The Philippines' Manolito Divina was a true class of his own in the Malaysia SuperTrail race in and around Bukit Mertajam last weekend. Divina even quickly left other established runners like Jan Nilsen far behind and took victory in less than 30 hours over the 100 miles race distance. After his joint-second place - with Nilsen - at UTHK earlier this year, Divina is now the new points leader in the 2016 Asia Trail Master championship at the expense of Hong Kong's Yuen Wan Ho. Also in the women's race, a clear winner emerged from the rainforest: Tahira Najmunisaa was in fact the only woman to finish the longest distance race, which was characterised by extreme heat, humidity and rainfall - even for Malaysian standards. After winning in Brunei's Beach Bunch Trail Challenge, Tahira also moved into the points lead of the Asia Trail Master championship with her second victory of the season - and her third ATM race title of her still young career (Tahira also won the Bromo Tengger Semeru 100k Ultra in Indonesia last year). 

Manolito Divina: simple hydration was very important in Malaysia last weekend

Podium of the men's 100 miles race

There was another great racer and winner last weekend: Aleksis Capili, also from the Philippines but residing in Thailand, became the first ever Asia Trail Grandmaster. And, wow, did he complete his Quest in style: second place in the 100 miles race behind Divina, his best race result to date in an Asia Trail Master event! Capili has thus completed six races of 70km or more within two calendar years. Starting with Borneo TMBT last year in August, he followed up with the Vietnam Mountain Marathon, CM 50 in Philippines, Bromo Tengger Semeru Ultra in Indonesia, UTHK in Hong Kong, and now Malaysia Eco 100. As a Grandmaster he will receive his first badge of honour including 1 star, enter the Hall of Fame, and receive a host of other prizes. Now Capili has reached the all important first level, he can add stars to his badge in the next months without any time pressure.  A second star follows after completing another four ultra distances. 

Capili is a superb example of the tough ultrarunner who somehow always makes his way to the finish. Arguably not the fastest of all in the field, his resilience, stamina and body never seem to let him down when others on occasion take a fall or suffer an injury. Jan Nilsen, for instance, is a protagonist wherever he starts and the Norwegian has been in excellent form lately as well. However, Nilsen is blister-prone, and after 100km and with a quasi guaranteed podium place in sight, he had to retire from the race just like he was forced to in the Bromo race last November. Nilsen was disappointed, but his feet tend to recover quickly and he'll be back strongly again soon. Divina was then already two hours ahead by himself, and Singapore's Henry Yang became his closest chaser. Unfortunately, Yang slipped on a wet rock at nighttime and hurt himself in the process. After taking medical care at the next refreshment station - which were all well-prepared - Yang gave it another go to try and finish the race, but to no avail. And so Capili moved up to second place, and Malaysia's own Abdul Rahman - husband of Tahira Najmunisaa - suddenly had a podium finish in his grasp in his debut race over an ultra distance! Rahman, a navy seal, ran with his wife for most of the race, but then wanted to secure third place and so he did. The next runner to reach the finish was Thean Sin Bong, who was slightly ahead of Tahira.

Only 8 starters on the 100 miles reached the finish out of more than 40 starters. Malaysia Eco 100 did not have excessive numbers of elevation ( approx 4500 hm ) , but it was obviously more than hard enough. The DNF quota on the 100km race distance was also very high with just 24 finishers  out of roughly one hundred.

The next points scoring race in Malaysia will be the Magnificent Merapoh Trail at the end of July.

