Outgoing ATM Champions Jeff Campbell and Priya Rai looked awesome while fine-tuning their form for the upcoming title defence at the 9 Dragons in Hong Kong in three week’ time. Both runners won their 50km race in Kalaw with relative ease and made it clear that whoever wants to win the ATM Championship race will need to pass by them. As last year, the Kalaw Ultra Trail Run event in itself was again a great experience for the nearly 1200 participants spread out over four distance categories and further evidence that Myanmar is now truly on the trail running map in Southeast Asia.

Jeff Campbell led his 50k men’s race from almost start to finish. Local hero and last year’s winner Wunna Lim initially tried to put up a brave challenge, but it did not take long before Campbell took command. He then gradually built the gap. Wunna Lin resisted to the best of his ability, but paid the price in the final 20km. Campbell crossed the finish line in a superb 4h52! Russia’s Evgenii Makarov, based in Phuket, eventually was a great second in 5h37, immediately followed by female race winner Priya Rai. Makarov had taken a conservative start, but collected the fading Wunna Lin at the end. Luckily, the Myanmar runner still managed to hold onto third place on the podium with a finish in 5h59 - still faster than his winning effort a year ago. Very close behind him in the end was the amazing Thailander Santi Phongsraphang! The latter is an ATM Finalist who had just completed a 500 km race two weeks prior !

As fifth male, talented Myanmar youngster Myint Myat Maung left all his injury troubles from last year behind and ran a prudent, but solid race to get back on track. Antoine Valcke from Switzerland was the next arrival in sixth, ahead of Myanmar’s Nay Myo Thet and Zaw Myo Htet.

Priya Rai won the women’s race , finishing right behind Makarov in 5h38. Also Priya had to cope with some pressure from. last year’s local winner Myint Myint Aye. At km 28, the gap between them was still just about three minutes! However, as the sun rose Priya got really up to speed and - as Campbell ahead of her - began to extend her advantage. Priya looked solid and relaxed crossing the finish line: mission accomplished.

Myint Myint Aye finished second in 6h12 and sixth overall. Great performance by the local runner, who just like Wunna Lin at least gave it a shot. The last step on the podium went to popular Htwe Nyein Ngal.

Hanoi-based SIngaporean Trung Nguyen won the 100k in his ATM comeback race after nearly three years’ absence. Trung won in a great time of 12h38. It was his fourth ATM race victory in his running career, the first in four years. Trung took the lead firmly on the way to CP 9 and extended the gap to Roman Pankov, Oscar Thet Paing Oo and a fading Jack Speed progressively. He also scored his 10th ATM ultra finish, so he is now a Bronze Grandmaster .

Russia’s Roman Pankov grabbed second place about 20 minutes later in what was a very composed effort, too. Team Myanmar ATM Finalist Oscar Thet Paing Oo came in as third and completed the men’s podium in 13h25.. He was an early race leader, but could not respond when Trung Nguyen caught up. China’s Jiang Deyvan finishes fourth, just ahead of Belgium’s Antoine Deligne and Meng Kong Aik. Last year’s 80k winner and another early race leader Jack Speed slipped down the rankings towards the end and finished in seventh place, suffering from a chest infection it turned out later.

Altyn King won the women’s race in 16h28! The Myanmar based runner from Kazakhstan was already second last year and today used the experience to gain the upper hand on the other ladies in the race. Yi YI Win finished second and Hong Kong’s Silver Grandmaster Ellen Yin Kwan Cheng third.

The next Myanmar qualifier on our calendar is the Mount Popa Jungle Trail, organised by the same team at MUTRA. The event is scheduled for the last weekend of June.

Reigning ATM Champions Jeff Campbell and Priya Rai will both be fine-tuning their preparations for the defence of their titles at the Kalaw Ultra Trail Run in Myanmar this Saturday. Both runners from the T8 Team are the stars of the 50km race, held on a runable and dry course with start at 4am local time. Kalaw is the last event before our Season 10 Championship Final at the 9 Dragons in three weeks’ time.

