Hosted by the 4 Sisters Mountain Scenic Area Administration and the Aba Prefecture Sports Bureau, and sponsored by leading outdoor climbing brand Kailas, the 2015 Kailas 4 Sisters Mountain Super Trail Run started at 3:30 a.m. on November 7 in the 4 Sisters Mountain Scenic Area and concluded after 20 hours. This event pioneered a course that summited 4 Sisters Mountain’s Da Feng (Big Peak), integrating the characteristics of both speed mountaineering and trail running, encouraging participants to learn technical skills and safe mountain experience. It was hailed as an “Absolute Altitude” 2.0 upgrade version event that comprehensively elevated China’s trail running event concept.
The 42 km and 60 km categories of the 2015 Kailas 4 Sisters Mountain Super Trail Run pioneered summiting Da Feng at 5,038 meters above sea level, combining speed mountaineering and trail running, which for participants meant “Absolute Altitude.”
This event was divided into three main categories: 42 km, 50 km, and 60 km, attracting over 200 athletes from 11 countries (regions). The race featured three major highlights that kept the competition full of suspense — the battle between China’s elite 60 km runners and athletes from Italy and the United States; the showdown between Tibetan team members from the Sichuan-Tibet High Altitude Support Team and Han Chinese runners; and the biggest highlight being the contest between trail runners and mountaineers. Among the participants, as many as 40 had climbed peaks over 5,000 meters, bringing different endurance advantages compared to trail runners, making this face-off a first in China’s trail running scene.
The marquee 60 km category started first at 3:30 a.m. on the 7th. Participants first faced the challenge of climbing Da Feng at 5,038 meters. Qiu Zu, who had previously set a speed-climbing record on Mount Que’er, was the first to summit in just 3 hours, followed closely by Ren Ruoqiao from Chengdu and American participant Justin Andrews. Many were timed out during the climb. Another major difficulty of the 60 km course was the climb from Dahuangpengzi aid station to Shibu Longhai — a rarely visited area of 4 Sisters Mountain that winds through several alpine lakes, with some sections requiring traverses across snow slopes. Only a few completed this before the cutoff time. Afternoon strong winds led most participants to follow a rerouted detour as mandated by the organizing committee, reflecting the event’s safety principles and risk management.
To ensure participant safety, every athlete underwent strict equipment checks before departure.
The 42 km mountain marathon was the most popular category, with over 100 participants setting off at 5 a.m. on the 7th to climb Da Feng. The long stretches of gravel slopes and altitudes exceeding 4,000 meters posed the biggest challenges, stopping one-third of the runners at the cutoff time. Even so, athletes praised the stunning views from the summit — the peak of Da Feng overlooking Yaomei Peak, highland meadows, colorful forests, and surrounding snow-capped mountains.
The majestic Yaomei Peak of 4 Sisters Mountain, at 6,250 meters, is an iconic landscape and geographical landmark along the course.
The route to Da Feng is covered with loose rocks, greatly testing the athletes' ability to navigate technical terrain.
Snow-capped mountains, rocky peaks, colorful forests, meadows, and high-altitude lakes created a heavenly scenery along the way.
To encourage more outdoor enthusiasts to participate, a special 50 km tandem hiking category was introduced, featuring relatively lower elevation gain and a route passing numerous beautiful alpine lakes in Haizi Valley, ideal for enjoying the mountain landscapes while hiking. Dong Ping, director of the 4 Sisters Mountain Scenic Area Administration, stated that to ensure the safety of all participants and provide a secure racing environment, the organizing committee developed a detailed high-altitude rescue emergency plan. A safety team comprising members from the Sichuan-Tibet High Altitude Guide & Support Team and the scenic area’s outdoor management center was formed to handle emergencies. Additionally, participants were required to arrive in 4 Sisters Mountain at least two days in advance for altitude acclimatization and undergo health monitoring during the race. The event also provided hyperbaric oxygen chambers and medical personnel for safety.
First-aid stations equipped with licensed doctors, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, horses, and other supplies were set up at key aid stations.
To promote the development of trail running in China, title sponsor Kailas strongly supported the event by providing high-quality cold-weather clothing suitable for high-altitude environments for athletes, volunteers, and staff, and also fielded teams to compete.
To encourage participants to learn technical skills and understand alpine environments, Kailas organized an “Exploration Night” pre-event sharing session with screenings, inviting top trail runners and mountaineers to share their outdoor experiences and stories of climbing Yaomei Peak, advocating healthy alpine values and infusing the concept of “Absolute Altitude” into China’s trail running culture.
