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MOUNT FUJI 100 RACE PREVIEW 2025 IN WORLD TRAIL MAJORS: Courses, program and top runners.
MOUNT FUJI 100 RACE PREVIEW 2025 IN WORLD TRAIL MAJORS: Courses, program and top runners. Japan’s most famous long-distance race, Mt.FUJI 100, 168 Km, and 6254 m of elevation, with the summit of Mt. Fuji always looking down on the race route. 3800 from 34 countries will enjoy the experience. Anna Li and Claudia Tremps are favourites for the women and Guomin Deng, Joaquín López and Tyler Green for the men’s race.
The weekend of 25th -27th April will once again bring together two of the best established competitions on the world mountain running calendar, Mt.FUJI 100 and MIUT – Madeira Island Ultra-Trail. Both events have a long history, both are held on islands, both in enviable locations for trail running, and both have an excellent level of competition.
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MOUNT FUJI 100 RACE PREVIEW 2025
WORLD TRAIL MAJORS
Established in 2024, World Trail Majors is a non-profit association formed by twelve independent trail running races with the aim of promoting the sport in a diverse, sustainable, and respectful way that aims to safeguard the original spirit of Trail/Ultra running. The association is formed now by 12 races: Hong Kong 100, Black Canyon Ultras, The North Face Transgrancanaria, Mt.FUJI 100, MIUT – Madeira Island Ultra-Trail, Swiss Canyon Trail, South Downs Way 100, Quebec Mega Trail, Grand Raid des Pyrenees, Vietnam Mountain Marathon, Grampians Peaks Trail 100 Miler and RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town.
Mt.FUJI 100 runs part way around the most iconic mountain in the Land of the Rising Sun for 168 kilometres and 6254 metres of elevation gain, something that must be achieved in a maximum time of 45 hours. First run in 2012, it has seen victories from Courtney Dauwalter, Núria Picas, Kristin Moehl, Xavier Thevenard, Dylan Bowman and François D’Haene, amongst others, who enjoyed having Fuji in sight while crossing endless forests and passing beautiful lakes in a race that does not leave participants untouched by its beauty.
The ASUMI40K, 40 Km and 1445 m of elevation, a new race for 2025, is part of the Short Series by Gran Canaria World Trail Majors and promises to be fast and exciting.
MOUNT FUJI 100’s return to the world stage
The former Ultra-Trail Mount Fuji, renamed Mt.FUJI 100, became a benchmark on the calendar from its very first edition due to its location and the country’s legendary passion for long-distance running. Its founder, Tsuyoshi Kaburaki, had the vision to create a 100-mile race in an exceptional setting. Kaburaki ran The North Face Transgrancanaria last March and will run again in mid-June at the South Downs Way 100 in his personal challenge to complete all the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors with a Japanese TV crew.
Once the race was launched, some obstacles were put in its way: two years with terrible weather that forced a shortening or cancellation of the race, three more editions were hindered due to the COVID-19 pandemic that forced two cancellations and one exclusively national edition. But in 2023 it returned to the world scene with the restrictions ended and with the desire of thousands of runners to complete the list of races that had to be done once in a lifetime, among which Mt.FUJI 100 is ‘mandatory’.
In 2024, both the inclusion of the race in the new Gran Canaria World Trail Majors series and the participation of Courtney Dauwalter, gave the Japanese race excellent visibility which has not declined for 2025 given the quality of the participants registered. It also has the new feature of the creation of the ASUMI40k, the third race of the weekend, which is part of the new Short Series by Gran Canaria World Trail Majors.
MOUNT FUJI 100 2024 RESULTS, BY MAYAYO
MT FUJI 100 2025 TOP CONTENDERS
The women
Traditionally, Mt.FUJI 100 has been a race that, due to its prestige and geographical location, is a sporting ‘battle’ between Japanese and Chinese, with the presence of a few good North American and European runners. This is the case in the women’s race where the quality of runners is excellent but without an obvious favourite, it is expected to be an interesting and open race.
