KOTA KINABALU: A total of 206 mountain runners are expected to battle for top honors in the 31st Mount Kinabalu Climbathon, making a comeback in Kundasang this Sunday.
Adrenaline junkies from 17 countries will compete in the race up and down the 4,095m summit, which boasts a prize purse of RM77,700 across three categories: elite men (74 runners), elite women (60), and men veterans (72).
After a seven-year hiatus, the 26.6km race will see old guards and new talents hitting the Timpohon trail in their quest for the title and the top cash prize of RM8,000 in each category.
Mountain guides, porters, park rangers, and members of the Fire and Rescue Department's Mountain Search and Rescue Unit (Mosar) will be the local 'flag bearers' against the international field of participants, alongside fellow Malaysians.
Notably, 33 runners are from Selangor and 13 from Kuala Lumpur.
Among the top-ranked male runners, based on past performances and recent achievements in the Southeast Asian region, are Kiulu brothers Roger, 33, and Walter Herman, 35, Vinson Ramos from the Philippines, and Indonesian Putra Julio Ekdo Badayu.
Filipina Sandi Menchi Catlona Abahan, a two-time winner in 2016 and 2017, will be the top seed in the women's race, but local runner Ahineh Dainin will also be in contention.
In the men's veterans category, former winner Safrey Sumping, 41, is an early favorite, but he will face competition from his older brother Sapirin, Brunei runner Zainor Sam Md Zain, and local athlete Daved Simpat.
Former elite champion Guianus Salagan noted a keen buildup among local runners and intense anticipation regarding potential strong challengers from outside.
The 57-year-old extreme athlete last participated in the race in 2016.
The race route will take runners from the park to the summit via the Timpohon trail and back to the finish line near the park headquarters.
If the weather is poor, the race will be shortened, and runners will turn back at the Panalaban area (3,200m).
"I will not be running this time, but like many other enthusiasts, I find this race interesting because it's been seven years," said Salagan, a three-time consecutive international winner from 1997 and the first Malaysian to claim the crown from foreign competitors.
Since 1988, the title has been held by various international athletes, including Nepalese Gurkhas Sundar Linthap and Kusang Gurung, and Briton Ian Holmes from 1994 to 1996.
"From my conversations with local runners, it's hard to gauge their competitiveness, as most have not raced against each other for quite some time," he added.
"Only a short section of the race is on the road; the rest involves wooden steps, dirt tracks, and boulders. For newcomers, it will not be easy."
Sabah Parks opened the trail for competitors on Sept 6, allowing them to train by running up and down the mountain to Panalaban in preparation for the main event.
Last held in 2017, the climbathon was initially introduced as an in-house race at Kinabalu National Park in the 1980s to identify the fittest climbers for emergencies before evolving into a national and later an international race in 1988.
A total of 235 officials are involved, including representatives from Sabah Parks, Ranau and Likas hospitals, the Civil Defence Department, Sabah Amateur Radio Society, police, People's Volunteers Corps (Rela), Sabah Tourism Board, and Seri Pelancongan Sabah, among others.