While we are eagerly awaiting the Vietnam Mountain Marathon at the end of September to launch our long and exciting autumn season and the conclusion of this year's Asia Trail Master championship, let's already look ahead to 2017. The preparations for the 2017 Asia Trail Master series are in full swing, and in the next couple of weeks we will be revealing all the technical ins and outs of the series next year, as well as the new race entries and the classic trails on our calendar. 

First of all: the 2017 series will commence earlier than in the past two years. Already on 14 January, runners will compete for Asia Trail Master points on The Dirt Track in Thailand! An exciting new event entry featuring a race of 75 km in the beautiful Sangkhla Buri region in the west of the country, bordering Myanmar! Organised by the team that brings you the Ultra Trail Panoramic, Teelakow, the Dirt Track will appeal to trail enthusiasts who enjoy a runnable course. Total elevation gain is measured to be 1600 hm. An excellent race to begin the Asia Trail Master season with next year. Event details will be released in due course. 

Keen to find out what the second race in the 2017 Asia Trail Master series will be? Come back to this site and see tomorrow! 

2017 Asia Trail Master Calendar

January
14/01/17 - THAILAND - The Dirt Track
....

Isaac Yuen Wan Ho has been running in the Asia Trail Master spotlights since the first race of the year, and he is a well-deserving points ranking leader halfway through the season. A true Hong Konger, Yuen Wan Ho is a runner pur sang, with a marathon PB well below 3 hours. But he can also struggle his way up the hills, which makes him a strong all-rounder and competitive in every race he starts. Two weeks ago he was again in the mix in Malaysia, finishing strong to score second place in the Magnificent Merapoh Trail, equaling his performance of earlier in the season in Brunei's Beach Bunch Trail Challenge. While Philippines' trailrunning star Manolito Divina may have an additional gear in his legs, to finish first you need to finish first, and Yuen Wan Ho has put the pressure back on. Determined to also become an Asia Trail Grandmaster, he will not give up easily. Time to get to know a bit more about Hong Kong's Isaac Yuen Wan Ho.  

Q: Are you and born and raised Hong Konger?
YWH: Yes, I’m native Hong Konger.

Q: Was running something you have always done, or is it a recent hobby?
I have run for over ten years but I started running more seriously with racing since two years ago

Q: Are you member of a running club?
No, I usually train alone

Q: Do you have any sports idols, athletes you look up to?
I would think about Kobe Brian. He is a true fighter, and never gives up.

Q: When did you discover your talent as a runner?
I don’t consider myself a naturally talented runner. But I am hard working and always look for ways to improve myself.

Q: What does your training plan look like? Do you have a coach?
I run every day, sometimes twice a day. Though participating in many ultra-distance races, my routine training doesn’t have lots of long runs. I rather have some quality training for 1-2 hours.

Q: Do you pay attention to your food before a race? Are there any special products you take in preparation for your race?
Yes, I eat plenty of vegetables and fruits. I prefer having real food for the race.

Yuen Wan Ho recently finished second in the Merapoh Trail in Malaysia, reclaiming the lead in the 2016 Asia Trail Master points championship

Q: What is your best time on the road marathon?
My personal best time is 2:53.

Q: At the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge, you mentioned you like runnable courses more than mountainous courses. Do you feel trail running is sometimes too much hiking instead of running?
Trail Running has many elements. I started my ultra "career" with road running and speed work is an important part of my routine training. Of course,  solid power walking or hiking is critical when you come to some more technical courses.

Q: · You must have an incredible recovery system. Seven days after the gruelling UTHK 156 you already did another trail marathon in Brunei and came second there. 
Those two races have very different characteristics. There were many stairs in UTHK while Brunei was very runnable. I paid attention to active recovery after the UTHK race, proper post-race meals, enough sleeping, massage, etc. and I did not push myself too hard in the race.

Q: Do you know your hematocrit level (percentage of red blood cells in your blood)?
I have no idea

Q: Hong Kong is of course the centre of Asian trail running. How did you experience this sudden boom of events in the HK area?
I think it started with HK 100, the first sole hundred kilos ultra-distance race. Hong Kong has the advantage of the easy accessibility to country parks and variety of terrains. Many elite runners either station themselves in Hong Kong or come here for races, which also helps to improve the level of local athletes and events.

