This weekend the spotlights are on Camiguin Island Trail, just off the northern coast of Mindanao. a popular event by Vertical To Sky - known from The Punisher, Mount Apo Sky Race and others - and is again part of the ATM Grandmaster Quest calendar this season. The race distance to focus on is the 70km.

Camiguin is an island in the Bohol Sea, approximately 10km off the northern coast of Mindanao in the Philippines. The trail event is held out of the island’s and provincial capital Mambajao. The island has some lush green forest reserves, even protected under the ASEAN Heritage Park label. Camiguin also has a rich cultural history and treasures, such as Old Mambajao Fountain and the façade of the Santo Rosario Church in Sagay. This is a mountainous island, which offers the opportunity for some splendid trail running, including some technical mountain sections. The highest peak is Mount Timpoong, which towers a respectable 1500 metres above sea level.

It is one of several events. in Philippines that may become part of our ATM Championship calendar in future, too. The 70km race has well over 3700 elevation gain, which is not to be underestimated.

On the start list this weekend we find nearly 150 runners for the 70km category, which is a good number, Amongst them, Golden 4-star Grandmaster and now on the Trail to Immortality, Masafumi Yamamoto from Japan. Masafumi continues to enjoy the down-to-earth boutique style of trail races and has received a lot of respect from the communities everywhere. Also Bronze 2-star Grandmaster Blanka Wong from Malaysia will be looking to score another GM point on the way to 3-stars. For the battle up front, with MUSPO 100 just one week ago, the start list does not immediately see the biggest of names, which only means we will get to know some new faces again. Arguably, Marjones Abugan will be the one to beat. Jonathan Pido, however, is a former Mount Apo Sky Race winner - all the way back in 2015. Henry Joe Cottillon may also be in podium contention this weekend.

This Sunday at 20:00 pm Japan time (21:00 HK time, 20:00 time Vietnam, Thailand etc), official registration opens for Izu Trail Journey, the classic end-of-year race. A member of Asia Trail Master for a decade, the 70km pilgrimage course retains its attraction and is one of not many trail courses people like to run as many times as they can. Overall, it’s a runable course but with just enough technicality, especially halfway, to keep everyone concentrated throughout. The estimated elevation gain of over 3200hm is of course also to be noted.

Izu Trail Journey is an event where the organisers put a lot of emphasis on ‘event experience’ for all participants. Aid stations, start and finish all enjoy a wonderful vibe, even in the rare cases of bad weather - such as last year, when it rained nonstop for five hours in the early morning. Usually, Izu enjoys beautiful sunny weather resulting in awesome views of Mount Fuji at a.o. the Nishina Pass halfway into the race. Mind you, it is winter time in Japan, so temperatures can be on the low side.

The event centre for some years is now Mishima, one of the main towns in the Izu peninsula that is connected to Tokyo and Yokohama via the Shinkansen fast-speed train. There’s also busses. From Mishima, runners take the nighttime event shuttle bus to the race start venue in Matsuzaki New Port, by the ocean. The finish is in Shuzenji, one of the onsen (hot spring) towns in the area, and also location of the Izu base camp cafe, where you enjoy a nice Izu Trail beer, or just coffee and tea.

Last year, the race saw record-breaking performances by Hirokazu Nishimura and Honoka Akiyama, who both won Izu for the third time in their trail running journeys. John Ray Onifa struggled with the wet and cold weather conditions and suffered a DNF. Will the current ATM Champion return this year to take revenge?

Find out all details via the official website linked below, and make sure to secure your spot this weekend already, because this one sells out quickly!

As of July 2026, Asia Trail Master is creating a number of ATM Grandmaster Hubs in cooperation with recognised partners across the region. Grandmaster Hubs are places where trail runners can gather and collect Grandmaster achievement tokens, such as Grandmaster caps and Gold, Silver of Bronze achievement tees. The first two official Grandmaster Hubs are Trailside Treats near Kuala Lumpur City in Malaysia and Red Dot Running Company in Singapore.

As more and more trail runners have embarked on their Grandmaster journeys, it has become a logistical challenge to prepare and distribute achievement tokens at events. Hence, the idea of Grandmaster Hubs came to fruition. Hubs will be located in places with lots of runners and usually have a direct link with Asia Trail Master as well.

Trailside Treats, for example, is managed by a.o. Carly Balmforth, herself a 2-star Grandmaster already, and is located near Bukit Tiara, one of peninsular Malaysia’s main trail running training and gathering areas. It’s a coffee, tea and cake venue, breathing trail running, and so it also makes for a great gathering venue while you collect your Grandmaster token(s).

Red Dot Running Company in Singapore was founded by Jeri Chua, legendary endurance athlete and someone who has been supportive of Asia Trail Master since the very beginning. RDRC, as it is commonly known, is the reference store for runners - both trail and road - in Singapore. ATM has often had livestreams and gathering sessions at RDRC over the years.

In the coming weeks we aim to announce more Grandmaster Hubs, including in the Philippines. Meanwhile, similar venues keen on becoming a Grandmaster Hub can reach out to kris@asiatrailmaster.com for more information.

