Asia Trail Master

GRANDMASTER ALERT - For the first time in ATM’s history since 2015 we are happy to announce a new female Grandmaster from India! Ashwini Bhat completed the first level of her Grandmaster Quest at last week’s Merapoh Rainforest Trail in Malaysia. She did it in great style: with the 100 miles race, in which she even scored second on the podium! Ashwini learnt about Asia Trail Master through Malnad Ultra and decided two years ago to embark on the Grandmaster journey, hoping to inspire more women in India to pick up the sport and start running. She began in Malaysia as well, incidentally, with the Silabur Ultra Trail 100 in Sarawak in 2024, just under two years ago. Ashwini continued with Bali Trail Running 100 in Indonesia, before tackling the renowned 100 Miler of Deep Japan Ultra in Niigata last year. Next up was Borneo TMBT Ultra 109 in Sabah, Malaysia, before Vietnam Trail Marathon 70 in Moc Chau last January, the shortest of her six long ultras. The aforementioned Merapoh Rainforest Trail concluded the journey to her first Grandmaster star. To note, of course, that Ashwini ran all her races outside of her home country. Let’s have a big round of applause for new ATM Grandmaster from India, Ashwini Bhat!

Jumla Rara Ultra: a few snapshots from the Chuchhemara Pass!

Jumla Rara 54 Update: race winners this year are Dhir Bahadur Budha and Kalpana Budha!

Both reached the summit of the Chuchhemara Pass already in the lead before going down to the finish by the Rara Lake. For Kalpana Budha is her second consecutive win at JRU, she preceeded MTR 50 winner Sunsari Rokaya, Sandipa Budha and Rajya Laxmi Rawal.

//The top 3 in the men's race at the moment are Dhir Bahadur Budha, always a victory and podium contender, Som Bahadur Rawat and MTR 50 race winner Gopal Tamang.

In the women's race, last year's winner Kalpana Budha, 18, is leading with MTR 50 race winner Sunsari Rokaya.

JUMLA RARA ULTRA - Moments before the 54 km long main race start, several of the favourites have arrived in the arena in Jumla. Sunsari Rokaya, Nirmala Rai, Ang Furba Sherpa included!

The ATM Qualifier with the highest altitude and in the most remote location of the season: Jumla Rara Ultra in the far west of Nepal is on again this weekend with a strong start list featuring many of the country’s biggest names in trail running. Those who ran Manjushree Trail Race last month can at least already fulfill the minimum requirement of two ATM race finishes during the season to qualify for our Championship Finals in October. And indeed, even the MTR 100 Miles winners Arjun Rai Kulung and Ang Furba Sherpa are scheduled to race between Jumla and Rara this weekend, alongside other favourites such as Gopal Tamang, Dhira Bahadur Budha, Homlal Shehstra, Chandra Rawat, Nirmala Rai, Kalpana Budha, Rajya Laxmi Rawal and MTR 50 sensation Sunsari Rokaya.

The race takes runners from Jumla to Rara across high mountain passes that lead to over 4000 metres above sea level. The finish after 54 tough kilometres is at the majestic Rara lake.

Last year, the race was won by Dhal Bahadur Budha and Kalpana Budha.

https://www.asiatrailmaster.com/news/2026/5/9/top-nepali-runners-present-at-jumla-rara-ultra

GRANDMASTER ALERT - Today we have the pleasure to announce Julius “Yoyong” Suarez as a new ATM Grandmaster. The Filipino trail runner completed the first level of his Grandmaster Quest at last weekend’s Silabur Ultra Trail 100 in Sarawak, Malaysia. He had started his Grandmaster campaign at Santa Cruz Trail Ultra 70 in September 2024. Julius followed up with Malico Grand Ultra 75 in Luzon before a trio of Budkinon races: Mt Kalatungan Ultra 85, Point Trail Ultra 70 and MUSPO 100. For his mandatory
international entry he picked the aforementioned Silabur 100. Quite an original series of long ultras, let’s have a big round of applause for new ATM Grandmaster Julius “Yoyong” Suarez!

Meanwhile a traditional event in the ATM series, Silabur Ultra Trail in Sarawak, Malaysia, featured on our Grandmaster Quest calendar last weekend. The 100 km race attracted a lot of runners from several countries, many with the objective of scoring another Grandmaster point. A large group of 30 runners from Davao in Mindanao, Philippines, even made the trip over to Borneo Island. Quite a few chose Silabur as their mandatory international event, necessary to complete each level of the Grandmaster Quest. And a few also became an official ATM Grandmaster, as separate announcements show on our socials.

The 100 km race in itself saw two runners reaching the finish line together as ‘winners’: Azmil Saripudin and Azman Salama did the course in a time of 14h29. Silabur is not known for its elevation, but the heat of day is slowing a lot of people down. The passage through the famous cave complex always comes as a welcome and cooling relief. I Hsaing Huang was third on the podium just five minutes later.

Joyce Yong Hie Ying was quickest woman last weekend in a time of 18h32. Eight minutes faster than Ana Fe Gamo. Noor Hafizah Zubaidi took third spot on the podium.

Silabur Ultra Trail is starting a rotation scheme with Jagoi Ultra by the same organiser, Alpha Sports Events, for a place on the ATM Championship calendar. This season, it’s Jagoi Ultra 70 early September that also gives runners a chance to score ATM Championship points alongside a Grandmaster Quest point. In fact, Jagoi will be the last championship qualifier in Malaysia this season before the Final in Vietnam on 3 October.

