Borneo TMBT postponed and becomes 2020 ATM Final
Sometimes bad news also comes with a silver lining. The organisation of the classic Borneo TMBT Ultra in Sabah, Malaysia, is compelled to postpone its event from end-August to mid-December as a result of the ongoing corona pandemic. However, as such it suddenly became possible to turn the ‘Malaysia SuperTrail’ label into the ‘2020 ATM Final label’ and it did not take long before both parties agreed. Borneo TMBT Ultra will close the curtain on this difficult Asia Trail Master Championship season on 19/20 December.
The ATM Final has become a significantly mediatised attraction in recent years and got scaled up another notch last December with the impressively executed Malaysia Mountain Trail Festival in Taiping. It has developed in a real social sports festivity after a full year of battles between the elites, and the many individual achievements on the Grandmaster Quest. Prior to this week, our core team had been planning and discussing for months to get the 19/20 December calendar slot filled. The original plan fell apart in March as a direct consequence of the corona crisis, and two alternatives were also unable to provide guarantees - that is guarantees for having the necessary time to prepare and build up the event. In contrast, Borneo TMBT Ultra offers few surprises on that front. The event will celebrate its tenth anniversary already and is generally acknowledged as a true classic of Asian trail running. We are confident that TMBT is the right choice for this year’s ATM Final and we are highly appreciative of the enthusiasm the TMBT team showed to assume this title. More specific details on what this implies for the runners will be communicated in due course. What is for sure is that only the 100K race will be relevant for those elites fighting for the Championship title.
Given the now several race cancellations on our calendar, we are also looking into the best manner to proceed with the ATM Championship and the Grandmaster Quest in the latter part of the season. We will communicate on this before the end of May.
In conclusion, please read the official statement from the event management of Borneo TMBT Ultra on the postponement of the event to December and the implications for those who have registered already.
POSTPONEMENT OF TMBT 2020
It is with great regret that Borneo Ultra Trails has to announce the postponement of the TMBT Ultra-Trail Marathon which was scheduled for 29th and 30th August, 2020.
There are some positive signs of the COVID-19 pandemic being contained and restrictions are gradually being eased in many countries, but whilst we would like to be optimistic, we consider it unlikely that the TMBT can be organised and run in a format that pays tribute to the 10th anniversary of the event, by end of August without undue risks. The primary concern of Borneo Ultra Trails as the organisers, is for the safety of the participants, staff and volunteers as well as the communities we pass through. Running an event with a large international contingent, under the current circumstances, is not in line with this. Rather than cancelling the TMBT 2020, it has been decided to tentatively postpone it till 19th and 20th December 2020.
In addition to the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the event, we are pleased to announce collaboration with Asia Trail Master (ATM) with the intention to have the TMBT as the ATM Championship Final for 2020.
The world is only just starting to define “life after lockdown”, and we cannot predict how this will develop over the next few months and whether it will be even feasible to organise and run the TMBT safely at year end. We can work on ways to reduce risks, which may affect the race format, but ultimately the race can only be organised and run as planned in December if it is deemed safe. If the race can be carried out within the regulatory framework at that time, it will be run if it has the support of the local communities and it can be organised and run in a format suitable for the event.
For those who have already signed up for the event, we apologize for any disappointment of not being able to go ahead with the race in August, but hope you will understand and join us in hoping the race can be organised successfully in December. Runners who have already signed up/registered for the TMBT in August 2020 will have their entries and registrations automatically transferred to the TMBT scheduled for 19th and 20th December 2020. Should runners who have already registered prefer a refund instead at this stage, please email info@borneoultra.com with all details.
If the eventuality should arise that it becomes necessary to cancel the event in December 2020, those who preferred to maintain their current registration for the new dates for TMBT in December 2020 and those who register henceforth for the event, will be offered the following choices:
1. A full refund of the registration fee or
2. A transfer of the registration to the Borneo Ultra-Trail Marathon (BUTM) or the TMBT in 2021.
With the best wishes for happy trail running and please do stay safe.
Borneo Ultra Trails
Last year local hero Milton Amat won an incredible race against the inevitable Hisashi Kitamura
We had a surprising Chinese winner on the women’s 100K last year, as Wen Danju from Guangzhou overtook race favourite Asuka Nakajima in the final kilometres