January
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HONG KONG 100 KICKS OFF WORLD TRAIL MAJORS.
HONG KONG 100 KICKS OFF WORLD TRAIL MAJORS. Our ULTRA TRAIL section bring us the start of an exciting chapter in the world of trail running with the first event for the brand new World Trail Majors.
The 14th edition of the Hong Kong 100 Ultramarathon brings a large international field to Hong Kong for each of its three races, and its 3-day stage race, Up to 2800 runners from 60 countries will enjoy the beautiful and varied trails from the Sai Kung Peninsula.
HONG KONG 100 KICKS OFF WORLD TRAIL MAJORS.
This edition of Hong Kong 100 will make history as the first ever event in the World Trail Majors, an alliance of some of the world’s most emblematic trail races, which will host the welcome return to Hong Kong of world class runners from Europe and North America and incredibly strong competition between the best of Asia’s trail running talent.
World Trail Majors will begin in Hong Kong and conclude in November in South Africa, featuring some of the best races in the world, including events in the United States, Spain, Japan, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Canada.
HONG KONG 100 PREVIEW. THREE RACES
The first of the races is called THE THIRD (33k/D+1460m) It will start in the morning of Thursday 18th while Friday will be the time for THE HALF (56km, +2010m) with athletes like Núria Picas and Ruy Ueda. Saturday 20th is the time for the original HK100 race with 1800 athletes.
Finally, the Hong Kong 100 ULTRAMARATHON starts in Pak Tam Chung and runners first enjoy the UNESCO Geopark and the beaches. They then head for the hills on the Maclehose Trail closer to the city before climbing Hong Kong’s highest peak (Tai Mo Shan or “Big Hat Mountain” at 957m) and descending to the finish line party in the Rotary Club Park. The men’s course record is You Peiquan’s superhuman finish just 17 seconds over the 10 hours mark and the women’s is Xiang Fuzhao’s breathtaking 11 hours and 28 minutes.
Finally, there is the Grand Sam for those braves doing The Third, The Half and Hong Kong 100 on consecutive days. Some big names on this challenge includes Francesca Canepa and Sangé Sherpa.
HONG KONG 100 2024: THE FAVOURITES
Women elite field, Hungary vs Poland vs China?
This year’s top 2 contenders for the women’s title, Eszter Csillag (Hungary, living in Hong Kong, Hoka, ITRA 768) and Dominika Stelmach (Poland, Team Stelmach, ITRA 756). Stelmach is the European record holder for 100km (7 hours and 4 minutes) while Csillag placed 3rd at Western States in 2023 and 4th at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in 2022.
The challenge to the European runners is likely to be led by China’s Wu Yuanyuan (Altra, ITRA 742), who won the Hong Kong 100 Grand Sam in style last year: winning in The Third, being second in The Half and 7th in Hong Kong 100.
Other top contenders include: Anna Li (China, ITRA 724), pictured, who claimed 2nd place in 2023, having started in the 4th wave and run past almost the whole field. Qin Lu (China, 724) was 3rd in Hong Kong 100 in 2023 and will be competing again. Or Phitchanan Mahachot (Thailand, 653) and Nisachon Morgan (Thailand, Salomon, 620), who both represented Thailand in the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in 2022 and are regular winners at races in Thailand.
Men field: You Peiquan for the triple crown
Remarkably, 9 of the top 10 male finishers in the 2023 Hong Kong 100 are racing again in 2024. If You Peiquan (China, ANTA, ITRA 864) wins it will be three-in-a-row for him. He set the course record in 2020 at 10 hours and 17 seconds and said after his win last year that he can break 10 hours if conditions are cool. He is certainly in good form, having tuned up with a win at Yangxian 100 in November.
Keenly anticipating the race, You commented: “As the Brand Ambassador of ANTA this year, I am looking forward to racing at the top level again on a course that suits me and which I have really enjoyed in the past. I’m trying to get my third win and can’t wait to get going.”
Probably his closest contenders from China will be Zhao Jiaju (Hoka, ITRA 904), Meng Guangfu (Hoka, 888), Duo Ji (Hoka, 888), Bate Mengkai (887), Zhao Hu (Kailas,876), Deng Guomin (The North Face/Suunto, 873) and Zhang Jiao (Outopia, 869).
Internationally the competition will be strong. From The USA, Tyler Green (Nike, ITRA 873), from Spain Ricardo Cherta (Dynafit, 867), from Philippines John Ray Onifa (T8, 862), from France Alexandre Boucheix (aka Casquetye Verte, Salomon, 830), from Nepal Bed Sunuwar (788) and Arjun Kulung (767), from Australia Joe Dorph (SingleTrack Events, 767) or from Italy Alessandro Rizzetto (T8, 763)
HONG KONG 100: WHERE AND HOW TO FOLLOW LIVE
There will be updates and live streaming of Hong Kong 100 from 7.30am to10pm (local times) on Saturday 20th January with details on socialmedia channels.
Streaming according on time zones:
- Hong Kong: Saturday – 2024/01/20 – 07:30 > Saturday 22:00
- Tokyo: Saturday – 2024/01/20 – 08:30 > Saturday 23:00
- Cape Town: Saturday – 2024/01/20 – 01:30 > Saturday 16:00
- Geneva: Saturday – 2024/01/20 – 00:30 > Saturday 15:00
- Winchester-UTC: Friday – 2024/01/19 – 23:30 > Saturday 14:00
- Canary Islands: Friday – 2024/01/19 – 23:30 > Saturday 14:00
- Madeira: Friday – 2024/01/19 – 23:30 > Saturday 14:00
- Quebec: Friday – 2024/01/19 – 18:30 > Saturday 09:00
- Phoenix: Friday – 2024/01/19 – 16:30 > Saturday 07:00
WORLD TRAIL MAJORS 2024
- Hong Kong 100 Ultramarathon: January 18-21, 2024. 102 km, +5314 m. Hong Kong, China. one of the events that internationalized trail running in China
- Black Canyon Ultras: February 10-11, 2024. 100 km, +1250 m. Phoenix, Arizona, United States. Pure American trail running on old ethnic trails and stagecoaches
- The North Face Transgrancanaria: February 21-25, 2024. 126 km, +6804 m. Canary Islands, Spain. One of the classics on the world trail running calendar
- Mt.FUJI 100: April 26-27, 2024. 165 km, +7574 m. Fujiyoshida, Japan. Japanese-style trail running with the great symbolic meaning of the highest mountain in the country
- MIUT – Madeira Island Ultra-Trail: April 27-28, 2024. 115 km, +7100 m. Madeira, Portugal. Iconic event on the spectacular island of Madeira
- Swiss Canyon Trail: June 7-9, 2024. 111 km, +5350 m. Val de Travers, Switzerland. Originating in 1994, one of the most relevant tests in Central Europe
- South Downs Way 100: June 8-9, 2024. 161 km, +3800 m. Winchester, United Kingdom. 100 miles following the historic South Downs Way route is a classic on the British calendar
- Quebec Mega Trail: July 5-7, 2024. 160 km, +6500 m. Quebec, Canada. Authentic trail running in the mountains near Quebec
- RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town: November 22-24, 2024. 166 km, +7516 m. Cape Town, South Africa. Pure mountains next to one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Africa
TRAIL RUNNING VIDEOS:
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