CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Fuelled by an insatiable thirst for adventure, Thai runner Nirodha Ruencharoen embarked on a journey from bustling Bangkok to the picturesque Cameron Highlands to take on the challenge during the recent Cameron Ultra (Cultra 2024) endurance race.
Facing steep climbs, treacherous crawls, and relentless undulating stretches, Nirodha, better known as Earth Oscar, pushed his limits on the gruelling terrain during his first trail run in Malaysia, completing the 30-kilometre course in an impressive 5:45:35.
"It's one of the toughest and most challenging trail runs I've experienced so far. The route is full of variations and surprises, presenting unique challenges for all participants. Cultra, I will be back," he told Bernama.
Nirodha was one of the 2,000 local and international runners from 37 countries who participated in this year's Cultra, Malaysia's homegrown endurance race that has grown in popularity and acclaim since its inaugural edition in 2016.
This year's seventh edition took place on July 13th and 14th, living up to its tagline "Be Prepared, Be Very Prepared," with race distances ranging from 4km to a challenging 100km endurance run.
With a running climate of around 18 degrees Celsius, the race took runners through iconic landmarks like the Boh Tea Farm and Robinson Waterfall, while also testing their endurance on the challenging peaks of Gunung Jasar, Gunung Berembun, and Gunung Brincang Barat. These majestic mountains, teeming with diverse wildlife, offer a truly unforgettable adventure.
Cultra 2024's challenging course, with its treacherous combination of rolling hills, slippery jungle paths, and muddy trails, proved a formidable test even for ultra-trail legend Sange Sherpa who made his debut at event.
The 42-year-old Nepalese runner, based in France, claimed victory in the 100km category, setting a new record with a staggering time of 14:21:47.
Sange's win came just a week after he completed the 60km race at the Quebec Mega Trail 2024 in Canada.
"I never expected to win the 100-km challenge. My legs were sore from the race in Canada, but I pushed hard and came away victorious," he said.
In a closely contested race, Vietnam's Quang Tran finished second with a time of 14:55:05, followed by Japan's Shotaro Maruyama in third place with a time of 15:32:25.
Since its debut in 2016, Cultra has rapidly emerged as a prestigious and highly acclaimed ultra cross-country endurance race in Malaysia.
The founder and managing director of BOLT, Hazemi Hamidi, said Cultra continues to attract positive participation, offering runners a unique and thrilling trail running experience through the heart of the Cameron Highlands.
He shared that Cultra's route has been carefully selected and planned since 2014, with its inaugural edition taking place in 2016.
"Despite minor adjustments over the years, the core technical sections of the route have remained largely unchanged, continuing to pose a significant challenge for runners," he said.
With Cultra's growing popularity, Hazemi said the number of participants has been capped at 2,500 to maintain the event's sustainability and quality.
He also noted that Indonesian participation had tripled this time around with 150 Indonesian runners joining the trail race this year alone, another testament to the event's rising international appeal.
He attributed the increase to successful collaborations with trail race organisers including the Bali Ultra Trail.
Meanwhile, to include sustainability elements in Cultura, BOLT's Communications and Media Director, Azlihana Abdul Rahim, said BOLT collaborates with agencies like SWCorp to organise corporate social responsibility (CSR) events such as tree planting and recycling drives.
"Local communities in Cameron Highlands, especially the Orang Asli, are also in our sights - we are organising community programmes with them.
She said the CSR programme, held in conjunction with Cultra since its inception in 2016, has been well-received.
As Cultra continues to push the boundaries of endurance and adventure, it is set to be the not-to-be-missed event for the growing global trail running community.