Runners at the Dalat Ultra Trail last year. This year, about 5,000 marathoners will take part in the event. — Photo of organisers

HÀ NỘI — The fourth international Dalat Ultra Trail marathon will begin tonight (June 19) at 10pm in Đà Lạt City, Lâm Đồng Province. 

The biggest running event is back in action after the social distancing period because of COVID-19.

The race, which was scheduled for March, will feature about 5,000 athletes running in different categories of 100km, 70km, 45km, 21km and 10km.

It is the first time the 100km distance is included in the three-day tournament and it is also the opening event which will see leading super marathoners such as Quang Trần and Đỗ Trọng Nhơn vie against foreigners from Germany, Japan and the Netherlands.

The 70km, 45km and 21km events will be held on Saturday while the 10km race will be on Sunday.

“The previous time was really difficult for all of us. I hope that Dalat Ultra Series will be a strong push for the national sport movement,” said Vũ Thị Hoài Thương, project director and co-founder of the Việt Nam MTB Series Jointstock Company – organisers of the race.

Dalat Ultra Trail is one of the official events recognised by the Asia Trail Master, an internationally acknowledged series of trail races in the continent. The Asia Trail Master championship series has 30 races in 13 Asian countries by the end of 2020.

After this event, many other marathons and ultra marathons will be held in Việt Nam such as the Tiền Phong Newspaper Marathon in July, Tuần Châu Sunset Bay Triathlon in August and the Ironman 70.3 Vietnam in September.

Beside Dalat Ultra Trail, the fifth Dalat Victory Challenge terrain cycling tournament will be held on June 21. Cyclists will race 43km around Đà Lạt's Love Valley.

Last year, Đinh Văn Linh of Việt Nam won the tournament, making his hattrick here. VNS