Addresses

• Trailside Treats: Located near the green Bukit Kiara forest at G-3, Wisma WIM, Taman Tun Dr Ismail

• Red Dot Running Company Store - 108 Sims Avenue, Singapore 387432

Socials

Local trail running stars Godwin Mirar and Kimberly Flores were the outstanding race winners at MUSPO 100 in Valencia, Bukidnon, Mindanao last weekend. In the absence of Arnie Macaneras, Mirar had to look out for the ever improving Kik Suello, but the youngster still had the edge and finished in 11h31. Kik Suello was second 35 minutes later. In third place on the podium we had Johnred Carpio in 12h53. A remarkable result for the only 21-year-old Carpio. Also fourth place Edward Candelanza is just 22.

Kimberly Flores continued her winning ways in her home country. The 29-year-old is also the new overall female points leader in Season 11. MUSPO 100 was already her third victory of the current season and she is guaranteed of a spot in Team Pilipinas for the upcoming ATM Championship Final in Vietnam in 3 October. Shally Yuson was second one hour later. For Yuson it was the first big race after a lengthy competition break. Janet Arnego claimed the third spot on the podium.

Filipinos still have one last chance to add ATM Championship points to their total via Marilog Ultra 70 in the wider Davao region in the middle of August.

It’s mid-July and so it’s MUSPO time again! The traditional event in Valencia managed to stay on the trail event calendar in 2026 while most others in the region had to skip this year. No wonder there’s more than 400 names on the start list of the 100km ATM Championship Qualifier and Grandmaster Quest race! Biggest names for the men’s race are 2022 ATM Champion Arnie Macaneras and local hero Godwin Mirar. Shally Yuson and Kimberly Flores are the ones to watch in the women’s race.

MUSPO 100 is the penultimate ATM Championship Qualifier of Season 11 in the Philippines. Next month, there is also still Marilog Ultra 70 to determine which five male and which five female runners will form the team for the Championship Final at Mu Cang Chai Ultra Trail in Vietnam on 3 October. Team Pilipinas was team champion in 2023 and finished second the last couple of years.

Arnie Macaneras needs to complete this race to get his wild card as former champion. For Godwin Mirar, it looks quite complicated this season as his focus has been elsewhere. He only has 1 points score in the books this season, so it’s going to be tough with so many Filipinos trying to qualify. Godwin was the overall points leader of Season 10 and had a great championship race at the 9 Dragons until he went off course whilst in second place behind John Ray Onifa.

The Filipino runner who has caught the eye over the past months is Kik Suello, and he is also on the start list of MUSPO this weekend. Macaneras and Mirar certainly need to watch out for him in the battle for victory. Kik is currently second in the Filipino ATM ranking with 3 races, including 2 wins. With a good finish this weekend, he can rest assured to be part of the Championship race again.

Kim Flores has had a great year with several wins along the way. She is currently second Filipino in the ATM ranking behind Mia Revilla, but she can claim the top spot this weekend, plus get a guaranteed qualification for the Championship Final, which would be the first time for the young talented runner. Shally Yuson is coming back from a more quiet period, probably necessary after a very heavy 2025 in terms of racing.

ATM will be reporting live from MUSPO 100 starting on Saturday.

We are happy to announce that Maco de Oro Trail Ultra, the latest project by AWRA-AE&MJC Events, will be a new ATM Candidate Race on the weekend of 24/25 October 2026. Maco de Oro Trail Ultra takes place in the rugged and diverse landscapes of Maco, a coastal and mountainous municipality known as the“Gold Coast” of the province Davao del Sur in Mindanao, Philippines. The venue is about 1 hour away from Davao international airport.

AWRA already offers you the New Corella Trail Ultra at the end of the year, a Championship Qualifier for Season 12. Also by AWRA is Bislig Ultra in April, an event that has been on our Grandmaster Quest calendar for the past two editions.

The new Maco de Oro Trail Ultra has a 50km as longest distance for its inaugural edition. It’s a tough 50km with approx 2800 metres of elevation gain. The race course will combine steep ascents, technical descents, forest trails, and scenic ridgelines. The event description continues: “The 50km showcases the raw beauty of Maco de Oro—where lush tropical forests, mineral-rich mountains, and coastal landscapes converge—offering a true test of endurance, strategy, and mental resilience. More than just a race, Maco de Oro Trail Ultra (MOTU) is a celebration of outdoor adventure, local culture, and eco- tourism—highlighting the municipality’s growing potential as a premier trail running destination in Mindanao.”

The route will also follow more famous hiking and trekking trails such as the Manipongol Trail. There’s several nature and tourism spots in the area, too. For example, the Bilawa Mainit Hot Waterfalls and Lake Leonard, which is a volcanic crater lake. There’s also several beach and coastal experiences, perfect for post-race relaxation and recovery. The municipality reflects a rich blend of agricultural and indigenous Mansaka culture.

