TAIPING – The Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB (MYUT) will return to Taiping next September after organisers hailed a smooth and incident-free 2025 edition that featured improved routes, earlier race dates and a higher finisher rate.
Race director Ewegene Tan said the decision to bring the race forward from its previous year-end slot proved decisive in avoiding the monsoon season and delivering safer conditions for the nearly 3,000 runners from 64 countries who took part over three days.
“We brought the date forward because November onwards is the monsoon season. Safety was our priority and this year’s weather, especially on the first day, was perfect,” said Ewegene.
“The finisher rate for both the 100km and 50km was higher compared to last year. The only challenge was the heat, but we had no serious incidents.”
Ewegene revealed that organisers also redesigned all the courses to add excitement and freshness for returning runners. The flagship 100km race featured two punishing ascents of Maxwell Hill, while other categories, such as the 50km, 25km, 13km, Vertical Kilometre and kids’ race, offered something for every level of trail enthusiast.
“We had used last year’s track for seven years, so it was time for a change. With a new year comes new determination, and thankfully, the changes were well received,” he said, adding that feedback from participants had been overwhelmingly positive.
The upgrades also drew more foreign competitors. “This year, 37% of runners were from overseas, compared to 29% last year. We had more than 1,100 foreign participants and many have already confirmed they want to return,” Ewegene said.
Looking ahead, he hopes to grow MYUT into one of Asia’s marquee trail events.
“Our plan is to bring in more foreign participants and increase total numbers to 4,000 or 5,000 in the coming years. We’ll take it step by step, but with the team we have, I’m confident we can keep improving,” added Ewegene.
For now, runners can start marking their calendars.
“We will be back in Taiping again next September,” Ewegene announced, promising more details soon.
The 2025 MYUT once again showcased the Taiping’s lush rainforest, pre-war railway tunnels and vibrant race village atmosphere, reinforcing the historic town’s reputation as one of Southeast Asia’s premier trail-running destinations. — September 28, 2025