This Saturday trail runners have a unique chance to climb Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines at 2954m above sea level. Race organisers Vertical 2 Sky have managed to get an exception from local authorities to allow runners to enter the Park area, which has been closed for mass tourism following the big El Nino-inspired bush fire from a year ago. The Mount Apo Sky Race is a technical out-and-back trail of 70 km - Grandmaster Quest distance - and the first of two ATM points races on Mindanao Island this season (Ultra Trail Mapawa follows on 29 October). 

As last year's Mapawa and The Punisher events showed, races on Mindanao seem to open a new can of great runners every time. The established names on the current start list should therefore remain on guard. However, spotlights will shine in any case on Aleksis Capili. The Thailand-based Filipino is going for his second Grandmaster star this weekend at the Apo Sky Race. It's almost a year ago since he became the first ever Asia Trail Grandmaster by finishing six ATM races of 70+ kilometres within two years, and now he has reached 10 - provided he crosses the finish line, of course. What is amazing is that Capili's running speed and results have been improving as well in the course of the past twelve months. Even to the extent that Capili is currently sixth in the 2017 ATM points championship and can move firmly into the top 5 this weekend. Arief Wismoyono and Gaspard Dessy are beyond reach, but Capili could split the Malaysian duo of Steven Oong and Yim Heng Fatt. 

Almost a year ago, Aleksis Capili became the first ever ATM Grandmaster in Malaysia

One of the race favourites on paper is certainly Singapore-based Spaniard Pablo Diago Gonzales. Fourth a few weeks ago in the Sungai Menyala Forest Trail in Malaysia, Gonzales can move up to the top 10 in his second ATM race of the season. He is not only a fast-paced runner, he climbs well, too, making him perfectly adapted to the course of the Mt Apo Sky Race. A local runner to watch out for is Rene Amigleo, who was second in The Punisher 50 miles last December. Finally, a quintet of women will also attempt to do the big 70k race this weekend. 

Stay tuned this weekend on our social media channels for updates on the Mt Apo Sky Race! 

The summit of Mt Apo

The Grandmaster Shield featuring 2 stars

The biggest trail race in South Korea was a textbook example of the growth of the sport in that country, yet international runners took the top step on the podium in the main race of 59 km. South African star Ryan Sandes pulled out at the last moment with a hip injury that he sustained in training, and so the trail was open for Japan's top runner Ruy Ueda to deliver an outstanding performance. Ueda completed the hilly and tough course in a blistering 5:41:12. He was in a league of his own finishing nearly 40 minutes ahead of number two. In fact, two more Japanese runners completed the podium with Takeshi Doi overtaking Tomonori Onitsuka in the final stages to claim second place. Shimjae Dok, second last year, had to settle for fourth place. He was 41 minutes off the podium, which indicates just how quick the Japanese ran. Second Korean was Jisoo Kim. Al Telias from Philippines was one of the pre-race favourites, but he did not start. 

The overall level of the women's race also went up a notch as last year's winner Yukari Hoshino had to see Marie McNaughton from New Zealand run away from her after an intense dual between the two. For a long time they were separated by not more than ten minutes, until McNaughton pulled away in the late stages to win by approx 25 minutes still. Sunghee Lee was the best of the local runners in third place - just like 12 months ago. Lee is last year's winner of UT Jeju in October and the female Korean Trail Master, finishing 8th in the 2016 ATM Championship. She had to fight for her podium place last Sunday, as her compatriot Jeong Sun Park was just over five minutes behind. Park, of course, is the winner of last year's ill-fated Ultra Trail Mount Jiri, ran in very wet conditions. 

Importantly, Cheryl Bihag from Philippines finished the Korea 59k race as well, collecting another 188 points in already her fifth points finish of the ATM season! As such, she totals 1638 points and takes over the lead in the current Asia Trail Master points championship from Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid (1500 pts in 3 races). A well-deserved top spot for one of the most popular runners on the Asian circuit. For Cheryl, it will now be about consolidation and increasing her points tally further by doing better than the 188 points of Korea 50k, which by coincidence happens to be her smallest points haul of the season. As per ATM championship regulations, only a runner's best five results are taken into account for the ranking. This year, Cheryl has done Rizal Mountain Run 50, Beach Bunch Trail Challenge 100, Cordillera Mountain Ultra 50, Sungai Menyala Forest Trail 50 and thus Korea 59K. 