Silabur Ultra Trail 100 attracts loads of Grandmaster Quest enthusiasts — Asia Trail Master Meanwhile a traditional event in the ATM series, Silabur Ultra Trail in Sarawak, Malaysia, featured on our Grandmaster Quest calendar last weekend. The 100 km race attracted a lot of runners from several countries, many with the objective of scoring another Grandmaster point. A large group of 30 ru

ATM CHAMPIONSHIP RANKING UPDATE - Season 11 is in full swing and more and more runners are claiming their stake in the points ranking that leads to qualification for the ATM Championship Final at Mu Cang Chai Ultra Trail in Vietnam on 3 October. After last weekend's PMTF event, we also find two Filipino runners leading the overall men's and women's ranking. Jomarc Ferrer and Kimberly Flores both finished second in H1 and added valuable points (475 to be exact) to their tally of this season. Jomarc has now scored 1785 points in 4 races, let's see if it's enough for qualification for Team Pilipinas, it would be his third year in a row. Remember the ranking is based on 'best-of-four' , so only a runner's best four results of the season are taken into account. For youngster Kim Flores it would be the first time she qualifies for her country's team. The best five male and best five female runners per country in the ranking are automatically qualified. Runners 6 to 8 in the ranking are the reserves.

Full ranking:
https://www.asiatrailmaster.com/season-xi-points-ranking

Merapoh Rainforest Trail in Pahang, Malaysia, is a new entry on the ATM Grandmaster Quest calendar this season and took place last weekend. The popular event is the follow-up of TMMT, which was an annual ATM Championship Qualifier from 2016 to 2019. Since then, the event has introduced a 100 Miles category and attracted a considerable number of participants: 140. Amazingly, 80 of these also managed to complete the course. Admittedly, the 42h cut-off time is generous, but still. At the front, we saw a great competitive performance by Mohd Fazlie Bin Rosli, winning the men’s race in 22h12’13”. He was three hours faster than Muhammad Adil Adham Bin Khairul Fata. In third place overall was the winning lady: Ritzy Amor. The Kuala Lumpur-based multisport athlete, 7th in the recent ATM Championship Final, ran her first ever official 100 miles trail, but is no stranger to mega distances. She finished Merapoh in 25h58. China’s Liang Jun was fourth in the finish as third male on the podium. He was followed by the next two women, indicating a strong female field: India’s Ashwini Bhat completed the first level of her Grandmaster Quest and finished in second place in the race in a time of 28h33. Ashwini is the first ever female Grandmaster from India. Behind her and third female on the podium was China’s Hu Xiaoqin.

The event also featured a 100km on the programme, obviously also a valid distance for the Grandmaster Quest. Fastest male runner was Adam Danial Bin Zailani in 12h19. He was about 20 minutes ahead of Assrul Aminur and 56 ahead of Mohamad Aiman Haikal Bin Mohd Zani.

The women’s 100km was a very close competition between four runners! In the end, Kar Lyn Tan won the battle in 16h55, just half a minute ahead of Aliah Ismail. In third place, Zoey Wong Yin Hong from Singapore - only five minutes behind the winner, together with her compatriot Stephanie Lim.

Ritzy Amor and Fazlie Bin Roslie win 100 Miles at GM-race Merapoh Rainforest Trail — Asia Trail Master Merapoh Rainforest Trail in Pahang, Malaysia, is a new entry on the ATM Grandmaster Quest calendar this season and took place last weekend. The popular event is the follow-up of TMMT, which was an annual ATM Championship Qualifier from 2016 to 2019. Since then, the event has introduced a 100 Miles c

GRANDMASTER ALERT - Today we have the pleasure to announce Joseph Jude Francisco Salvador as a new ATM Grandmaster. The Filipino trail runner from Mindanao completed the first level of his Grandmaster Quest at last weekend’s Silabur Ultra Trail 100 in Sarawak, Malaysia. Joseph started his campaign in March 2025 with the Mount Kalatungan Ultra 85. He then followed up with Sierra Madre Trail Ultra 75 in the Rizal mountains east of Manila, followed by MUSPO 100, back in Bukidnon. His fourth GM point was scored at DASAL 80 in the wider Davao region and in March this year he finished Arakan Mountain Run 80 in Cotabato. As mentioned above, Joseph chose Silabur Ultra Trail 100 for his international entry. A big congratulations goes out to Joseph Jude Francisco Salvador, new ATM Grandmaster!

GRANDMASTER ALERT - It is a pleasure today to announce Tracy Liew Nyuk Fun as a new ATM Grandmaster. The trail runner from Sabah, Malaysia, completed the first level of her Grandmaster Quest at last weekend’s Silabur Ultra Trail 100 in Sarawak. Tracy launched her journey at last year’s Trail des Gombak 100 in Selangor, and followed up with two of her home races in Sabah: KAR 110 and Borneo TMBT Ultra 109. She continued this year with her mandatory international entry, which was Vietnam Trail Marathon 70 in Moc Chau. She then finished the third home race last month: BUTM 105. To collect her sixth GM point, she conquered the aforementioned Silabur 100. That’s a great series of long ultras within one year, let’s have a big round of applause for new ATM Grandmaster Tracy Liew Nyuk Fun!