not start. 

The overall level of the women's race also went up a notch as last year's winner Yukari Hoshino had to see Marie McNaughton from New Zealand run away from her after an intense dual between the two. For a long time they were separated by not more than ten minutes, until McNaughton pulled away in the late stages to win by approx 25 minutes still. Sunghee Lee was the best of the local runners in third place - just like 12 months ago. Lee is last year's winner of UT Jeju in October and the female Korean Trail Master, finishing 8th in the 2016 ATM Championship. She had to fight for her podium place last Sunday, as her compatriot Jeong Sun Park was just over five minutes behind. Park, of course, is the winner of last year's ill-fated Ultra Trail Mount Jiri, ran in very wet conditions. 

Importantly, Cheryl Bihag from Philippines finished the Korea 59k race as well, collecting another 188 points in already her fifth points finish of the ATM season! As such, she totals 1638 points and takes over the lead in the current Asia Trail Master points championship from Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid (1500 pts in 3 races). A well-deserved top spot for one of the most popular runners on the Asian circuit. For Cheryl, it will now be about consolidation and increasing her points tally further by doing better than the 188 points of Korea 50k, which by coincidence happens to be her smallest points haul of the season. As per ATM championship regulations, only a runner's best five results are taken into account for the ranking. This year, Cheryl has done Rizal Mountain Run 50, Beach Bunch Trail Challenge 100, Cordillera Mountain Ultra 50, Sungai Menyala Forest Trail 50 and thus Korea 59K. 

MEN TOP 5

1. Ruy Ueda (JPN) 5:41:12
2. Takeshi Doi (JPN) 6:20:54
3. Tomonori Onitsuka (JPN) 6:30:39
4. Shimjae Dok (KOR) 7:11:39
5. Jisoo Kim (KOR) 7:33:55

WOMEN TOP 5:

1. Marie McNaughton (NZL) 7:42:32
2. Yukari Hoshino (JPN) 8:07:18
3. Sunghee Lee (KOR) 8:59:39
4. Jeong-Sun Park (KOR) 9:05:05
5. Bo Yong Jang (KOR) 9:22:23

It may be strange that an ultra trail event is being organised on a Tuesday, but there is a very good reason for that. Tomorrow, 25 April, it is exactly two years ago that Nepal got struck by a massive earthquake  that killed at least 9000 people and injured 22,000. Entire communities in and around capital city Kathmandu were destroyed or at least cut-off from the rest of the world for many days. Ultra Trail Nepal is set up by Som Tamang who lost his own brother in the disaster, and is a non-profit event to help Batase and neighbouring communities with the rebuilding and relieve efforts. You can read about Som's remarkable story in our Talking Trail Running episode from not so long ago. 

UT Nepal is set to stay and determined to become a fixed appointment on the trail running and the Asia Trail Master Championship calendar. This year the longest race covers a respectable 85 km - so all finishers also score a point for the Grandmaster Quest - and is essentially a run from Kathmandu to Batase. 

The race begins in the tourist district of Thamel, in the heart of Kathmandu. It then heads into the Shivapuri Watershed and Wildlife Reserve, and then to Chisopani (2300m) where it joins the main trekking route to Helambu and Langtang. From there it goes downhill to Patybanjyang, where you will experience some great views of the Himalayas. From Patybanjyang you will follow the main Helambu trekking route to Thankuni, from there you will follow the trail to Batase Village.

Kim Matthews

Nepal has many strong trail runners and they will be starting as favourites for the inaugural event. Samir Tamang is well-known on the international circuit and arguably is the man to beat. In the women's, however, Australian Kim Matthews is certainly one of the big favourites. Matthews won the UTKC 70 race in Thailand in February and showed great speed in that race. Another fine result now in Nepal would bring her into the mix for the ATM Championship honours. As she lives in Thailand, she will feature in more ATM races this season, too. 

Korea is no longer a rookie country when it comes to trail running and the proof is this weekend's Korea 50k event in Dongducheon in the outskirts of capital city of Seoul. The 3rd edition again breaks participation records with 1117 officially registered runners! Not all of them are of course going for the hilly 59 k, yet even the main race will see just over 500 starters. And it is not only the quantity that strikes observers, also the quality. Many of northern Asia's established trail runners are present, and they will be facing one of the world's most reputed trail runners in the person of Ryan Sandes of South Africa. It goes without saying he is also the race favourite, but there's plenty of dark horses this weekend.

Korea 50k is thus actually closer to 60k and offers a hilly course mainly inside forests and has no less than 3500 metres of elevation gain. That's tough, and especially something that could be in favour of explosive runner types rather than ultra endurance types. The terrain could therefore be Sandes' biggest rival. At 35, the South African is not the oldest, but neither the youngest anymore. Japan's Ruy Ueda, for instance, is a fan of Korea 50K's topography and has an aggressive running style. Ueda will be an important challenger for Sandes. So will be Ueda's compatriot Tetsuya Osugi - if he recovers in time from illness that struck him this week -, along with Takeshi Doi and Tomonori Onitsuka. The Land of the Rising Sun certainly is well-represented in Korea this year! 

Ruy Ueda and Ryan Sandes: the two leading favourites for Sunday's 59K race

Ruy Ueda

On a start list of 500 there are bound to be other fast runners few people know about, but one name is certainly not unknown: Alison Tellias from the Philippines, third in the Cordillera Mountain Ultra last month, is another podium candidate to say the least. Still, there's another Filippino runner who will be very much in the spotlight this weekend: Cheryl Bihag will be taking part in her fifth ATM points race of the season already, and is set to overtake Tahira Najmunisaa in the 2017 Championship points ranking! Currently ranked second with just 50 points less than the Malaysian - who has done three races so far - Bihag will be the first runner to score points in five races, which means that as of the next race she can begin to try and eliminate her worst points result (11th in Cordillera Mountain Ultra, i.e. 300 points). Always smiling and in a good mood, Bihag has traveled across Asia in recent months and her consistent results in races will now give her a truly well-deserved place in the spotlight for some time. 

In all fairness, winning Korea 50K will be an uphill task for Bihag this weekend. For the race victory, local runners such as Sunghee Lee and Gyesook Lee seem to be a good bet. But also in the women's race, Japanese runners will join the debate for sure. 

As always, you can follow the action of Korea 50K live via our social media channels. The race is set to commence at 5 a.m. local time.