MEN TOP 5

1. Ruy Ueda (JPN) 5:41:12
2. Takeshi Doi (JPN) 6:20:54
3. Tomonori Onitsuka (JPN) 6:30:39
4. Shimjae Dok (KOR) 7:11:39
5. Jisoo Kim (KOR) 7:33:55

WOMEN TOP 5:

1. Marie McNaughton (NZL) 7:42:32
2. Yukari Hoshino (JPN) 8:07:18
3. Sunghee Lee (KOR) 8:59:39
4. Jeong-Sun Park (KOR) 9:05:05
5. Bo Yong Jang (KOR) 9:22:23

It may be strange that an ultra trail event is being organised on a Tuesday, but there is a very good reason for that. Tomorrow, 25 April, it is exactly two years ago that Nepal got struck by a massive earthquake  that killed at least 9000 people and injured 22,000. Entire communities in and around capital city Kathmandu were destroyed or at least cut-off from the rest of the world for many days. Ultra Trail Nepal is set up by Som Tamang who lost his own brother in the disaster, and is a non-profit event to help Batase and neighbouring communities with the rebuilding and relieve efforts. You can read about Som's remarkable story in our Talking Trail Running episode from not so long ago. 

UT Nepal is set to stay and determined to become a fixed appointment on the trail running and the Asia Trail Master Championship calendar. This year the longest race covers a respectable 85 km - so all finishers also score a point for the Grandmaster Quest - and is essentially a run from Kathmandu to Batase. 

The race begins in the tourist district of Thamel, in the heart of Kathmandu. It then heads into the Shivapuri Watershed and Wildlife Reserve, and then to Chisopani (2300m) where it joins the main trekking route to Helambu and Langtang. From there it goes downhill to Patybanjyang, where you will experience some great views of the Himalayas. From Patybanjyang you will follow the main Helambu trekking route to Thankuni, from there you will follow the trail to Batase Village.

Kim Matthews

Nepal has many strong trail runners and they will be starting as favourites for the inaugural event. Samir Tamang is well-known on the international circuit and arguably is the man to beat. In the women's, however, Australian Kim Matthews is certainly one of the big favourites. Matthews won the UTKC 70 race in Thailand in February and showed great speed in that race. Another fine result now in Nepal would bring her into the mix for the ATM Championship honours. As she lives in Thailand, she will feature in more ATM races this season, too. 

Korea is no longer a rookie country when it comes to trail running and the proof is this weekend's Korea 50k event in Dongducheon in the outskirts of capital city of Seoul. The 3rd edition again breaks participation records with 1117 officially registered runners! Not all of them are of course going for the hilly 59 k, yet even the main race will see just over 500 starters. And it is not only the quantity that strikes observers, also the quality. Many of northern Asia's established trail runners are present, and they will be facing one of the world's most reputed trail runners in the person of Ryan Sandes of South Africa. It goes without saying he is also the race favourite, but there's plenty of dark horses this weekend.

Korea 50k is thus actually closer to 60k and offers a hilly course mainly inside forests and has no less than 3500 metres of elevation gain. That's tough, and especially something that could be in favour of explosive runner types rather than ultra endurance types. The terrain could therefore be Sandes' biggest rival. At 35, the South African is not the oldest, but neither the youngest anymore. Japan's Ruy Ueda, for instance, is a fan of Korea 50K's topography and has an aggressive running style. Ueda will be an important challenger for Sandes. So will be Ueda's compatriot Tetsuya Osugi - if he recovers in time from illness that struck him this week -, along with Takeshi Doi and Tomonori Onitsuka. The Land of the Rising Sun certainly is well-represented in Korea this year! 

Ruy Ueda and Ryan Sandes: the two leading favourites for Sunday's 59K race

Ruy Ueda

On a start list of 500 there are bound to be other fast runners few people know about, but one name is certainly not unknown: Alison Tellias from the Philippines, third in the Cordillera Mountain Ultra last month, is another podium candidate to say the least. Still, there's another Filippino runner who will be very much in the spotlight this weekend: Cheryl Bihag will be taking part in her fifth ATM points race of the season already, and is set to overtake Tahira Najmunisaa in the 2017 Championship points ranking! Currently ranked second with just 50 points less than the Malaysian - who has done three races so far - Bihag will be the first runner to score points in five races, which means that as of the next race she can begin to try and eliminate her worst points result (11th in Cordillera Mountain Ultra, i.e. 300 points). Always smiling and in a good mood, Bihag has traveled across Asia in recent months and her consistent results in races will now give her a truly well-deserved place in the spotlight for some time. 