KUTR was one of the highlights of the season last year, characterised by a smooth event organisation and a wonderful vibe among the many hundreds of runners across the various distances categories. Kalaw is a backpacker tourism hub in Myanmar’ Shan State, a short domestic flight north of Yangon or a five-hour car drive south of Mandalay. It is often combined with a visit to the majestic Inle Lake nearby. Trail runners can expect a runable course, especially as it is dry season right now, but should nevertheless take into account some elevation gain. After all, approx 1700 hm for 50km is not nothing. The participants on the 100km - an upgrade from the 80km last year - have about 2600 hm to conquer. Both distances are qualifiers for the Season 11 Championship points ranking, the 100km automatically also valid for the Grandmaster Quest.

Jeff and Priya are the logical favourites to claim victory on the 50km. The question is only how much they will push, given both are very keen to retain their ATM Championship title in Hong Kong soon. They have both been working specifically towards that goal and this weekend’s Kalaw race is part of their individual training programmes. Can anyone challenge them on Saturday? We are in Myanmar, very much still a new destination in Asian trail running and a community that is still in full blossom. Who is to say we won’t discover a brand new local talent? In any case, last year’s 50k race winners are also back on the start list. Wunna Lin won the men’s race in 6h13 a year ago, and Myint Myint Aye was best female in 6h43. Quite a few as yet unknown expat and international runners’ names on the list, too.

The 100km long ultra features last year’s extremely popular race winner and ATM Finalist Jack Speed, also known as Aung Thiha. He is Team Myanmar’s spearhead at the 9 Dragons in three weeks, and also for all of them Kalaw is the final big preparation. Thet Paing Oo, second last year, Thein Hto Aung, Aung Zaw Min and female runner Yi Yi Win are all on the 100k start list. Can anyone take top honours this Saturday? Certainly possible, but there are international challengers. Vietnam-based Singaporean Trung Nguyen is a very experienced long ultra runner and Grandmaster making a return to competition in ATM with a view to the Season 11 Championship Final in October. On his day, Trung can be really quick. Also Malaysia’s Golden Grandmaster Kenneth Mun Keat Yow could be in the mix for a podium place. Belgium’s Antoine Deligne was 3rd in Luang Prabang, Laos, in October. Vietnam’s Dung Vu Tien Viet could be the one nobody saw coming.

Yi Yi Win was 3rd on the 80k last year, albeit injured on the day. She will again be up against Myanmar-based Kazakh Altyn King - second a year ago -, but also Hong Kong’s Ellen Yin Kwan Cheng. A silver Grandmaster and previous race winner at V Trail in Laos. Malaysia’s Melissa Woo is also here.

To note is also that Golden Grandmasters Masafumi Yamamoto and Kenneth Mun Keat Yow will both begin their journey on the Trail to Immortality this weekend. That’s the new extension to the Grandmaster Quest as announced in December, for those having reached the Golden Level of 4 stars.

ATM will be updating live from Kalaw Ultra Trail Run starting at 4am local time (5:30 am HK time).

Jeff Campbell, 2024 ATM Champion

Priya Rai, 2024 ATM Champion

Jack Speed - last year’s popular winner of the. 80km

Trung Nguyen, 2020-21 ATM Points King, returning to the scene

Ellen Yin Kwan Cheng, Silver Grandmaster with podium chances this weekend

Kenneth Mun Keat Yow, Golden Grandmaster could eye a Top 3 this weekend, too

Masafumi Yamamoto: embarking on the Trail to Immortality

For the second year in succession, trail runners can look forward to scoring ATM Championship and Grandmaster Quest points at the Kalaw Ultra Trail Run in Myanmar on 7/8 February 2026. On the programme, once again, two valid race categories for the Championship: 50km and the new 100km, upgraded from the 80km last year. Organised by the Myanmar Ultra Trail Running Association, Kalaw Ultra Trail Run was one of the highlights of Season 10 in our series and therefore comes highly recommended for those runners looking for a great experience in a new trail destination country.

Trail running in Myanmar is growing despite the difficulties many citizens face in the large Southeast Asian country. At the upcoming ATM Championship Final, no fewer than six Myanmar athletes qualified and will effectively take part in the 75km long Mu Cang Chai race in Vietnam on 4 October. Kalaw is a short flight away from Yangon or Mandalay, and a major adventure tourism hub - also thanks to nearby Inle Lake. The event saw almost 900 very enthusiastic runners in 2025 and expectations are that the 1000 barrier will be crossed in 2026. On our ATM YouTube channel you can revisit several videos of the 2025 races.