Q: If you were a race director in Hong Kong, what would you change? 
As you mentioned, Hong Kong is already the mecca of Asian trail running. I would like to see a concept of series races like the Ultra-Trail World Tour adopted in Hong Kong. Runner get most points in selected races and get awarded or ranked, like in the Asia Trail Master series.  

Q: What is your dream as a trail runner?
I want to be a race director at some point of time and introduce my favourite trails to people. 

Q: What is your favourite race?
Many. Currently I still focus on races in my hometown in Hong Kong. Vibram HK 100 is a grand stage for international elite runners. Yet, the North Face Hong Kong 100 brings you to the best scenery of the city. Races in South East Asia are still developing but the hospitality there is brilliant.  

Q: What do you think about the Asia Trail Master series?
Asia Trail Master not only focuses on bigger races but also incorporates relatively low profile races which is a good idea. It helps to promote the overall standard of trail running in the region and also bring runners to some secret places.

Q: You are again in the lead in our 2016 points ranking. However, some other good runners will catch up for sure. What is your plan to defend your first spot?
I feel some runners are in a better position than me. I completed three races and I am satisfied with my results so far (4th, 2nd and 2nd, kvdv) . Now I need to try and improve on some of those results to increase my total points tally a bit more.  It would be a good achievement if eventually I could stay in the top 3 in Asia Trail Master Championship by the end of the year.

Q: Would you like trail running to become an Olympic sport in the future?
Considering the rising popularity, I think Trail Running has the quality to become an Olympic Sport. It gives runners an ultimate target and promotes the sport to a community level.

Thank you very much for this Q&A, and good luck on your Grandmaster Quest and in defending your first spot in the 2016 Asia Trail Master championship!

As trail runners from all over the world are gearing up for UTMB in Chamonix at the end of this month, a few significant announcements with regard to the Asia Trail Master points races in the second half of this year. 

First and foremost, good news for all runners on the Grandmaster Quest. The Indonesia SuperTrail, MesaStila Peaks Challenge, will offer two race distances that qualify for 1 point. On top of the 100km, it has been decided -also following a few appeals from runners- that also the 65 is worthy enough of a point given the high number of elevation gain that needs to be conquered to finish that race. If you still want to sign up for MesaStila, by the way, you need to sign up by the end of this month, or take your chances in our upcoming social media contest for a free race entry. Race day is 8/9 October subject to chosen distance. 

Staying in Indonesia, the Bromo Tengger Semeru Ultra is now confirmed to take place between 4 and 6 November. Race registrations via local organiser Fonesport have also just been opened. The event features the meanwhile traditional tough race distances of 170, 100 and 70, all of which also qualify for 1 point in the Grandmaster Quest. Beginning runners can also aim for a few shorter distances, without Asia Trail Master points to be won. As with Rinjani 100, this one has a tight cut off time, so come prepared! More details on BTS 2016 in the course of next week.

A few other events are closing the official registration by the end of this month. The first upcoming points race, Vietnam Mountain Marathon, is among them. Be careful, as the event is nearly fully booked, too. VMM this year offers 100km as longest race distance, on top of the usual 70 and 42, plus a few shorter races without Asia Trail Master points to be scored. 

Next is Ultra Trail Mount Jiri in Korea on 1/2 October. Also this challenging race in the Jirisan National Park is closing the books by 31 August. Two solo races available over 100km and 50km, both with respectable elevation gain.

In October we have 2 more races on the calendar , for which you can sign up easily via our registration platform. Mount Falaza Ultra Trail is one of our "grassroots" races taking place in the Far East of Russia, in Primorye. That's a nature area known for skiing in winter and approx 2h by bus northeast of Vladivostok. Mount Falaza is the highlight, not super high in terms of altitude, but surrounded by dense Siberian forest... in autumn colours. A race for those looking for a new trail experience. The race organiser has loads of experience setting up adventure challenges and MTB races, and is a strong multisport athlete himself. Race date for the 60km trail: 16 October.

We have a new stage race as well coming up. The 3-day Ultra Trail Jeju takes places from 14 to 16 October on the fascinating Jeju Island south of South Korea. In total 100km need to be absorbed over three race days, of which the ascent of Mount Halla on day 1 stands out as a highlight. This is an event for beginning trail runners who like to up their game. Nevertheless, it is a prestigious race to win for established trail champions as well! 

Opening the registration book next week is Ultra Trail Mapawa, the first of our two races on Mindanao island in the Philippines this autumn. Mapawa is a popular race and this year has a 50k distance as the main event. Stay tuned for more on this one in the next days.