In all fairness, winning Korea 50K will be an uphill task for Bihag this weekend. For the race victory, local runners such as Sunghee Lee and Gyesook Lee seem to be a good bet. But also in the women's race, Japanese runners will join the debate for sure. 

As always, you can follow the action of Korea 50K live via our social media channels. The race is set to commence at 5 a.m. local time. 

At the end of Q2 in this year's Asia Trail Master Championship series we find an odd-one out, if one could say so, on the race calendar. The Altai Ultra Trail is certainly the most remote event of all, but that should not deter anyone. In fact, the Altai Ultra Trail is a popular race in Siberian Russia and the area where it takes place is quite simply breathtaking. Being one with nature is no exaggeration when out there! Moreover, the event is held over several days and offers various race distances and even a three-day-duo team race. The organiser and race director knows the Altai area like the back of his hand. Pavel Rozanov grew up in the closest city Novosibirsk and is a mountaineering fiend. Via the Altai Ultra Trail, which he set up last year (it was an ATM Candidate Race, too) Pavel wishes to show his native region to the world. A great opportunity to get to know Pavel Rozanov a bit better, and we were happy to talk trail running with him! If you are keen on joining him and his team, check out our cover page of the Altai Ultra Trail event, which has links to the registration module on the event's own website. Please note that registrations are ending next week. 

By Kris Van de Velde

Q:Where were you born and did you grow up ?

PR: I was born and grew up in Novosibirsk (unofficially dubbed "the capital city of Siberia”); after graduation from the University I moved to Moscow and lived there for 15 years until finally returning to Novosibirsk 3 years ago.

Q: What created your interest in running and trail running in particular?
My interest in trail running stems from my continuous mountaineering activity in the past which gradually transformed into this just as mountain-involving but a less risky activity.

Q: Are you a runner yourself? What's been some of your greatest performances? 
Yes, I do practice trail running with great inspiration but for myself I prefer individual self-supported treks (as opposed to organized races).

Q: What do you do for a living?
I am a manager of architectural design projects.

Q:The Altai Ultra Trail attracts a lot of attention. How would you describe the event in a nutshell?
The Altai Ultra-Trail is a wild demanding race in a WILDLY beautiful environment.

Q: Should non-Russian speakers be worried about making the long trip to Altai?
While the trip is long there is nothing to worry about because once you take our shuttle bus in the Novosibirsk airport (or in downtown Novosibirsk) all you really have to take care of is taking pictures, and that is especially true about the second part of the journey (the Chuysky Trakt) which was named one of the most amazing and scenic roads in the world by the National Geographic magazine. And when you reach the start area our English-speaking volunteers will help you with all the arrangements so I'm sure the language problems are overestimated. A lot of foreign tourists and mountaineers visit this region of Altai every season, so the staff of the local hotels/base camps is used to dealing with foreigners.

The shuttle bus from Novosibirsk to the starting point of the race and back  is on request, runners need to fill in an application form when registering for the race. Estimated dates are 27/06, 28/06, 29/06, with departure at 21:00-22:00 from the city center. Total travel time is approximately 14-15 hours. Other options available upon request. 

Q: Being in such a remote place, how do you handle runner's security?
The race takes place on the territory of the Belukha Nature Park. While it's a remote place it is also a touristic spot so it's in everyone’s interest to ensure safety there. In addition, the organizers arrange insurance policy for every runner so a helicopter evacuation will be organized in case of heavy injury during the race.

Q: What's the highest altitude runners reach during the Altai Ultra Trail?
The highest altitude runners reach is 3060 meters, two spots at the 105th and 155th km of the race. For the 50 km race the highest point is approx 2600 meters.

What is your ambition for this event? 
Of course we would like to see our race among the worthiest races of the Ultra-trail World Tour... But speaking more realistically, the aim is to engage more and more strong trail runners.

