Taiping: More than 2,700 runners from 63 countries have registered for the Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB, with over 1,000 international participants expected for the event's third edition in Taiping from September 10 to 13.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, based at Dataran Warisan Taiping, Perak, the event is the only UTMB World Series event in Malaysia and is part of the 2026 UTMB World Series, which includes 64 events across 23 countries. Race director Ewegene Tan noted that the international participation highlights the event's growth since its inception as the Malaysian Mountain Trail Festival in 2018, before its transition to a UTMB World Series event in 2024.
'We wanted to bring an international event to Malaysia that could connect our runners with the rest of the trail-running world while showcasing what Taiping and Malaysia have to offer,' Tan stated. The event features five categories-MY100, MY50, MY25, MY13, and MYKIDS-catering to runners of different ages and abilities.
The MY100 category covers 97.7 kilometers with 4,802 meters of elevation gain through technical and non-technical tropical rainforest trails, including the Virgin Jungle Reserves surrounding Maxwell Hill. Meanwhile, the MY50 covers 54.5 kilometers with 1,977 meters of elevation gain. The MY25 spans 25.9 kilometers with 1,012 meters of climbing and includes two river crossings. The MY13, known as the 'Freshman Run,' is designed for those new to trail running, while MYKIDS introduces younger participants to the sport.
For Malaysian runners, the event also offers a pathway to the UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix, France, without requiring them to race overseas first. The top three men and women in the MY100 will earn direct entry to the 2027 CCC (Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix), the 100K category at the finals, while the top three men and women in the MY50 will secure direct entry to the OCC (Orsi¨res-Champex-Chamonix), the 50K category. MY100, MY50, and MY25 finishers will receive three, two, and one Running Stones respectively.
This year's MY100 international field includes competitors such as Nepal's Arjun Rai, China's Zhaoying Lu, Japan's Yutaro Yokouchi and Mika Taniguchi, and Hong Kong's So Kit Ying. The MY50 field features China's Erqing Wu and Yue Cui, Malaysia's Lim Jia Jen, France's Evan Bordeau, Britain's Catherine Hicks, Hong Kong's Ho Ting Yu, and Taiwan's Chen Yi Ling. Adaptive athletes, including one-legged Philippine runner Renson Embradura in the MY25 and deaf Indonesian runner Yuni Warzuqni, are also expected to participate.