Finally, following plenty of queries from runners, we regret to announce that it has been decided that Annapurna 100 in Nepal  will be removed from our race calendar for reasons of communication. Fans of Nepal can look forward to a new entry in our calendar next spring. More on that in the course of the coming week. 

UTMJ - Run on and around a holy mountain Korea

The 2nd edition of The Punisher, scheduled for 12 December, is now open for registration. The event takes place on Babak Samal Island opposite the city of Davao in the Philippines and offers three race distances, of which the 82km and the 50km provide points for the Asia Trail Master championship ranking. Indeed, the 82km also qualifies for 1 point for each runner's Grandmaster Quest. 

The Punisher, organised by Vertical 2 Sky, is the perfect end-of-year event as runners can relax afterwards in the beach resorts of Babak Samal and of Davao. The race course has been designed to show participants the most scenic spots of the island, and is quite runnable as well with 2200 hm for the 82 km main race. There are technical bits as well, including proper hill climbing, river crossing and cliffs. Combined with the Filippino climate, The Punisher needs to be taken seriously if you are not used to trail running. Participants have a cut off time of 20 hours for the 82 km, which is quite reasonable, but yet does not allow for a pic nic. 

You can find out more practical details of the event via our cover page. 

International registration using credit card is easy via our registration platform. 

None other than Jan Nilsen has checked the course. (here with RD Doi Calbes)

After the Magnificent Merapoh Trail in Malaysia and Rinjani 100 in Indonesia, the 2016 Asia Trail Master championship has seen substantial changes at the top. Isaac Yuen Wan Ho is back on number 1 in the men's after finishing his third race this season. For the sympathetic Hong Konger, the rest of the year will be tactical and trying to improve his third best result, i.e. 350 points (incidently, Isaac scored 350 points in all his races). He also gets the Abroad Bonus, 50 extra points, for having raced at least once outside his country of residence. 

Manolito Devina drops to second place, and now sees Jan Nilsen right behind him. 

In the women's ranking, Tahira Najmunisaa has extended her points lead thanks to her victory in the Merapoh Trail last weekend. It will be hard for anyone to still steal the championship away from her, yet mathematically it is still possible. Philippines' Gretchen Felipe has moved up to second place after her second race win in two months. Adelinah Lintanga from Malaysia has moved up to third place, having accumulated good results in both Malaysia races so far this season. 

Official results of this week's Mongolia Sunrise 2 Sunset are still pending; ATM points will be assigned next week

 MEN TOP 15

1. Isaac Yuen Wan Ho (HKG) 1400 points (incl. Abroad Bonus)
2. Manolito Divina (PHI) 1050 points
3. Jan Nilsen (NOR) 1000 points
4. Xu Xiutao (CHN) 800 points
5. Abdul Rahman (MAS) 775 points
6. Aleksis Capili (PHI) 737 points
7. Marcelino Sano Oy (PHI) 710 points
8. Alan Toh (MAS) 690 points
9. Philip Kian Yong Yeo (MAS) 680 points
10. Matthew Kennedy (GBR) 641 points
11. Zhong Guan (CHN) 640 points
12. Vincent Chalias (FRA) 635 points
13. Yong Yunseok (KOR) 600 points
14. Carlos Paz (ESP) 561 points
15. Raymond Cheung (HKG) 550 points
15. Zhaohong Hua (CHN) 550 points

TOP 15 WOMEN

1. Tahira Najmunisaa (MAS) 1600 points (incl. Abroad Bonus)
2. Gretchen Felipe (PHI) 760 points
3. Adelinah Lintanga (MAS) 690 points
4. Patricia Shindy (INA) 660 points
5. Jassica Lintanga (MAS) 650 points
6. Ma Yanxing (CHN) 550 points
6. Yuen Kit Shan (HKG) 550 points
8. Akmaral Meirman (KAZ) 500 points
8. Ann Mari Lillejord (NOR) 500 points
8. Zhou Dongmei (CHN) 500 points
8. Qu Lijie (CHN) 500 points
8. Yukako Takashima (JPN) 500 points
8. Yukari Fukuda (JPN) 500 points
8. Tseng Wei Lin (TPE) 500 points
8. Xiao Jing (CHN) 500 points

The next points race is the Vietnam Mountain Marathon end of September.