Kalaw Ultra Trail Run is arguably not the most technical trail run. If you have never done trail before, this is a good introduction. It is the kind of trail race where fast legs can make the difference, even though there is still elevation gain to be conquered as well. Percentage-wise, the 50km course with 1700hm is therefore a bit tougher on paper than the 100km course with 2600 hm.

Accommodation in Kalaw is not so complicated to find, but given the high participation rate, you might wish to book early or seek help from Hansar Travel to ensure you get a place to stay. The town is pleasant in its own right, and after the race you could easily spend some more time around Inle Lake before heading back to Yangon or Mandalay. Check out several options via the official registration website linked below.

In 2025, local hero Jack Speed was fastest on the 80km for men, with Alaska’s Aleta Phelps taking the women’s victory. On the 50km, locals Wunna Lin and Myint Myint Aye took top honours.

Great vibes all around in the 6th edition of the Kalaw Ultra Train Run last weekend, the first ever Asia Trail Master points race event in Myanmar. Almost 900 runners signed up for the various race distance categories, showcasing the great potential of trail running in the country. Aung Thiha, better known as Jack Speed, put the cherry on the pie for the home crowd by convincingly winning the 80k ultra on Friday. A day later, Wunna Lin managed the same on the 50k.

Kalaw has been a well-known venue on the backpacker tourist trail for a long time. The beautiful forested hills around the town remind some of the Cordilleras in the Philippines, and nearby Inle Lake is a magnificent drawcard even for laidback travel. The running event has been organised since 2016, but was promoted internationally for the first time this year. It exceeded expectations and we can see a bright future for Kalaw Ultra Train Run going forward.

The race courses are runable, but do have sufficient elevation and technical bits to keep the more adventurous and technically-skilled trail runner interested. It’s an event where marathon and road specialists can get a good first taste of trail. A good pacing strategy is nevertheless key if one wishes to end up on the podium.

Aung Thiha, or Jack Speed, is one of the more experienced of Myanmar’s trail runners, even though he has also only started running a year or two ago after having had to move to Mandalay from the conflict-ridden north of the country. Following the start a good hour before sunrise, he set the pace straightaway and was initially joined by a newbie runner who would later blow up and DNF. Behind Jack Speed, for a long time, was a duo consisting of Hong Kong’s Tyler Pun and cyclist-runner Thet Paeng Oo. While it was chilly at the start, temperatures rose quickly after sunrise and with the dry winter air many runners ‘forgot’ to hydrate themselves appropriately during the race. By km 70, even leader Jack Speed was looking for every bit of shade he could find. The gap to the chasers was big enough, however, for him to relax at the final aid station before tackling the tough last 10k of the course. He finished at the Kalaw Tower landmark under loud applause and appreciation from the local spectators in 10h48. Almost an hour later, Tyler Pun and Thet Paeng Oo crossed the finish line together, closely followed by the first woman and winner Aleta Phelps.

Aleta Phelps hails from Alaska but now lives in Vancouver and was initially engaged in an exciting competition with local Yi Yi Win and Yangon-based Kazakh Altyn King. Yi Yi Win was fastest out of the blocks, but sustained an ever painful injury and could not keep up her pace in the second part. Phelps and King caught up, and eventually Phelps went ahead by herself and approached the men’s duo of Tyler Pun and Thet Paeng Oo.

One day later was the 50k points race, in which we saw a dominant performance by marathon runner Wunna Lin, which nevertheless nearly unravelled in the final 10km. The extra mileage compared to a road marathon caused a significant drop in pace, and Lin saw his 30+ minute advantage over his chasers melt away rapidly. Those chasers were initially a trio consisting of 21-year-old talent Myint Myat, Aung Tun Lin and first female and fellow-marathon runner Myint Myint Aye. Soon after the third checkpoint at km 28, Myint Myat dropped out of the race with severe leg muscle cramps. Also on Saturday the rising temperatures in the morning caused issues for many people. Meanwhile, the French duo of Thibaud Allamand and Mael Rousseau came ever closer and would eventually overtake Aung Tun Lin and Myint Myint Aye. With Lin fading at the front, the question was if the French could still grab victory away from under his nose in the final kilometres. Luckily for the Myanmar runner, the gap he had built up proved sufficient and he won by nine minutes still. Rousseau and Allamand crossed the finish together, immediately followed by Aung Zaw Min, who ran a fantastic second half of the race. Aung Tun Lin settled for fifth, and first woman Myint Myint Aye - also visibly tired from the extra effort - was sixth overall.

