Duathlon
Events

The Angkor Ultra-Trail : an undeniable success for 2024! On Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 January, one of the most original trails in the world took place: the Ultra-Trail d’Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia! Nearly 1,500 participants took part in one of the six events set in the heart of the Angkor ruins. Organised by the French organisation SDPO with technical support from Phoenix Voyages Group, this 7th edition was once again a great success, offering trailers and walkers from 51 countries thrilling sensations and moving memories between jungle, temple, rice fields and sporting challenge ! “The Angkor Ultra Trail is not just a race; it’s a celebration of cultural heritage, a test of physical and mental limits, and a journey through time”, said event organiser Jean Claude LE CORNEC. “We are overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and dedication of the participants, as they not only conquered the demanding terrain, but also paid tribute to the historical significance of Angkor.” The event offered a unique opportunity for athletes to explore the rich history of the Khmer Empire while pushing their own limits. Runners took to the course past iconic temples such as Prassat Ta Som, Phnom Bok, Beantay Samre, Prae Rup, Prassat Kravan, Takeo, Ta Nei, Bayon and the Terrace of the Elephants, where ancient stone structures and delicate carvings bore witness to centuries of history. Angkor: an incredible playground For all committed enthusiasts, setting foot on this thousand-year-old site, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is an unprecedented privilege. The 400 km² of the Angkor site at the gateway to the town of Siem Reap was their “preserve” for a few hours! A trail among the greats Now a national event in Cambodia, it took just 7 years for the Angkor Ultra Trail to become one of the finest races in Asia. Set up by SDPO and Jean Claude Le Cornec with the technical support of Phoenix Voyages, the Ultra Trail d’Angkor has become one of the great trails and one of the events where you can score points in the ITRA rankings. On the podiums were some familiar faces, some unknown, some fans of this UTA. The honour goes to the excellent Chinese runner NI Yusheng, who completed the 100km course in the excellent time of 9h 14mn 17sec (New record) and to WEI Xianshuang, 1st female in 11h 51mn 13 sec (New record). There were many other performances on the 32 km Jungle Trail; RANN Narun (Cambodia) in 2h 07’ 10 and CZUCZ Balint, (Hungary) 1st woman in 2h 32’ 52 pulverised the times. Specialists will appreciate that the course is not conducive to achieving this time. A time that will be hard to improve on in future editions. CNOPS Vanja (Belgium – women) won the scratch race in the marathon. Other celebrities at the start of this year’s race include Ngo Vo, Adidas and COROS Vietnam ambassador, Kim Saroeun, a distinguished Cambodian runner, Laurie Phaï, the event’s godmother, Patrick Bauer, the creator of the Marathon des Sables, Hubert Rocher, one of the founders of the Marathon du Médoc, and navigator Romain Attanasio, who is preparing for the VENDEE GLOBE. RÉSULTS of the ULTRA TRAIL D’ANGKOR 2024 Résults du l’UTA 100 km 1H. NI Yusheng 9h 14’ 17 (Nouveau record) 1F. WEI Xinshuang 11h 51’ 13 (Nouveau record) Résults du Bayon Trail 64 km 1H. PAGANI Livio 5h 55’28 1F. GAARDHOLM MARI Kittel 6h 21’ 17 Résults du Marathon Trail 42 km 1H. SAM Rachna 3h 21’ 27’ 1F. CNOPS Vanja 3h 18’ 54 Résults du Jungle Trail 32 km 1H. RANN Narun 2h 07’ 10 (Nouveau record) 1F. CZUCZ Balint 2h 32’ 52 (Nouveau record) Résults du Temple Run 18 km 1H. PLANTEGENET Pol 1h12’ 30 1F. BAILLIART Clarisse 1h 26’ 53 NOUVEAU Résults du Elephant Trail 8 km 1H. ATTANASIO Romain 36’ 37 1F. PHAI Laurie 36’ 37 (Nouveau record) L’UTA IN BRIEF : ✓ 1500 coureurs ✓ 51 nationalités ✓ 100 km balisés ✓ 3 ONG aidées ✓ 50 staffs (SDPO, Phoenix et Khmers) ✓ 50 villageois bénévoles sur les ravitos ✓ 8 masseurs encadrés par un professionnel (kiné – osthéo) ✓ 50 autocars minis bus ✓ 20 motos & 6 quads ✓ 10 tuk tuk ✓ 6 hôtels partenaires ✓ 2 tonnes de fruits frais et secs ✓ 900 soupes cambodgiennes ✓ 250 kg de glace SPECIAL THANKS SDPO et Phoenix Voyages