Less ambitious runners can also choose shorter distances: 25km and 15km. The 25km also has a solid 1500 hm, and the 15km is even tough with 900 hm. Luckily, the cut-off times are lenient: 16 hours for the 50km, 8 hours for the 25km and 5 hours for the 15km.

You can find all details via the event website and also stay up to date with latest news via the facebook page below.

For the third time in the current ATM Championship season, Japan’s Hiroyuki Matsuda emerged victorious at the finish of a long ultra. Also in Mantra 116 in Indonesia last weekend, he proved strongest and as a result is now the overall leader in the points ranking of Season XI and guaranteed of a spot in Team Japan for the upcoming Championship Final at Mu Cang Chai Ultra Trail in Vietnam on 3 October. In the women’s 116km we saw Singapore’s Dening Lo taking an emotional victory in a new female course record.

With a start at midnight, the Mantra 116km and 68km runners climed up Mount Welirang with the summit at well over 3000m at nighttime. It was the 10-year-anniversary of the event in Malang, East Java, and over 3000 runners turned up for, albeit mostly for the shorter distance categories, of course. Both the 116km and 68km races have been ATM Championship Qualifiers for many years and rated amongst the toughest and most technical mountain trails on our calendar.

Last year’s 116k race winner Yuta Matsuyama initially was able to keep pace with Hiroyuki Matsuda, but late in the race had to let him go. Matsuda won in 19h58 - a very solid time. Matsuyama saw himself still get overaken by Indonesian Galih Candra at the very end for second place: 21h30 vs 21h41. Daniel Ortiz, Colombian but living in Indonesia, took a great fourth place in 22h42 ahead of Andreas Susanto in 23h07. Former race winner Rachmat Septiyanto had to settle for 13th place this year, showing that not every year is the same.

Dening Lo had won the 68km race the past two years and decided last-minute to give the 116km a try. Much has to do with the fact that the number 3 of the latest ATM Championship Final in Hong Kong is relocating to Europe next month. In the lead from the beginning, Dening Lo nevertheless struggled after twisting her ankle badly in the rocky descent of Welirang. Managing her pace well, the Singaporean stayed out of further trouble and made it to the finish in 10th place overall and a time of 24h52 - a new female course record. Quite an accomplishment, it was even her first ever 100k race. In second place was last year’s winner from Japan, Chizuru Inoue in 28h45 - so the gap was enormous. Former winner from Jakarta, Sianti Candra completed the podium in third place in 30h16 after a great final part of her race. Restu Aeni and Novita Wulandari were four and five.

On the men’s 68km, Risqi Kurniawan bounced back from a more quiet and difficult running period by taking yet another win in Mantra. He finished half an hour ahead of Singapore-based Philippe Daniel in 11h50. Bagus Prastyo was third. The women’s 68km had a surprising race winner in Indonesia’s rising talent Pujas Rani Ratu Haj in 14h30. She was in the lead from early on, and not pre-race favourite Ritzy Amor. After the race, it turned out Ritzy had been struggling with flu for a few days and just had no strength to compete. She nevertheless finished the race, in sixth, and became an official ATM Grandmaster. Still, the pace by Pujas Rani was fast she would have given an in-form Ritzy Amor a good challenge for the win. Second place went to SIngapore’s Zoe Tan, who was also second in UTSG 60 last month. Zoe’s time was 16h10. In third, we had Nur Azarine Putri Yasmin from Indonesia in 16h38.

Very wet and windy weather forced the event organisers of Minamiaso Caldera Trail to make the difficult decision of shortening the 50km race to two loops of the 18km short distance course for 36km in total. Most of the single trails had turned into a total mudfest and with safety in mind, it proved to be the only solution in order to at least have a trail race. Minamiaso is a new entry on the ATM Championship calendar, taking place in Kyushu close to Kumamoto City and 100km from Fukuoka.

Several strong runners at the start line, as usual in Japan, and in the end it was ATM regular Hisashi Kitamura who scored his 12th ATM race victory during his trail journey. It was close, however, as the younger Hideaki Hori managed to stay within one minute. Kitamura finished in a time of 3h51. Both runners were 20 minutes ahead of third placed Ryosuke Ooya and Kentaro Takano. Important ATM points for Kitamura, who now again looks certain to be part of Team Japan in the next ATM Championship Final in Vietnam in October. Also Kentaro Takano is very much in the mix for a spot in Team Japan, which would be his first qualification. As is Tomohiro Mizukoshi, of course. He scored an important 8th place as well, despite the tough conditions that do not suit his trail capabilities very much.

The women’s race saw three runners finish within 11 minutes of each other. Asami Furuse won in 4h37, seventh overall. Arika Ito and Kirari Oi were second and third. Chisato Kario, part of the ATM Championship winning team at 9 Dragons and multiple race winner in ATM, struggled a bit to finish in 7th place. Another Top 10 finisher of the latest ATM Final, Hong Kong’s Kimmy Leung took 12th. In fact, another Hong Konger, Wong Ki Chun finished ahead in fifth place.

The next ATM Championship Qualifier in Japan is Shiga Kogen 100 near Nagano at the end of August.