We start with Anna Li (China, Hoka, ITRA 758) who was eighth in the first race of the series, the Hong Kong 100. To improve, and have a second result she has entered Mt.FUJI 100 where she will race against Claudia Tremps (Spain, On, 755) who was second at The North Face Transgrancanaria and a place on the podium would give her a good chance to fight for the overall series. Yukari Seimiya (Japan, Gu, 720) was second in 2024 but had a DNF at Hong Kong 100 this year, another local challenger is Kanako Edamoto (Japan, Komatsu University, 706).
Other possible front runners are Man Yee Cheung (Hong Kong, The Peak Hunter, ITRA 688), ninth at Hong Kong 100 2024, Arika Ito (Japan, 679) and Huiping Zhang (China, Kailas, 661).
The men
Among the men is the 2024 Mt.FUJI 100 winner, Guomin Deng (China, The North Face, ITRA 884), fifth at Hong Kong 100 2024, which earned him third place in the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors 2024. The series is again his priority as he has already finished third at the Hong Kong 100. One of his main rivals will be Ji Duo (China, Hoka, 915), sixth in 2023 at Hong Kong 100, twelfth at Western States 2024 and winner this year at Ultra-Trail Xiamen by UTMB.
Ecuadorian Joaquín López (Kailas, 892) was third last year at Andorra 100 by UTMB and made an international splash with third at UTMB. With extensive international and long-distance experience, it will be his first time in Japan but he is undoubtedly one of the favourites to win. American Tyler Green (Nike, 875) has podium finishes in the Western States and Hong Kong 100 and is a fast runner capable of great results in international races. Switzerland’s Mathieu Clément (Asics, 843), who won The Canyons Endurance Runs in 2023, and the unstoppable Sangé Sherpa (Nepal, Kailas, 835), who has participated in many of the races on the series.
Among the Japanese, Yamato Yoshino (Salomon, ITRA 879) ran The Half at Hong Kong 100 as a ‘warm-up’ to prepare for Mt.FUJI 100 although his biggest handicap will be that he has only once raced over 100 Km in competition. Yuya Kawasaki (Goldwin, 860) fourth at the Asia Pacific Trail Running Championship in Korea 2024. And Kento Tamura (854) with victory in the KAI70 in 2023, the 70 Km version of Fuji.
ASUMI40k, the new short distance race
With the 100 mile and 70 Km races always full, the organiser considered adding a marathon distance for 2025. With the creation of the Short Series by Gran Canaria World Trail Majors the pieces fit together perfectly. At 40.2 Km and 1445 m of elevation the race runs around Fujiyoshida and promises to be very fast.
With 816 ITRA points, China’s Fuzhao Xiang (Hoka), in 2024 her track record includes: winning the Asia Pacific Trail Running Championship, second at Western States Endurance Run, fourth at UTMB and victory at Mt.FUJI 100. Unlike other seasons, she has only done one 50 Km race in 2025 so far, which she won: she has excellent results, knows the environment, and arrives fresh from competitions, a fearsome rival.
Yuri Yoshizumi (Japan, Fujiwaves, ITRA 771) returned from Gran Canaria with a broken finger but is an excellent runner and will be a strong contender for victory along with Rachel Drake (USA, Nike, 766) who won last year’s Black Canyon Ultras and was sixth in OCC, a race that is closer to ASUMI40k.
Among the men Tuomas Kari (Finland, Salomon, ITRA 852) is a good runner up to 50 Km, with victory at Kosci 50 (Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko by UTMB). Ushida Miki (Japan, Inov8, 805) with excellent results in his country including a fifth at the 70km version of Fuji. And finally, another candidate could be Lok Yin Lo (Hong Kong, The Peak Runner, 765), reigning Asia-Pacific U23 Trail Running champion.
