Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge (Chinese: 香港四徑超級挑戰), or HK4TUC (Chinese: 四徑; lit. 'Four Trails'), is an annual ultramarathon race in Hong Kong. Considered one of the most challenging mountain races worldwide, participants have to run through within 72 hours the famous quadruple hiking trails in Hong Kong known as "Four Trails": MacLehose, Wilson, Hong Kong, and Lantau. The ultramarathon spans a total distance of 298 kilometres with a cumulative elevation of 14,500 metres, starting from Tuen Mun and ends at the green post box outside Silvermine Bay Ferry Pier in Mui Wo.

History

The challenge was founded by Andre Blumberg, a German expat living in Hong Kong in 2012 when he decided to run the four trails in four days during the Chinese New Year holiday period.[1] Blumberg later said he decided to challenge himself and get in shape as mid-life crisis loomed. Participation is strictly by invitation from Blumberg, who permitted around two dozens of runners every year. After an overhaul of the system in 2014, two titles of "finisher" and "survivor" are introduced. Runner could only earn the title of "finisher" if complete the four trails within 60 hours, and "survivor" in 72 hours.[2] New rules were implemented to increase the difficulty, with hiking poles banned in 2021, painkillers in 2022, and watches in 2025.[3]

The 2021 race only invited past finishers and survivors amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Prominent runners including Stone Tsang and Tom Robertshaw withdrew during the race, with Jacky Leung making history as the first that breaks the 50-hour mark.[4] Four Trails, a film that documents that year's challenge, was released in 2025.

Four Trails

Silvermine Bay Ferry Pier, where the race ends

Map

The challenge starts on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which usually falls in January or February. Spanning a total of 298 kilometres, the route has a cumulative elevation of 14,500 metres. Runners had to complete all the routes solo and self-supported with crew support allowed only off-trails. Sleep breaks and rests are allowed but will count into the timing.

The four trails, individually ran in reverse from the finishing point back to the start and in the following sequence, are:

Records

The record holder is Wong Ho-chung who achieved a result of 46 hours 55 minutes in 2022. He, along with another local Jacky Leung, are the duo "breaking 50" achievement holders. Nikki Han and Cheung Man-yee are the two only female finisher.[5] The youngest successful participant is Sarah Pemberton, completing the race in 70 hours 45 minutes in 2020 at the age of 26.[6]

Only six runners claimed the "finisher" title twice: Nugo Yamanath Limbu, Jacky Leung, Salomon Wettstein, Hyun Chang Chung, Nikki Han, and Tomokazu Ihara.[5]

List of finishers

Finisher Result Year Notes
1 Hong Kong Wong Ho-chung 46 hours 55 minutes 2022  Breaking 50 
2 Hong Kong Jacky Leung Chun-keung 49 hours 26 minutes 2021  Breaking 50   Finisher Twice 
58 hours 31 minutes 2020
3 Switzerland Salomon Wettstein 51 hours 53 minutes 2021  Finisher Twice 
54 hours 14 minutes 2018
4 Hong Kong Liu Fo-lok 52 hours 2 minutes 2024
5 United Kingdom Tom Robertshaw 53 hours 2017
6 Japan Tomokazu Ihara 54 hours 2 minutes 2023  Finisher Twice 
57 hours 42 minutes 2019
7 Hong Kong Stone Tsang Siu-keung 54 hours 15 minutes 2017
8 Nepal Nugo Yamanath Limbu 54 hours 26 minutes 2020  Finisher Twice 
56 hours 29 minues 2023
9 Australia Stephen Redfern 54 hours 46 minutes 2020
10 Denmark Kristian Joergensen 55 hours 52 minutes 2019
11 Hong Kong Thomas Lam Shing-yip 55 hours 32 minutes 2022
12 Hong Kong Eric Leung Wai-yip 56 hours 1 minutes 2024
13 Singapore Abimanyu Shunmugam 56 hours 6 minutes 2020
14 Japan Ryo Doi 56 hours 25 minutes 2020
15 Hong Kong Joseph Yeung Chi-shing 56 hours 26 minutes 2022
16 United Kingdom Ryan Whelan 56 hours 54 minutes 2023
17 Hong Kong Wong Ka-kit 57 hours 11 minutes 2023
18 United Kingdom Richard Kimber 57 hours 27 minutes 2022
19 Philippines Jag Lanante 57 hours 45 minutes 2017
20 Hong Kong Cheung Man-yee 57 hours 53 minutes 2022
21 Thailand Phairat Varasin 57 hours 54 minutes 2018
22 Hong Kong Law Kai-pong 58 hours 11 minutes 2020
23 Japan Tetsuya Fukui 58 hours 15 minutes 2024
24 Scotland Nikki Han 58 hours 20 minutes 2019  Finisher Twice 
59 hours 42 minutes 2021
25 Hong Kong Lau Chun-man 58 hours 55 minutes 2021
26 China Leon Jiang Liangjun 58 hours 58 minutes 2024
27 South Korea Hyun Chang Chung 59 hours 23 minutes 2021  Finisher Twice 
59 hours 46 minutes 2020
28 Hong Kong Kevin Cheung Kei-fung 59 hours 30 minutes 2023
29 India Mayank Vaid 59 hours 43 minutes 2024
30 Taiwan Chiu Wen-hsiao 59 hours 45 minutes 2017
31 Hong Kong Law Chor-kin 59 hours 50 minutes 2021

List of past sessions

Time limit Runners Completed Year best
Finisher Survivor Finisher Survivor
1st (2012) 4 days 1 1 Blumberg
2nd (2013) 3 days 5 3
3rd (2014) 60 hours 3 days 6 0 1 Vic So, 62 hrs
4th (2015) 4 0 1 Lanante, 81:30
5th (2016) 23 0 11 Robertshaw, 60:38
6th (2017) 80 hours 22 4 5 Robertshaw, 53 hrs
7th (2018) 75 hours 28 2 5 Wettstein, 54:14
8th (2019) 29 3 6 Joergensen, 55:52
9th (2020) 72 hours 33 7 5 Limbu, 54 hrs
10th (2021) 18 6 5 Leung, 49:26
11th (2022) 16 5 2 Wong, 46:55
12th (2023) 25 5 10 Ihara, 54:02
13th (2024) 19 5 5 Liu, 52:02
14th (2025) 15 0 11 Limbu, 60:49
Total (2014–2025)[a] 238 37 67

Notes

  1. ^ Excluding repeated participations and runners in 2012 and 2013

See also

References

  1. ^ Hui, Mary; Pacheco, Filipe; Yang, Yang (23 January 2025). "No Garmins, No Spotify: The 300km Trail Run That Few Can Finish". Bloomberg UK.
  2. ^ Lee, James (2025-02-03). "11 runners conquer HK's gruelling 'Four Trails' ultramarathon". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  3. ^ 顏銘輝 (2025-01-18). "四徑2025|賽例「加辣」禁止戴手錶 本地參加者:不一定是壞事". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  4. ^ Asia, Dot. "Live Tracking". live.dottrack.asia. Archived from the original on 2025-01-17. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  5. ^ a b c 顏銘輝 (2025-01-27). "四徑2025|跑手名單出爐 梁康翹四度參賽 Nugo力爭第三次完成者". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  6. ^ "Hong Kong Four Trails runner quits rat race, makes spreadsheet for ultra race". South China Morning Post. 2025-01-28. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
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