Q: Can you say a bit more about the area in which the event takes place?
The race takes place on the territory of the Belukha Nature Park. It is part of the World Heritage Site dubbed The Golden Mountains of Altai. The region represents an important and original centre of biodiversity of mountain plant and animal species in northern Asia, a number of which are rare and endemic. Mt. Belukha is not only the highest point of all Siberia, it's also a sacred mountain for native Altai people.

Q: Talking about trekking, how tough is the climb on Mt Belukha? 
It’s not very tough, meaning that anyone in good physical condition could climb Mt. Belukha. At 4509 m it is the highest Siberian mountain. It's worth to keep in mind though that it takes at least 3 days from the base camp, provided the weather is good.

Q: Is trail running popular in Siberian Russia?
Trail running is becoming more and more popular following the trend in the rest of the world, I suppose. Some years ago nobody knew about trail running but now a lot of people practice trail running and still more are interested in giving it a shot.

Q: What is the connection between Altai Ultra Trail, and another ATM points race, the Tengri Ultra Trail in Kazakhstan? 
We collaborate and promote each other; and as a bonus, winners of one race can participate in the other without an entry fee.

Q: Is it easy for Russian runners to travel abroad to other trail races in the Asia Trail Master championship series?
No, it’s not easy because they are in remote locations, especially for runners from the European part of Russia. Also, the trail races of the Asia Trail Master series unfortunately are less known than the European trail races so that runners would rather go to Europe to run there than going to Asia.

Q: How do you see the future development of trail running in Russia?
One can only hope that the quantity of both races and trail runners will one day turn into quality :)

Q: Many athletics federations in Asia do not recognise trail running as a genuine discipline. How's that in Russia?
We had the same problem here in Russia, however this year the situation has started to change. The Russian Athletics Federation established a trail running committee which now cooperates with Russian Trail Running Association in order to specify trail running as a genuine discipline.

Q: Should trail running become recognised as an olympic sport?
 I don’t think it`s possible, or necessary for that matter. So much depends on the weather or a specific terrain where the race is held… there are just too many variables.

Q: What is your favourite piece of running music?
Actually, I enjoy the sounds of nature; my running music is singing of birds, whispering rustling of leaves and soft patter of rain.

The Singha Ultra Trail Chiang Rai in northern Thailand is selling out fast! The event, scheduled for 21/22 October, has two race distances for ATM championship points: 122km (5400 hm) and 66 km (2800hm). The longest distance is also valid for the Grandmaster Quest.

This new entry in the Asia Trail Master Championship series is brought to you by the same team that delivered UTKC earlier this year and UT Panoramic in December. The events are highly popular in Thailand, so better sign up quickly before it is too late. The 122 km race is hilly to mountainous but 40 hours of cut-off should allow appropriately prepared runners to complete the entire course. The highest peak sits at 1486m above sea level, which is not extremely high, but note that this climb in the middle of the race implies an elevation gain of nearly 1000m! 

More on the UT Chiang Rai event via our cover page. Registration works via Teelakow website itself. 

2017 Asia Trail Master Championship - Updated Rankings now show Arief Wismoyono (INA) and Tahira Najmunisaa Muhammad Zaid (MAS) in the lead after 9 points races. Many runners have already completed more than one race, remember at the end of the year it's only the best five results that count. Anything can happen! The next points race is Korea 50K, followed by UT Nepal!

2017 ATM CHAMPIONSHIP
MEN:
1. Arief Wismoyono (INA) 1350 pts
2. Gaspard Dessy (BEL) 1250
3. Yim Heng Fatt (MAS) 1145
4. Steven Soonseng Ong (MAS) 1025
5. Manolito Divina (PHI) 1000
6. Yohanis Hiareij (INA)
Aleksis Capili (PHI) 730
8. Hendra Siswanto (INA) 640
9. Aris Supiandi Muklis (INA) 620
10.Jeshryl De La Cruz Aranzaso (PHI) 600
11.Wataru Iino (JPN) 550
12.Mahdi Manshuri (INA) 540
13.Julian Baker (CAN)
Zack Reimer (CAN) 520
15.Abang Jamadi Rosli (MAS) 506
16.Abdoullah Mitiche (ALG) 
Sefli Ahar (BRU)
Arnold Lozano (PHI)
Liang Jin (CHN) 500
20. Frans Sibarani (INA) 476
21. Cao Ngoc Ha (VIE) 475
22. Jules Freund (FRA) 459
23. Isaac Yuen Wan Ho (HKG) 450
Marcelino Sano-Oy (PHI)
Ari Masrudi (INA)
Kristian Joergensen (DEN)
Nikom Tonjai (THA)
Ismail MD Norrisman (BRU)

