The annual Hong Kong trail running highlight — the Vibram Hong Kong 100 Ultra Trail Race — will kick off this Saturday. The title sponsor, Vibram, has supported the inaugural event since 2011, attracting numerous top male and female runners from Europe and Asia. The biggest draw in 2013 is not only the participation of over ten top ultra runners, but also the first-ever joint appearance of the Vibram UTMB Elite Team from Europe and the Vibram Hong Kong 100 Elite Team from Asia on the course of the Vibram Hong Kong 100 Ultra Trail Race. Vibram hopes to share the passion and experience of trail running with enthusiasts through its professional spirit and products, enabling more people to experience the challenge of self-transcendence and the joy of connecting with nature through trail running.
?/SPAN>Shiquanqiulingxiandegaoxingnengxiangjiaoxiedigongyingshang,Tuichonghuwaitanxiandejingshenhetiaozhanjixianxingnengdejiazhiguan,Bingyujinnianlaijiaqiangjijicanyuyueyepaoyundong.We sincerely hope that all participants will achieve great results in this weekend's competition and successfully complete the event.
In addition to Nicola Bassi and Sebastien Nain of the Vibram UTMB Extraordinary Team, the Vibram Hong Kong 100 Extraordinary Team, composed of five runners from mainland China and Hong Kong, will also participate in this event. This includes Joel LaBelle, Qin Junping, Zeng Jinjie, Qu Lijie, and Linds Russell — all are ordinary trail runners who are passionate about off-road running and enjoy the challenge of pushing their physical and mental limits. Vibram will provide them with both spiritual and equipment support to witness how these ordinary runners achieve the extraordinary.
Joel LaBelle, competing in the Vibram Hong Kong 100 for the third time, views running as a part of life. He stated: “I most enjoy the sense of fulfillment I get after completing each ultra-trail race. It proves that my body and willpower are strong enough to take on the challenge.”
About Vibram Brand:
Vibram is a global leader in high-performance rubber soles, serving markets such as outdoor, sports, work, casual, fashion, repair, and orthopedic footwear.For over 70 years, the yellow octagonal logo has been a symbol of quality, performance, safety, and innovation.Every Vibram outsole is born with the promise of enhancing safety and protection; it is the result of continuous dedication to research and innovation. It has been proven that Vibram is an indispensable part of countless extreme expeditions. It also incorporates innovative design into fashionable footwear.Each new product from Vibram uses the latest design and the best materials, tailored for specific purposes.After rigorous testing in the laboratory and test fields by the Vibram testing team, it was launched on the market.Ensure optimal performance, the highest quality, and the greatest comfort.
Introduction of members of the Vibram UTMB Extraordinary Team / Vibram Hong Kong 100 Extraordinary Team:
?/SPAN>Tuanduijishebeidezhichi,Jiangnengbangzhuwohuodegenghaodechengji.
Nicola Bassi (Vibram UTMB Extraordinary Team)
Italy.
“When your body is extremely exhausted, it’s the mind that keeps you going…” Nicola Bassi, 26, is the youngest member of Team Vibram UTMB.He worked at a sports store for three years and is now fully involved in outdoor sports.He loves various sports and has cycled long distances across 40 countries, covering 6,000 kilometers.His goal is to combine work with sports.Nicola mentioned: At first, I was solely focused on mountaineering, and running was just for training. My love for trail running gradually developed over time.The main competitions he has participated in over the past two years:
2011 – 20th place in the Grand Raid des Pyrénées
2011 Adamello Supertrail Champion
2011 Grand Trail 3V – 9th place
2010 24th place in the Toubkal Marathon
2010 Red Rock Sky Marathon (World Cup event) – 11th place
2010 Estremamente Parco (Julian Alps) 15th place
Trail running is an inner journey for Nicola, a test of her physical and mental limits that helps her better understand herself.He said: when your body is extremely tired, when everything feels painful, it is your heart that leads you to keep moving forward.Persistence, pride, and the resilience to never give up all help us achieve our goals, bringing immense satisfaction at the moment we cross the finish line.