Note: please contact info@asiatrailmaster.com if your name appears twice in the rankings, or in case of any other observation. As event organisers use different systems, double hits can occur when importing. 

After two race victories, Gretchen Felipe (PHI) has moved up to second place in the Asia Trail Master championship, behind Tahira Najmunisaa

The Altai Ultra Trail in Siberian Russia certainly ranks among the more remote trail races in Asia, yet over 200 domestic runners made the trip to race 100 km, 50 km or 30 km in the mountainous border region between Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Altai Ultra Trail was a Candidate Race for the 2017 Asia Trail Master series.  

Despite rather chilly and cloudy weather, the event went very well. Race director Pavel Rozanov: "The 1st edition of Altai Ultra Trail exceeded our own expectations, it was great! Most runners told us afterwards they will return next year, which is the best feedback we could have imagined."

Mikhail Kozyr from Novosibirsk proved to be the outstanding athlete on the longest distance, as he completed the 100 km in 15:46:41, nearly two hours faster than his nearest competitors Viktor Krasnousov and Renat Zharmulhambetov. Best woman was Sofia Beitzel in 19:58:54, ahead of Tatiana Maslova and Nadezhda Bondareva. We are looking forward to see all these runners also compete for points in the Asia Trail Master championship soon. 

On the event website of Altai Ultra Trail, you can find several photo sets and videos of this year's event. 

Eastern Russia is also represented in this year's Asia Trail Master series via the Mount Falaza Ultra Trail in Primorye, close to Vladivistok,  on 16 October. The race there goes through pristine autumn forest and the climb of Mt Falaza. Read more about the Mt Falaza Trail Challenge here. 

The Asia Trail Master series is happy to announce a third points race in South Korea in the current 2016 season. From 14 to 16 October. runners will gather on Jeju Island for a three-day stage race of 100 km in total. Ultra Trail Jeju is an established event in Korea and is known as a great long weekend trip. The race has what it takes to hurt the legs, especially on day 1 with the ascent of Mount Halla in the centre of island, yet with a daily distance of around 34km is perfectly manageable for everybody. Beginning runners can also opt for a 1-day race on Saturday, the 15th over a distance of 18km.

Jeju is a volcanic island and therefore very fertile. Several environmental projects take place on Jeju, and some sites are also protected.  If you join the event, basic hotel accommodation and meals are provided via the race registration fee, so you really do not need to worry about much. The three stages also start in the morning, so you have the afternoon free for sightseeing and relaxing.

Ultra Trail Jeju offers 100 finisher points for those who complete the three stages, as well as performance points according to the standard points table. The winner thus scores 500 points for his 2016 championship total. In addition, runners who finish the three stages also collect 1 poiint for the Grandmaster Quest.

You can read more details via our cover page. Race registration goes conveniently via our registration portal, where you can use credit cards. The local Korean organiser on Jeju requires payment via wire transfer only.

At 4 a.m., sunrise in northwestern Mongolia, the 18th edition of Sunrise to Sunset has started in the Hovsgol National Park. This is one of the pioneering 100km trail races in Asia, which is even more remarkable when considering the very remote location. Runners who take part in the event require a mini holiday as getting there and away takes time. That is also why the race can be held on a Wednesday instead of on a weekend day. The participants are as always a very international mix combined with some of Mongolia's own top endurance athletes. The entire event goes to the benefit of the Hovsgol National Park, and the local communities in the vast area. We will update on the race proceedings as soon as we get news. 

It was to be expected that the new version of MRU, named Rinjani 100, would be the ultimate challenge for any trail runner, and so it proved to be except for one outstanding athlete: Jan Nilsen. The Norwegian living in Thailand had made this 100k race with 9100 metres of elevation gain one of his goals of the season, and he succeeded big time. And as icing on the cake: Nilsen was the ONLY finisher of the race within the 36 hour cut off time, completing the race in 26 hours and 35 minutes. And that just proves his dominance last weekend. Taking into account that 2015 Asia Trail Master champion and winner of last year's MRU 52k, Arief Wismoyono, threw in the towel just over half way the race, Jan Nilsen's victory in the Rinjani 100 has gone down as one of the greatest sporting achievements in the still short history of the Asia Trail Master series. This is how trail legends are made. 