Abdul Rahman and Tahira Najmunisaa both are part of the Running Project Team

The finishers of the 100 miles race:

1. Manolito Divina (PHI) in 29:47:08

2. Aleksis Capili (PHI) 34:41:14

3. Abdul Rahman Abu Hassan (MAS) 36:08:04

4. Thean Sin Bong (MAS) 37:16:35

5. Tahira Najmunisaa (MAS) 37:17:49 - winner female

6. Kian Philip Yong Yeo (MAS) 38:34:17

7. Meng Piow Low (MAS) 38:49:26

8. Chin Tat Lim (MAS) 39:16:24

100 km - Winner - Men

1. Alan Toh (MAS) 23:27:20

100km - Winner - Women

1. Adelinah Lintanga (MAS) 

Aleksis Capili is the first Asia Trail Grandmaster

The 50 km race of H-Soil Ultra Tu Wenchuan on 15 May 2016 was the 2nd race in mainland China on  the 2016 calendar of Asia Trail Master series. Wenchuan, a peaceful small town with astonishing mountains view, sits in the northwest of Sichuan Basin, which is described as the “Heaven Country” in Chinese literature. It is famous for the birth place of Da Yu, one of the greatest leaders of ancient tribes in Chinese history, and for the first Chinese to plan for smart irrigation systems around 5000 years ago. Wenchuan is also one of the habitats of the panda, the unique animal living only in southwest of China, and which relies on local bamboo shots for its food. There are many ethnic minorities,  such as Tibetan (藏族), Qiang (羌族) and Hui (回族). You can see the Tibetans and the Qiangs wearing their featured apparels walking down the street. It is a place with a leisure atmosphere and friendly locals. The people there like playing a game called Mahjang, which looks like a 4-person chess but needs more tactics on calculating and analysis. All the buildings here, from the apartments to stadium and schools, look clean and new with ordered planning and decorations of ethnical features.

By Xiaozhao Zhao

The nature never hides its beauty from locals and tourists. Clouds roll along the peaks of more than 2000 meters altitude and higher from far a distance. Suddenly the bright sunshine tears up the iron curtain of clouds, and dyes everything with a layer of golden color. Standing on some peaks after a struggling ascent, you can see some snow caps of Hengduan Mountains (the boarder of Tibetan Plateau) shining under pure blue sky.

The start of the Wenchuan 50k race was still held at nighttime, though just before dawn

Going back to the unbelievable darkest moment of Wenchuan, the devastating earthquake on 12th, May, 2008 is a heart-braking painful memory. Wenchuan got destroyed into piles of bricks and rubbles of collapsed buildings in a matter of seconds and minutes. All the traffic to the outside world and power supply was completely cut off, paved roads were twisted and split, horrified survivors squeezed themselves out from bodies under smashed concrete walls, mourning their family and friends who died on the spot in great agony. Being regarded as the most serious one after 1976 Tangshan Earthquake, it claimed more than 69 thousands lives in Wenchuan, and even other places in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu province. Some people in Beijing and Shanghai reported that they felt the ground trembling slightly for seconds as well.

Revival and rebuilding are much like a phoenix reborn from flames. With all the help and support from all over China and the rest of the world, relying on their own resilience and diligence, a brand new Wenchuan has been established in just a few years and is ranking in the middle of a recent official survey on economics and social development in Sichuan Province.

The H-Soil Wenchuan Trail Tu is divided into 3 categories: 12km team, 23km and 50km solo. The route of 50km is nearly a loop on  the mountains around the town. Runners need to climb up 2 mountains and accumulate about 3800m of total ascent. The highest point is nearly 2800m from the sea level, while the lowest about 1000m. In the last 13km, there is a steep and long descent from the highest point to the finish at the altitude around 1200m. Thanks to the hilly terrain, 90% of the course is unpaved and consists of rugged stones, dirt single tracks and trails zigzagged in the farms and fruit gardens. Note: never lose yourself in face of the natural beauty and forget to pick up your pace, because the cut-off time is pressing 14 hours, plus all 5 checkpoints have their own time limitation. The slogan of the race said: Never Try Never Know.

As race director Lang He said, designing such a tough race is our way to the objective of demonstrating the potential of future development of outdoor sports in Wenchuan,  and let more people enjoy trail running.

107 runners from at least 5 countries competed in the 50km category, while approximately 120 in the 23 km and around 50 in 12km. Only the 50km race gave Asia Trail Master points to finishers. For most local runners it was the first Asia Trail Master points race of the year, except for Zhong Guan, who had finished 8th in last month's Tsaigu Tangsi Plus. 

