The first quarter of 2017 brought us no fewer than seven points races for the Asia Trail Master championship already. As a clear sign of the every increasing popularity and competitiveness, a number of trail runners have even completed up to three races of those! A great beginning is half the battle and earns you lots of media exposure. Of course, at the end of the year only the five best points results count for each runner. 

Defending female Asia Trail Master champion Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid is again on top of the standings following three race wins at Tahura Trail (Indonesia), UTKC (Thailand) and Beach Bunch Trail Challenge 50 (Brunei). The popular young Malaysian is unbeaten in 8 races on the Asia Trail Master circuit. Nevertheless, her second consecutive championship is not yet in the bag, as several up-and-coming talents seem ready to at least try and bridge the gap to Tahira in the next quarters of 2017. 

The men's ranking just saw Indonesia-based Belgian Gaspard Dessy hop ahead of Arief Wismoyono last Sunday. Dessy has been collecting places of honour in three races so far this season and looks ready to be genuine contender for this year's championship. So does 2015 champion Wismoyono, who seems refreshed and scored his 4th career ATM race victory in Yogyakarta's Coast To Coast Night Trail last month. 

TOP 15 MEN after 7 races

1. Gaspard Dessy (BEL) 1250
2. Arief Wismoyono (INA) 900
3. Yim Heng Fatt (MAS) 795
4. Yohanis Hiareij (INA) 730
4. Aleksis Capili (PHI) 730
6. Hendra Siswanto (INA) 640
7. Aris Sopiandi Muklis (INA) 620
8. Jeshryl De La Cruz Aranzaso (PHI) 600
9. Soonseng Ong (MAS) 550
9. Wataru IIno (JPN) 550
11.Mahdi Manshuri (INA) 540
12.Julian Baker (CAN) 520
12. Zack Reimer (CAN) 520
14.Abdoullah Mitiche (ALG) 500
14. Manolito Divina (PHI) 500
14. Wang Biao (CHN) 500
14. Sefli Ahar (BRU) 500
14. Arnold Lozano (PHI) 500

TOP 15 WOMEN after 7 races

1. Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid (MAS) 1500
2. Cheryl Bihag (PHI) 1100
3. Ruth Theresia (INA) 1000
4. Lily Suryani (INA) 825
5. Patricia Ann Morota (PHI) 790
5. Mila Marlina (INA) 790
7. Kim Matthews (AUS) 520
8. Diorella De La Cruz (PHI) 500
8. Sandi Menchi Catlona (PHI) 500
8. Joanna Kruk (AUS) 500
8. Xiong Fang (CHN) 500
12.Siawhua Lim (MAS) 475
13.Montha Sontornwit (THA) 470
14.Divine McBride (USA) 450
14. Gretchen Felipe (PHI) 450
14.Ninie Hauschild (INA) 450
14. Jessica Lintanga (MAS) 450
14. An Han (CHN) 450
 

TOTAL RANKING can be seen here via Race Timing Solutions. 

Gaspard Dessy and Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid

The 2nd edition of the Cordillera Mountain Ultra in Dalupirip, Benguet, Philippines, saw the first big surprise win of the season when Arnold Lozano - an established local mountainbiker - left everyone of a strong field in his wake. Lozano finished together with last year's winner Marcelino Sano-Oy, but only because he wanted to. The organisers did not accept a tie, and awarded the victory to Lozano as he was ahead at the latest checkpoints as well. Lozano is more known as a mountainbiker, having won a.o. the Cordillera Challenge already, as well as having competed in the Genghis Khan MTB Adventure in China's  Inner Mongolia region. Clearly, he is multi-talented, and if he can win Cordillera Mountain Ultra against a strong line-up of runners, what more can we expect from the man? 

Arnold Lozano from Baguio was the surprising winner of this year's CMU 50 trail race

Both Lozano and Sano-Oy set a blistering pace across Mount Ugo and broke last year's winning time by half an hour. This was emphasized even more by third-placed Al Telias, who in the previous edition was competing with Sano-Oy for the race victory and now had to concede 27 minutes. Telias did very well himself, however, to stay ahead of other class acts such as Gaspard Dessy, Grandmaster Jan Nilsen and his brother James Telias. Dessy finished 52 minutes behind Lozano and Sano-Oy in fourth place and claims the points lead in the 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship. The Indonesia-based Belgian also finished third in Tahura Trail and Coast To Coast Night Trail, and is the first male protagonist to finish three ATM points races this season. Dessy will see his name at the top of the standings until April at least, as Q1 has come to an end and the next race is scheduled only on 1/2 April in China. 

