Race Media

Views, high elevation, stiff competition – Bupa Global Lantau 50 Asian Skyrunning Championship

HONG KONG, November 27, 2023 – For the first time in the Action Asia history of over 25 years, Mongolia is sending a team of athletes to participate in the annual Bupa Global Lantau 50 Asian Skyrunning Championship trail race which won’t be easy for some considering the temperature went down this week (Monday) in Ulaanbaatar to a low of -27c compared to Hong Kong’s average of 23c-25c (a difference of around 50c!!!). For the Japanese athletes coming, they will have it a bit better with temperatures around Tokyo averaging 10c.

“Extreme weather between -10 to -20 for my training” said Gantulga Myagmarjav who trains in Uvs province in Western Mongolia.  “I am so happy to compete in the Lantau mountain area of HK representing my country as a Mongolian skyrunner. For me, new and beginning of everything such as new road, new people and first skyrunning competition. As I am young skyrunner, I will compete for my best and would like to see how my result will be among other Asian skyrunning athletes” said Myagmarjav who is entering the 27km Skyrace Men’s category.

Japanese Takako Takamura is no stranger to the mountains or Lantau as in the 2016 Asian Skyrunning Championship in Hong Kong she picked up the gold medal for top Asian female. Again in 2017 and good result in 2022 getting 5th at a World championship event she knows what to expect. “It will be my first time in Hong Kong since the Asian Championships in 2016.  Since it's going be my last overseas race of the year, I want to give it all. I usually train in Tokyo before work. Run on a track or on a treadmill in a low-oxygen room. On my days off, sometimes go climbing the mountains in Nagano. This season, I often participated in races in Japan or overseas on the weekend. Thanks all for the support!” said Takamura who will be focusing her attention on the 27km Skyrace.

In that same 2016 Asian Skyrunning Championship Lantau race it was Nepalese Sunmaya Budha who picked up the gold in the 50k distance and this year she’s switched to the 27k distance at the Bupa Global Lantau 50 with more races on her calendar and a chance possibly to recover faster. “I’m excited to be back again in Hong Kong after break from racing while rehabbing and building my training up again in Nepal. Most importantly I am enjoying my running again. Hope to make Nepal people proud” Budha said with a gleaming face.

Her fellow Nepalese countryman Arjun Rai Kulung is hoping to get the visa go ahead this week and be on the start line for the 27km Skyrace hoping for a joint Nepal win. "This is my first trip to Hong Kong so I'm super excited. I have heard from many Nepalese and others how nice the trails are there and that it’s one of the top trail running locations in Asia. I will do my best at the Asia Skyrunning Championships", said Kulung.

For Omi Ryunosuke, the Japanese has clear intentions after his gold medal at the 2022 World Youth Skyrunning Champions for the combined Vertical/Skyrace categories and silver in the Skyrace category. “I mainly train at Mt. Atago in Kyoto. Intervals, long runs, etc. This will be my first participation in the Asian Skyrunning Championships. It will be my last international race this year so I will do my best to end the year perfectly. My objective is to win the race. Thanks all for the support !” said the young Japanese Takamura who will be one of the favorites in the fast paced 27km Skyrace.

Maynard Encornal will be competing internationally for his first time. “Since this is my first time competing internationally, I try to keep things positive by reminding myself that it's all simply for fun and for an amazing experience” said Encornal flying in from Manila where the temperature is a little warmer than Hong Kong averaging 23-31c. For Philippine teammate runner Trish Reyes it’s a different perspective. “I'll just trust everything I did prior to this race. This is where I'm at, I just have one speed and it's FORWARD. It is what it is” said the positive thinking runner who will be competing in the 51km ultra skymaraton along countryman Encornal.

“Health and wellness are hot topics now as everyone seems to be getting involved in the outdoor fitness arena which is fantastic as remember 20 years ago speaking to many who didn’t understand why people would even hike up a mountain. Thanks to the generous support of our title sponsor Bupa Global, we can bring you an even more exciting and unforgettable experience, with a true challenging journey for many who will finish in the dark on Lantau’s demanding terrain. Hopefully the stunning views along the ridgelines will make all the participants recommend more overseas participants to come visit this stunning city” said Michael Maddess, Director of Action Asia Events.

“A challenge for myself. I almost died during Covid. Very bad as went to the hospital for 15 days in 2021, missed the Lantau 50 race, no vaccine, no medicine, it was bad. Redemption time. Unfinished business as needed to train over 1 yr to get my body to around 80% as still haven’t recovered and joining this again to try and see where my level is after finishing a 15km & 23km race recently, so hoping I can finish the 27km” said Chan Hon Man from Hong Kong who will aim just to finish.

For others like Hong Kong's Karen Cheung Man-yee entered in the 50km it will be a case of running on sore legs after being on the winning 100km women’s team 7 days earlier at Trailwalker. “Yes I believe I’ll recover, but just want to have fun. The same with some of my friends entered as we love this Lantau 50 course and always good organizing and marking so looking forward to seeing many on the start line” said Cheung who is always smiling, but always seems to make her way on to the podium in just about every race she enters.

For Hong Kong's Flora Ching another strong ultra runner in the Women’s category who will switch to the 27km Skyrace will always be someone to watchout for who came 2^nd overall in the previous HK50. “Yes a lot of races these days so changing to the 27km as another race a week later, but always enjoy Lantau as such a nice course with great views, but technical and challenging at the same time” said Ching.

The Bupa Global Lantau 50 provides three distance categories including 16km, 27km Skyrace and 51km Ultra Skymarathon. The 51km course (formally 54km but due to landslide and closed mountain section will be shortened to 51km) will flag off 6:30am from Man Tung Road Park in Tung Chung, Lantau Island, taking runners up to Nei Lek Shan, Ngong Ping, Keung Shan ridge, Shek Pik, Lantau Peak - height 934m, Sunset Peak - height 800m, Pak Mong finishing in Tung Chung challenging even the most experienced runners with over 3,000m of elevation gain, 3,000m of elevation loss with a 12-hour cut-off.

The Bupa Global Lantau 50 Asian Skyrunning Championship is organized by Action Asia Events who has organized close to 300 events in the past 23 years with generous support from Royale International, Action X store, Tiger Balm, Novotel, Watsons Water, DelMonte, UFC Coconut Water, BIX Recovery, Torq, OCA, Fitz, ITRA, Action Asia Sports Academy, St Johns Ambulance.

Race Info

Event Name	Bupa Global Lantau 50 Asian Skyrunning Championship
Date	Dec 2, 2023 (Saturday)
Start Time	6:30 am (51 km), 7:15am (27 km) , 7:15 am (16 km)
Start & FinishLocation	Man Tung Road Park, Tung Chung, Lantau, Hong Kong
Distance	16km, 27km, 51km
Category	Trail Running and Hiking
Website	www.actionasiaevents.com

 

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About Action Asia Events:

Action Asia Events is the organizer of spectacular, extraordinary remote marathons for adventure travel seekers & trail running enthusiasts that inspire and push the boundaries of participants. Having organized over 290 events over the past 23 years Action Asia Events constantly keeps inspiring and pushes the boundaries of adventure travel, ultra-marathon and team building. Responsibilities range from designing courses, selection of the venue, dates and race format to raising the funds essential to run the race as well as liaising with NGO’s and non-profits for fund raising activities related to environment, education and health.