WOMEN:
1. Tahira Najmunisaa (MAS) 1500
2. Cheryl Bihag (PHI) 1450
3. Ruth Theresia (INA)
Sandi Menchi (PHI) 1000
5. Jassica Lintanga (MAS) 900
6. Siawhua Lim (MAS) 850
7. Adelinah Lintanga (MAS)
Lily Suryani (INA) 820
9. Patricia Ann Morota (PHI) 
Mila Marlina (INA) 790
11.Kim Matthews (AUS) 520
12.Joanna Kruk (AUS)
Diorella De La Cruz Cerujano (PHI) 500
14.Monta Sontornwit (THA) 470
15.Divine McBride (USA)
Ninie Hauschildt (INA)
Gretchen Felipe (PHI) 450
18.Terada Kazue (JPN) 440
19. Jeri Chua (SIN) 
Majo Liao (PHI)
Sakuna Usanawasin (THA)
Shindy Patricia (INA) 425

Full Rankings are available on:
http://m.racetimingsolutions.com/rankings

** Please report to info@asiatrailmaster.com if any points are not appropriately allocated **

Philippines' Asia Trail Master champion Manolito Divina was again a class on his own in Port Dickson, Malaysia, as he beat a strong field over 50km in the Sungai Menyala Forest Trail. Divina took command early on as his pace on the fast course was too high for the competition. He finished the race, which did have a number of technical sections, in 4h27'30". It's Divina's second ATM win of the season after Rizal Mountain Run, and with 1000 points in the bag again features up front in the provisional championship ranking.

A few runners have already finished more races than him this year. Indonesia's Arief Wismoyono has actually regained the points lead thanks to his third place in Sungai Menyala. The Bandung Explorer ace, 2015 ATM champion, has clearly returned to his best form this year.  He had to succumb to local runner Steven Oong, joint winner of UTKC last February, for second place, but never really lost ground and kept a high running pace. In fourth was Spain's Pablo Diago Gonzales. He'll be one to watch in the coming months, too. Pablo has only just resumed training, and will be one of the race favourites at the upcoming Mt Apo Sky Race in Davao at the end of this month. Indonesia-based Malaysian Eric Chooi was an excellent fifth ahead of compatriot Yim Heng Fatt, who moves up to third place in the ATM championship ranking.

The women's race was dominated by another Filipino star, the 28-year-old Sandi Menchi. In the absence of ATM champion Tahira Najmunisaa, Menchi had no match in Malaysia and even finished the race fourth overall - ahead of Pablo Diago Gonzales! With two race victories in the bag already this year, she is becoming hot for the championship title. Tahira, of course, already has three race victories in the bag this year and could afford to pull out. The Malaysian star won a 30k road race on Saturday, but sustained a mild injury in doing so and preferred not to take chances. The season is still long. 

Second place went to her teammate at Team Malatra, Sabah's Jessica Lintanga, who actually delivered a strong and balanced performance to edge out Singapore's running star Jeri Chua at the end of the race. Lintanga saw Chua pulling away from her early on in the race, but came back and proved that she as well is getting stronger and more confident race by race. Her sister Adelinah Lintanga took fourth place. 

Sungai Menyala was a fast race, yet more than tough enough due to the heat and a number of technical and swampy sections. Confirmed for 2018, this is a great event for quick legs and weekend trippers. Port Dickson has easy access to both KL and Sepang Airport, and the organisation committee has announced that in 2018 there will be a new big loop of 50k. 

On our facebook you can watch photos and video footage of the winner's arrival, as well as interviews with some of the protagonists (including Tahira on her DNS decision). 

The next points race is Korea 50k on 23 April, followed by UT Nepal two days later. 

The outstanding Sandi Menchi

Steven Oong did excellent in scoring 2nd

Pablo (left) and Arief (right): 4th and 3rd.