Gaspard Dessy is the new points leader in the men's Asia Trail Master championship

Shortly behind Dessy a duo arrived back in Dalupirip: Grandmaster Jan Nilsen and first woman Sandi Menchi. Nilsen still struggled with his foot injury and probably finds 50 km too short as well to compete with his younger competitors. Still, fifth is a good result. Menchi of course delivered more than what many had promised earlier. Previously mainly running shorter distances of events, CMU was the second time she went for the top prize in a big race after CM 50 Ultra last November. Menchi not only managed to come home a joint fifth overall together with Nilsen, but she was also 45 minutes faster than last year's winner Gretchen Felipe, who in turn did well by staying ahead of Majo Liao, proving that last year's victory was no fluke at all. The Philippines have a very strong trio of trail runners up in Luzon: all three podium placers managed to finish in the top 10 overall!  To note also is the 11th place of multi-race runner Cheryl Bihag, by which she claims the current second place in the ATM championship ranking with 3 points results already under her belt this season. 

Jael Wenceslao and Aldean Lim finished sixth and seventh in the men's, and Grandmaster Capili was eighth, putting him firmly in the top 10 of the ranking as well. James Telias, another pre-race favourite, suffered from stomach cramps and could not defend his chances. It was indeed a very hot day on and around Mt Ugo, which gave all participants an additional difficulty to cope with. 

Sandi Menchi was outstanding: finishing together with Jan Nilsen to claim the women's race

Koi Grey, Grandmaster Jan Nilsen, Marcelino Sano-Oy, JP Alipio and Grandmaster Aleksis Capili

While Al Telias scored 3rd place, James suffered from stomach cramps

This weekend's fantastic Cordillera Mountain Ultra 50k race in Dalupirit, Benguet, Philippines is already the 7th points race in the 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship series and marks the end of Q1 - the first quarter. A hard-fought battle in both the male and female races is expected on Mount Ugo, the highlight of the race with a summit at nearly 2200m above sea level. Belgium's Gaspard Dessy is set to even take over the points lead from Arief Wismoyono in the championship, provided the Belgian finishes the race, of course. Dessy is currently only 50 points behind the Indonesian ATM champion of 2015 after two third place finishes in Tahura Trail and Coast To Coast Night Trail. Now venturing beyond his home base of Semarang, at CMU he will not only collect 100 finisher points but he is a race favourite and may thus score up to 400 performance points to boot! 

However, the competition on paper is tremendous. Starting with last year's winner Marcelino Sano-Oy, who knows the area like the inside of his pocket. Sano-Oy is often mentioned by local Filipinos in the same sentence with Asia Trail Master champion Manolito Divina, which says a lot even when the two have not yet squared off in a direct confrontation. An up-and-comer, it will be fascinating to see how Sano-Oy fares in his second ATM campaign. Divina, by the way, is not running this weekend. Last year's runner-up in CMU 50, Al Telias, is also back in the mix this weekend. He actually made life hard for Sano-Oy in the descent of Mt Ugo. Can he do it again, and what can his esteemed brother James Telias do in this race? 

After two third places earlier this year, Gaspard Dessy is set to take over the ATM championship points lead before the three-week-break to Q2. 

Last year's CMU winner Marcelino Sano Oy is ready to go for it again

And last but not least of the known top favourites is of course Grandmaster Jan Nilsen, who also makes his first appearance in an ATM points race this year. The Thailand-based Norwegian is always at his best when the elevation gain makes a difference in a race. However, the early part of 2017 has not been going as smoothly as he would have liked with an annoying foot injury plaguing him for several weeks. Just how fit is Nilsen to compete with Sano-Oy, Dessy, the Telias brothers and others in a 50k race that apart from Mt Ugo also has long runnable sections? 

To note and definitely a podium candidate in every race is also the participation of another Grandmaster, Aleksis Capili. Going faster race after race, Capili was sixth at UTKC two weeks ago and will certainly make a leap into the points championship top 10 going into Q2 in April. Another podium runner never to be underestimated is Aldean Lim. 

Gretchen Felipe won the women's race last year. Can she repeat that feat on Sunday? 

The women's race also promises to be huge with no certain winner at all! Defending CMU champion Gretchen Felipe will have pressure on her shoulders to repeat her accomplishment of last season. Felipe had a great run in the Cordillera and backed it up with an amazing second race victory at Merapoh Trail 60 in Malaysia - her first outing outside the Philippines. For sure, Felipe will enter this weekend's CMU 50 with the required confidence to compete with the already more established runners such as Majo Liao and a strong newcomer Sandi Menchi. Liao was third in this race last year, in fact, but it was the beginning of a difficult period for her as well as she sprained her ankle during the race. Majo Liao will be keen to forget that memory with a stellar performance on Sunday. But yes, what to think of Sandi Menchi? Hailed as a top talent, Menchi is making her debut on the A-race level in the Asia Trail Master series. Menchi knows the Cordillera area, as he won the shorter Cordillera Mountain Marathon two years ago. Another runner to watch out for is Croatia's Mateja Blazevic, who might as well cause an upset. Patricia Ann Morota, coming off a great second place in last month's Rizal Mountain Run, can also challenge for the podium, and score another good points haul as well for the ATM championship. 

As usual, the Cordillera Mountain Ultra will be tracked live via our social media channels. We look forward to another fantastic trail race! 

After suffering from a foot injury earlier this year, just what can we expect from Grandmaster Jan Nilsen? 