Just like last year, the last ATM Championship Qualifier of the season will take place in Indonesia on and around the fantastic Ijen volcano in Banyuwangi, East Java. The race in question is the 50km, dubbed the Ijen Mountain Marathon as part of the overall Ijen Green Trail event. On the schedule for 12 September, it’s the last chance for runners to try and get themselves qualified for the ATM Championship Final in Vietnam on 3 October by ending the season in the top five of their country in our points ranking.

Ijen Mountain Marathon has a rather runable course with nevertheless almost 2000 metres of elevation gain. Highlight is of course the ascent and descent of the Ijen volcano, a tourist hotspot also for its famous crater and ‘blue fire’. As a volcano run, it is notably less technical than many others of its kind in Indonesia. Participants have 20 hours of time to complete the course, which is plenty. For newbies to longer distances, Ijen Mountain Marathon could be your ideal introduction to 50k trail races.

Banyuwangi has a small domestic airport with a few flights from Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali. The latter destination may be most worthwhile for international participants, as you can travel overland by bus or car from the airport and main tourism hub to the boat ferry in West Bali, which takes you across the strait to Banyuwangi city. More details on logistics can be obtained via the event’s instragram page linked below.

Last year, the 50k race was won by Akhmad Nizar in the men’s and Dian Pradina in the women’s.

The 10th anniversary of Mantra 116 in Indonesia will see over 4000 runners spread out over various race distance categories this weekend, with the 116km and 68km traditionally the ones offering ATM Championship and Grandmaster Quest points. Mantra is a race with many returnees, either because they first failed to finish and now want to settle a score, or because they just love the high mountain technicality of the race course. The list of victory and podium contenders is almost a mirror copy of last year’s.

The men’s 116km features last year’s winner Yuta Matsuyama and last year’s second place and previous winner Rachmat Septiyanto, as well as other regulars such as Taofik Hidayat (not in the best form recently, though) and Ujang Ahmad Saripudin. But arguably most votes for potential victory ought to go to Hiroyuki Matsuda. A busy bee this season in ATM, he ranks second overall with four big points hauls already. Matsuda won BUTM 100 and BTR Bali 100 as highlights, and in a way that should make Matsuyama worried if he wants to repeat last year’s win. Let’s also keep an eye on Gyojeong Gu from Korea, Scott Pugh from Singapore, Daniel Ortiz from Colombia and Ahmed Bedair from Egypt.

The women’s 116km also sees last year’s 1-2 back on the start list. Japan’s Chizuru Inoue and Vietnam’s Le Thi Hang. Indonesian regulars like Henny Sutanda and Sianti Candra - both winners in the past - , Anggia Noviarta Sari and Yustina Wardhani all will be in the mix for podium as well. But the most interesting participant and victory contender for sure is Singapore’s Dening Lo. Already twice a race winner of Mantra 68, she decided to jump into the deep end at the last minute and try the 116km this weekend! Dening was 3rd in the latest ATM Championship Final in Hong Kong and carries enough speed to even bother most of the male contenders. But 116 is a very long distance, indeed.

Looking at the 68km, multiple former race winner Risqi Kurniawan must be the top favourite, but it’s been a while since he has set the scene on fire. Last May, he DNFd in BTR Bali 100, for example. The same applies for good old Arief Wismoyono, now in his forties. Also a former winner at Mantra, he was our first ever ATM Champion back in 2015. Time flies. Bagus Prastyo and Singapore-based Philippe Daniel are in with a shot, too.

The women’s 68km sees an unfortunate DNS for Hee Joo Jiang, 5th in the 2024 ATM Final, due to passport issues. It seems to leave the door wide open for another victory for Malaysia-based Filipino multisport icon Ritzy Amor. She has just won Gombak 50 and UTSG 80, but here she is again. Zoe Tan from Singapore, second in UTSG 60, and her compatriot Jennifer Lee could eye another podium and who knows we discover a new Indonesian talent, too.

No first victory for double vice-ATM Champion Hisashi Kitamura at Deep Japan Ultra in Niigata last weekend. Despite beating the race course record himself, Kitamura was still no match for the surprisingly fast Terunobu Kurokawa. The 33-year-old completed the tough 80km course in 8h18, still 45 minutes(!) ahead of the ‘Karate Kit’. Kurokawa, a name to remember! In third place, on an island by himself, was Ryoji Sakai in 9h24. Fourth placed Tsukasa Komai reached the finish line in 10h47, so you can tell how outstanding in particular the first two runners were.

The women’s 80km race was tighter and saw Miki Kobayashi take top honours in 12h43, 16 minutes ahead of Japan-based Norwegian Hanah Fjelddahl, a youngster when it comes to competitive trail running at age 28. Third place on the traditional podium was for Miho Wada.

To note was also the race finish of Mario Yap. The Filipino Golden Grandmaster reached another big milestone in his trail running journey by being first ever to Become Legend. Mario Yap completed more than 500 kilometres in at least five countries after becoming 4-star Golden Grandmaster (separate news to follow). Other Grandmasters such as Kenneth Mun Keat Yow (4 stars), Shawn Yong (4 stars), Mohd Nizam Arabi (3 stars), Lim Jyh Hann (3 stars) and Flowrence P. Robert also finished the race successfully.

