2025 Season 10
Asia Trail Master Championship Final

Mu Cang Chai Ultra Trail (Vietnam)

official announcement - 19 february 2025

MEDIA RELEASE. - We are very happy to announce that the 2025 Asia Trail Master Championship Final will be held in Vietnam at the 5th edition of the incredibly scenic Mù Cang Chải Ultra Trail event in Yen Bai province, in the Northwest of the country. Mù Cang Chải was part of our 2022 ATM calendar and has only grown more in popularity since. The 2025 edition is scheduled for 4 October, making it a perfect host for the conclusion of Season 10, which began in Indonesia late September 2024. The ATM Championship Final race will take place on the 75 km long course with qualified runners in national country teams and with a separate start time. . The event programme of course also features other categories that are open for the general public, and three of those also offer a point for the ATM Grandmaster Quest: 100 miles, 100km and 75km. Less ambitious runners can also sign up for the 55km, 25km and 12km, implying that all ATM Finalists can bring lots of friends to Mù Cang Chải in moral support!

It will be the first time the ATM Championship Final takes place in Vietnam. Over the past few years, Vietnamese trail runners have become increasingly competitive and visible. Not in the least thanks to Hau Ha, the young woman and single mum, from nearby Sapa, who burst onto the ATM trail scene in 2022, winning our women’s championship on Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines. It was the beginning of Hau’s remarkable success story on the world stage . So far, Hau Ha is the only Vietnamese trail runner who has managed to win our championship, but great athletes such as Nguyen Si Hieu, Loi Luong and Julia Nguyen Thi Duong have been contenders and podium placers. With Mù Cang Chải as host of this Season’s Final, the Vietnamese community has home advantage and an excellent opportunity to show there is more than only Hau Ha!

Mù Cang Chải Ultra Trail is organised by the company Viet Jungle and is located in Yên Bái province, northwest of country capital Hanoi. It’s a large area famous for its spectacular rice terraces and hiking trails. It is mainly populated by the Black Hmong, a subgroup of one of Vietnam’s largest ethnicities.

As per tradition, the ATM Final will be held with all top runners together in one and the same race. The 75 km long course includes the best and most scenic parts of the Mù Cang Chải trail network and has a total elevation gain of 3700 hm. There are technical jungle trail sections, but the majority of the trails are quite runable, subject to weather conditions, of course. The race will start at Khuôn Viên at 5:30 am, roughly half an hour before sunrise. The finish line is at the same location.

As in the past three years, runners need to qualify for the ATM Championship Final by scoring ATM points throughout the season. Per Asian country, maximum five male and five female runners - the highest point scorers - will receive the invitation to join the Final. Former ATM Champions can score a wild card independent of the points ranking. A minimum of 2 ATM race finishes is required for everyone. The invitation includes 3 nights accommodation (1 in Hanoi, 2 in Mù Cang Chải), shuttle bus Hanoi-Mù Cang Chải-return, free race entry and the usual race pack collection perks. The top 10 male and female, plus the best performing team, will be invited to the ATM podium ceremony after the race.

The reigning ATM Champions are Jeff Campbell (Canada/Hong Kong) and Priya Rai (Nepal). Both are scheduled to defend their respective titles at Mù Cang Chải . The defending team champion is Team Nepal.

Below is the Mù Cang Chải event facebook page, where you can find all details on the event and also find the link to register for the open public races.. All specific information and details about the ATM Championship Final will be published, as usual, on the ATM Website on our dedicated webpage, and shared via our social network.

To get excited already, have a look at the 2025 teaser video and gallery below!

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact kris@asiatrailmaster.com

mu cang chai official facebook page

Asia Trail Master Premium Sponsors in Season 10

Official apparel

Co-founded by 2019 ATM Champion John Ellis in Hong Kong. Designed by ultra runners. Ultra light. Super cool. Chafe-free.

Näak

Official energy and nutrition partner of the Asia Trail Master Championship

ATM Championship Final - Schedule

All ATM Finalists are expected to arrive in Hanoi on Thursday, 2 October. Accommodation is provided. The bus shuttle to Mu Cang Chai is scheduled for Friday early morning. Return to Hanoi after the event is scheduled for Sunday morning after the podium ceremony with arrival back in Hanoi by late afternoon.

All precise details to follow soon.

Race regulations & guidelines (including mandatory gear list)

Coming soon

Course map and profile

Regulations for support crew

Coming soon

Qualified runners

Qualification is based on the Asia Trail Master points ranking. The best five male and best five female runners per country will be qualified at the end of the season (last points race event is Ijen Mountain Marathon in Indonesia on 6/7 September 2025.

season 10 atm points ranking

Podium Ceremony

The Top 10 male and female, as well as the best performing team will be invited for the (mandatory) podium ceremony on Sunday morning after breakfast.

Background on Asia Trail Master Championship

List of ATM Champions

Men:

2024: Jeff Campbell (CAN/HKG)
2023: John Ray Onifa (PHI)
2022: Arnie Macaneras (PHI)
2020-2021: No champion (covid)
2019: John Ellis (AUS/HKG)
2018: Alessandro Sherpa (ITA/SGP)
2017: Steven Soonseng Ong (MAS)
2016: Manolito Divina (PHI)
2015: Arief Wismoyono (INA)

Women:

2024: Priya Rai (NEP)
2023: Rashila Tamang (NEP)
2022: Hau Ha (VIE)
2020-2021: No champion (covid)
2019: Veronika Vadovicova (SVK/HKG)
2018: Ruth Theresia (INA)
2017: Kim Matthews (AUS/VIE)
2016: Tahira Najmunisaa (MAS)
2015: Ma Yanxing (CHN)