Fantastic runs last weekend at the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge, the first ever ultra event in Brunei on Borneo Island. Local star Sefli Ahar proved that in his forties he has no issues going beyond standard marathon distance and won the men's 100k in a blistering time of just over 12 hours. Leading from start to finish was also Indonesia's upcoming trail talent Ruth Theresia, who took her second ATM race victory in two weeks after Coast To Coast in Yogyakarta. The 26-year-old from Bandung was clearly not intimidated by the strong women's field in Brunei, including Singapore's Jeri Chua and the Lintanga sisters from Malaysia. Theresia opened up a gap on the initial 9 km road section and never looked back. She finished the 100k in a time of 17:53. It was also her third successive win in an ATM points race, as she won Bromo Tengger Semeru 100k last November as well. Ruth Theresia now has 1000 ATM championship points and moves up to second place in the ranking behind the defending champion Tahira Najmunisaa (photo above), who also claimed another race victory in the Beach Bunch event. One week after the grueling UTKC 100 race in Thailand, the Malaysian star settled for the 50k in Brunei. She won convincingly in 5:41 (third overall!), but had to stay focused as Scotland's Margaret Rait had a great run herself to finish second in 6:14. As the 50k was credited with 400 performance points as well, Tahira boosts her 2017 total to 1500 points. For the ATM championship, the best five results of each runner are taken into account. 

Sefli Ahar: unbeatable on home soil 

Behind Sefli Ahar and Ruth Theresia, the battle for the podium places on the 100k distance was exciting to follow. Hong Kong's Isaac Yuen Wan Ho, local runners Chung Ming and Muhdabdulfarid Hjsufri, and Malaysia's Yim Heng Fatt - fifth in UTKC 70 a week ago - were all in contention. Yuen Wan Ho, in his first ATM points race of the season, had a bit of a scare when he lost the right trail and dropped far back around the km 35 mark. Being an excellent and experienced ultrarunner, he managed to stay calm and gradually ran his way back to Chung Ming, and eventually left him behind for second place in 13:46. The Bruneian Chung Ming settled for a great third place on his 100k debut. Yim Heng Fatt came in fourth and scored more points for the ATM championship, still led by Arief Wismoyono. South Africa's Christo Swart was fifth. 

Jessica Lintanga stayed ahead of her younger sister Adelinah to claim second place roughly two hours behind Ruth Theresia. Youngsters themselves, the sisters from Sabah in Team Malatra continue to improve on the ultra distances. Adelinah even showed very fast legs still in the final hundreds of meters as she sprinted with Bruneian Shazana Nabilah Hj Ayob to the finish to get the final podium spot. Filippino runner Cheryl Bihag took a fine fifth place, ahead of Moana O'Sullivan, Mila Marlina- in her third race weekend in a row - and Melissa Woo. Bihag enters the top 5 of the ATM championship ranking, after finishing 3rd in the Rizal Mountain Run last month as well. Jeri Chua, on of Asia's best-known and celebrated trail running stars, sprained her ankle in a muddy section at night while running in second position with Jessica Lintanga. She wisely decided to avoid risking serious injury and pulled out of the race at km 43. 

The 100k race started in damp conditions after a serious downpour earlier that night. However, as the skies cleared out and the sun came out, the second part of the race was held in hot conditions. 

The men's 50k was dominated by two locals, who had a great fight for the win. Eventually, it was Md Norrisman Ismail who grabbed the race win in 5:05:25. Mohd Nazrul Effendy Bin Ali Hassan Jambul settled for second after leading most of the race in 5:14. Australia's Dave Smith claimed the third place on the podium in 5:45 

Three-in-a-row: Ruth Theresia scored another win, her first outside her home country

Local runner Chung Ming delivered a great performance with 3rd place on the 100k

It is only end of February and this weekend we can already look forward to the sixth points race in the 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship series. The Beach Bunch Trail Challenge in Brunei was an exciting newcomer last year, and this time the event goes from marathon to ultra! The list of participants shows several big names, including the almost inevitable Asia Trail Master champion, Tahira Najmunisaa. Winner of the Beach Bunch race last season, the 26-year-old Malaysian will be going for the 50k barely a week after her stunning victory at UTKC in Thailand. She will not get her 8th ATM race win on a silver platter on Sunday, though, as Great Britain's Margaret Rait could give her a challenge coming off a win in another race on Borneo last weekend.

Sefli Ahar is back for the 100k

The 100 km in the men's will see last year's local running hero Sefli Ahar, winner of the marathon here twelve months ago, give it a shot on  the ultra distance! Interestingly, he will be up against, amongst others, Isaac Yuen Wan Ho again. The Hong Kong runner was chasing Ahar in the Beach Bunch Trail Marathon last year, and having had a wonderful time returns to Brunei this weekend. Yuen Wan Ho was third in the final 2016 Asia Trail Master championship ranking. Initially collecting podium placings, he finally got the well-deserved race victory at HK 168 last November - a 100 miler, no less. The BBTC will be his first of the 2017 campaign. 