Bi Duanyuang from Beijing was the fastest man in the race

The Asia Trail Master’s 50km race started at 5.00 am, in the chilly dawn of after a day of raining. Runners first ran along a short distance of wandering and narrow concrete road, and then switched into rugged trails covered by bushes and single tracks along the exposed ridgeline with cliffs on both sides. They traversed the mountains and farmlands and had to deal with major ascents and descents.

At first, dense and humid fog floated among the high peaks and the course was so slippery due to the rain the day before. Runners really had a hard time jumping and squeezing among the rocks and bushes. As time went by, sunshine came out, so they were able to enjoy the “natural beauty” , nevertheless along with painful struggling: alpine meadows, frightening deep valleys with steep slopes at both sides, and the two very long ascents. Wang Guang led the race until 37.5km where he came up to serious pain in knees, followed by Bi Duanyuang and Kuo Li. the recent winner of a race in Northeastern China. Then Bi Duanyang took the 1st place and managed to hold it all the way to the finish. “It is a well-organized and fabulous race with pretty nice view and very technical path in lots of places,"said Bi Duanyang. " I love the meadow and snow caps of high peaks far away. Marks are ok in all. All the staff and locals are very kind and helpful. Races of Asia Trail Master series are very interesting so I will have a closer look and pick up some for my races calendar. ”

As the 2nd-placed Kuo LI said “I love the last 10km with the long and steep descent. I can dash at will without braking, kinda feeling of flying freely. I encouraged Wang Guang to stay on course at 37.5km when we are at the check point, before I pushed myself to the highest point. ”

“I appreciate the help of Kuo Li when I was at the brink of total collapse due to my inflaming knees. The time is not so ideal so I will do this race again with a better performance, I have still room for improvement.” Said Wang Guang.

Zhou Dongmei won the 50km race for women. Last year, she came second in a 100km race on Gonga Shan, also in Sichuan, so her new victory may not come as a major surprise. For the 2nd Female Yihan LIU, a musician when she is not running,  it was her perfect debut in ultra-trail races. “I lost my way several times but each time I could meet kind friends to help me out of trouble. Being afraid of getting lost again, I walked the last few kilometers to the finish, focusing on locating marks rather than accelerating. Any way I am enjoying the running and the atmosphere of socialization.”

82 runners finished the 50km with valid results (64 male and 18 female) within the 14 hours cut-off. 

Race podium result

Top 3 male of 50km:

1. Duanyang BI (06:32:30)

2. Kuo LI (06:56:33)

3. Guang WANG (07:11:17)

Top 3 female of 50km:

1. Dongmei ZHOU (08:33:24, the 13th over-all)

2. Yihan LIU (09:23:49)

3. Jun YANG (09:28:46)

In all, the H-Soil is more than a race, it is a lesson about how to make each day count during our limited lifetime, from the spirit of a revived and peaceful town and its people, returning from a  great loss with toughness and hard work.

Last weekend Ultra Tu Wenchuan was organised in China's Southwest province of Sichuan. Runners loved the astonishingly beautiful scenery along the 50 km course, but also reported on how tough it was. In any case, the race made an impressive debut also thanks to its fine organisation by Mr He Lang and his team. We spoke with him a few days before the race. 

Race organiser Lang He was firstly a climber rather than a trail runner. He used to devote himself to technical mountain climbing. But once he discovered the beauty of trail running, he realized this is a sport that he will never stop exploring. "Trail running has similar elements as climbing, and I aim to develop trail running with the ideas which are often used in technical climbing," says Lang He. "I want push the boundary of trail running, I want to see people run in places in which people have never run before. I want see there's no boundary between trail running and climbing. Exploring new possibilities shall always be a part of the trail running world."

As a trail runner, Lang He accumulated most of his race experience back when he was working in Norway. He has finished TGC in 2013 and UTMB in 2014. This year, his main project is Xreid race in Norway and the Mt. Siguniang Shan race. "They're also ideal races for me: remote, harsh environment, new boundaries for trail running, " says Lang He with a smile. 