Jessica Lintanga claimed second spot ahead of Jeri Chua

We are happy to announce our latest new entry in the 2017 and 2018 Asia Trail Master Championship series: the Vietnam Jungle Marathon! The event will be held on 27/28 May and features a 70 km as main distance that offers points for the ATM championship and for the Grandmaster Quest. It is the third event in Vietnam on our calendar, which proves the growth of trail running now also in this exciting South-East Asian country. 

The Vietnam Jungle Marathon is organised by Topas Travel and the same crew who bring you the reputed Vietnam Mountain Marathon in September. The registration is already open and for this year's edition it is better not to wait too long anymore to ensure you get in. The venue is called Pu Luong Nature Reserve near Mai Chau, a well-known place on the Vietnamese backpacker and travellers trail. It is approximately 140 km southwest of capital city Hanoi. 

The 70 km course is considered very demanding with several climbs and descents for a total elevation gain of 3100 hm. After the start, runners will immediately tackle the longest climb to Bo Dieu village at just over 900m above sea level. The finish follows a lengthy descent. On the way you will cross impressive valleys and pass through local villages. 

Find out everything about the event via the website, or get a quick view via our cover page on the ATM website. 

Cover page of the VJM

After a short break, this weekend the 2017 Asia Trail Master Championship series enters the second quarter with two points races in Peninsular Malaysia and in Central China (UT Xinxian 100 in Henan Province). The Sungai Menyala Forest Trail arguably attracts most attention giving its stellar line-up including both current Asia Trail Master champions. Manolito Divina (PHI) and Tahira Najmunisaa (MAS) will  not have an easy walk in the forest on Sunday as the competition on paper is tough. 2015 ATM champion and new Grandmaster Arief Wismoyono is traveling to Port Dickson for the 50K race, and appears set to regain the lead from Gaspard Dessy in the current ATM points standings. Tahira will be facing the talented Sandi Menchi from Baguio in the Philippines, recent winner of the Cordillera Mountain UItra. The Sungai Menyala Forest Trail is pure trail running, but with little elevation gain on the 50k course it is a race suited for fast legs. Race director Razif Yahya, himself a very experienced international trail runner and technical organiser, sees a bright future for his latest event, which caters for runners of all levels.

The four race favourites for Sunday

It will be the third ATM race for both Manolito Divina and Arief Wismoyono this season. Both scored race wins: Manolito in the Rizal Mountain Run and Arief in Coast To Coast Night Trail Ultra. While the Filipino ace had an unfortunate DNF at Tahura Trail in the season's opener, the Bandung Explorer leader also scored a fourth place there. On Sunday he needs 350 points - equivalent to a 6th place - to overtake Gaspard Dessy in the ATM championship ranking. Strictly in theory, there is a third participant in the Sungai Menyala Forest Trail who can claim the top ranking spot: Malaysia's Yim Heng Fatt went very well in Thailand and Brunei and is 455 points behind Dessy at the moment in third place. That implies he needs a win and a DNF of Wismoyono, though. 

Another Malaysian to watch out for is Steven Soonseng Ong - joint winner of the UT Unseen Koh Chang SuperTrail in Thailand last February and currently 9th in the ranking. In Thailand, Ong ran a tactically very clever race to come out on top. Can he do it also on a shorter and less technical course? 

Tahira Najmunisaa is already lining up for her fourth ATM points race of the year. Unbeaten in 8 ATM races, she is the record holder as well in terms of ATM race wins. Particularly in Tahura Trail and UTKC, the Malaysian running icon was again blisteringly fresh and quick. Still young herself, she will be determined to extend her string of race victories even more against upcoming young talent Sandi Menchi. The Filipino actually beat Tahira on a climbing course in Sabah last year, but Sungai Menyala is different. Other top female runners at the start will be Gretchen Felipe, the Lintanga sisters, Cheryl Bihag and Jeri Chua. 

As usual, you can follow the action live via our social media channels all weekend. The race itself starts at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. 

..or will runners such as Steven Oong upset the established champions?