Deep Japan Ultra also attracts a large number of trail runners for its challenging 100 miles race every year. Also in this category, one man proved too strong for the rest of the victory contenders. Taro Ueda returned to the finish in 29 hours and was 46 minutes ahead of Haruhiko Yoshida. Tatsuya Saguchi and Hideaki Yoshida were three and four. Jason Kwok for Hong Kong was first non-Japanese in sixth place. Also Balinese Yanizar Surydratama finished the tough course in 15th place.

Female winner was Mika Taniguchi in 34h25. That was a solid three hours faster than Miho Uraya in second. Yu Matsushima was third, still beating the 40h mark.

The next Japanese ATM Championship Qualifer is coming up this weekend in Kumamoto, southern Japan. The Minamiaso Caldera Trail, which caters for the 50km specialists.

SC 70 will be the first of six ATM Championship Qualifiers in the Philippines in Season 12 this coming 21/22 November weekend. The 70km race, managed Team Jegol, has been on our Grandmaster Quest calendar already for two years, but will now also be on the Championship calendar for the very first time. It’s a tough 70km race with an estimated elevation gain of 4400 hm.

Following the regulations of the ATM Championship, runners finishing in the Top 25 of the 70km race score points according to our fixed points table, and this may lead to potential qualification for the Championship Final at the end of every season.

SC stands for Santa Cruz, host town of the event, very close to Davao City in Mindanao. The trail course features several scenic spots in Sta. Cruz, including Dinor peak passing through Pilan river, Loay peak, Camp 796, and Mt. Fortune. This year’s course will be largely the same as before. A few changes will be made nonetheless and will be confirmed in due course. Note that Mount Apo is not part of this race. Incidentally, the Mount Apo Sky Race will be held the week before SC 70 this year, and features on the Grandmaster Quest calendar. Runners coming from further away could therefore consider doing both events and spend a week in the area.

You can follow the official facebook page below to stay up to date. Registration is scheduled to open very soon.

It’s been tradition for a decade already: in June we hit the trails in the Niigata countryside of Japan! Local resident and trail running star Hiroaki Matsunaga enjoys seeing people from all over Japan and the rest of Asia coming to his mountain neighbourhood northwest of Tokyo and north of the Japan Alps. This year’s Deep Japan Ultra once again sees a large start list, both in quantity and quality, for the 100 Miles and 80km races - both qualifiers for the ATM Championship points ranking and for each individual runner’s Grandmaster Quest. The race courses are considered among the toughest challenges in Japan. 

That is also due to the variable weather conditions. This weekend it promises to be rather warm, but deep in the mountanous area it will cool down considerably at night. Hisashi Kitamura will be trying to add a win in DJU 80km on his record. Last year, he was leading the race until he got off course and had to settle for third place. The Karate Kit has been in great shape again earlier this year in Japan and certainly ranks amongst the top contenders this weekend. His main rivals ought to be Terunobu Kurokawa and Ryoji Sakai. 

In the female 80km we have Chizuru Ofuchi and Japan-based Hannah Fjelddahl, but also some solid contenders from Thailand. 

The 100 miles of Deep Japan Ultra has proven to be quite unpredictable over the years. A relatively long list of local Japanese contenders, including Kazuyuki Takahashi, Ryota Nakatani and Taro Ueda will be going for victory, but there’s a very decent non-Japanese contigent this year of very experienced ultra runners who can throw themselves in the mix for at least podium. Thailand’ Santi Phongsraphang, for example, has been in great shape this year in a few ATM races already. Also his compatriot Somchai Chaosakorn has proven credentials on the long ultra in Southeast Asia. Yeung Ka Lun and Jason Kwok are just two runners of a Hong Kong group and Bali’s Yanizar Suryadratama also knows the ropes of 100 miles racing. 

The women’s 100 miles sees one member of the ATM Team Champions - Japan - in the race, i.e. Yasuyo Hotta. She will face Sachiko Tokoro and Mika Taniguchi and the Filipino Avegail Depanay. 

The 2026 edition of Garmin Ultra Fish’n Sheep in Hong Kong has been scheduled for the weekend of 17/18 October. The event again features a 75km race as ATM Championship Qualifier (for Season XII) and the Grandmaster Quest. Last year’s new entry in our series proved to be a popular and applauded one, the third in Hong Kong besides The 9 Dragons and Lantau 70 earlier in the year. 

Ultra Fish’n Sheep takes places in the New Territories of Hong Kong and is perceived as one of the tougher races. It’s an A to B race from Fanling to Lion’s YMCA Junk Bay Youth Camp with an estimated elevation gain of nearly 4000hm. Combine that with potential hot and humid weather and you know this is one to prepare for physically and mentally. The start is at 8am on Saturday morning and runners have 18 hours to complete the 75km course. 