It was not that people did not try. They were 52, the runners who took up the challenge last weekend. Other than Nilsen and Wismoyono, also reputed runners such as Yohanis Hiareij, Alan Maulana, Regis Cabaret, Ali Ajis Rasil, Hendra Hiswanto and Abdul Aziz Dermawan were present. Abdul Aziz Dermawan and Siswanto did actually complete the course, but two hours outside the time limit. Mila Marlina aimed to win the female race and get her Asia Trail Master season in a higher gear, but she fell and unfortunately suffered an injury. Other than the tough climb to the Rinjani summit, the course had several very technical parts. 

Jan Nilsen was also impressed by the race course: "The Rinjani 100 is a brutal race. Reaching Rinjani summit is so tough mentally and physically. The loose sand and the altitude/ elevation gain combined with the steepness is brutal and you don't really have anything left for the rest of the climbs. The organisation did a great job with clearing trails and the marking was good. However, the aid stations only had water and some fruit at a few places. I hear they ran quickly out of water at aid stations, but that was no problem for me as I was 1st all the time."

Even the 60km B-race proved to be a serious task. Only fifteen  runners completed the race within the cut off time. France's Vincent Chalias, no stranger to Indonesian trail racing, was fastest in a time of 16 hours and 30 minutes. His compatriot Laurent Tuffi came second 37 minutes later, and Singapore's Guo Zhengjin completed the podium in third place. Malaysian runners Fikry Md Nawi and Ahmad Shukri Rahman were the next other two men in fourth and fifth place. Indonesia's own Patricia Shindy was the only woman to reach the finish within time. She won the 60km as the only woman to finish in 19 hours and 44 minutes, 16 minutes ahead of the cut off. Earlier this season, Shindy also scored 4th place in Ijen Trailrunning, so she is now the best placed female Indonesian runner in the Asia Trail Master ranking! 

The 36km race was won by Spanish Indonesian Carlos Paz, third at Ijen Trailrunning in May, and by Vera Breuer from France. 

Big congratulations to all finishers, and kudos to everyone who took up the challenge of Rinjani 100! 

Patricia Shindy - only woman to finish the 60 km race last weekend! 

Unfortunately outside the time limit, but well done to Abdul Aziz and Hendra Siwanto for completing the Rinjani 100 course

Race Director Razif Yahya flanks female champion Tahira Najmunisaa and Abdul Rahman

The 2nd edition of the Magnificent Merapoh Trail, new in the Asia Trail Master series this year, saw over 600 runners from 25 countries compete along the border of Malaysia's largest national park, Taman Negara, roughly 250km northeast of Kuala Lumpur. The event was organised to boost eco tourism and protect the natural environment and the ancient and impressive cave complexes of Merapoh from logging and destruction. On offer were trail race courses of 100, 60 or 30km with limited elevation gain (1400 hm for 100km), but enough technical sections to challenge each single participant. 

Those sections included running through three caves, as well as a river crossing of no fewer than 3 km in length, halfway in the race that started at 9 p.m. While race day was dry, heavy rainfall in the days preceeding the event had elevated the water level and this meant a somewhat less comfortable experience for runners shorter in height. The race direction team had a plan B prepared, but decided to go ahead with the original course including the river. It turned out to be a good call, as the river crossing was the topic of many "warrior stories" after the race!  No accidents happened. 

The Merapoh Trail is in general a fast course and that also resulted in a very competitive race with several people in contention for the win and the podium places till very late. Britain's Jason Robinson and American Jeremy Verstraete were the fastest starters and opened up a lead in the first 21km until Persik Cave. When Verstraete suffered from stomach problems, Hong Kong's Isaac Yuen Wan Ho - whose aim was primarily  to regain the points lead in the Asia Trail Master championship in this race -, Japan's Hideki Kikuchi, Australia's Wayne McMurtie as well as local top runners Alan Toh and Abdul Rahman caught up again. Positions kept alternating from checkpoint to checkpoint, but it gradually became clear that 49-year-old Robinson had the edge. Eventually, he accumulated a lead over the rest of more than 30 minutes and took the victory back in Merapoh town. Isaac Yuen Wan Ho had a strong last section and grabbed second place, and the ATM points lead, while the smiling Kikuchi came home a delighted third on the podium. Yuen Wan Ho, who now has 300 points more than Manolito Divina in the championship ranking, was a happy man: "A great race, but certainly not easy. Some parts were very technical! I was able to stay in control of myself and the elements throughout the race, and that gave me a second place today. I am happy, even though I realise it will be difficult to stay ahead of Manolito in the championship." Race winner Jason Robinson is a very experienced endurance athlete, doing IronMan triathlons and ultras on a regular basis. Robinson praised the race organisations, but was also impressed by the river crossing: "It all went well, but 3km may be a bit too long. Some people needed one full hour to cross that river, as you can hardly move forward. I also felt muscles in my body during that crossing I didn't even know I had," he added with a smile. 