One of the protagonists this weekend in the inaugural Sungai Menyala Forest Trail in Port Dickson, Malaysia, is the young and talented Filippino runner Sandi Menchi. While not exactly a new face in the Asian running world, Sandi has recently been moving up to longer distance endurance racing. With success: she won the Clark-Miyamit Falls Ultra last November, and a few weeks ago she crossed the finish line of the Cordillera Mountain Ultra together with Grandmaster Jan Nilsen! Sungai Menyala is a fast and different type of trail race, but Sandi will be a major challenger for unbeaten Asia Trail Master champion Tahira Najmunisaa on Sunday. In fact, Sandi has had the better of Tahira already in a climbing race on Sabah last year. Sandi, however, remains modest and highly respectful: " I honestly never expect to "defeat" others, cos i know that everyone has their own pains, weaknesses and past injuries, including myself. I always aim to beat myself, not others."

Sandi Menchi was born and raised in Baguio City, a famous place for adventurous travellers, trekkers and recently trail runners. Baguio is the gateway to the Cordillera Mountains and the perfect playground for any aspiring trail runner. "I was always an active or even hyperactive child, and my first race was when i was 15. I've been running since then," says the new star. "Actually, as of 2013 I wanted to explore and experience other sports so i tried triathlons and duathlons as well, and am still doing those now."

Day-to-day, she teaches tutorials to kids with special needs. She has also begun to organise and direct her own races in her local area. Sports is in Sandi's DNA, and her training plan also reflects that: "·  I try to make sure that every week i get to do speed endurance, cardio endurance, hill reps, stairs, running drills, stretching drills and a swim,  but I don't always get to follow it because of unpredictable circumstances at times :-). Previously, I was advised by my track-and-field coach to do things step by step, so I made sure to take care of myself and slowly increase the distance in the races i joined/am joining ". In the mean time, Sandi Menchi has a personal best time on the road marathon of 3:03. 

Running and trail running have become popular leisure activities in the Philippines, as in the rest of Asia. Sandi acknowledges: "I remember in the summer of 2014 when i joined a race and there were less than 20 participants.  Since then I've noticed that more and more people join trail races,  so it's good that we all somehow find peace in exercise. Yet,  i think that there's still a lot of room for improvement. Definitely, I hope trail running can become an Olympic sport one day!"

She considers Killian Jornet, Anna Frost and Sage Kennedy as very inspiring, and UTMB probably as the main ambition of her trail running career. "But ultimately, my goal is to inspire others to love the trails and mountains as i do," she emphasizes. 

After winning the Cordillera Mountain Ultra, and another great result expected in Port Dickson this Sunday, Sandi Menchi seems on track to be one of the leading contenders for the women's Asia Trail Master championship this year, following in the footsteps of her compatriot and male champion Manolito Divina. "The ATM championship would be a great achievement, but it is long way to go and I don't exactly have the rest of the year planned out yet.  Let's see!"

-KVDV

One of the new names on the Malaysian trail running scene is Huzairi Shah Mohd Hussin. A member of Razif Yahya's Team Malatra, Huzairi Shah was 11th in the 2016 ATM Championship and is a young runner with a clear focus on the Asia Trail Grandmaster Quest. So far, he has managed to finish three races already, all of them last season: the Magnificent Merapoh Trail 100, MesaStila 5 Peaks Challenge 100 and Clark-Miyamit Falls Ultra 50 miles. Last February, an upset stomach forced him to retire at the UTKC race in Thailand, but Huzairi is not discouraged. Via this weekend's Sungai Menyala Forest Trail - a home race for Team Malatra - he returns to action to prepare for the continuation of his Grandmaster Quest later this season. Mind you, a tenth place in last year's Merapoh Trail also indicates Huzairi is fast on his day.  Let's get to know Huzairi Shah Mohd Hussin a bit more, and find out what his ambitions are for Sunday's Sungai Menyala race. 

By K. Van de Velde

ATM: Where were you born and did you grow up?

HS: I was born in Lumut, Perak and I spent most of my childhood at Kampung Koh, a very small town in Sitiawan, Perak. I was raised as a normal child and not active in sports until I started running that changed my lifestyle almost entirely.

Was running something you have always done, or is it a recent hobby?

I started running during my university life. I still remember it was in 2011 when I joined my friend for the first time. We jog together round the college, and after that I just fall in love with running. I started to run seriously and sign up for running events. My first event was the Standard Chartered 5KM Fun Run 2011. During early time, I always train with a motivation to finish a marathon. My dreams came true when I crossed the Finishing Line at Penang Bridge International Marathon 2014.

What do you do for a living?

I work full time as a Quality Control Engineer for TC Subaru Sdn Bhd.

