More than 2,200 runners will have a chance to see beautiful sightseeing in Sa Pa when they compete across Vietnam’s highest mountains at the Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2020 this weekend. (Photo courtesy of the organising board) Hanoi (VNA) - More than 2,200 runners will race up to 100kmin Vietnam’s highest mountains at the Vietnam Mountain Marathon (VMM) 2020 inSa Pa in the northern province of Lao Cai this weekend.
Vietnam’s top homegrown talents will face off with strong French expatcompetitors, while celebrity runners include singer Duc Tuan, writer Trang Haand traveller Tran Dang Dang Khoa, who travelled across 62 countries and sixcontinents on his motorbike.
Usually held in September, the race will be held for the first time inautumnal weather following a postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It isalso the first time the race will not welcome any athletes from overseas, butthe wealth of talent now based in Vietnam means the race still promiseshigh-quality competition.
The nation’s top ultra runners including Quang Tran, Nguyen Tien Hungand Nguyen Thi Duong will compete against French expat talent including RomainBerion and Nathalie Cochet.
In the men’s 100km distance race, two-time VMM 100km champion, Hung willgo head to head with 2017 VMM 100km champion Quang Tran for the first time everat the VMM.
While Quang has multiple trail wins including the 2017 VMM 100km, hiscompatriot Hung has won the VMM 100km for the last two years and has beentraining in Sa Pa for weeks pre-race. Both are very focused on winning, so thisbattle promises to be hard-fought, but they must also compete with two strongcontenders from France, namely Romain Berion and Gaetan Morizur.
Just a month ago Berion took one hour off Quang’s personal best at the VietnamJungle Marathon (VJM), so this weekend might produce the first non-Vietnamese100km winner since 2016.
In the women’s ultra field, one of Vietnam’s top ultra female runners, Duongwho is the current Asia Trail Master series leader, will compete with the VMM100km champion, France’s Nathalie Cochet.
The Vietnam Trail Series champions will be crowned in Sa Pa followingthe VMM.
Vietnam Trail Series is comprised of three races, the Vietnam TrailMarathon (VTM), Vietnam Jungle Marathon (VJM) and Vietnam Mountain Marathon(VMM).
On the current ultra leaderboard, Trung Nguyen (a Singapore-basedVietnamese) and Duong of Vietnam are now in the lead, while Quang Tran of Vietnamand Axelle de Feraudylead of France lead the marathon ranking list./.
VNA