Also in the field and a podium candidate, returning from Koh Chang, is Malaysia's Yim Heng Fatt. On the 50k, local runner Hj Saifullah is one to watch out for. 

Jessica Lintanga aka Jess Boubie

While Tahira Najmunisaa thus opts for the 50k, the 100k bursts with female trail running talent as well. Indonesia's Ruth Theresia is in prime shape this year and could be the top favourite. A COMPRESSPORT athlete, Theresia won the Coast to Coast Night Trail Ultra two weeks ago and has ambition for this year's ATM championship. The two Borneo sisters Adelinah and Jessica Lintanga could be her main competitors on Sunday, along with Singapore star Jeri Chua. Adelinah won the Penang Eco 100k last season, and her sister the MesaStila 4 Peaks Challenge in Indonesia. Jeri Chua of course does not need an introduction as one of the pioneers in Asian trail running. It will be her first start in an ATM points race, though. Other podium candidates are Mila Marlina and Filippino Cheryl Bihag, both already active this season with podium placings in Coast To Coast and Rizal Mountain Run, respectively. Local ultra star Melissa Woo will be trying to get herself in the mix, too. 

ATM Championship points seekers have a choice between 100 km and 50 km, and winners on each distance will be rewarded with 400 performance points along with 100 or 50 finisher points, respectively. The 100k will start at midnight on Sunday, and as usual you can follow all the action live on our social media channels. 

Ruth Theresia, 26,  came to the fore at MesaStila and BTS last autumn 

Last weekend at UT Unseen Koh Chang, aka UTKC, we had the pleasure of welcoming one of Japan's better known trail runners on the international circuit. Wataru Iino made his debut in the Thailand SuperTrail of the 2017 Asia Trail Master series and he did it in great fashion. Not only because of his charming smile and seemingly eternal good mood, but also because of his grabbing-the-bull-by-the-horn race tactics. After checking out his main rivals for the race in the early sections, pre-race favourite Wataru Iino just went for it and attacked already with over 70k still to go. A winner and podium placer of several big ultras on various continents, it looked like the UTKC 100k race was his. However, the extreme heat on Koh Chang last weekend, with temperatures rising well above 40 degrees, caused its toll on the Tokyo resident. Wataru Iino began to suffer from dehydration and had to accept the return of Malaysia's Steven Oong, who by nature is of course more adapted to those climatic conditions. They crossed the finish line together, helped by the fact that Oong has no championship ambitions due to his unpredictable international work schedule. Wataru Iino showed his sportsmanship and gratitude giving hommage to Oong, and looks set to become an exciting contender for this year's Asia Trail Master championship title. Time to get to know the man a bit more. 

By. K. Van de Velde

Q: Where were you born and did you grow up ?

WI: I was born in Tokyo, Japan,  and grew up there as well.
What do you do for a living?
I'm an engineer in a car company.
What made you become an ultrarunner?
I just developed into it, also by focusing on my diet. 
How did you get involved with running at all? 
I used to go to work by train and one day I changed by running the route for 18 km one way.
What has been your biggest achievement as a runner yourself?
I once ran for 55 hours without sleeping in a trail race.
What are you favourite sports other than long distance running?
Judo and cycling
Running, and. especially marathon, is very popular in Japan. What is your explanation for this?
There are 4 distinct climate seasons in Japan. That means running never gets boring as the landscape keeps changing.
Is the Tokyo Marathon the biggest running event in the country?
I don't think so. Plenty of other marathon/trail races are huge as well inside the country.
How do people feel about the upcoming Olympic Games in 2020?
It depends. Some people are looking forward to seeing world famous athletes, but some people also worry about incidents and other potential disturbances.
Haruki Murakami wrote a book entitled "what I talk about when I talk about running". So, what are you talking about? 
There is no other sports than marathon in which “effort” counts more than “talent”.
If we may say so, Japan is still a little bit of a closed society and many mass sports events only cater for domestic participation. Is this deliberate, or would many organisers actually like more international exposure?
I guess Japanese organisers welcome foreigners anytime, but they cannot fully support them due to language and cultural issues.

Mr Hiroaki Matsunage is opening his trail events, such as the Echigo Country Trail and Kushigata Wind Trail, to Asia and the world. How important would you argue his work is, and will we see you running in one of those two races, which are also part of the Asia Trail Master series? 
I don't know his races so well,  but it's a good opportunity for Japanese trail running to welcome foreigners. On the other hand, the locations in Niigata take some time to get to
from Tokyo as they are really in the Japanese countryside. 
What should a good trail event look like in your view? 
Trail races depend heavily on volunteers. Therefore organisers should always communicate extensively with local people. The races that have all volunteers and local crowd cheering for runners are the best. It is all about the atmosphere. 
How do you see the future development of trail running in Japan? Recently, there have been some conflicts with local authorities in the Kansai region.
Again, an event cannot be successful without an agreement with local people. We need strong cooperation from them.
You are one of the top favourites for the Thailand SuperTrail UTKC, will we see you challenging for the Asia Trail Master championship this year (the interview took place a few days before UTKC, kvdv)? 
Maybe, currently there is no fixed plan yet. It will depend on how UTKC goes, I guess. 
What is your favourite piece of running music?
I tend to listen the music of "Sister's act".

