Category: Sports

Sports

World’s toughest mountain race is back with a bang

Sabah Insights

Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon has not lost its shine after a six-year absence

Kilian Jornet Burgada, 36, Spain’s fastest mountain runner

Top mountain runners have made a beeline for the Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon which is making a comeback on October 6 after a six-year absence. And this proves that the world’s toughest race up and down Malaysia’s tallest peak at 4,095 metres (13, 435 feet) in Sabah has not become less appealing although the field has been kept small. They include Spain’s record-breaking Kilian Jornet Burgada, 36, who was the fastest man at the 2007 race by clocking two hours, 39 minutes and 10 seconds over a 21-km (13-mile) distance. He also holds the record for being the fastest man at the Matterhorn (4,478 metres) and Mont Blanc (4,805 metres) in the Alps in Europe. There are 206 participants, six more than targeted, in three categories: men (74), women (60) and veteran men (72). There is no veteran women category because previous races weren’t encouraging, according to the race officials. The distance for this year’s race is 26km. Before the 2015 earthquake which killed 18 people on the mountain, the climbathon, held over two days, attracted 700 runners

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Sports

A quake hangover nine years on

Sabah Insights

Kinabalu climbathon’s return on Oct 6 after a six-year break is looking subdued

Mount Kinabalu climbathon: only seasoned mountain runners allowed

Hailed as the toughest mountain race, the Mount Kinabalu climbathon is making a comeback on Oct 6 after a six-year absence. But an earthquake in 2015 that killed 18 climbers has dampened its spirit and changed the face of the 26-kilometre climbathon. Registration opens today (June 4) but is restricted to seasoned mountain runners and capped at 200 as the participants’ safety is prioritised. Before the earthquake, more than 700 runners took part in the climbathon which was spread over two days: one for the seasoned runners and the other for almost anyone.

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Sports

First Trusmadi climbathon gets off to a flying start

Sabah Insights

Sabah’s second tallest mountain overshadows Mount Kinabalu

Trusmadi: a muddy trail. Picture courtesy of Amazing Borneo

Running up Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia’s tallest mountain at 4,095 metres, is tough for many a mountain runner. But Mount Trusmadi, two-thirds its height at 2,642m that makes it the country’s second highest,  has overshadowed Kinabalu as being the most challenging. And the inaugural Trusmadi climbathon got off to a flying start on May 25 with 368 runners, tripling the number for the last iconic Kinabalu climbathon six years ago. The Kinabalu race is making a comeback this year after the Sabah government killed it, saying it has served its tourism purpose. Details will be announced at a press conference later this afternoon (May 28).

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Sports

After six years, mountain races are back in Sabah

Sabah Insights

Mount Trusmadi poses a formidable challenge to Mount Kinabalu

Mount Trusmadi in the heart of Sabah.

Sabah is launching the Mount Trusmadi International Climbathon on May 25 as mountain races make a comeback after a six-year hiatus. It is Malaysia’s second tallest mountain after Mount Kinabalu (4,095m) that sits deep in the jungle of the interior of the north Borneo island state. It stands at 2,642m, about two-thirds the height of Mount Kinabalu whose climbathon was scrapped in 2018 after a 30-year run. The Trusmadi race is said to be even tougher than Kinabalu’s which is reputed to be the world’s toughest mountain race. And the Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon is making a comeback this year. No date has been fixed but it is expected in October as it had been in the past.

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