Post-Race Report: 2019 Run Across Taiwan Ultramarathon

Post-Race Report: 2019 Run Across Taiwan Ultramarathon

 [IAU Website Article Link]   Prepared by Edit Bérces, Frank KUO and YING-HSIU WANG
 

General info

Race name:    Run Across Taiwan Ultramarathon
Race place and date: Taichung to Hualien, Taiwan, April 12-14, 2019
Race distance and label: 246K Road

Introduction

The fifth edition of Run Across Taiwan Ultramarathon (RATU) started from Taichung Harbor, the west end of island, at dusk on Friday, April 12. The scenic course between Taichung and Hualien includes Taiwan’s most popular tourist destinations such as Jing-Jing Farm, Puli, Taroko National Park.

Besides local Taiwanese runners, international athletes from Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Japan toed the starting line.  Participants have 46 hours to finish the race until Sunday afternoon. Some runners who have participated both Sparththlon and RAT feel that later one would be more difficult than it is in Spartathlon because of accumulated altitude is 9600 meters in RAT. The race starts a sea level, while the peak of central mountain of Taiwan, about 160 kilometers from start, is 3275 meters high. After this point, the runners fly all the way down to Taroko national park, a famous marble gorge terrain by the sea.

The 246K race starts at 7 PM.  (Photo: RATU Staff)

Runners’ presentation

Japan’s Hironori NOMOTO wins grueling 246 km ultramarathon in record time. Successful participation in such a race presupposes hard physical work, mental strength and experience. Mr. NOMOTO had them all. The Japanese who works as an engineer in Taiwan, leads the field from start-to-finish in a record time of 28:27:37. The former course record (30 hours 01 minute and 45 seconds) was held by Takayoshi SHIGEMI. Mr. LAW Kai Pong from Hong Kong runs across finish line two hour later.

While in woman side, another runner from Hong Kong, Ms. LAU Wai Han, also refresh female course record by 36 hours 19 minutes. RATU also offered shorter sub-events such as a 165 km, 110km and a 55km. RATU is a charity race, the runners play as the angle for ALS patients. In total, the donation amount is approximately 5000 Euro this year.

Run Across Taiwan Ultramarathon is one of the eight events organized by the Chinese Taipei Association of Ultrarunners and the last event of 2018-2019 season. The next ultra-race will be the Cilan trail race 45K on August 24, 2019. It is the beginning race of 2019-2020 seasons.

The runners run along the road to Wuling at an altitude of 3275 meters, the highest point of the race route and on any Taiwan highway.
(Photo: WANG, YING-HSIU; RATU Staff)

At the last 2O km of the route, the runners will run pass through the amazing marble cliffs and canyons, which is carved out by the Liwu River. 
(Photo: Taroko National Park Headquarters)

Race report

Female Top 3 Results
1. LAU, Wai-Han (HKG) 36:19:05
2. HSIANG, Wen-Hsuan (TPE) 41:45:12
3. LEUNG, Chau-Mei (HKG) 44:48:21

Male Top 5 Results
1. NOMOTO, Hironori (JPN) 28:27:37
2. LAW, Kai-Pong (HKG) 30:41:51
3. KANG, Ting-Jui (TPE) 33:47:07
4. YANG, Cheng-Han (TPE) 36:21:19
5. CHUANG, Chih-Min (TPE) 38:19:38

Ms. LAU and Mr. NOMOTO, the 246K female and male champion, on the road.
(Photo: WANG, YING-HSIU; RATU Staff)