The 50KM race at the Vietnam Mountain Marathon (VMM) 2026 is officially set to become a marquee event on the global trail running calendar, drawing top-tier contenders from the World Trail Majors circuit to the rugged peaks of Sa Pa.
MEN’S 50KM: WORLD TRAIL MAJORS HEADLINERS
The men's field features intense rematches and fierce rivalries among athletes holding elite ITRA indexes above 900:
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Ruqin Wang (China – ITRA 908): Kailas FUGA athlete targeting top spot on the 2026 World Trail Majors leaderboard following his victory in the 40km Asumi race at Mt. FUJI 100.
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Rui Ueda (Japan – ITRA 904): Red Bull athlete and former Skyrunner World Series champion. Coming off close finishes behind Wang and recent wins at Central Alps Skyline and Xtrail 100, Ueda is eager to claim the Sa Pa crown.
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George Knight (Australia – CITRA 879): The 2026 Buffalo Stampede 100KM winner and runner-up at last year's Grampians Peaks Trail 100 Miler.
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Billy Curtis (Australia – ITRA 860): Runner-up at the 2026 MIUT 56km, already acclimating in Sa Pa for weeks to dial in race-day readiness.
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Rommick Tongkaling (Philippines – ITRA 825): Riding high after securing the Short Trail victory at the Southeast Asian Trail Running Cup.
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Cornel Miron (Romania – CITRA 803): Highly consistent endurance specialist with repeated podium appearances throughout 2026.
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Ricki Wynne (Ireland – ITRA 742): Dropping down from the 100-mile distance to utilize his raw short-course speed on Sa Pa’s technical terrain.
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Bo Cai (China – ITRA 817) & Lok Yin Lo (Hong Kong – ITRA 792): Fast-improving young talents looking to upset the rankings.
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Sung A Su (Vietnam – ITRA 734): Vietnam’s premier home-field contender, carrying unmatched local trail knowledge.
WOMEN’S 50KM: GLOBAL POWERHOUSES MEET LOCAL STRENGTH
The women's start list brings together proven road-to-trail speed and hardcore mountain specialists:
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Yuri Yoshizumi (Japan – ITRA 772): Headlining the women’s field after taking 2nd at Mt. FUJI 100 Asumi 40K and 4th at Hong Kong 100 Half this season.
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Ram Maya Budha (Nepal – ITRA 749): The 2025 HK100 Half champion and Ultra-Trail Cape Town 3rd-place finisher, carrying momentum from two 2026 titles into Sa Pa.
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Rebecca Bunting (UK – ITRA 732): The 2026 World Trail Majors South Downs Way 50 champion. Celebrated for her road and rolling-trail speed, Sa Pa’s steep, technical climbs will test her climbing credentials.
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Marcela Vašínová (Czech Republic – ITRA 698): Proven mountain strength across European and Asian fields, including stellar outings at Marathon du Mont-Blanc 90km.
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Vanja Cnops (Belgium – ITRA 686): A familiar victor on Vietnamese soil with titles ranging across 21km to 70km distances.
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Cho Yu Lam (Hong Kong – ITRA 668): The reigning Hong Kong 30km National Champion.
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Tsz Kei Jacqueline Wong (Hong Kong – ITRA 629): A resilient competitor capable of making late-race gains.
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Thai Thi Hong (Vietnam – ITRA 584): Carrying the hopes of the home crowd following her 3rd-place podium finish at VMM 50km last year.