Asia Trail Master: What brought you the idea to establish a trail race in Wenchuan, the place of the disasterous earthquake in 2008? 

Lang He: Wenchuan is the closest place to Chengdu where we have big mountains. My idea is to run in big mountains, and Wenchuan is a perfect place. It's relatively dry and trail condition is less affected by precipitation compared to the nearby Sichuan Basin. The mountains around Wenchuan city are populated by local villages, and this gives us a lot of trails for running.

I have no intention to connect our race with the earthquake, neither Wenchuan government has. We want to show everybody this is a new Wenchuan and it has already moved on from its sad history. 

Do you think the name Wenchuan will deter some runners from joining the event given what happened?

Yes,  I think people now may still have a few doubts about coming to Wenchuan, but via events like ours we hope to erase those doubts. We do have a runner who used to serve in the PLA rescue force after the quake. He said he is excited about coming back to the place where he fought so hard for at the time. That is the kind of story we are happy to hear, but we don't want to promote such stories. We want people to come here for our race, not because of a link with the earthquake. 

UT Wenchuan is an upgraded version of last year's initial event. What has been changed exactly and what extras can runners expect?

The length of the course has been extended from 42K to 50K. And an extra 1000 hm has been added to the total elevation gain. Given the fact of the rather rough condition of some trails, we do expect the difficulty of our race to have been significantly increased. 

Both in TT Plus and Korea 50, experienced runners were complaining that race organisers nowadays all want to have the toughest event without adding anything meaningful or beautiful to the race course. What is your view on this as race organiser? 

I think as a race organiser you have to think about the nature of your race course. You need to understand why you design a course like you do it. It's not a wise idea to make lots of turnarounds on hills just to achieve a certain longer distance or higher elevation gain. I believe each trail course should have a purpose, like UTMB, it's purpose is to run around Mont Blanc. UT Wenchuan's purpose is to run around Wenchuan City and to see the beauty of this place from different aspects.

The race takes place at high altitude, but remains below 3000 hm, which from a medical point of view seems wise for an event open to the general public. Was it a conscious decision not to aim for the highest peaks?

We have the possible option to aim for a 4000 m highest point, which is also close to our current race course. But it would be too difficult to design a reasonable course. I don't like to have any turnarounds on my course. I want the shape of my race course to be simple and beautiful. Also, aiming for the highest peaks also brings challenges regarding logistics.

What should runners from other countries do and see when they come to Wenchuan?

They should go to Woolong Natural Reserve, which is the first national natural reserve established in China. Its biodiversity will astonish everybody who goes there. Also people can visit some of the old Qiang villages [and see a panda as well, kvdv]

Would you say there is a big difference in the trail running scene in East China compared to Southwest China? 

Southwest China has a deeply carved landscape. Mountains here are so huge that probably one of those climbs is enough per race. 

Which finishing time do you expect for the race winner? On the basis of the current start list, who would be your favourite to win the men's and women's races?

I expect the male winner to finish a little bit under 8 hours. On the current start list, we have several really strong runners who have won Dalian 100 (Kuo Li), Asics Mountain Marathon (Duanyang Bi) etc. But in my view they may actually not win UT Wenchuan. Given the steep terrain and big climb, local Chengdu runners who are used to run here before probably have a better chance to win. My friend Ruqiao Ren is not a famous runner. He grew up in the mountains and his agility and endurance really impress me. Last year he scored the 2nd place in the Mt. Siguniang Shan race, only behind a Tibetan mountain guide in the highest race in China. If I can bet, I would put my stake on him.

Read our race report of Ultra Tu Wenchuan here. 

Already the third SuperTrail race of the season is on the Asia Trail Master menu this weekend, as runners from all over the continent gather in Penang for the Eranzi Malaysia Eco 100. It will be an important event for the 2016 points ranking, but also for Aleksis Capili. The Thailand-based Pinoy runner is set to complete his Grandmaster Quest of six races of over 70k in two calendar years!