Gretchen Felipe won her second ATM race in two months on the 60 km distance

As expected, the women's race was dominated by unbeaten Asia Trail Master points leader Tahira Najmunisaa. The 26-year-old mother of three dashed away right after the start and opened up such a big gap that she could walk most of the last 40k and still win comfortably. It was her fourth career ATM race victory, and she of course extended her advantage in the championship with 500 more points. Behind her, positions in the race changed all the time as well, just like in the men's. Indonesia's Ina Budiyarni ran second for quite some time early on, then the consistent-pacing Jessica Linghata from Sabah took over, but in the end it was Faherina Mohd Esa who managed to stay narrowly ahead of Hong Kong's Jocelyn Cheung for the two lower steps of the podium. Vietnam's Thanh Vuu came in fourth, proving that trail running in her country is also making steady progress.  Jessica Lintanga was next in fifth after getting lost in the final section. 

The 60km race was won in a new course record by local "short" distance specialist Lim Wen Shan in the men's, and Philippines' Gretchen Felipe in the women's. For both athletes it was the second victory this year. Malaysia' s Lim Wen Shan also won the 50k race during the Malaysia Eco 100 event, and Felipe of course won the Cordillera Mountain Ultra in her native region last month. 

 In the late afternoon the Master of Ceremony and the local crowd cheered and applauded for the final competitors trying to make the 20 hour cut off time, which was another exciting moment of the event.

Although held in a remote location with limited facilities, the Magnificent Merapoh Trail was pure propaganda for the still young sport of trail running. It proved once and for all that organisers do not need high mountains and many thousands of metres of elevation gain to create quality trail events. All protagonists thanked race director Razif Yahya and his team openly for the wonderful course and experience. Runners interested in more Malaysia action in the Asia Trail Master series should pencil in UT Sabah at the end of the year on 4/5 December. 

You can find videos and more images on our instagram and facebook channels! 

The Dancing Ghost Cave

Early leaders: Jason Robinson (103) and Jeremy Verstraete (19)

Singapore's Henry Yang was one of many to suffer from stomach problems during the race

The 2nd Magnificent Merapoh Trail on the outskirts of the famous Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia starts on Friday night. The sold-out event, organised by the people of Running Project and to the benefit of the preservation of the Merapoh Cave complex, has a mouth-watering course for the speedies among the trail runners. An elevation gain of 1200 metres over 100 km is the lowest in the entire 2016 Asia Trail Master series and contrasts heavily with the 9100 altitude metres that participants will have to conquer on the Rinjani volcano in Indonesia also this weekend. Primarily, fast runners will be in action in Malaysia and mountain goats in Indonesia, but both are as pure a trail running event can be!

The Magnificent Merapoh Trail offers three race distances of 100km, 60km and 30km, and can be proud of its list of participants. Home favourite and current leader in the female Asia Trail Master championship ranking Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid returns to action this weekend on, of course, the 100 km race distance. Tahira has already collected race wins in the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge in Brunei and Malaysia Eco 100 miles this season, and a new victory would make her very hard to beat in this year's championship, indeed. She will face some stern competition in Merapoh, though. Her compatriot and winner of the 100km race in Eco 100, Adelinah Lintanga, cannot be underestimated. Tan Seow Ping will be there as well, the number three of last year's Asia Trail Master championship. Furthermore, Indonesia's Ina Budiyarni decided that Merapoh Trail suits her characteristics and ambitions better than Rinjani 100 and will toe the starting line. Budiyarni, fourth in the 2015 championship and a multiple race winner in her own country. There are also a few runners with loads of international trail running experience: Teresa Aranalde (Mexico) and Cheryl j. Bihag (Philippines), for example. And in the context of the 2016 ATM series' championship, we should also keep an eye out for Gretchen Felipe, the young woman from the Philippines who won the Cordillera Mountain Ultra last June and who is competing on the 60km race distance this weekend. 

