Tag: Sports

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

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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Tourism

Rainforest run returns with a vengeance

Sabah Insights

Tourism minister wants it to be held yearly

Tropical rainforest run returns to Tawau.

Sabah’s inaugural tropical rainforest run got off to a promising start four years ago in the eastcoast timber town of Tawau. It attracted 230 runners. Six came from Kenya and nine from Indonesia. But three months later the Covid-19 outbreak scuttled all its future plans. The pandemic is over. And the run is returning to the Tawau Hills Park on November 26 with a field of 250 runners who include participants from Kenya, Australia, Canada, Japan, Indonesia, and Singapore.

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