Nearly 3,000 runners from 58 countries tested their endurance in Taiping at the second edition of the Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB (MYUT), pushing through one of the world’s oldest rainforests across six race categories.

In its second year as a UTMB World Series event, Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB has established itself as a premier trail running event in the region, hosting top elites and runners from around the world. Malaysia remains among only six Asian nations hosting a stop on the global circuit, which spans more than 50 events.

Those who took part in the flagship MY100 confronted a 96.7-kilometre course with 4,890 metres of elevation gain, including two gruelling ascents of Maxwell Hill. Starting at 3am, runners braved humid night conditions before facing tough daytime heat, on trails winding through the virgin jungle reserve, only accessible during the event.

As a UTMB World Series 100K event, all finishers earned three Running Stones, with the top three male and female athletes securing direct entry into the 2026 UTMB World Series Finals (CCC: Courmayeur–Champex–Chamonix).

In the men’s race, Kristjan Chapman (Iceland) and Xingzhi Bai (China) lead from the gun, running toe-to-toe for most of the 100km race. It wasn’t until the final climb up to Angkasa, over 1000m above sea level and 90km into the race, that Chapman was able to make a gap stick, eventually finishing in a time of 11:39:26.

“It’s beyond anything, I wasn’t expecting it. It was competitive, I was running side by side with Bai until 90km, but it’s a great feeling,” said Chapman.

Hailing from Iceland, the conditions were a unique challenge for Chapman.

“Jumping from negative 10 degrees to something a lot warmer here is definitely a bit of an extreme change, but after being here for six months, getting used to it a little, but the humidity definitely took its toll,” he said.

Bai held on for second place in 11:51:51, while Kanta Mizutani (Japan) rounded out the men’s podium in third, finishing with a time of 12:14:56.

In the women’s race, Wenli Jiang (China) took the lead early, a lead she would carry all the way to the finish, crossing the line in 15:11:33. Mika Taniguchi (Japan) crossed in second in a time of 15:32:41, while Kit Ying So (Hong Kong) rounded out the podium in 16:29:42.

In the MY50, athletes tackled a new 53.6km course featuring 2,200 metres of elevation gain. Finishers received two Running Stones, while the top three men and women qualified automatically for the 2026 UTMB Finals (OCC: Orsières–Champex–Chamonix).

In the women’s race, pre-race favourites from China Fuzhao Xiang, Liping Wang and Xiaoxiao Zhou ran together for the first 25km, before Wang made the decisive move on the biggest climb of the course at around 40km, distancing herself to take the win in a time of 6:08:19. Xiang, a podium finisher at Western States Endurance Run earlier this year, finished in second place, in a time of 6:10:38, while Zhou made it an all China podium, finishing in 6:30:27.

The men’s race was also an all-China affair, with a tight battle between the top three only being decided within the last kilometre of the race. Tao Luo, Jianjian Yang and Erqing Wu all left the final aid station with 4km to go together, and from there it was a sprint to the finish, with Luo coming out on top in a time of 4:56:53. Yang finished just 18 seconds later, pipping Wu at the line by one second.

The event also featured the MY25 (26.1km, one Running Stone), MY13 (14.1km), the MYVK Vertical Kilometre, and MYKIDS races, giving runners of all levels the chance to experience Taiping’s unique mix of rainforest, plantations, pre-war railway tunnels and the 150-year-old Lake Gardens.

Beyond competition, Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB strengthened its eco-conscious reputation through the RIMBA UTMB tree replanting programme, which allows runners to contribute directly to conservation efforts in the Virgin Jungle Reserves. The Women in Trail initiative also continued, with female-only facilities and hygiene kits to encourage greater participation.

The host city’s blend of history, natural beauty and sustainability once again made it an ideal stage, with supporters creating a lively race village atmosphere and tracking participants in real time through the official app.

With elite athletes from Asia, Europe and beyond battling for podiums and Running Stones, alongside a spirited local contingent, Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB 2025 reinforced Malaysia’s standing as one of Southeast Asia’s premier trail-running destinations.