It will not all be about the women. The men's race will be just as exciting and will see Hong Kong's Isaac Yuen Wan Ho trying to regain the lead in the 2016 Asia Trail Master championship ranking! Yuen Wan Ho, fourth in UTHK and second in Brunei earlier this year, can overtake Manolito Divina if he finishes inside the top 70 on Saturday, as he just needs 150 points (100 finisher points, 51 performance points for rank 70). As he showed in Brunei, Yuen Wan Ho is actually a very fast runner, so he may as well go for the race win or at least the podium. However, also for him, there are other strong contenders. Henry Yang from Singapore, or Allan Toh from Malaysia for sure will give him a run for his money. There's a solid team of Japanese athletes as well, and let's not forget Abdul Rahman, who was third in Malaysia Eco 100 miles, after all. 

As in the female 60km race, the recently crowned winner of the men's Cordillera Mountain Ultra, Marcelino Sano-Oy, will be the one to watch. Sano-Oy is actually making his first ever trip abroad, and is gradually building up trail running experience. 

While the elevation gain is limited, the Magnificent Merapoh Trail does have technical sections, and combined with the traditional heat and humidity should not be considered an easy trail run. Let's not forget that the DNF rate of Malaysia Eco 100 in Penang was much higher than anybody expected, and so it was in the much shorter Brunei race last February. During Merapoh, runners will need to cross a few water streams, but also run through some caves, obviously a very special item of this event. 

We will be reporting live from the event on our social media channels, and this starting at 21:30 on Friday night. 

Protagonists guaranteed this weekend: Tahira Najmunisaa and her husband Abdul Rahman 

Marcelino Sano-Oy: winner of the Cordillera Mountain Ultra 50 last month: hot favourite for the 60km race in Malaysia this weekend as he begins his international running career

Singapore is not really synonymous with trail running, even though there are quite a few events in the city state every year, and some very strong runners live there, too. Henry Yang is one of them. A keen ultra runner since five years who has continued to build up his strengths over time to become a podium candidate in every regional race he starts. In the Asia Trail Master series, Henry entered people's consciousness last May during the Malaysia Eco 100 miles race in Penang.  He was running towards a fantastic second place when disaster struck. This weekend, Henry returns to our series as he aims for a high placing in the Magnificent Merapoh Trail. An excellent opportunity to get to know him, and life as a trail runner in Singapore, a bit better. Henry Yang is Talking Trail Running.

Henry Yang's favourite running music

Q: Henry Yang, are you a born & raised Singaporean?
HY: Yes, I am born and raised in Singapore

Q: Was running part of your upbringing as a child and teenager
HY: No, but I was given the freedom to enjoy outdoor activities at a young age of 6 years old

Q: How do you become a trail runner in a city state like Singapore?
After completing a number of ultra distance road marathons, I felt the need to progress to something more challenging and I tried out trail running in 2011.   Trail running offers me new challenges I craved for, the distance and elevation gain, technical downhill running, etc.

Q: Is there a big Singaporean trail community? 
It’s a small trail community but it is growing fast

Q: Other than yourself, who are the trail " stars "  in Singapore? 
I would say Singapore runners like Jeri Chua, Chris Yeo, Ong Kai Wei.  They have extensive race experience and have some really impressive results to back them up

Q: Did you or do you other sports as well?
Soccer, cycling and swimming]

Q: What is your best time on the road marathon?
For the 42km road marathon, my personal best is 3hrs 30mins. In the Penang Ultra road marathon in 2015, I did the 100km in 12hrs 01min. 

Q: Do you feel the so-called " runner's high " ? 
Yes of course.  This “runner’s high” is like the feeling of an orgasm. The body and mind are both highly stimulated and seem to elevate a person's senses

Q: What kind of trail races do you prefer? The more runnable courses, such as Merapoh, or the high mountain races?
I like both because they offer different challenges and rewards.  Low grounds you get to cross streams and pass through interesting landscapes, while at high ground you can get to see magnificent views

Q: How do you prepare for mountainous trails in Singapore?
In Singapore, we have limited places to train. There’s a small hill known as Bukit Timah Hill in Singapore standing at 163m above sea level, i do hill repeats there.  Sometimes I also do stairs climbing repeats at a 40 store apartment block.   Most of the time about a month before my races, I will head over to Malaysia to train at places like Penang Hill, Maxwell Hill, Gunung Nuang,

Q: Next weekend you are one of the favourites for the Magnificent Merapoh Trail.  How do you see your chances personally? 
The race director has invited the champions of other Asia Trail Master races and I foresee a tough challenge ahead. I have done some quality training leading to this race and hope to secure a top 3 position!