How do you combine that with endurance sports like running?

My training time is very limited. Mostly I will train after office hours. And I am very lucky to have my own running family here in Malaysia, such as Kyserun Krew, Shah Alam Running Club and Mont Kiara Running Club. I spent most of my time to train with them. Also, I will go the gym to join RPM class and on weekends, I will go for trail running.

What does your training plan look like?

I don't have a specific training program. My weekly mileage usually averages around 60-70km per week. And I believe, training program is very different for each person and how you approach it. But I suggest that you do cross training to minimize the risks of injury plus it is one of the way to kill running boredom.

What is your ambition as a trail runner?

I have a big dreams to finish UTMF for now. Well I believe most of us holds the same dream like me. At the same time I want to bring our Malaysia flag higher, and I am proud to carry it running around Asia under the Asia Trail Master Series.

Do you have any sports idols, athletes you look up to?

My idols have always been Kilian Jornet and Haile Gebrselassie. Both of them are very humble in person and successful in their own running careers. I love to watch their videos on Youtube, and it gives me such inspiration when I feel down.

When did you discover your talent as a runner?

I enjoy running and cycling, but due to budget constraints, I have to focus on one sport, and I picked running. To be honest, I don't know if I have the talent to run, but I can say I really enjoy running.

Do you pay attention to your food before a race? Are there any special products you take in preparation for your race?

A week before a race, I will take care of my hydration level. I will drink a lot of mineral water and coconut water. For carbs intake, I will do carbo loading around 3 days before race. It’s just that I still have problems with food intake during long races.

What is your best time on the road marathon?

I completed my first and the only full Marathon at Penang Bridge International Marathon 2014 with a timing of 5:53:53. Up until now, that was my Personal Best for road marathon.

In Thailand you mentioned that the Grandmaster Quest is one of your goals. How has it been going so far for you?

Yes. It is my dream to become an Asia Trail Grandmaster. For now, I have collected 3 points, and I have another 3 points to go. I hope I can achieve it soon.

What does your schedule look like to achieve that first star on the Grandmaster Quest?

I am eyeing to participate in The Magnificent Merapoh Trail, Mesastila Peaks Challenge in Indonesia, and CM50 in Philippines. The latter is the same event I entered last year. I will go back because l really enjoyed running there. It’s a very challenging course but that’s what makes it more fun.

What is your favourite type of trail race?

I prefer mountain races as my favourite part is climbing uphill. But always I love trail, it’s just that my strength is climbing.

You are part of Team Malatra, how's that been going for you?

I would like to say thanks to Mr Razif Yahya, our team manager for giving me the opportunity to be part of the team. Team Malatra is created with an objective to develop and polish young potential trail runners in Malaysia. He always encourage us to fully explore our potential and provide us with the supports needed. It’s almost four months with them, and I can say that it’s a good team and we are like a family member.

How do you see the future development of trail running in Malaysia?

I am so happy to see the development of trail running here. With so many events organized and yet they receive quite a big number of participants, I can say trail running in Malaysia is getting exciting. With more people to join trail running, and ultra-trail running gets into attention now, I just love the atmosphere when most of us trail runners gathered together in a race.

Many athletics federations in Asia do not recognize trail running as a genuine discipline. Is this holding the sport back?

I don’t think so. I believe this sport has their own fans and getting attention with world class trail events being held every year involving many elites around the world.

Should trail running become recognized as an Olympic sport?

Yes, why not? I am very excited to see elite trail runners from all around the world gather under one roof to compete for Olympic's gold medal. But of course it will take a lot of time and effort for the sport to be recognized and I believe we are on the right track to achieve that.

What do you expect of this weekend's Sungai Menyala race?

It is surely an exciting race as many elites are coming here. It is a fast course and I am pretty sure that many runners will clock fast time, but please don't forget about the heat. It is very challenging to run under the scorching hot sun. Well for me, I am looking forward to enjoy myself running the beautiful course and meeting my friends here in Sungai Menyala. For those who missed the registration this year, you are more than welcome to join us next year.

What is your favourite piece of running music?

I love to listen to Gemuruh, sang by Faizal Tahir. The lyrics are so meaningful that it motivates me to outshine myself in everything I do.

Razif Yahya (left) and Huzairi Shah (right)