In the end, Tibetan athlete Ye Gesike won the men’s 42 km category with a time of 06:14:20, and Tang Zhengliang took second place with 07:26:57.
Italian athlete Emanuele Fornale secured third place with 07:45:07, stating after the race that he would return to 4 Sisters Mountain next year.
American athlete Jon Otto (also known as Zeng Shan), who summited Yaomei Peak in 2004, also achieved the 4 Sisters Mountain grand slam by topping Da Feng, finishing fourth in the men’s 42 km.
American elite alpinist Graham Zimmerman, a finalist for the 2014 Piolet d’Or, expressed hope to return soon to 4 Sisters Mountain to climb its beautiful peaks. Notably, among the top 10 finishers in the 42 km category, five were mountaineers — a contest dubbed “mountaineers vs. trail runners.”
The women’s 42 km champion was Zheng Dan with a time of 10:25:47, followed by Cao Ping and Lai Hongyu in second and third with times of 11:02:45 and 11:26:23 respectively.
The 60 km category, with only 50 slots and extremely challenging conditions plus strong winds, saw only six athletes complete the full course, ten adjusting their routes to reach the end, while others were timed out or withdrew. No female athletes completed the course.
The average altitude of 4,200 meters along the course hindered progress, but the high-altitude support and the hard work of volunteers at aid stations left a deep impression, with many expressing a desire to return to 4 Sisters Mountain next year.
Tibetan athlete Qiu Zu from the Sichuan-Tibet High Altitude Support Team won the 60 km category with a time of 11:49:14, while Chengdu runner Ren Ruoqiao took second with 12:44:13.
American athlete Justin Andrews secured third place with 13:58:41. The elite runner, who won the 2014 Hong Kong Lantau 50 km, called this the toughest race he had ever done, with unmatched difficulty.
This event was jointly organized by the 4 Sisters Mountain Scenic Area Administration and the Aba Prefecture Sports Bureau of Sichuan Province, and hosted by Chengdu Shenxing Outdoor Sports Co., Ltd. and Beijing Sinointernational Culture Communication Co., Ltd. Leading outdoor brand Kailas was the title sponsor, with support from KINETIK compression apparel and French Julbo eyewear. GU energy gels and specialty running gear store Tezhu provided energy replenishment; ON TRIP supported eco-friendly hydration practices by encouraging participants to bring their own bottles. China’s leading sports travel company ZhiXingHeYi offered China’s first specialized trail running insurance for the event.
Chengdu Running Club partnered to assist with volunteer recruitment; the Sichuan-Tibet High Altitude Guide & Support Team handled high-altitude rescue services; Emma Sports Rehabilitation Center provided pre- and post-race rehabilitation; Neusoft Saik provided timing services; Gobi Eye supplied tracking and positioning for the 42 km and 50 km categories. Notably, HeXinXingtong deployed its Beidou chip-based trackers for the first time in the 60 km category, enabling accurate athlete tracking to support rescue operations.
The successful hosting of this event was epoch-making. The outdoor paradise 4 Sisters Mountain has become a new high-altitude trail running destination. The Alpine-style course, combining trail running and fast mountaineering, created a new model for trail running and promoted concepts of high-altitude experience and comprehensive skill, elevating China’s trail running to new heights and poised to significantly influence the sport’s overall standards and mindset in the future.
Event photography by Yuan Xiaojin, Lang Jia, Harem Ali Hassan,Huang Jizhou, Jiang Yanjie,Ma Xiaona
2015 Kailas 4-Girls Mountain Super Trail Race results
Top 3 male finishers in the 42km mountain marathon (cumulative elevation gain 2130m)
1: Yegeski (China) 06:14:20
2: Tang Zhengliang (China) 07:26:57
3: Emanuele Fornale (Italy) 07:45:07
Top 3 female finishers in the 42km mountain marathon (cumulative elevation gain 2130m)
1: Zheng Dan (China) 10:25:47
2: Cao Ping (China) 11:02:45
3: Lai Hongyu (China) 11:26:23
Top 3 teams in the 50km tandem trekking category (cumulative elevation gain 1660m)
1: 5521 Chen Lijia & Hong Wenxun (China) 09:51:47
2: 5520 Wang Xiaobo & Bao Mingsheng (China) 10:53:27
3: 5512 Tang Wei & Ye Ziyun (China) 12:18:32
Top 3 male finishers in the 60km super trail run (cumulative elevation gain 3920m)
1: Qiu Zu (China) 11:49:14
2: Ren Ruoqiao (China) 12:44:13
3: Justin Andrews (USA) 13:58:41