Q: Last May, you were on the verge of a second place finish in the Malaysia Eco 100 miles, but then something happened to you. Can you describe what caused you to drop out of the race? 
I was descending Tokun Hill in heavy rain. Many trees had fallen down blocking the path and I had to take some detours.  I was trying to get past 2 big rocks at knee level when I slipped and hit my left knee onto a rough rock surface.  I lost a lot of blood and had to use my jacket and tie it tightly around my open wound to stop the bleeding, and tried to get to the next checkpoint to seek medical attention.    After cleaning up and bandage my wound at the checkpoint, I continued on but 3km later I felt a sharp pain at my left knee area.  I tried to walk a bit and even rest a while, but the sharp pain remained. As the following week (about 5 days later) was my maiden 100 miles race – H1 Hardcore in Philippines, I decided to DNF rather then risk further injury. 

Q: What did you think of Manolito Divina's victory in the 100 miles. How long were you able to keep up with him? 
Manolito fully deserved his victory in the ECO 100 miles races.  His timings at the check points were amazing, he managed to clear the tough elevations in the 2nd half of the course at a constant pace, a strong display from him!  Before I got injured, Manolito was about 2 hours ahead of me.  I was confident I could have given him a good fight in the last 40 km of the race, though. 
 
Q: Do you have any sports heroes? If yes, who and what is so special about him / her?
I was inspired by the feat of Marshall Ulrich.  He ran the Badwater route in the US unsupported in the toughest conditions.  Kilian Jornet is also one of my idols, the races he won and the running projects he accomplished are an inspiration for me

Q: Do you often travel to other countries to take part in trail running events? How do you select the races? 
Yes I do.  My selection of races is based on the distance, elevation gain/loss as well as the overall event organisation.   

Q: Do you have a specific objective in trail running, or you just wish to run for fun? 
Yes I have a specific objective as well as having an informal factor.   Firstly, I want to gain more 100 miles race experience as my stepping stone towards the big races such as Hardrock 100, UTMB and maybe the PTC (Pacific Crest Trail)

Q: What was your best trail running experience so far? 
I would say the H1 Hardcore 100 miles in Philippines.  You get the combination of a tough course, 100 miles mountain trail with challenging elevation of almost 11 000m gain, as well as the beautiful mountain views and mossy forest

Q: Trail running in Asia has developed very fast in the last few years, how did you experience that in your country?
 More local runners are aware of trail running and there have been more trail races being organized, such as MSIG50, TNF100, MR25 Ultra.  I look forward to more development of trail running in Singapore

Q: In your opinion, what are the biggest issues facing the sport of trail running in the near future? What is it you would not like to happen?
I would not like to see trail running becoming commercialised.  For road marathon, you can already see this is happening and it is losing its identity.   I hope to see more sponsors supporting trail running but allow the respective Race Directors the administrative freedom and not be tied down to the sponsors' requirements

Q: Would it help if trail running became an olympic sport? 
In my personal view, this would be great and really raise the profile and status of trail running.  At the moment, I feel that trail running is under-rated and overlooked

Q: What do you think about the Asia Trail Master series? Wouldn't the Grandmaster Quest (6 races of +70km in 2 calendar years) be a nice additional challenge for a runner such as yourself? 
The Asia Trail Master Series is a good platform for trail runners and I am very supportive of it.  The Grandmaster Quest is in my bucket list of things to accomplish!

Q: Have you planned any other ATM races already for later this year?
In fact I am considering the Bromo Tengger Semeru Ultra 170 in Indonesia, as well as the CM 50 Ultra in Philippines in November

Q: Which race in Singapore would be a nice addition to the Asia Trail Master series?
 In my personal view, there are no races which are worthy of being part of the Asia Trail Master Series, part of the reason being the lack of elevation in our pancake flat Singapore

Q: Do you have any tips for race organisers? Things every organiser should pay special attention to?
There is no need for a fancy set-up of a race site, checkpoints and finisher medals or T-shirts.  On the other hand, important are the race markings, the design of the race course and elevation profile,  and a GPX file should be made available to all runners

Good luck to Henry Yang in the Magnificent Merapoh Trail this weekend!