The 2015 Kailas 4 Sisters Mountain Super Trail Run, hosted by the 4 Sisters Mountain Scenic Area Administration and the Aba Prefecture Sports Bureau, and sponsored by leading outdoor brand Kailas, kicked off at 3:30 AM on November 7 within the 4 Sisters Mountain scenic area and concluded after 20 hours. This event featured the first-ever summit of 4 Sisters Mountain’s Da Feng Peak, combining elements of speed mountaineering and trail running. It encouraged participants to learn technical skills and gain safe mountain experience, and was hailed as a 2.0 upgrade that comprehensively elevated the concept of China’s trail running events.
The 42 km and 60 km categories of the 2015 Kailas 4 Sisters Mountain Super Trail Run pioneered the ascent of Da Feng Peak at an elevation of 5038 meters, blending speed mountaineering with trail running—representing the “absolute altitude” challenge for participants.
This event was divided into three main categories: 42 km, 50 km, and 60 km, attracting over 200 athletes from 11 countries and regions. The competition had three major highlights that kept the race full of suspense—the showdown between China’s elite 60 km runners and athletes from Italy and the U.S.; the face-off between Tibetan team members from the Sichuan-Tibet Alpine Support Team and Han Chinese participants; and the biggest highlight of all, the clash between trail runners and mountaineers. Among the contestants, 40 had scaled peaks above 5,000 meters in altitude, bringing different endurance strengths compared to trail runners. This kind of showdown made its first appearance in China’s trail running events.
The marquee 60 km category started first at 3:30 AM on the 7th. Contestants first faced the challenge of ascending Da Feng Peak at 5038 meters. Qiu Zu, who previously set a speed-climbing record on Mount Que’er, was the first to reach the summit in 3 hours. Chengdu’s Ren Ruoqiao and American athlete Justin Andrews followed closely behind. Many participants were disqualified for exceeding the time limit during the climb. Another major difficulty of the 60 km course was the climb from the Dahuangpengzi aid station to Shibu Longhai—a rarely visited area of 4 Sisters Mountain that winds through multiple alpine lakes and requires traversing snow slopes in some sections. Only a few runners passed before the cutoff time. Strong afternoon winds forced most athletes to reroute temporarily per the organizers' safety protocol—an embodiment of the race's safety principles and risk management.
To ensure participant safety, every athlete underwent strict gear inspection before starting.
The 42 km mountain marathon was the most popular category, with over 100 athletes setting off at 5 AM on the 7th to ascend Da Feng Peak. The long stretch of gravel slopes and altitudes exceeding 4000 meters posed the greatest challenge. One-third of the participants were stopped by the cutoff time, yet even so, athletes praised the breathtaking view from the peak—Yao Mei Peak looming in the distance, highland meadows, colorful forests, and surrounding snow-capped mountains.
The majestic Yao Mei Peak of 4 Sisters Mountain stands at 6250 meters and serves as an iconic landscape and geographical landmark on the course.
The route to Da Feng Peak is covered with loose rocks, significantly testing the athletes’ technical terrain navigation abilities.
Snow-capped mountains, rocky peaks, colored forests, meadows, and highland lakes made for a heavenly scenic journey.
American athlete Jon Otto (aka Zeng Shan), who summited Yao Mei Peak in 2004, also completed the 4 Sisters Mountain Grand Slam by reaching Da Feng Peak. He ultimately placed 4th in the men’s 42 km category.
2015 Kailas 4 Sisters Mountain Super Trail Run Results
42 km Mountain Marathon (cumulative elevation gain 2130 m) – Top 3 Men
1: Ye Gesi (China) 06:14:20
2: Tang Zhengliang (China) 07:26:57
3: Emanuele Fornale (Italy) 07:45:07
42 km Mountain Marathon (cumulative elevation gain 2130 m) – Top 3 Women
1: Zheng Dan (China) 10:25:47
2: Cao Ping (China) 11:02:45
3: Lai Hongyu (China) 11:26:23
50 km Tandem Hiking Category (cumulative elevation gain 1660 m) – Top 3 Teams
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 Zi Yun (China) 12:18:32
60 km Super Trail Run (cumulative elevation gain 3920 m) – Top 3 Men
1: Qiu Zu (China) 11:49:14
2: Ren Ruoqiao (China) 12:44:13
3: Justin Andrews (USA) 13:58:41