Malaysia has discovered a new trail running star in Daved Simpat as the 33-year-old local won Borneo 100 TMBT around the southern slopes of Mount Kinabalu in 15:05:05. Simpat, part of the Champion System Adventure Team most known for its cycling exploits, had never run beyond 50 km and claimed the race lead only towards the very end as he passed Singapore-based Indian runner Ullas Narayana.

Simpat eventually ran an advantage of together of 11'32" to take victory in front of his home crowd. Narayana had run a smart race himself by not overdoing things in the first half. He got into the lead by the penultimate checkpoint in Keranaan, but could not hold off Simpat. Only three weeks ago Narayana managed to get 8th place in the Mount Rinjani Ultra (MRU) on Lombok, which means that he is leaping to 3rd place in the 2015 Asia Trail Master ranking with 732 points. Simpat collects 500 points for his win (400 performance points + 100 distance points).

Norway's Jan Nilsen was the third runner who saw chances of glory during the tough and hot race, during which the runners also had to cope with heavy rainfall at some point. Nilsen faded in the final 20 kilometres, but his third place was never in danger. Regis Cabaret and Gaspard Dessy, two runners who had an opportunity to propel themselves to the top of the Asia Trail Master ranking, enjoyed a fine start of the race before they dropped back in the order at later checkpoints. Cabaret, who had come fourth in MRU, ran out of fuel entirely and suffered from dehydration in the second part. He would not make it to the finish line on this occasion. Great Britain's Fintan West scored 25th yesterday and moves up to the top 15 of the 2015 Asia Trail Master ranking with 538 points behind his name.

The women's race witness an incredible performance by Australia's Joanna Kruk. Not only did Kruk finish over 3 hours-and-a-half ahead of second-placed Deborah Chinn (USA), she crossed the line fifth overall in 16:58:16! The podium was completed by Malaysia's Chong Hsiao Shiang. Important from an Asia Trail Master point of view was the fourth place of Tan Seow Ping. Malaysian but now residing in Hong Kong, Tan Seow Ping was third in UT HK earlier this year and now again scored 400 points last weekend. She thus grabs the overall lead in the 2015 championship with 900 in total, 325 more than Yuen Kit Shan.

2015 Borneo 100 TMBT champion Daved Simpat

Top 10 Borneo 100 TMBT

Men:

1. Daved Simpat (MAS) 15:15:05
2. Ullas Narayana (IND) 15:26:37
3. Jan Nilsen (NOR) 15:50:16
4. Munintaran Sundran (MAS) 16:55:38
5. Michael Galligan (USA) 17:14:15
6. Ahmadul Tahir (MAS) 17:35:48
7. Phairat Varasin (THA) 17:38:10
8. Joshua Hengen (USA) 18:13:58
9. Pierre-Henry Coppere (FRA) 18:36:40
10.Soh Hian Lim (MAS) 18:40:48

Women

1. Joanna Kruk (AUS) 16:58:16
2. Deborah Chinn (USA) 20:33:15
3. Chong Hsiao Shiang (MAS) 20:57:11
4. Tan Seow Ping (MAS) 22:09:23
5. Siow Yun Mee (MAS) 22:28:14
6. Lim Mun Yin (MAS) 23:32:06
7. Leana Savenkova (SIN) 24:48:09
8. Pakanee Prutphakdee (THA) 25:16:16
9. Evergreen Edward (MAS) 26:07:18
10.Linda Poong (MAS) 26:31:04

Daved Simpat: a new star emerges in Borneo 100 TMBT!