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Rachel Jacqueline

The fishing village of Ham Tin in Hong Kong's picturesque northeast is lucky to get a few hundred visitors on a busy weekend. Tomorrow, 1,800 runners will have whisked through by lunchtime.
Hailing from 50 countries, as far north as Iceland and as remote as New Caledonia, they will be a fifth of the way through their journey in the 100km ultramarathon, the Vibram Hong Kong 100.
In just five years, the race has grown from a collection of diehards into a prestigious international assembly.

	02 HK 100 - 2014 Vibram video by UltraTrailWorldTour
It is the first on an 11-stop world tour of ultra running, known as the Ultra Trail World Tour (UTWT), and attracts some of the biggest names in the sport.
Antoine Guillon last July ran 133km - the distance from Hong Kong to Guangzhou - while scaling French peaks amassing to more than half the height of Everest in just 16 hours 25 minutes, a pace of over 8km an hour.
He's joined by a league of mountain goats from Europe who claim similar superhuman feats. They include fellow Frenchmen Cyril Cointre, ninth in the 2014 UTWT's world rankings, and Christophe Le Saux who, with Guillon, spent 31/2 days last September running 330km non-stop in the Italian Alps.
Those mountains are in Francesca Canepa's backyard and ascending them is the pocket-sized Italian's daily ritual. She cruised through last year's HK100 in 12:59:19, and is back to defend her title.

The European contingent face stiff competition from the rest of Asia keen to impress on home turf.

	I'm feeling pretty good and am really looking forward to the race

	Claire Price
Canepa will face off against local runner Claire Price, who glides up and down Hong Kong's hills as effortlessly as some run flats. Last year Price pulled out with injury, but this year she's in top form after winning the North Face 100 Hong Kong a few weeks ago. She is the course record-holder in 11:58:04, the only woman to crack 12 hours.
"I'm feeling pretty good and am really looking forward to the race," said Price.
From Nepal, two 23-year-old youngsters who regard the Himalayas as their training ground, Suman Kulung and Arjun Kulung Rai, aim to make it another one-two Nepali finish.
Last year compatriots Tirtha Bahadur Tamang and Bede Bahadur Sunuwa finished first and second in 10:02:04 and 10:06:37 respectively - a befuddling average of 10km an hour.
From the rest of Asia come road runners who have made the switch from the tarmac. Among them is Japan's Yoshikazu Hara, who in 2012 motored through 100km of road in just 6:33.

China's Yan Longfei is a 2:15 marathon runner who, in a good week, says he clocks up "between 200km to 300km in training". The 26-year-old only started trail running last year. He's joined by Dong Li, who in 2013 ran her first ever 100km mountain race in 12:45 with "no training".
Almost a third of the field - 486 - come from the mainland, double the amount of two years ago.
Local hopes rest on Stone Tsang Siu-keung, Hong Kong's most internationally recognised male runner who finished ninth last year, and is an impressive eighth overall on the 2014 UTWT world rankings.
"Last year was an amazing year for me, competing all over the world on the [UTWT] … but I'm so happy to be back running in Hong Kong, my home," he said.
None is more surprised by the race's increasing fame than organisers Janet Ng and Steve Brammar. "What started out as a small idea has grown into an international event that features on the Ultra Trail World Tour. It's phenomenal," said Ng.
"We've had a huge amount of support from all sorts of people, which has made the event a success; government departments, sponsors, volunteers and the running community have all contributed," said Brammar.
More than 550 volunteers and 160 scouts dishing out 10,000 bananas, 8,000 oranges, 12,000 cookies and 12,400 bits of chocolate will help make the event possible. "Ultimately, we want to show the world what a beautiful place Hong Kong is. The racers on Saturday will get to see it all," Brammar said.


Hong Kong’s great, green countryside is a feast for all the senses

Hong Kong Trail Running & Race Calendar 2019/2020

Pleasure and pain: on trail of Hong Kong ultra-marathon runner as she faces city’s 100km challenge

‘Overall athletes’ power through 3 Peaks outrigger trail race as Victoria Recreation Club finish in record time

Outdoor & Extreme: Trail Running

Hills come alive with sound of runners as Hong Kong 100 attracts world's best 

The Vibram HK100 is a picturesque, but tough race. Photos: SCMP Pictures

Italy's Francesca Canepa is back to defend her title. 

Stone Tsang Siu-keung, Hong Kong's most internationally recognised male runner, finished ninth last year.

Sport

Hong Kong

The Vibram Hong Kong 100 has quickly grown from a field of a few diehards to an assembly of international hotshots and distance enthusiasts


The Vibram HK100, the first stop on the Ultra Trail World Tour, takes to the hills of Hong Kong's New Territories this weekend


Hills come alive with sound of runners as Hong Kong 100 attracts world's best

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Vibram Hong Kong 100 has quickly grown from a field of a few diehards to an assembly of international hotshots and distance enthusiasts

The Vibram Hong Kong 100 has quickly grown from a field of a few diehards to an assembly of international hotshots and distance enthusiasts