2023 ATM Champion Rashila Tamang seems firmly back at her best this year with a convincing overall victory at the Mount Popa Jungle Trail Run 50k in Myanmar last Saturday. It was her second ATM race of the current season, which means Rashila also collected her wild card for the Championship Final in Vietnam on 4 October. Mount Popa, near Mandalay, was the second Burmese points race event of the season after Kalaw in February. The big star of that race, Jack Speed, had to settle for third overall and second male on Mount Popa. It was Thet Paing Oo who took top honours in the male category. Interestingly, but underlining her performance, Rashila Tamang finished in 6h18, one hour and twenty minutes ahead of Paing Oo, who himself was fourteen minutes ahead of Jack Speed. Aung Tun Lin was third on the men’s podium. He managed to stay ahead of young hopeful but injury-plagued Myint Myat. Second female was Yi YI win, already third in Kalaw as well. She had a great race of her own, coming in ninth overall in 9 hours. Sarah Seng was third on the female podium.

The 50km long Mount Popa run had an estimated elevation gain of about 2000hm and - just like Kalaw - was praised afterwards for the fantastic vibe at the event.

On Saturday we have the second points race event of the season in Myanmar, the Mount Popa Jungle Trail Run near Mandalay. Organised by the same team as the successful Kalaw Ultra Trail Run back in February, the main Mount Popa race is 50km and regarded as more technical than Kalaw. It’s the second edition of the event, and there’s a special guest on the start list in the person of 2023 ATM Female Champion Rashila Tamang from Kathmandu in Nepal.

As a former champion, Rashila only needs to complete 2 ATM races during the season in order to get a wild card for the next and upcoming ATM Championship Final in Vietnam on 4 October. Mount Popa will be her second race, after doing and winning the 100km at her home event, the Manjushree Trail Race. She is the logical race favourite as well this weekend, and it will be interesting to see what some of the local runners may achieve compared to Rashila Tamang. Yi Yi Win was third in Kalaw 80 and with another good result she will be qualified for the ATM Championship Final as well. For many of the Burmese this may be the biggest goal at Mount Popa. There have never before been any runners from Myanmar in the ATM Final and this season we might as well have a small team straightaway!

Jack Speed could become the spearhead of the team. He won the 80km in Kalaw in solid fashion, and may also start Mount Popa, a course he knows well, as the man-to-beat. Other strong performers from February are competing this Saturday, such as Aung Zaw Min, Myint Myat Maung and Thet Paing Oo.

Mount Popa is a dormant volcano with an altitude of 1518m above sea level and located in Central Myanmar. During the 50km race, participants will need to negotiate nearly 2000 metres of elevation gain.

2023 ATM Champion Rashila Tamang will run for the first time in Myanmar and can score her wild card for this season’s Championship Final in Vietnam

Jack Speed was the popular winner of Kalaw Ultra Trail Run 80km last February

Great news reached us from Myanmar this morning, the 2nd edition of Mount Popa Jungle Trail Run has received the go-ahead from local authorities and is now scheduled to take place on 21/ 22 June. The event is organised by MUTRA, the same team as February’s Kalaw Ultra Trail Run, and features a 50km points race for the ATM Championship ranking, and two shorter distances for the less ambitious. Mount Popa is a dormant volcano with an altitude of 1518m above sea level and located in Central Myanmar, in the region of Mandalay and about 50km south of Bagan.

Early February, the Kalaw Ultra Trail Run near Inle Lake was one of the highlights of the current ATM season, not in the least thanks to an amazing vibe among the local running communities. It also encouraged the organising team to beef up their second event, Mount Popa, and present it also on the international Asian trail running calendar. This one is more technical than Kalaw, however, with also over 1900 metres of elevation gain to be conquered in those 50km (technically 47km). The cut-off time at the finish is 14 hours after the race start at 6 am sunrise time. Essentially a daytime race, which means participants can fully take in the beauty of the area.

To reach the event venue, one is recommended to fly to Nyaung U Airport, also the gateway to visit the ancient sites of Bagan, known on the tourist trail. But to take all hassle out of the trip to Mount Popa, we recommend to contact the official event travel partner, Hansar Travel. They have packages including 2-night hotel stay at Mount Popa, airport shuttle bus etc. Hansar Travel can be contacted by email on sales@hansartravelmyanmar.com , and is also reachable via Messenger, Viber and Telegram.

It is recommended to book early.

More details and the online registration for the race can be found via the button below.