Accommodation-wise, the event has an arrangement with the well-known Regal Riverside Hotel in Sha Tin, which also featured as the event hotel at the latest 9 Dragons. The website linked below has details on your options. To get back from the finish line, there are bus and MTR connections.

Last year, Lodewijk Vriens proved outstanding and left others such as Jeff Campbell and Wai Hei Ng no chance in the battle for victory. The women’s 75km race was won by Wong Tze Kei ahead of Nicole Lau and Kimmy Leung. 

Registration for the event opens this week on Thursday at 12 pm (noon).

Ultra Fish N Sheep will be the second qualifier of the new season 12, one week after opener Luang Prabang Trail in Laos.

The 5th edition of Trail des Gombak in Selangor, Malaysia, not only featured a new race venue at the MPS Stadium, but also a completely redesigned trail route. That new course turned out to be a lot tougher than the previous one, to the surprise of many repeat participants. The heavy thunderstorm the afternoon before the 2am start and another one on Saturday afternoon made sure the technicality of some jungle sections skyrocketed to the extent that sliding your way down the slopes on all fours was the only way to go. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but at the same the beloved kind of trail experience for others. Ritzy Amor loved it and was therefore an undisturbed repeat winner of the Gombak 50k race. The KL-based Filipino, who finished 6th in the latest ATM Championship Final at the 9 Dragons in Hong Kong, shows no signs of overtraining as she continues to combine long distance running with other sports activities. In the lead from start to finish on Saturday, and finishing 10th overall in 8h23. Japan’s Akane Nemoto had to settle for second just like last year, and that was also the maximum she could hope for. Nemoto actually had a solid performance herself, given she also gave other runners such as Ryehana Rajap (2nd in BUTM 50 in April) , Chong Mei Tze and Siao Ai Lim no chance to challenge her for second place.

The men’s 50km - actually 47km - also delivered a clear winner in Kristjan Chapman, from Iceland but living in Kuala Lumpur, too. Having learnt from his dehydration at UTSG, where he lost a podium in the last 10km of the race, Chapman did not get over-excited when China’s Wang Xiang took off like a bullet in the early road section of the race before they hit the first uphill climb. Chapman then reeled him in quite quickly on the technical and muddy parts, closely followed by strong Indonesian Fahmil Mamel, who made his international debut at TDG. malaysian runners Syahmim Nazmy and Amuniddin Musa kept themselves within range for a long time, but never caught the two front runners in the end. Chapman, knowing the second part of the course very well, extended the gap to Mamel for his first win in ATM in a time of 6h38. Mamel, from North Sumatra, scored second in7h02. Nazmy third in 7h26. Behind Musa in fourth, it was good to see Amir Zaki again in fifth. Zaki is returning to competitive trail running after a 2-year break.

The 100km race, actually 95km, consisted of two loops of the 47km route. A genuine challenge that saw most of the +100 participants DNF, eventually. Up front, it was Amierul Amin, who led more or less from start to finish. The Malaysian runner was never really comfortable, however, as Indonesian Ma’Mun Khariri, a former Mantra 116 winner, and new name Feliks Aten from Sabah kept the gap smallish until the last couple of hours. Amin finishing time of 17h31 indicates what a tough course Gombak has become. Amin was an ATM Finalist in 2023, but this was his first ever race victory in our series.

Amazingly, Ma’Mun Khariri still got much closer to Amin. He finished only 10 minutes later, after cutting his deficit in half during the last 7km of the race. Nice detail: Khariri just got released from 6 days hospital a week ago following a poisonous snake bite… It’s his second great race result in an ATM Qualifier this season, so his chances for championship qualification are high, indeed. Feliks Aten took third place. He was in the mix for podium throughout and only had to drop his pace towards the end of the race. His podium spot is well-deserved. Ibrahim Karim still put pressure on Aten’s podium spot as he crossed the line just a few minutes later. Amir Saipol Bahri was fifth.

The women’s 100 km saw Grandmaster Celeste Teo and Ang Yee Mei running together the whole day. They jointly returned to the stadium in 24h41. For Ang Yee Mei it was the second podium in a row, she also came second in BTR Ultra in Bali last month. In third place was Vietnam’s Nguyen Ngoc Phuong in 29h12. In her come back from injury, Japanese runner Tamae Harada claimed fourth place ahead of Chan Chin Chin.

The next ATM Championship Qualifier in Malaysia is KAR Ultra in Sabah at the end of next month. The next event of Projek Hijo is Trail des Lenggeng at the end of November, a new entry on our Grandmaster Quest calendar.

Season XI of the Asia Trail Master Championship continues this weekend in peninsular Malaysia with Trail des Gombak. Organised by the team of Projek Hijo, ’TDG’ takes place in Selangor near the Batu Caves tourist attraction close to Kuala Lumpur and is a championship qualifier event for the second consecutive season. Both the 100km and 50km races matter for those seeking points. Grandmaster Quest runners can of course also score a point by finishing the 100. 

The routes have been redesigned for this edition and also the event venue has switched to the bigger Stadium Selayang. Participants are looking at a nighttime start with the 100 scheduled to be flagged off at 2 am and the 50km at 4 am. 

