Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge

The challenge was founded by Andre Blumberg, a German expat living in Hong Kong in 2012 when he decided to run the four trails in four days during the Chinese New Year holiday period.{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-01-23/no-garmins-no-spotify-the-300km-trail-run-that-few-can-finish |title=No Garmins, No Spotify: The 300km Trail Run That Few Can Finish |first1=Mary |last1=Hui|first2= Filipe |last2=Pacheco|first3=Yang |last3=Yang|work=Bloomberg UK|date=23 January 2025 }} Blumberg later said he decided to challenge himself and get in shape as mid-life crisis loomed. Participation is strictly by invitation from Blumberg, who permitted around two dozens of runners every year. After an overhaul of the system in 2014, two titles of "finisher" and "survivor" are introduced. Runner could only earn the title of "finisher" if complete the four trails within 60 hours, and "survivor" in 72 hours.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=James |date=2025-02-03 |title=11 runners conquer HK's gruelling 'Four Trails' ultramarathon |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2025/02/03/four-trails-11-runners-conquer-hong-kongs-gruelling-ultramarathon-featured-in-hit-documentary/ |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}} New rules were implemented to increase the difficulty, with hiking poles banned in 2021, painkillers in 2022, and watches in 2025.{{Cite web |last=顏銘輝 |date=2025-01-18 |title=四徑2025｜賽例「加辣」禁止戴手錶 本地參加者：不一定是壞事 |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E8%B7%91%E6%AD%A5/1095280/%E5%9B%9B%E5%BE%912025-%E8%B3%BD%E4%BE%8B-%E5%8A%A0%E8%BE%A3-%E7%A6%81%E6%AD%A2%E6%88%B4%E6%89%8B%E9%8C%B6-%E6%9C%AC%E5%9C%B0%E5%8F%83%E5%8A%A0%E8%80%85-%E4%B8%8D%E4%B8%80%E5%AE%9A%E6%98%AF%E5%A3%9E%E4%BA%8B |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=香港01 |language=zh-HK}}

The 2021 race only invited past finishers and survivors amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Prominent runners including Stone Tsang and Tom Robertshaw withdrew during the race, with Jacky Leung making history as the first that breaks the 50-hour mark.{{Cite web |last=Asia |first=Dot |title=Live Tracking |url=https://live.dottrack.asia/21hk4tuc/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250117091744/https://live.dottrack.asia/21hk4tuc/ |archive-date=2025-01-17 |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=live.dottrack.asia |language=en}} Four Trails, a film that documents that year's challenge, was released in 2025.

File:Mui_Wo_Ferry_Pier_09-07-2016(2).jpg, where the race ends]]

{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=400|frame-height=400|from=MacLehose Trail.map|type=line|text=MacLehose Trail}}

{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=400|frame-height=400|from=Wilson Trail.map|type=line|text=Wilson Trail}}

{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=400|frame-height=400|from=Hong Kong Trail.map|type=line|text=Hong Kong Trail}}

{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=400|frame-height=400|from=Lantau Trail.map|type=line|text=Lantau Trail}}

The challenge starts on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which usually falls in January or February. Spanning a total of 298 kilometres, the route has a cumulative elevation of 14,500 metres. Runners had to complete all the routes solo and self-supported with crew support allowed only off-trails. Sleep breaks and rests are allowed but will count into the timing.

The four trails, individually ran in reverse from the finishing point back to the start and in the following sequence, are:

• MacLehose Trail: 100 kilometres running west to east, from Tuen Mun New Town to Pak Tam Chung, traversing several country parks including Tai Lam, Tai Mo Shan (highest peak in the city), Shing Mun, Kam Shan, Lion Rock, Ma On Shan, and Sai Kung East and West
• Runners must complete within the cut-off time of 18 hours
• Runners will then be taken to the next starting point by car
• Wilson Trail: 78 kilometres running north to south, from Nam Chung to Stanley, traversing Pat Sin Leng, Tai Mo Shan and several hills in New Territories and Kowloon outskirt before crossing the harbour on the MTR underground, then passing through Quarry Bay and Tai Tam
• Runners must cross the harbour on the MTR (Lam Tin station to Tai Koo station via Kwun Tong line, Tseung Kwan O line, and Island line)
• Runners will then be taken to the next starting point by car
• Hong Kong Trail: 50 kilometres running east to west, from Tai Long Wan to Victoria Peak
• Runners must take the ferry at Central Piers to the next starting point
• Starting from 2023 runners can no longer travel by car and must reach the pier on foot{{Cite web |last=顏銘輝 |date=2025-01-27 |title=四徑2025｜跑手名單出爐 梁康翹四度參賽 Nugo力爭第三次完成者 |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E8%B7%91%E6%AD%A5/1097995/%E5%9B%9B%E5%BE%912025-%E8%B7%91%E6%89%8B%E5%90%8D%E5%96%AE%E5%87%BA%E7%88%90-%E6%A2%81%E5%BA%B7%E7%BF%B9%E5%9B%9B%E5%BA%A6%E5%8F%83%E8%B3%BD-nugo%E5%8A%9B%E7%88%AD%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%89%E6%AC%A1%E5%AE%8C%E6%88%90%E8%80%85?utm_source=01articlecopy&utm_medium=referral |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=香港01 |language=zh-HK}}
• Lantau Trail: 70 kilometres looping clockwise with starting and ending both at the green post box outside Silvermine Bay Ferry Pier in Mui Wo

The record holder is Wong Ho-chung who achieved a result of 46 hours 55 minutes in 2022. He, along with another local Jacky Leung, are the duo "breaking 50" achievement holders. Nikki Han and Cheung Man-yee are the two only female finisher. The youngest successful participant is Sarah Pemberton, completing the race in 70 hours 45 minutes in 2020 at the age of 26.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-28 |title=Hong Kong Four Trails runner quits rat race, makes spreadsheet for ultra race |url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3296623/hong-kong-four-trails-how-1-runner-escaped-rat-race-made-spreadsheet-ultra-race |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}

Only six runners claimed the "finisher" title twice: Nugo Yamanath Limbu, Jacky Leung, Salomon Wettstein, Hyun Chang Chung, Nikki Han, and Tomokazu Ihara.

{{Notelist}}

• Hong Kong Marathon
• Trailwalker

{{Reflist}}

• [https://racemap.com/player/hk4tuc_2020/ Race map]

Category:Sports competitions in Hong Kong

Category:Ultramarathons

Category:Recurring sporting events established in 2012