Nikom was the first male Thai 100k finisher in 4th place

The first SuperTrail race of the 2017 Asia Trail Master championship series took place on Koh Chang Island in Thailand and was by all accounts a great event to remember and look forward to already for next year. Yes, the jungle sections in UTKC are very technical and hard, but the course - modified and more varied than last year - proved appealing for basically all runners at the finish. Every finisher realised he or she had recorded a remarkable achievement, not in the least as temperatures rose to extreme heights of 44 degrees centigrade at noon on Saturday! In addition, the Teelakow organising crew made everyone feel highly welcome and offered outstanding refreshment stations throughout the race topped-off by pre- and post race meals at the event arena. UTKC was publicity for the sport, and even the 100k race proved to be exciting to follow!

In a nice gesture of sportsmanship, Steven Oong and Wataru Iino crossed the finish line hand in hand just before midnight after 15 hours 8 minutes. Iino from Japan, top favourite before the start, had gone off on his own relatively early in the race, but began to suffer from dehydration symptoms as darkness fell and saw the experienced Malaysian Oong return with just over 15 km to go. Keeping safety in mind, Oong decided to stick with Iino, even when he might have had the upper hand. Both were officially hailed as winners of the 100k race. Behind them in third place was Vietnam's Cao Ngoc Ha, who made a name for himself outside his own country. Cao Ngoc Ha was running together with Oong for most of the first 40 km, and never really dropped far back afterwards. He was even fastest in the final sector of 15 km, cementing his third place in the race. Very popular in Vietnam, where a new trail running community is gradually coming of age, Cao Ngoc Ha will return to the Asia Trail Master circuit soon, and could become one to watch this year as his experience grows. 

Steven Oong catches a dehydrated Wataru Iino just before the final checkpoint

Tahira wins again and is undefeated in 7 ATM races

Amazingly, the first woman came home fourth overall! Perhaps it has become less surprising when one knows that woman is defending Asia Trail Master champion Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid, who already at Tahura Trail in Indonesia last month proved to be back at her best level. The Malatra ace from Malaysia won her seventh ATM race in a row and regained the lead in the 2017 championship ranking after Lily Suryani briefly surpassed her at Coast To Coast last week. While she admitted to be struggling with the technical jungle trails as well, it seems others had more issues with those than her. Tahira finished the 100km in 16:10, just over an hour down on Oong and Iino. In second place was Australia's Joanna Kruk in 19:57, a fine effort by all means as well. Completing the women's podium was another Malaysian, Siawhua Lim, who had lost time in the early parts of the race after missing a marker. 

The two winners of UTKC 100! 

31 nationalities were present at UTKC and this was illustrated by the top 10 of the 100k, with only 1 local runner from Thailand in fourth place. Nikom Tongjai actually battled hard for his final result, as he was shown down in tenth place halfway through the race. Grandmaster Aleksis Capili is another ultrarunner who never slows down and moves up the leaderboard the longer a race goes. Capili scored yet another fine sixth place, just behind a remarkable runner from the Czech Republic, Jan Suchomel, who completed his 99th (!!!) 100k or more race in six years. On the question which race will have the pleasure of celebrating his 100th, Suchomel did not yet have an answer. Peter Vangeit, a Belgian living in India, was next coming into the finish, followed by the second Pinoy runner Jared Teves, France's Emanuel Abadie - winner of the Merapoh Trail in 2015 - and Philipp Yeo Kian Jong, also Malaysia. 

Top 3 of the 100k , minus female winner Tahira Najmunisaa (she had to catch a flight) 

The 70 km race was of course also a Grandmaster distance, and following the new ATM championship regulations, offered 400 performance points to the winners as well. Again, two runners jointly came in: America's Zack Reimer and Canada's Julian Baker in a splendid time of 9:38:20. They were almost a full hour ahead of number three, Great Britain's Martyn Driscoll. Also on this distance, one woman stood out with a fifth place overall: Kim Matthews from Australia, though living in Thailand nowadays. Matthews finished in 11:02 and has ambition for the Asia Trail Master championship. We look forward already! The women's podium was completed by Thai runner Montha Sontornwit and Japan's Terada Kazue. 

On Facebook later this week we will publish a fine photo album of UTKC, courtesy of Adventure III, and on the same social media page you can find interviews with race winners Wataru and Steven, along with plenty of other video and photo work. 

The first SuperTrail of 2017 is a wrap, and what an event it was! 

