UTMB 2019: Wong Ho-chong and Southeast Asia’s top runners excited about Chamonix race week
- ITRA’s number-one ranked runners from Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines race in France with The North Face Adventure Team
Four of the top ranked runners in Southeast Asia are heading to the famous Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) to test themselves against the best in the world.
Wong Ho-chung (Hong Kong), Jay Kiangchaipaiphana (Thailand) and Daved Simpat (Malaysia) are all taking part in the 171km UTMB, which loops around the Mont Blanc Massif through France, Italy, Switzerland and back to France. The race begins on Friday, at 6pm Central European Summer Time and features some of the best talent in trail running. A host of the top Chinese runners are also competing, many of whom are favourites.
The Philippines’ number one runner, John “Stingray” Onifa, the fourth and final member of The North Face Adventure Team in France, is taking on the 101km CCC, one of the other races taking place during the UTMB festival of running, starting on Friday at 9am Central European Summer Time.
They are all the foremost runners in their respective countries, according to the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) points system.
Wong ran the UTMB race in 2016, and came 38th in 27 hours, 47 minutes and 10 seconds.
“I am really looking forward to trying to improve on my 2016 performance. I feel stronger and much more experienced now,” he said. Since his last visit to the UTMB he won the 4 Deserts series – four 250km multi-day races in the Gobi, Namibia, Atacama and Antarctica – where he learned the importance of moving at a slow sustainable pace.