Race Media

News

08 Nov, 2016

Demanding 50-kilometre course around Shihmen Reservoir

Taiwan’s most challenging trail race, the MSIG Taiwan Action Asia 50, returns for a third year

Demanding 50-kilometre course around Shihmen Reservoir area a testament to the event’s prestigious label as Taiwan’s first official International Skyrunning Federation race

TAOYUAN CITY, TAIWAN, November 8, 2016 – Ridgelines, road, rolling single-track and rope climbs up rock faces await participants of this weekend’s MSIG Taiwan Action Asia 50, arguably the country’s most challenging 50-kilometre trail race. Just before sunrise on Saturday November 12, runners will be flagged off from the picturesque tourist spot Shihmen Reservoir and wind their way through the forest of the Shihmen Mountain area before looping back to the finish at the reservoir parking lot.

The course is breathtaking in every sense: stunning scenery forms the backdrop to the highly technical and demanding route that has earned the event the prestigious honour of being Taiwan’s first officially recognised International Skyrunning Federation race. Though the highest point of the course is only 591 metres elevation, runners will tackle many small steep hills for a total of 3,016 metres elevation gain and 3,049m elevation loss.

Elite runners worldwide have been drawn to this challenge, with Australia’s Vlad Ixel, Kiwi Ruth Croft and Pierre-andre Ferriere of France some of the big names who have participated in the previous two editions of the MSIG Taiwan Action Asia 50.

Taiwan’s Guo Wan-ting, last year’s women’s champion who will return to defend her title this year, relishes the opportunity to compete with international runners on her home turf. “Compared to other races I’ve joined, the most exciting thing about the MSIG Taiwan Action Asia 50 is that I can compete with runners from all over the world and share the beautiful scenery of Shihmen with them,” says Guo. “Running to high altitudes offers a great view of the mountains, which is relaxing and enjoyable. The course is technical and variable, sometimes rocky and sometimes steep. It is quite impressive!”

The final 12km from checkpoint 5 to the finish is the most brutal stage of the course with many sharp climbs and dips. Participants, who have a maximum of 14 hours to complete the race, are advised to put in enough training and start conservatively. Race director Michael Maddess calls the course “a long mind game for the mentally strong”, and much more difficult from a technical standpoint than the MSIG 50 Series in Hong Kong, even though those races reach a higher elevation.

In addition to the 50km race there will also be 13km and 21km courses offered. The 13km will have over 700m total elevation gain and the 21km over 1,000m elevation gain, with both reaching a high of 551m.

Top Taiwanese female runner Chang Kai, second in the women’s 40-49 age-group in the 2014 race, says: “I love the course, especially the steep uphills and descents with some climbing, which adds to the challenge and fun. The section before checkpoint 1 definitely cannot be missed: from there you overlook Xizhou mountain and the top of the Shihmen Reservoir glowing in the rays of the early sun. What fascinating scenery!”

Another top local runner Deng Weifu adds: “The course around Shihmen Reservoir is the reason I participate in the race. The altitude and mountain forest are attractive. I can still recall the feeling of running on the course in the early morning with my path lit by headlamp. It’s amazing to overlook the reservoir in the glory of dawn.”

The MSIG Taiwan Action Asia 50 is the penultimate race of the China Skyrunning Series, which culminates in the Asian Skyrunning Championships – the MSIG Lantau 50 in Hong Kong – on Sunday, December 4, 2016.

The event is possible due to the generous support of presenting sponsor MSIG Mingtai Insurance and supporting partners ActionX Store, HOKA One One, OtterBox, Maxpure, TXG, Outside Magazine, China Skyrunning Association, Chaiin Hotel, Taipei Metro Hash House Harriers, China Hash House Harriers, Don 1 don, Eva Air, ITRA, UTMB Qualifying Race 2016, Taiwan Tourism Bureau and Action Asia Foundation.

###

About MSIG Mingtai Insurance

Founded in 1961, MSIG Mingtai has a 50-year history. The company started out with a paid-up capital of only NT$15 million and premium income of NT$13 million. After years of hard work and customer recognition, the company’s capital was NT$2.5 billion, with a premium income of over NT$10.9 billion as at the end of 2015. As professional non-life insurance company, Mingtai has remained firmly in fourth place in the domestic market. In September of 2005, MSIG Mingtai joined the Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group. In addition to its commitment to serving Taiwan’s domestic market, the MSIG Mingtai of the future will keep in pace with industry globalization and the business strategies of the Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group, extending its diversity of insurance products and attentive services around the globe, providing internationalized insurance services to customers located throughout the world.

About Skyrunning

Since the first extreme races in 1992, the first World Championship in 1998 and the introduction of the Skyrunner World Series in 2003, Skyrunning has grown to become a globally renowned sport governed by the International Skyrunning Federation. The sport is practised in more than 40 nations and counts followers from 126 countries. The Skyrunner National Series were introduced in 2014 and today are held in 18 countries including Taiwan. The concept is based on the same principle as the World Series with a circuit of three disciplines, Sky, Ultra and Vertical, awarding titles and prizes at the finals.

About Action Asia Foundation

Since its inception in 1997 the Action Asia Foundation has promoted the idea that outdoor activities can play a crucial part in fostering an individual’s personal development. Proceeds from Action Asia events help the work of the Foundation. The goals of the foundation include: developing personal development opportunities for young people in Asia through organising outdoor adventure activities; raising the quality of life for disadvantaged young people in Asia by funding health clinics, schools and activity centres; promoting cultural interchange through adventure programmes and events; and developing permanent facilities for youth adventure training. The foundation’s achievements so far include funding a day-care and health facilities in Nepal, and organising kayaking, climbing and other outdoor activities for handicapped and underprivileged youth in Hong Kong.

Race Info

Event Name

	MSIG Taiwan Action Asia 50
Date	Saturday, Nov 12, 2016
Start Time	50km: 5:00am (Sunrise is 6:06am) 21km and 13km: 6: 15am
Start Location	Shihmen Reservoir, Taoyuan City
Distance	13km, 21km, 50km
Category	Trail running