While Penang is the gateway to the event, organised by Endurance Nature, the start and finish of the three race distances is in Bukit Mertajam opposite Penang Island. The 100 miles and 100k races will soak up most attention, but the 50k is definitely not without merit neither in the hot and humid climate of Malaysia. Challenging conditions for many runners, who are perhaps fortunate that the elevation gain is considerable yet not excessive. Race Director Seow Kong Ng, an icon in Malaysia's endurance runnjng scene, of course knows where the acceptable limits are.

The rankings will look very different after this race. Both Jan Nilsen and Manolito Divina are going for the win, and for the lead in the men's Asia Trail Master championship ranking at the expense of current leader Isaac Yuen Wan Ho. Nilsen is in top shape, having just beaten Divina in a big race in the Philippines a fortnight ago. The 100 miles in Malaysia are more runnable, though, and more humid. They will be challenged by several other top runners from Malaysia itself.

Also in the women's we are bound to see a change of leadership in the points standings.Upcoming local hero Tahira Najmunisaa is doing the long distance race this weekend, and if she finishes will move ahead of Ma Yanxing and Yuen Kit Shan. The impressive winner of the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge in Brunei is only 50 points behind and will be the first of the top runners to compete in two races this year. However, also on the start list is the number 2 of last year's Asia Trail Master series: Mila Marlina from Indonesia. Marlina had a tough run at UTHK earlier this year, but if she is back to her best level - which brought her wins at e.g. MesaStila Peaks Challenge last year - she will certainly give Tahira a run for her money. At the end of December, the best three race results per runner count.

Aleksis Capili is the real ultrarunner: perhaps not the fastest of all, but he just keeps on going weekend after weekend... Malaysia Eco 100 miles will be his sixth Asia Trail Master race of more than 70km in less than a year! Capili has not left at that, as he also regularly runs other races outside our calendar as well. Capili is orginally from the Philippines, but based for work in Thailand. If he successfully completes this weekend's 100 miles, Capili will enter the inaugural Hall of Fame as an Asia Trail Grandmaster. 

Watch our social media pages for news and updates of the Malaysia Eco 100 this weekend!

The 2nd edition of the Tengri Ultra Trail in Tamgaly Tas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Almaty in Kazakhstan, was won by Egor Nadymov in the men's and Akmaral Meirman in the women's. Runners and organisers were very satisfied with the weekend in the remote grassland and canyon area, although runners said the long distance of 70km was much harder than last year's 55km. 

Akmaral Meirman also won this race last year. Nadymov, and runner's up Bahtiyar Kasenov and Anatoliy Korepanov moved up the ranking after two strong Russian runners from Krasnoyarsk, Sergey Donets and Yuri Shtankov were disqualified for missing a mandatory checkpoint.

More details and photos of the event are coming soon. 

This weekend we are in Kazakhstan, but already the 3rd SuperTrail race is coming up soon  in this year's Asia Trail Master series, and it's Malaysia's!  Taking place opposite Penang Island in Bukit Mertajam, famous Malaysian ultra runner Seow Kong Ng has set up a beautiful gem of a race that received applause following its inaugural edition in August last year, when it was an Asia Trail Master Candidate Race. The event has been moved forward to 14/15 May this year, and also features a new 100 miles distance, on top of the existing 100 and 50km races. More than 500 runners will be taking part coming from many parts of the world. In order to be truly prepared for the Malaysia Eco 100, our partners at Gone Running in Hong Kong have selected a few products that come highly recommended for all participants. Selected by John Ellis, himself a very successful trail runner in Hong Kong, here's what his race bag would contain: 

Tailwind

Tailwind is an obvious one given the combo of energy and electrolytes, which is an absolute must for all runners in the Malaysia Eco 100, regardless of the chosen race distance- https://www.tailwindnutrition.asia/collections/all.

