As is traditional, the Vibram Hong Kong 100 will raise the curtain on the Ultra Trail World Tour next weekend. If the gala last weekend in Barcelona served to reward the best of 2018, this Saturday is the game of 2019.
With 103 kilometers and 5300 meters of positive elevation, the Vibram Hong Kong covers some of the most spectacular landscapes of the Sai Kung Peninsula. Despite the early start in the calendar, this year will have an important international presence and, for our part, that of two Spaniards. Laia Díez will be on the starting line.
Women:
Azara Garcia, if she has managed to maintain the high level that took her to the Spanish championship in November, should be a candidate to battle for victory, despite the flu that has prevented her from training fully in recent days. The Russian Ekaterina Mityaeva, at a distance that fits perfectly as demonstrated in Ultra Pirineu, surely will be at the lead. The American Abby Mitchell from Adidas Terrex is an upcoming star to look for. Liza Borzani and Laia Díez are other names to keep in mind without forgetting the Chinese Xiang Fuzhao and Yanzing Ma, the big favorites.
Men:
In any test in which Dylan Bowman toes the line, we can’t help but include as a favorite. In a year of few races in his calendar, only four, Hong Kong is a good touchstone for Colorado. Traditionally his year starts strong, at Ultra Trail Tarawera he won in 2018. Next to Bowman the «commander» Gediminas Grinius is another who starts the season strong, although 103 kilometers might be short for his strengths. The newly signed Adidas Terrex Thomas Evans of UK will debut in a big way. The North American Tim Olson, shortly after his presence in the Artenara Trail, also travels to Hong Kong in what is an important bet on the part of Adidas. The Irishman Paddy O’Leary and locals Yunhui Yu and Long Fei Yan are other candidates for the TOP5 in a list of favorites in which we must mention the Nepali Suman Kulung, winner of the Everest Trail Race in 2017.
The Vibram Hong Kong begins on Saturday at 8:00 local time (01:00 in mainland Spain). More information at www.territoriotrail.es and our social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).