The last official finisher of the 100k also had his moment of glory

Several of Asia's most experienced and renowned trail runners are taking up the challenge of the 100 km at UT Unseen Koh Chang, aka UTKC, in Thailand this weekend. UTKC is the first SuperTrail of the 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship series, which means 50 bonus finisher points are to be scored, which can be important at the end of the season for those with championship-winning ambitions. Malaysia's Tahira Najmunisaa is top favourite in the women's race. The defending ATM champion, now running under the Malatra flag, finds on Koh Chang island a race course to her satisfaction: hard and technical! After her strong showing at Tahura Trail in Bandung last month, there is no doubt that whoever wants to claim victory this weekend needs to get passed Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid. If she wins, she will reclaim the points lead in the ATM standings at the expense of Indonesia's Lily Suryani, who moved ahead of her at Coast To Coast Night Trail Ultra in Yogyakarta last weekend. Yet, winning is  never a given, Johanna Kruk could be a contender, and UTKC is really hailed as one of the most treacherous courses of the ATM season in which anything can occur.

The men's race may have a Japanese runner as top favourite in the person of Wataru Iino. A multiple race winner and podium placer at several international trail races, Iino has come to Thailand to win and set himself up for a challenge to take the ATM championship later this year. He will be competing this weekend against the likes of Pharat Varesin and Vietnam's Cao Ngoc Ha, to name just a few. Cao Ngoc Ha was second in the Vietnam Mountain Marathon 100k last season. Grandmaster Aleksis Capili is also taking part, and he has been gradually improving his speed in recent months. Having ultra experience counts at UTKC, so expect  Capili to finish high up in the result list. Singapore's Henry Yang is another established ultrarunner who is definitely capable of a podium finish. 

The 100k race, the main event, starts on Friday morning already. As usual, you can follow the action live on our social media channels. The 70k race, as the 100 also a Grandmaster distance, begins layer on the day. 

Famous couple: Tahira Najmunisaa and Abdul Rahman take part in the 100k at UTKC

Bandung Explorer Ace Arief Wismoyono, the 2015 Asia Trail Master champion, is back on top of the standings with a convincing victory in last Sunday's Coast To Coast Night Trail Ultra at Depok Beach in Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia. In a very wet and therefore slippery and muddy race, he outpaced a strong Yohanis Hiareij and Belgian Gaspard Dessy. After three races in 2017, Wismoyono has 25 ATM championship points more than Dessy, and definitely looks ready to challenge again for the championship title this year. It was Arief Wismoyono 's fourth career ATM race victory after MRU 2015, MesaStila Peaks Challenge 2015 and Ijen Trailrunning 2016. 

In the women's race, Ruth Theresia once again proved she is one of the up and coming running talents in Indonesia. Theresia finished seventh overall and first woman by a clear margin. The 26-year-old Compressport Athlete collects her first 500 points of the season, and will be back in action in two weeks at the Beach Bunch Trail Challenge in Brunei. Mila Mirlani was a good second in CTC, ahead of Lily Suryani and Grandmaster Ina Budiyarni. Suryani collected another 425 points on top of the 300 scored in Tahura Trail in January, and is therefore the new points leader in the Asia Trail Master ranking for women this year.

The Coast To Coast Night Trail Ultra started at 9 pm and was run mainly at night time. The 70k Grandmaster distance was tougher than expected despite relatively modest elevation gain numbers (2300hm). Several climbs were very steep, and descents inside the rainforest very technical in places. Running pace was affected for most starters, and this led to a high DNF rate. Only 35 participants out of 95 starters on the 70k made it back to Depok Beach inside the cut off limit of 16 hours.

Full results and images are to follow.

It's already the third racing weekend in the 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship Series and the second in Indonesia. All eyes are set on the Coast To Coast Night Trail Ultra in Central Java's cultural heritage city of Yogyakarta, where we are likely to end the weekend with new points leaders in the ATM championship ranking. After their great runs in Bandung last month, Gaspard Dessy (third) and Arief Wismoyono (fourth) will be competing with each other again in the hills behind Depok Beach, and Lily Suryani (fourth) can hop ahead of Tahira Najmunisaa and Diorella Cerujano in the women's. 

On the menu is a 70 km trail course with quite a bit of up and down for 2300 hm of elevation gain in total. Important as well is that the majority of the race will take place in the dark as the start of the 70 k will be given at 9 p.m. Organised by Trail Runners Yogyakarta, Coast To Coast has a very experienced team that will ensure everyone will enjoy a great time. The battle for the race victory will certainly involve the abovementioned Arief Wismoyono and Gaspard Dessy, but also Yohanis Hiareij will find a course that suits him very well. 

In the women's race it will be important to see the performance of Lily Suryani, and especially how she fares vis-a-vis Ruth Theresia, who has been in excellent form since the second part of last year. Theresia is also scheduled to run in Brunei at the end of the month and could be a contender for this year's championship title. Also in Yogyakarta, though, are Grandmaster Ina Budiyarni and Mila Marlina. 

As always, you can follow the action this weekend via our dedicated social media channels. 

COMPRESSPORT runner Ruth Theresia begins her 2017 Asia Trail Master campaign in Yogyakarta, but Lily Suryani could claim the top spot in the female ranking this weekend. 