KAILAS

2. The Kailas tops are our lightest, most breathable, run tops. They are the same material as this year's HK 100 tops - https://www.gonerunning.hk/collections/run-tops/products/kailas-quickdry-running-tee.

Gurney Goo

3. Sweaty tropical climates are a magnet for running chafe so keep your sensitive bits safe and protected with Gurney Goo - https://www.gonerunning.hk/collections/lubricants/products/gurney-goo.

Cancer Council Repel

4. Repel Sunscreen is designed for harsh Australian conditions (SPF30+) and also has insect repellent - https://www.gonerunning.hk/collections/sunscreen/products/cancer-council-australia-repel-sunscreen-range-spf30.

Gone Running ships internationally from Hong Kong. As a partner of the event, Gone Running will also be rewarding the podium finishers on the long distance with prizes. 

One of the most exotic races in the Asia Trail Master series is the Tengri Ultra Trail in Kazakhstan, which will have its second edition this Sunday. It is a unique outdoor experience, as participants are expected to camp the night before at the race venue - the UNESCO World Heritage Site called Tamgaly Tas. The site has ancient rock paintings in some of the caves. After a successful debut last year, the event has entered the consciousness of citizens in the city of Almaty and around, proven by this week's interviews and feature on city television (see below). No doubt, the Tengri Ultra Trail has introduced trail running to Kazakhstan.  

The Tengri Ultra Trail runs through grasslands and canyons with snowcapped mountains from the Tian Shan range on the horizon. After the success of the inaugural race last year, the organisers have beefed up the longest course from 55k to 70k, which means that runners can also score one point for their individual Grandmaster Quest. There is also a 35k and a 10k for less ambitious runners. Elevation gain is rather limited, 1070 Hm, making this race a perfect opportunity for road runners to get a first taste of trail running. There are some technical sections, however, that should not be taken lightly. In particular, some of the trails through the canyons can be very rocky and narrow and if there was rain in the days before the race you will likely get your feet wet. 

Timur Arthyukin, organiser and race director of TUT explains: " We will show a new canyon to the runners this year, which means, there are 2 canyons on the 70k course. The last 15k will be along the Ili River to the finish at the camp site. " The long distance race will start at 6 a.m. and the cut off time is 12 hours. "Runners need to be prepared for hot conditions with lots of sunshine. All runners should equip themselves with a Camelback or at least 1,5 litres of water. There are several drinking stations along the course, but runners on the 70k and 35k  must take their own refreshments with them also." 

Given the last section will indeed be in wide open space, it is essential for runners to hydrate themselves well enough, and protect themselves from abundant sunshine via a cap or bandana. Something like the RaidLight desert and grassland cap, for instance. 

Almaty TV interview with Vadim Vinokourov, co-organiser of TUT (in Russian). 

Last year the race was won by local runners Georgiy Shejko and Akmaral Meirman. "This year we also have some strong runners from Czech Republic, USA, Russia and other Asian countries," says race director Timur. In any case, female champion Meirman has already confirmed her return and is in top shape, having just finished the Vienna Marathon in 3:07. Meirman was featured on our Talking Trail Running series a fortnight ago. 

The Kazakh running community is growing fast. "In Almaty our group is at least twice as big as last year, and I am sure several Kazakh runnes will also travel to take part in other Asia Trail Master races this year," according to the organiser. In fact, the winners of Sunday's race will be rewarded with a free race entry for the Magnificent Merapoh Trail in Malaysia this summer, and vice versa. 

The organisation team of Tengri Ultra Trail is ready for the second edition!

Akmaral Meirman returns to Tamgaly Tas on Sunday in defence of last year's title 

The Magnficent Merapoh Trail in Malaysia on 29/30 July is one of those races the international running community is very much looking forward to. Not only because it takes place at a time when there are few other events, but also because it is a race where runners can truly enjoy the trails on the 100, 60 and 30k courses without too much elevation gain (we all love that sometimes, don't we?). 

To get a better idea of what to expect, please watch the brand new trailer of the event produced by Running Project. 