Netherlands’ Dorie Meerkerk took second on the podium ahead of France’s Delphine Creatin. Singapore’s Claudia Tan came next and then it was Germany’s Uta Scholz. All are based in Yangon.

Kalaw Ultra Trail Run was a great introduction to the scene in Myanmar, and we are looking forward to the next edition already.

This Friday, the flag-off of the 80km at the Kalaw Ultra Trail Run event will mark the first ever points race in Myanmar in our ten year history. The large country bordering China, Thailand, Laos, India and Bangladesh has already been developing a road running scene since the inauguration of the Yangon Marathon in 2013, but in the context of trail running It’s the first year that an event is being promoted internationally. Organised by the Myanmar Ultra Trail Running Association, Kalaw Ultra Trail Run first of all gives local runners the opportunity to showcase their talents against a considerable number of ‘foreign’ runners. Both the 80km on Friday and the 50km categories on Saturday provide points for the ATM Championship ranking, which may lead to qualification for the ATM Season’s “Final” in early October.

Kalaw lies in Shan State and is quite well-known on the backpacker tourism circuit in Southeast Asia. The town has decent accommodation facilities and provides access to the majestic Inle Lake via a network of hiking trails. Some of these will be used this weekend for the run as well. It is dry season meaning most of the trails will be very runable, although there is of course some elevation gain to be conquered. The 80km category has nearly 2500 hm, and the 50km about 1700 hm. For competitive participants this implies a danger of running out of steam towards the end, especially given the 80k has a steep uphill part in the final section to the finish at the Kalaw Tower.

The races are probably wide open in terms of victory and podium contenders. No big names on the start list, as is usually the case for a first international edition in a new destination. We are therefore bound to get to know several new names and faces, including of local Myanmar runners. The 80k starts at 5am local time on Friday, with the 50k at 6am on Saturday.

Internet and mobile connectivity can be sketchy in Kalaw and Myanmar in general, with apps such as facebook and IG also not readily accessible. ATM will be reporting from the event on Friday and Saturday, but note that the livestream may therefore be restricted to our YouTube channel. Videos and other race updates will be uploaded to our Facebook and Instagram pages as soon as possible.

On 7 February 2025, for the first time ever, trail runners can score ATM points in Myanmar. The Kalaw Ultra Trail Run goes international and offers 80km and 50km options for points, alongside a few shorter distance categories for less ambitious runners. Outdoor enthusiasts, trekkers and travellers in Southeast Asia are well-aware of Kalaw, a pleasant town north of Yangon (Rangoon) and relatively close to the beautiful Inle Lake. We are indeed delighted to include Myanmar and its trail running community into the Asia Trail Master network this season, and hope to see a number of local Grandmasters and Championship qualifiers soon! .

The Kalaw Ultra Trail Run has been around for a while, but with the help of the Myanmar Ultra Trail Running Association the organisation feels ready to step up and is welcoming runners from the region to the event. The 80km long ultra, also valid for the Grandmaster Quest, starts at 5am on Friday, 7 February - pay attention - and has an approximate elevation gain of 2500 hm. The course is quite runable with the biggest climb coming after about 20km. That climb is also part of the 50km race course.

International runners should first fly to Yangon, which has a lot of connections in the region. Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Singapore are the most straight forward, but even from Hong Kong there are cheap options. To get to Kalaw there are various options. From Yangon there are domestic flights to Heho, nearby Kalaw. Busses and cars (up to five people) are another option. To take the hassle out of your trip, runners should consider contacting Hansar Travel, which offers travel packages including accommodation for the event from Yangon. Details can be found on the registration page via the ‘travel packages’ tab. Hansar can also assist with visas, should these be required. Check it all out via the ‘Momentum Timing” link below.