CAMERON HIGHLANDS – Driven by an insatiable desire for adventure, Thai runner Nirodha Ruencharoen set off from busy Bangkok to Cameron Highlands to take on the challenge during the Cameron Ultra (Cultra2024) endurance run last September.
Faced with obstacles including steep climbs, crawls and endless undulating paths, Nirodha or better known as Earth Oscar, managed to finish his first trail run in Malaysia for 30 kilometers (km) in 5:45:35.
“This event is one of the most difficult and challenging trail runs I have ever participated in. The route is full of variations and surprises, providing a unique challenge to all participants. Cultra, I’ll be back,” he said to Named.
Nirodha is one of 2,000 local and international runners from 37 countries taking part in this year’s Cultra, Malaysia’s local endurance run that has gained popularity and acclaim since its inaugural edition in 2016.
This year’s seventh edition takes place on July 13 and 14, in line with the slogan Be Prepared, Be Very Preparedwith running distances offered covering categories ranging from 4km to 100km.
With race temperatures of around 18 degrees Celsius, the rugged run takes runners past iconic landmarks such as Boh Tea Farm and Robinson’s Waterfall, while testing their endurance on the challenging peaks of Gunung Jasar, Gunung Berembun and Gunung Brincang Barat.
The majestic mountains, rich in various wildlife, offer an unforgettable adventure experience.
Cultra’s challenging course, with its combination of undulating hills, slippery forest paths, and muddy tracks, was a great test, including for long-distance trail running legend Sange Sherpa who made his Cultra debut.
The 42-year-old France-based Nepali runner claimed victory in the 100km category, setting a new record with an incredible time of 14:21:47.
“I never thought I would win the 100km challenge. My legs still hurt from the recent race in Canada, but I tried hard and finally succeeded,” he told Named.
In a fierce race, Vietnamese runner Quang Tran, finished second with a time of 14:55:05, followed by Japanese runner Shotaro Maruyama with a time of 15:32:25.
Since its debut in 2016, Cultra has quickly emerged as a prestigious and highly regarded cross-country endurance race in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, BOLT founder and managing director Hazemi Hamidi said Cultra continues to attract positive participation, offering a unique and thrilling trail running experience through the heart of Cameron Highlands.
He shared that the Cultra route has been carefully selected and planned since 2014, with its inaugural edition held in 2016.
“Although there have been minor adjustments over the years, the core technical part of the course has remained largely unchanged, continuing to present a significant challenge to runners,” he said.
With Cultra’s growing popularity, Hazemi said the number of participants was limited to 2,500 runners to maintain the sustainability and quality of the event.
He also noted that participation from Indonesia tripled this time with 150 Indonesian runners participating in this year’s trail run alone, another testament to the growing international appeal of the event.
He attributed the increase to successful collaborations with trail running organizers including the Bali Ultra Trail.
Meanwhile, to include elements of sustainability in Cultra, BOLT’s Communications and Media Director Azlihana Abdul Rahim said BOLT works with agencies such as SWCorp to organize corporate social responsibility (CSR) events such as tree planting and recycling campaigns.
He said the CSR program held in conjunction with Cultra since its establishment in 2016, had received a favorable response. – Named