Belgium's Gaspard Dessy was a surprise 3rd in Tahura Trail last month and could put himself on top of the ATM championship ranking this weekend

The course map of the 70k race

Ultra Trail Nepal is a much-anticipated new entry in the Asia Trail Master championship series this year. The spring time version of this event takes place on 25 April - a Tuesday - and that is on purpose. On that day it will be precisely two years ago since Batase and the wider Kathmandu region was struck by a shattering earthquake that demolished villages and brought immense suffering to lots of local communities, many of which were cut-off from the rest of the world for days. UT Nepal has been set up to help get people back on their feet, and aid with the reconstruction and relief efforts. Som Tamang has been the driving force behind the UT Nepal organisation, which also had a 'winter version' last January. While now living in Australia, Som was born in Batase Village and was personally affected by the earthquake. His remarkable story is one of devastation and heartache, but also of inspiration and hope. Two things he very much conveys to his native community today, and UT Nepal is just one element of that. As the event date is coming closer, we recently were talking trail running with Som Tamang.    

By K. Van de Velde

Q: Where were you born and did you grow up ?
ST: I was born in Batase Village, in the Sindhupalchowk district of Nepal. Batase is on the edge of Langtang National Park and is a traditional village. Until the Earthquake hit Nepal, everyone was living in mud homes. the people of Batase are mainly farmers, living off the land

What do you do for a living?
I own a Fair Trade store in Cairns, Australia. I import handmade items from Nepal, and where possible I sell items made by people from my village. Along with my wife, I also run a company called "Take on Nepal", we take groups of volunteers to Nepal where they volunteer in remote village schools. I also take groups on trekking expeditions to some of the most popular parts of Nepal.

What made you move to Australia?
I moved to Australia in search of an education. I was able to attend school up until the age of 10 in Nepal and then I was forced to leave my village. i went to Kathmandu where I became a child slave for a wealthy family. I then became a street seller and eventually a porter and a trekking guide. I received sponsorship to come to Australia where I began my studies and in 2014 I graduated from University with a Bachelor of Creative Industries. I was the first person from my village to achieve.

How would you compare Nepal with Australia when you think of its citizens? 
Australia gave me opportunities that I never imagined were possible for a poor boy from Nepal. The people are amazing and have shown their kindness and compassion through supporting my humanitarian projects. Many Australians come to visit the people of my village and it shows that there are more similarities than differences between both cultures, we are all human and we try to be good people.

How did you get involved with running?
The Earthquake that destroyed Nepal in 2014 had a huge personal impact on me. My 24 year brother was killed as were many other people from my district. Every home in my village was destroyed. I came into contact with Samir Tamang, Samir is an accomplished trailrunner from Nepal. I started helping his village which was also destroyed by the Earthquake and through spending so much time with him, I started to develop a strong interest in trail running. I started running long distances and realised that it was helping to relieve the emotional pain and stress that I felt from the damage caused by the Earthquake. Once I hit the trails, my stress started to leave my body and this felt great. I then introduced trail running to the other villagers, who also recognised the benefits of running. 

What has been your biggest achievement as a runner yourself?
My biggest achievement has been to introduce the benefits of trail running to others and to then begin organising races in Nepal. I am not out to be a champion, I am doing it for the benefits and the connection to nature. Another achievement has been the hugely successful trail running events that I have organised in Nepal; many local and international trail runners have loved running in the mountains in my beautiful country.

Do you have any sports idols, athletes you look up to?
Samir Tamang is undoubtedly Nepal's best trail runner. He inspires me and motivates me, Samir is also a really great person, with a big heart. Lizzy Hawker is another athlete that I look up to, her achievements are unmatched; she shows true grit and determination in her ability to be the worlds greatest endurance runner. Lizzy is an inspiration to the village girls of Nepal who Lizzy supports and trains.

Do you often take part in trail races yourself?
Yes! I participate in races in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. I do this for enjoyment and participate whenever I can. As a race organiser, i am often too caught up with networking at other events to be able to participate.

In a nutshell, how would you describe UT Nepal? 
Ultra Trail Nepal, in my opinion, is a race that will appeal to anyone who is happy to challenge themselves and to humbled by the highest peaks in the world. UTN is unique, our runners pass through traditional villages and get a true understanding of the culture and the people of Nepal. UTN provides our local, talented runners with the opportunity to run with international runners, this is a rare opportunity in Nepal. UTN also aims to empower young women to hit the trails through providing running gear, support and entry into the race.

Is it a race that basically any runner can do, or do you need to have sufficient trail experience? 
This race is perfect for everyone! We encourage people of all ages and experience to participate. the trail is well marked with plenty of support along the way to ensure a successful outcome for everyone. Trail experience will of course allow the runner an easier and more enjoyable experience, we do recommend that you train well before participating.

When will you be a happy organiser? 
I will be happy when we can support our Nepali runners to race internationally, when the event is as popular as the big events in Europe, US and Australia, and when we have over 3000 runners running through our mountain villages who are gaining an understanding of the issues faced by the average person in Nepal. I also want to be able to fund the rebuilding of villages along the trails which has been affected badly by the Earthquake.