The start lists look very decent in both quantity and quality. Yet, the Aonijie Gombak 100 race also has no outspoken race favourites in both male and female categories. As in the Penang Sky Race two months ago, a chance for one of many to grab a prestigious victory. Amierul Amin should be close to victory, he was an ATM Finalist for Malaysia in 2023 and has only become stronger on the long ultra since. It’s his first race under ATM in quite a while, though. Aqmal Adzmi is always a contender, and so are Lee Minxiang, Assrul Aminur, Tuan Haffandi Tuan Ismail and Indonesia’s Ma’Mun Khariri, a previous winner at Mantra 116. It’s not often the new generation of Indonesia’s ‘elite’ runners travel abroad, so it’s in any case already good to see his name on the start list. 

Female contenders on the 100k include Ang Yee Mei, who was second in BTR Ultra in Bali last month already. She will be up against Celeste Teo from Sarawak, always good for at least a podium, Norlela Ismail, Japan’s Tamae Harada and why not Faherina Mohd Esa, also known as Ryna. Perhaps more an ultra cyclist than ultra runner these days, but the stamina is certainly still there. 

On the 50km, we can expect a nice battle for victory between the likes of Mohamad Syahmim Nazmy, Kristjan Chapman, Amir Zaki and Indonesians Slamet Riyadi and Fahmil Mamel. Also Hong Kongers Luis Gonzales and Jeremy Ritcey will be in the mix for podium.

The 50km for women can see a repeat of last year’s race with Ritzy Amor back in it against Japan’s Akane Nemoto. Both also just ran UTSG in Singapore a fortnight ago, but with different fortunes. Amor easily won the 80km, while Nemoto broke down in the final 15km of her 60km race that she was leading. Other contenders will be Chong Mei Tze, Siao Ai Lim, Lynil Martinez, Halimatun Sa’adiah and last but not least the surprising newcomer on the competitive scene in Malaysia, Ryehana Rajap. A young runner who came second in BUTM in April, ahead of some well-established competition runners.

ATM will be reporting live from Trail des Gombak from the start to the finish on Saturday via our usual channels. If you are on a laptop, we have an aggregate feed here: https://www.asiatrailmaster.com/atm-live/livefeed compiling everything from facebook, instagram, youtube and X plus background information.

The Cordillera mountain range in the Philippines has been an integral part of our series since the beginning and we are pleased to see continuous excitement for trail running in the area. On the weekend of 24-26 October, a new event enters the calendar: Ultra Trail Cordillera Philippines. Organised by Aid Station Cafe with experienced runners Louie Ganayan and Roflyne Fangayen, the new event has obtained the ATM Candidate Race label.

On the event programme we find a 100km flagship race, but also a 50km, 25km and 10km. As the comprehensive website reads: the UTCP course will traverse the scenic and challenging mountain trails of Itogon, featuring a combination of pine forest trails, mountain ridgelines, technical single trails mixed with wider dirt roads, highland communities and amazing views overlooking the Cordillera.

Event venue will be the familiar John Hay Camp in Baguio, the city that functions as gateway to the Cordillera mountains, and which is connected to Manila and Clark. The 100km will be flagged off at 2 am on Saturday, with the 50km one hour later at 3 am. Elevation gain is estimated at 6600 hm for the 100k and 3300 for the 50k. Runners participating in the longest category have a cut-off time at the finish of 32 hours, those doing the 50k should return within 15 hours.

The UTCP website is a nice piece of work where you can find all other details, plus a great gallery of images to get you in the mood.

Already the most successful trail runner in Asia Trail Master history, reigning champion John Ray Onifa added a 17th race win to his collection in Singapore last weekend. At the UTSG event, the Filipino star stormed to victory on the 60km with a blistering 5:55 finish. After regaining the ATM Championship title at the 9 Dragons in February, it’s his second race win of the year, despite carrying a bit of a hip injury that will now keep him on the sidelines for a number of weeks. .

Early on, KL-based Icelander Kristjan Chapman and Singapore-based Frenchman Philippe Daniel were trying to keep pace with Onifa, but both paid a bit of a price towards the end. Daniel Yap from Malaysia stormed passed them to take second place at the finish in 6h29. Also local star Scott Pugh ran a great second half to claim third on the podium, just three minutes later! Philippe Daniel still held on to fourth place in 6h41, still one of his best race results in an ATM points race. Lim Jia Jen finishes in fifth, followed by Deric Lau and Tomohiro Mizukoshi.

Running conditions were difficult due to heat and humidity, quite excessive even for Singaporean standards. The women’s 60km race saw a big surprise towards the end as race favourite and leader Akane Nemoto slowed down dramatically and struggled her way to the finish. What looked like a certain victory went up in smoke and, instead, Malaysia's Michelle Ng Qian Ying arrived first in 7h58! It was her first appearance in an ATM Championship Qualifier, so what an introduction! Michelle clearly timed her effort well, already having had great competitive experiences in other races last year.