Joel LaBelle (Vibram Hong Kong 100 Extraordinary Team)
Joel has participated in many trail running and triathlon events around the world, and he usually competes wearing Vibram-soled shoes or Vibram FiveFingers. However, for this event, he mentioned that due to the terrain, he will most likely wear New Balance Minimus 1010 for the Vibram Hong Kong 100.Joel is participating in the Vibram Hong Kong 100 for the third consecutive year, his favorite local race. In the 2012 event, he achieved his personal best time of 20 hours, 18 minutes, and 54 seconds.After completing the 2013 Vibram Hong Kong 100 race, Joel will participate in the following events:
February 2013 Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon
March 2013 Melbourne Ironman
April 2013 Mount Fuji 161 km Ultramarathon
He has been passionate about trail running since 2009, starting with short-distance races of 5 kilometers and 10 kilometers, then moving on to marathons, 100-kilometer races, and triathlons.He said he must keep training hard, and he maintains a regular training schedule throughout the year, preparing for triathlons in warmer weather and focusing on trail running in autumn and winter.Joel is very passionate about triathlon, but has a love-hate relationship with swimming.
Linds Russell (Vibram Hong Kong 100 Extraordinary Team)
Linds Russell will be competing in the Vibram Hong Kong 100 for the first time this year, marking not only her debut in the race but also her first time representing the Vibram Hong Kong 100 Extraordinary Team. She is well-prepared for the race and is very much looking forward to the section on Tai Mo Shan.
Linds started preparing in December, running two long distances on weekends and doing strength and short-distance runs on weekdays.She not only sets strict standards for her training but also pays close attention to her pre-race diet, focusing on unprocessed, healthy foods.Linds will leverage the experience from previous competitions to help her prepare for the Vibram Hong Kong 100.
2012 100-kilometer Oxfam Trailwalker
2012 Wilson Raleigh Challenge (48km night race)
2011 Swiss Alpine 78km
Linds is from the UK and also enjoys dragon boat racing and gym circuit training. She has participated in numerous trail running events around the world, and her favorite course is the Swiss Alpine Ultra. During her university years, she developed a love for endurance running during a short stint in the military, and even summited Mount Fuji during a typhoon.
Qu Lijie (Vibram Hong Kong 100 Extraordinary Team)
Qu Lijie, who completed the race in 21 hours and 44 minutes in 2012, will be competing again this year. The Vibram Hong Kong 100 is her favorite event, and she hopes to break her personal best and finish in under 16 hours this time. Qu Lijie runs in Vibram FiveFingers and is a big fan of and believer in Vibram’s products and philosophy. She has been preparing for the Vibram Hong Kong 100 since August last year, including climbing stairs for three hours twice a week, running 30km twice a week, and completing a 50km plus 50km long run once a week. She is currently in great shape after finishing the following events:
2012 Beijing TNF100
2012 100km Oxfam Trailwalker
2011 Beijing TNF100
After accidentally seeing some stunning photos of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in France in 2010, Qu Lijie began preparing to compete in the event. She hopes to be in peak condition before taking on the UTMB this summer.
Tsang Chun Kit (Vibram Hong Kong 100 Extraordinary Team)
Local Hong Kong runner Tsang Chun Kit will be participating in the Vibram Hong Kong 100 for the first time this year. He admits that as a first-timer, he’s not entirely sure which part of the course he’s most looking forward to, but hopes to complete as much of it as possible. He enjoys running in Vibram FiveFingers because the shoes make him feel more natural while running. He is currently running 40km per week to prepare for the race. Although he doesn’t have experience in trail running events around the world, he has recently completed several races, including:
2012 2012 Ironman 70.3 Taiwan
2012 100km Oxfam Trailwalker
Tsang Chun Kit got into endurance running through a friend’s recommendation and loves how the sport allows him to push his personal limits. Aside from running, his favorite sport is cycling, which is why he takes part in many triathlons, as it combines his two favorite activities.
Qin Junping (Vibram Hong Kong 100 Extraordinary Team)
Qin Junping participated in the Vibram Hong Kong 100 in 2012 and will be competing again this year wearing HI-TEC running shoes with Vibram soles. Having successfully completed the 2012 Vibram Hong Kong 100, he was unable to finish the 2012 Beijing TNF due to injury. He is determined to achieve a better result in this year’s Vibram Hong Kong 100.
He started preparing for the Vibram Hong Kong 100 six months ago, following a high-protein, high-carb, low-fat diet plan, and focusing on heart rate and pacing training. Qin Junping describes the picturesque scenery of the Ma On Shan section as his favorite part of the Vibram Hong Kong 100, and despite having a fear of heights, he has decided to take on the 2013 Lantau 100. Having primarily competed in road races in the past, he has since transitioned to trail running, which he enjoys for the opportunity to participate with friends and experience a full mental and physical release.