What would you advise for international runners who come to join UT Nepal in April?                 Do not have any expectations, come with an open mind and heart; this will ensure a positive experience for you. The trails are challenging but the rewards are greater. 

Two years after the big earthquake, how has reconstruction been going? 
The reconstruction is slow, most people are still living in corrugated iron shelters. Most schools have not yet been rebuilt. The country has a very long way to go to rebuild. I am the founder of the not for profit organistion "Friends of Himalayan Children Inc." and through our fundraising efforts, we have been able to assist in caring for 40 children who were left disadvantaged after the Earthquake. The charity also pays the wages of school teachers. In the wake of the Earthquake, we provided remote villages with a huge amount of emergency relief. 

How has the quake affected the spirit of the people?
The Earthquake has caused a huge amount of emotional turmoil for the people affected. My own Mother fell into a deep sadness and is only recently feeling better to cope. The people of Nepal are by nature resilient, life was tough before the Earthquake and now they have had maintain their strength to get through this difficult time. Everyone who visits Nepal are always taken by the kindness of the people of Nepal, and the Earthquake hasn't changed that.

How important is running for the Nepalese? Is it a big sport in media?  
Trail running is not a big sport in the media, the people of Nepal are naturally built for trail running but due to a lack of information and exposure to the sport, they are unaware of it. Ultra Trail Nepal is working hard at a governmental level, for trail running to be recognised as a sport in Nepal.  

What is the influence Mira Rai has had, and are there any potential successors?
Mira Rai is an amazing role model to many young girls in Nepal. Mira visited Batase as a guest at our first UTN event, she inspired our young people to get involved. There are many potential successors and we are working hard to provide them with the opportunities to gain much needed exposure to trail running events around the world. 

Can Nepalese runners in trail running become the equivalent of Kenyans and Ethiopeans on the track and road? What is needed to arrive at that situation? 
Absolutely! Due to our genetic make up, we are naturally built for running amongst the mountains! I strongly believe that Nepalese runners can dominate the trail running scene. What is needed is the correct training support which includes access to required nutrition, sports equipment and opportunities to challenge themselves in international events. Most people in Nepal are living in poverty, this prevents potential champions from being able to fulfill their potential and through UT Nepal, we want to support our runners to achieve their goals.

How do you see the future development of trail running in Nepal?
I recently met with the Minister of Sport in Nepal, he attended our last UT Nepal event; this is to provide him with an understanding of the sport in the hope of having a trail running association in Nepal in the near future. I am working hard on this one!

Running, and trail running, has seen a boom in popularity. Can the same be said about Australia?    
Trail running is becoming very popular in Australia. UTA is a huge event which attracts runners from all over the world. This event inspired me to start events in Nepal. It is nice to see more people getting off the roads and into natural environments!

Many athletics federations in Asia do not recognise trail running as a genuine discipline.How is this in Australia? 
I believe that Australia still have a long way to go in comparison to Europe. Australia does have a trail running association and we have many talented ultra runners who are not recognised by the media for their amazing achievements. I think within 10 years this will change!

What do you think of the Asia Trail Master series?
The Asia Trail Master series is fantastic, the concept of bringing all of the races together to culminate into a championship is amazing. We feel very excited and proud to be involved with the Asia Trail Master Series. The organiser, Kris Van Der Velde is a great organiser and also a wonderful humanitarian, he provides opportunities to people who are often in a position not to participate in such events.

What is your favourite piece of running music?
Would you believe that I don't listen to music when I run?!! I love tuning into my natural environment when I am running! When I'm not running, I love listening to the music of U2, my Irish wife influenced me there!

The event date for the 2017 edition for Ultra Tu Wenchuan has now been confirmed by the local authorities and it is going to be on 29 April, which allows for a long weekend trip to this majestic mountain area in Sichuan, Southwest China. The race itself will see significant modifications compared to last season, with the main event now a 60 km tough mountain run of approx. 5000 Hm of elevation gain! That implies the race is also valid for the Grandmaster Quest. 

"We happily present you an escalating course with the distance of 60km and 5000+ hm of climbing," says race director Ji Yang. "Apart from that challenging 60km race in individual or mixed duo team format, we also offer a shorter 30k (individual/mixed dual team), a 15k(individual) and a 5k LNT(Leave No Trace group for the family members and kids) group. So more diversity in choices this year! Note that the 60k is estimated to gain 4 ITRA points and 35k 2points as well."

Precise maps and profiles are available in due course. 

While the race day is on Saturday, the ceremony will be held on Sunday. "In addition, 'says Ji Yang, "we offer short sightseeing trip options for runners to delve into the Qiang culture of our Wenchuan area."

Wenchuan is of course the location of the big earthquake that devastated the area in 2008. A lot of work has been done in the region to reconstruct the villages and main town, showing the resilience of the people in this area close to Tibet. 

Last year the 50k race was won by Beijing's Bi Duanyang and Zhou Dongmei. You can read our extensive race report of that event here. All details of this year's upcoming edition will be posted on our cover page as they become available.