It is still possible to register for the race, but you need to be quick! 

The 2016 Asia Trail Master series is happy to have partnered with the renowned and truly international trail running brand RaidLight. Together with a pan-Asian team of running ambassadors, RaidLight will share the trail experience throughout the Asia Trail Master tour this year! 

The French brand Raidlight has been pioneering the world of Trail running since its foundation in 1999 by Benoit Laval; an avid runner who has run over 100 trail races across all the continents around the world and was selected for the French Trail running team in 2010.

Raidlight France, the brand's headquarters, is based at 1000 metres of altitude in the heart of the Massif de Chartreuse where it employees a team of 30 highly motivated employees who are each passionate about outdoor activities. From its Eco-friendly designed offices Raidlight continues to develop sport specific lightweight products for every aspect of users anticipated needs; including shoes, bags, clothing, accessories and more. Raidlights desire to pioneer and share, led it to become the first brand to create both an inclusive trail community called “Team Raidlight”, as well a network of Trail Workstations (Station de Trail) across some of Europe’s most beautiful mountain ranges. Through this inclusion and integration of its customers, Raidlight’s Research & Development department can truly design collaborative and required trail running equipment in an interactive, innovative and passionate way.

Event organisers in the Asia Trail Master series can benefit from the partnership with RaidLight as well. Not only in the form of quality podium prizes for top runners or for lucky draws, but also for dramatically discounted customised event T shirts, race caps, hats, and all other gear available in the catalogue of RaidLight. Event organisers can contact us for more details if they like to obtain RaidLight as a sponsor of their event. 

RaidLight is also always keen on finding new retail partners in Asia, as the trail scene keeps growing and establishing itself in ever more countries. 

RaidLight products are easily available in Asia via distribution centres in a.o. Hong Kong (e.g. via Gone Running), China, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia and Korea. The online website store has a long reach as well, and within China there is an online Taobao store and info centre in Hangzhou. Via the Asia Trail Master website, it will also be possible to order discounted RaidLight products that will be highlighted or a specific race on our calendar. Stay tuned to this page for more information, and how to order and purchase the items. 

As we are approaching the end of April, the Asia Trail Master series is looking at five big races on the immediate horizon. Beginning with Kazakhstan, runners will score championship and Grandmaster Quest points in Malaysia, China, Indonesia and Bhutan. And with the exception of one (Malaysia's Eco 100 in Bukit Mertajam), you can still do a last-minute registration for these events! As of today, you can even do this via our own custom built registration portal by Race Timing Solutions in Hong Kong, the reputed company that has recently also upgraded our rankings . In case you have not noticed, the rankings now include filters and search functions as well as a results breakdown per runner! The system is available in English, but also in traditional and simplied Chinese with more languages to be integrated soon. Race Timing Solutions also provides time-keeping services at all levels, and race organisers can always inquire with us for details on these services. 

When you sign up for the first time via our registration portal,  you will get a personal ID number and a profile page, which will make your next race registration even faster. Additional features are coming soon. 

But back to the open races in May. Here they are!

Tengri Ultra Trail (Almaty/Tamgaly, Kazakhstan) - 8 May - Registration deadline 4 May HK time

Ultra Tu Wenchuan (Sichuan, China) - 15 May - Registration deadline: 2 May

Ijen Trail Running (Bondowoso, East Java, Indonesia) - 21-22 May - Registration deadline 8 May

GlobalLimits: the Last Secret (Bhutan) - 27 May (programme start) - Registration deadline 6 May

Special offer for those who like to do a road marathon in an exciting location for a change. 

To continue the success of the 2015 event, Halong Bay Heritage Marathon in Northeastern Vietnam officially returns on 26 November 2016 with a wide range of distance options: 42 km Full Marathon, 21 km Half Marathon, 10 km and 2km Fun Run. This year’s running course has been designed to run over Bai Chay Bridge, the longest single span bridge in Southeast Asia, to provide a spectacular view from above over the magnificent landscape of Halong Bay, one of the world natural heritages internationally recognized by UNESCO. The route continues through picturesque spots of mountains and coastal lines along the bay.

