The
world's toughest mountain race - the 25th Mount Kinabalu Climbathon – ended
with much heightened spirit, excitement and fond memories. We were glad to be
there participating in the same event.
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The
race was keenly contested between Kilian Jornet of Italy who is a 3-time
champion of the Skyrunner World Series from 2007-2009 and Marco de Gasperi, the
champion of Mount Kinabalue Climbathon in 2003 and 2010.
Do click here to
view photos taken by yours truly (KC). In Picasa Web
Photo Album, click Slideshow for bigger displays.
The message is clear ...
With a group of 40 plus runners from Kuala Lumpur jointly organize by Tony and yours truly (KC), this time; we have six members (inclusive of one lady) who successfully reached the summit (within 3.5 hours) and crossed the finishing line within qualifying time of 6.5 hours.
Even Kilian, during the interview, attest that it is indeed the world's toughest mountain race with the unique one way up and down within a race.
Test of endurance and determination - Seen from yours
truly (KC’s) eyes on the way up the mountain.
Yours
truly (KC) posing before Sayat Sayat, the gateway to the peak.
A
lady runner running down the mountain after returning from Low’s Peak, the
summit.
Not good enough ... with all the training that I put in ... click here, I could only go thus far at 7.5km mark, still fall short of another 1.3 km to the peak within the 3.5 hours of qualifying time for ascent.
Wilson
Liew and Patricia Yap at the rope area with many runners returning from peak.
The
next day (Sunday, 23 October 2011) supporting the Men’s Open category
The Champion - Spain's Kilian Jornet won the 25th Mount
Kinabalu International Climbathon, dethroning last year's winner, Marco De
Gasperi of Italy. Kilian clocked 2:37.04s ahead of Marco de Gasperi who came
in second who is only 44 seconds slower.
Kilian's countryman, Luis Alberto Hernando came in third,
who is 5 min 32 seconds slower.
Dr Shara and Wendy Liu posing with Marco de Gasperi, the 1st Runner Up. Notice that he wear the same green running vest and short as last year... do click here. Though he is only 44 seconds slower than Kilian, Marco de Gasperi was the first to reach the summit in 1:37.49s, earning him a gold medal, but he slipped and fell half way when descending the mountain (according to the news report).
The
legs of a champion with the rugged veins that power one up and down the tough,
uneven and tricky terrain
Yours
truly (KC) posing with the Champion of 25th Mt Kinabalu
Climbathon - Kilian Jornet of Spain
All
smiles for a different reason ... For Men’s Open category, the cut-off time is
only 2.5 hours (1 hour shorter compared to Men’s Veteran and Women’s
categories).
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For
those who have not ventured deeper or higher into the mountain, they would take
much earlier time to return and cross the finishing line.
Yeah,
give me a HI FIVE ... a group of lady climbers from Philippine cheering the
runners about 200 meters before crossing the finishing line.
Alex AngMoe of Penang (a 7-time Ironman; in yellow) posing with a group of Philippine climbers; Rashel is second from right.
Yeah,
my proud daddy did it !!!
The
award presentation and buffet lunch for officially closing the event. While the
participants dine, we were treat with the local dances.
This
would be the last year where the mission is to run up to the peak.
Starting
next year – the 26th Mt Kinabalu Climbathon 2012 - a runner would ascend to mid-point at Layang Layang (2,702m) and then descend the
mountain by returning via Mecilau and end at a Kundasan
village.
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Do click here for Part 2 and latest postings of Mount Kinabalu Climbathon 2010.
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Posted by KC Leong
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Posted by KC Leong
1 comment:
Great report KC.tks for sharing.
Mesilau trail,not macilau.
pmtey
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