Akane Nemoto did not even make it to the podium, as five other runners caught and overtook her in the last few kilometres. Local runner Zoe Tan grabbed second place 13 minutes behind Ng. Zoe ran a strong last stint to catch and overtake Filipino Judith Lozano at the end. Patsy Tan and Li Yueming took places four and five, and the poor Akane Nemoto struggled home in sixth, very much like Kristjan Chapman in the men's race earlier. BUTM 100 race winner Mia Revilla was seventh after a very heavy two months of racing in which she also scored third in H1 (100 Miles) five weeks ago.

UTSG also offered an 80km Grandmaster Quest race, which witnessed the arrival of a new 4-star Golden Grandmaster. Malaysia’s Lau Say Niong scored his 20th ATM long ultra finish and is the 14th runner to score four stars. There were also new 3-star Silver Grandmasters on the weekend with Nick Pilapil from Philippines, Henry Yang from Singapore and Derek Lee Kok Eng from Malaysia.

UTSG was held in an interesting new format this year, with essentially 100 Miles spread out over three days.

Ultra Trail SIngapore is on again this weekend, known as the annual ‘most runable’ trail race of the ATM season. It’s also a popular event with a good vibe, and who doesn’t enjoy spending a weekend in Singapore? This year’s edition has been significantly redesigned, however. The ATM Championship Qualifier is now held on Sunday and has been beefed up from 50 to 60km. On Saturday, runners chasing the Grandmaster Quest are already on call, as they have a new 80km on the programme.

The 60km features again reigning ATM Champion John Ray Onifa in his second outing of the current season. That implies he can get his wild card for the next ATM Final at Mu Cang Chai Ultra Trail in Vietnam on 3 October. For that he needs to finish, and obviously he would like to do that also in first place. Onifa was scheduled to compete against his fellow countryman Godwin Mirar, but the latter is not starting as he could not get the funds together for a trip to SIngapore. The reality that still hits plenty of elite runners in Asia. A walk in the park then for the ATM Champion? Perhaps not. Singapore is not exactly a trail city and plenty of fast runners have found themselves off course during races here, as markings are not always easy to spot amidst all the concrete and constructions. Keeping your head cool is of the essence. Apart from that, Onifa should also look out for the speed of excellent local marathon runners like Vincent Casanova. Remember, last yeat even Jeff Campbell saw himself beaten by a local. Others who may say a word for the victory and certainly the podium are Kristjan Chapman, Philippe Daniel and Scott Pugh. And if someone has a bad day, Golden Grandmaster Tomohiro Mizukoshi - now age group 50 - will still be there to pick up the pieces.

The women’s 60km race is potentially a bit more open, even though Japan’s Akane Nemoto probably will get most votes as race favourite. On the ATM Final podium three times in a row and winner of a couple of ATM races already, running in Singapore typically suits Japanese runners very well. Last year, her compatriot Chisato Kario also won here. Akane Nemoto has some interesting challengers, though. Local Zoe Tan won Penang Sky Race 50 five weeks ago and that may strengthen her morale for this Sunday. Also Jennifer Lee was good in that race and will be in the mix again. Mia Revilla is also on the start list. Filipino, but based in Singapore. She won BUTM 100 in April and was third in Hardcore 100 Miles a month ago.

ATM will be covering the 60km race on Sunday on our usual channels.

One of the events that is becoming every more popular on our ATM calendar is Prenn Trail Summit in Dalat, Vietnam. Scheduled from 9 to 13 December 2026, trail runners on the Grandmaster Quest will again have no fewer than four categories to choose from in order to collect a new GM point. The longest race category is the 250km mega ultra, but the programme also offers the more traditional 100 Miles, 100km and 75km distances.

Organised by Unique Events & Media that also brings you Brah Yang Trail Summit in March, Prenn has been catching the attention since its inaugural edition back in 2023. Dalat in the southern Central Highlands of Vietnam has no shortage of trail events any more, but Prenn draws appreciation for its emphasis on the basics of trail running, the communities, combined with a solid and pleasant organisation. The event centre, also expo place and finish line for all distance categories, is the Prenn Tea Resort.

The website of the event is incredibly detailed and you can find all you need to know right there. In a nutshell, the 250km race - labeled “The Gods” - has an estimated elevation gain of 11730 hm and a cut-off time of 73 hours. Runners start the adventure at the Kala Lake at lunchtime (13:00) on 10 December . 100 Miles participants also start at the Kala Lake on the 11th at 7 am. They will conquer over 8000 hm and need to complete the distance in 55 hours. Those who thought a few years ago that running in Dalat is ‘easy’ surely have changed their minds by now :-).

The 100km also has a respectable 4500+ hm and 29 hours of cut-off time. Important, this category starts more or less at sunset on Friday at 18:00. The 75km starts at 3 am on Saturday and comes close to 4000hm and a cut-off time has been placed atv 24 hours.

Dalat is accessible by airplane , or you can also arrange overland transport from Ho Chi Minh City. The website also offers lots of options how to reach the Prenn Tea Resort.