would particularly like to thank his Altesse Royale le Prince Tesso Sisowath, Director of Ballet Royal of Cambodge, son Excellence Dr Thong Khon, Senior Minister for the Development of the Sport Movement and Chairman of the Comité National Olympique Cambodgien, son Excellence Madame Dr Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts and Chair of the APSARA Authority’s Board of Directors, , his S.E. Vath Chamreoun, Secretary of State and Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, Son Altesse Royale le Prince Thomico Sisowath, Mr Jacques Pellet, French ambassador, the vice-governor of Siem Reap province, as well as the Royal Gendarmerie, the Royal Police and the Royal Army. SDPO and Phoenix Voyages would also like to extend their warmest thanks to all the partners of the Angkor Ultra Trail, without whom the race would not be possible : SDPO, PHOENIX Voyages, RUNNING Attitude, COMITE NATIONAL OLYMPIQUE CAMBODGIEN, MINISTRY OF TOURISM, APSARA, V ACTIVE Sports, KRUD, DEVI Naturel Mineral Water, QUAD ADVENTURE, MEE CHIET, GP3E, BRB, TRACE DE TRAIL, RCD Pilotage, PIROG, SAMATA Aquaroma, SALA BAÏ, ABC and RICE, INSTAVOX, AVENIR Pub, RUNNING Attitude, GYMWOLF, PAUL DUBRULE, JAYA, LE MARATHON DU MEDOC, Parrain de l’événement… Now a must-have in the trail calendar, the Angkor Ultra Trail will meet you on January 18 and 19, 2025.

Region’s Fastest Half Marathon to Return on February 1, 2025. Early Registration for Rak Half Marathon: Worlds Marathon and Ahotu Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, 15 July 2024: Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon will return for its 18th edition on Saturday 1 February 2025, with four races staged on Al Marjan Island. Hosted by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon is a firm favourite attracting community runners and international elites alike. Featuring the 21.1km half marathon race, the event will also offer races at 10km, 5km and 2km runs for athletes of all ages and abilities. Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority said: “We are excited to announce the return of one of the most highly anticipated global sporting events in the Nature Emirate for the 18th year. The race never fails to produce world-class champions and we look forward once again to welcoming back an incredible line-up of elite athletes, sporting enthusiasts and tourists from across the globe”. With the registration process now open, front runners can take advantage of the event’s early registration promotion, secure their places on the start line and enjoy special entry fees until September 30. The early registration fee for the Half Marathon itself is USD50 (AED185) with the 10km, 5km and 2km Road Races costing USD30 (AED110), USD20 (AED74) and USD10 (AED37) respectively. “With six months to go, we are pleased to be able to launch an early registration promotion for those runners who want to secure their places in the race of their choice,” said Peter Connerton, Managing Director of Pace Events and Race Director of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon. “The running community will have over three months to take advantage of the Early Registration Promotion before prices revert on October 1, and we look forward to welcoming early registrations from regular runners as well as from those keen to test themselves for the first time on the fast and flat roads of Al Marjan Island.” In February, Kenya’s Daniel Mateiko and Tsigie Gebreselama of Ethiopia took the men and women’s titles in the 2024 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, which to date leads World Athletics’ Competition Performance Rankings for half marathons staged anywhere in the world in 2024. Making his third appearance in Ras Al Khaimah, Mateiko stormed home in a time of 58:45 to win by five seconds from compatriot John Korir with fellow Kenyan Isaia Lasoi in third. In the women’s 21.1km race, Ethiopian Gebreselama smashed her personal best by more than 30 seconds to win in 65:14 from 2020 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon champion Ababel Yeshaneh also from Ethiopia. Tanzania’s Jacklin Sakilu took a surprise third place finish beating her personal best by more than three minutes.