The World’s Toughest Mountain Race, the 21st Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon will be held next year on August 25-26.

The change of date is due to the request by the Skyrunner World Series Committee to schedule the event on 25-26 next year as they have decided to host the final circuit/series in their own country in Spain.

The Buff Skyrunner World Series 2007 organized by the World’s Federation of Altitude – FSA (racing on high altitude of 2000 meters above sea level) is scheduled to be held at the following venues:

• Mexico at Chico Hildago on May 6,
• Andorra at Vallnord on June 3,
• Italy on July 1,
• France on August 12,
• Malaysia at Mount Kinabalu on August 25-26,
• Japan at Mount Ontake, Nagano on Sept 2,
• Spain (final circuit) on September 23.

The Climbathon is listed as one of Sabah’s 13 premier events highlighted in the Visit Malaysia promotional material.

I received an email a few weeks back from a local university student, saying that she is going to participate in Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon 2006. She said to me that she do not have a digital camera, but willing to use her analog camera to capture as much photo during the event.

The journey to the summit this time was an eventful experience for her. The bus that she follow broke down on the way, and have to wait for another bus to come to continue the journey to Kinabalu Park.

She did not able to finish the event at the allocated time, as she said to me she did not have a enough training. The certificate that she email to me shows DNF, means ‘did not finish’. You can see her certificate in the gallery.

Anyway, I said to her that there will alway be next year for her to try.

For Wai Yong, thank you for your nice photos!

To see more of her climbathon photo, checkout the gallery.

Kota Kinabalu: Ricardo Mejia pulled off a great come-from-behind victory to retain the men’s crown in the rain-hit Climbathon in Kundasang yesterday.

And the Mexican had more reasons to celebrate as he also walked home with the Buff-Skyrunner World Series FSA title.

The way he won the Climbathon should go down as one of the best ever finishes in the history of the event, officially known as TM 20th Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon this year.

Local hopeful Mius Balinting was two minutes ahead of Mejia after passing the Timpohon Gate (4km to the finishing line) but latter was undaunted and stepped up the gear toward the final stretch of the race.

“I know the final stretch is on flat road which is very good for me… my confidence never faded despite trailing him.”

“I managed to overtake him in the final 500m and I never looked back,” said Mejia, who clocked 2:50.52s to beat Mius (2:51.44s) and another local Safrey Sumping (2:53.22).

Mejia, who also won a gold pendant for reaching the summit first, said he lost his lead as a result of his safety first aproach on the decend.

“I dislike running down…it was very slippery and made worse by the rain,” he said.

“I fell four times on the way down but thankfully I could still keep my momentum.”

It is Mejia’s third Climbathon title after winning in 2001 and 2005, and the day also saw him taking the Buff Skyrunner World Series crown by collecting 400 points to edge Spaniard Agusti Roc Amador, who managed 342 points and Italian Dapit Fulvio with 322 points.

The Climbathon is the eighth and the final leg of the Skyrunner Series where the ranking is based on the four best points achieved by the runners in any legs.

“I have two titles today and I’m extremely happy,” said Mejia, who declined to confirm whether he will comeback and defend his crown next year.

Mejia received USD4,500 for his effort in the Climbathon and 3,000 euros for his first place in the Skyrunner Series.

The Climbathon offered a total cash prize of USD33,400 to the top 15 finishers in the men’s and women’s open.

In addition, a gold pendant eas offered to each of the first runners in the men’s and women’s open to reach the summit – the Low’s Peak.

Taken from local newspaper, The Borneo Post, by Lester J. Bingkasan.