For international runners there are a number of travel packages available of 3 days and 2 nights, with variety in terms of hotel accommodation star level. Kuai Sports Promotions Ltd, general manager & promoter of the Asia Trail Master series, is an official partner of the Halong Bay Heritage Marathon, and offers runners the possibility to easily sign up. 

Registration fees:

* = Early Bird rates until 31 August 2016

Marathon only: USD 80 * / USD 95
Half Marathon only: USD 60 * / USD 80
10 km only: USD 30 * / USD 45

Package deals

The Halong Bay Marathon event offers 3 day / 2 night packages. There are three options depending on the level of hotel accommodation desired.

5 star hotel + Marathon: USD 470 * / USD 500
5 star hotel + Half Marathon: USD 435 * / USD 475
5 star hotel + 10k run: USD 395 * / USD 420
Single room surcharge: USD 115

4 star hotel + marathon: USD 432 * / USD 462
4 star hotel + half marathon: USD 397 * / USD 432
4 star hotel + 10k run: USD 357 * / USD 382
Single room surcharge: USD 100

3 star hotel + marathon: USD 390 * / USD 420
3 star hotel + half marathon: USD 355 * / USD 395
3 star hotel + 10k run: USD 315 * / USD 340
Single room surcharge: USD 80

You can sign up for the Halong Bay Marathon and other race distances easily via our online form. Payment goes via PayPal. 

For more details on the event, you can check the official event website. 

He was the pre-race favourite, and he delivered in style. Xu Xiutao is becoming a force to be reckoned with in Asia' s trail running scene, as the runner from Beijing scored an impressive victory in yesterdays Korea 50k event. It was the fifth race in this year's Asia Trail Master series and already the second one for Xu Xiutao,  after he came home second in UTHK 100 last February. His Korean points haul - 500 - lifts him to second place in the current ATMs championship ranking behind Hong Kong's Isaac Yuen Wan Ho. 

It was the second edition of Korea 50k, an event marked by a boom in registrations with plenty of international athletes making the trip to the outkirts of Seoul. It was a warm day under a bright blue sky, but the runners had a tough one as the 59km race covered well over 3000 metres of elevation gain, an increase that not everybody felt was necessary, which is similar to comments received in last week's 50 miles race in Linhai, China. Perhaps something for race organisers to reflect upon. Yesterday there were plenty of DNFs as a result. Luckily, the technical organisation by the local RunXRun team was excellent, and runners could enjoy a beer and a tasty local snack after the finish in the sports stadium of Dongducheon. 

Simjae Duk was a bit disappointed with 2nd place this year. 

It was chilly at 4:30 a.m. for the start of the race, but the runners were soon warmed up as outside the stadium was already the first steep climb up. The strongest group of runners immediately opened up a gap. Local stars Simjae Duk, last year's winner, and Nohui Seong had to accept the company of China's Xu Xiutao, who kept the pressure on them. Close behind was Hong Kong-based Frenchman Clement Dumont, whose consistent pace would earn him a third spot on the podium as Seong faded in the last ten kilometers. The victory was contested between Simjae Duk and Xu Xiutao, and eventually the youngest had the edge and even pulled away still by 8 minutes in the final section. Xu Xiutao crossed the finish line in 7:11:02 with the Chinese flag around him. Another Hong Kong-based European, Paul Ridley from Great Britain, completed the top five and of all the top guys looked like he could still do another lap. 

Podium of the men's 59km race

In the women's race, Japan's Yukari Fukuda repeated  her victory from last year in 8:19:50. She was over an hour ahead of second and third place runners Janet Ng (Hong Kong) and Sung Hee Lee (Korea), who swapped places in the final climb of the race. 

The next race in the Asia Trail Master series takes place on 8 May in Tamgaly Tas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Kazakhstan. 

Podium of the women's 59 km race.