Score a Grandmaster point at SC70!
A successful Candidate a year ago, SC 70 in Santa Cruz, Davao in Philippines has now been rewarded with a spot on the new ATM Grandmaster Calendar for Season 10. The event organised by Team Jegol Runners will be held on 23/24 November and ‘70’ in the event name stands for the 70km long Grandmaster point distance.
SC70 will be the first Grandmaster-only event on our ATM calendar, following the announcement made last week (read it again here: http://www.asiatrailmaster.com/news/2024/8/30/grandmaster-quest)
Santa Cruz, just a half hour drive south of Davao City in Mindanao, has become a real trail running hub since the corona crisis and even more visibly so since the 2022 ATM Championship Final, the Mount Apo Sky Race. That event is how things started in Santa Cruz, which is now not only the main gateway for hikers to the highest mountain in the Philippines, but also the venue for several trail running events during the year.
The 70k ultramarathon trail has an elevation gain of about 4000hm, and will feature scenic and iconic places in Santa Cruz, namely, Mt. Loay, Mt. Dinor, Tacub Laya Falls, Pilan River, Sinoron, Lipantod, Camotes Ridge, and Mt. 796. The course profile is actually quite distinct and interesting from a competitive point of view. Mount Dinor is the cornerstone and highest peak in the first half, Mount Loay in the second half. Runners should also be aware that after the final descent of Loay, there’s still a 10km flattish section to the finish back in Santa Cruz. That could hurt for some, while be a tactical all-in section for others. The precise 2024 course map will be made available soon.
Last year, SC70 was the event were we got introduced to youngsters Shally Yuson and Eldy Bulod, two competitive runners whom we have gotten to know very well since then! Shally has just completed her Grandmaster Quest and is part of Team Pilipinas at the upcoming ATM Championship Final. Eldy Bulod was the joint-winner of The Punisher, together with Kik Suello, just a month ago. Bulod stated we will see more of him in Season 10.
It is highly recommended to follow the event’s Facebook page, as is common in Philippines, to receive the latest updates and links to the registration portal.
Last year’s winners of SC70 have since then become well-known: Eldy Bulod and Shally Yuson!
