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The Vietnam Mountain Marathon (VMM) 2025 concluded on the afternoon of September 21st in Sa Pa, after three days of exciting competition. This was the 12th edition of the largest trail running event in Vietnam, featuring one of the most beautiful and challenging courses, attracting over 3,000 athletes from 47 countries, including nearly 2,000 who competed in the ultramarathon distances (50 km - 100 km). Many famous international athletes raced in the men's 100 km Vietnam Mountain Marathon (VMM), but the podium was still held by representatives from host country Vietnam.
VMM is the first ultra-long-distance trail running race held in Vietnam, starting in 2013. The race was initiated by the Danish Embassy and operated by Topas Travel. In the 2013 season, only one Vietnamese athlete completed the longest distance, 65 km.
VMM 2025 marks the 12th season of Vietnam's largest trail running event, featuring one of the most beautiful and challenging courses, attracting over 3,000 athletes from 47 countries.
This year, the VMM (Vietnam Marathon) marks a historic milestone by officially joining the World Trail Majors, a system of 12 leading trail running races worldwide. The VMM 2025 will take place over three days, from September 19-21, in Sa Pa, Lao Cai. The race will feature five distances: 10 km, 21 km, 50 km, 70 km, and 100 km, with routes passing through four communes/wards: Sa Pa, Ta Van, Ta Phin, and Ban Ho. The 50 km and 100 km distances will be included in the scoring system, making Sa Pa an important destination on the international trail running map. To qualify for the 100 km distance, athletes must have completed at least one ultramarathon of 50 km or more, be at least 18 years old, and meet many other conditions set by the organizers.
Before the start, the men's 100km race was expected to be a fierce competition with the participation of many famous international athletes such as Peiquan (China) – two-time Hong Kong 100 champion, and star Ryan Whelan (England). However, surprisingly, the Vietnamese runners dominated the race, taking all three top positions.
In the men's 100km race, first place went to athlete Ngo Van Chinh.
The organizers awarded 10 first prizes, 10 second prizes, and 10 third prizes to outstanding athletes in 5 distances. In the men's 100km race, the first prize went to athlete Ngo Van Chinh, a member of the Sapa Ethnic Running Team. With a time of 13 hours, 00 minutes, and 10 seconds, he not only finished more than 36 minutes ahead of the runner-up but also set a new record for the 100km distance at the VMM. His familiarity with the local terrain made Van Chinh virtually unbeatable on his challenging journey. The remaining two positions on the podium went to...Nguyen Si Hieu(13 hours 36 minutes 29 seconds) andDo Trong Nhon(13 hours 44 minutes 24 seconds).
In the women's 100km race, first place went to Wenfei Xie of China with a time of 17 hours 24 minutes and 33 seconds. This achievement not only solidified Wenfei's position as one of Asia's top female runners but also propelled her to third place in the 2025 World Trail Majors rankings.
Finishing in second place was athlete Nguyen Thi Tra Giang from Vietnam with a time of 18 hours 07 minutes and 58 seconds.
Finishing second was Vietnamese athlete Nguyen Thi Tra Giang with a time of 18 hours 07 minutes 58 seconds, a major surprise of the competition as this was her first time competing in the 100km distance. Previously, Tra Giang was well-known on road running tracks with many impressive victories in short distances, including first place in the Dalat Ultra Trail 55km 2024 and second place in the VMM 21km 2024. Third place went to...Daphné Linderme(France) with 18 hours, 33 minutes, and 47 seconds.
The 50km race at the VMM 2025 witnessed the dominance of Chinese runners, who are currently leading the World Trail Majors. In the men's 50km race, Jianjian Yang finished in 4 hours 53 minutes and 46 seconds, successfully defending his title and simultaneously winning the World Trail Majors Short Series 2025 overall. The runner-up was Sung A Phu (Sapa Ethnic Running Team) with 5 hours 18 minutes and 42 seconds, nearly 30 minutes ahead of South Korean athlete Ko Min-chul (5 hours 48 minutes and 38 seconds).
In the men's 50km race, Jianjian Yang finished in 4 hours 53 minutes and 46 seconds, successfully defending his title and simultaneously winning the 2025 World Trail Majors Short Series overall.
In the women's event, Xiang Fuzhao won with a time of 5 hours 41 minutes and 10 seconds. The athlete, with an ITRA rating of 817 and two-time runner-up in the Western States 100, continued to demonstrate her class and solidified her top position in the WTM Short Series women's category after her earlier victory at the Mt. Fuji 100 Asumi 40k.
Race Director David Lloyd shared: “We chose to join the World Trail Majors because the system’s principles align perfectly with the spirit of VMM. Like other independent members of the system, our goal is to provide the best trail running experience for participants while always respecting local culture, the environment, and the core values of the sport. The collaboration between member races gives potential Vietnamese athletes the opportunity to compete abroad and helps bring the trails of Sa Pa and Vietnam closer to the international running community.”
Janet Ng, World Trail Majors Representative and ITRA President, stated: “The VMM was chosen to join the World Trail Majors because it is a beautiful race, offering athletes the opportunity to explore the majestic mountains and forests around Sa Pa – a particularly hospitable destination in Northern Vietnam. With the dedicated organization of Topas and the support of the local community, the VMM is also known for having one of the most impressive finish lines in the world of trail races. I had an unforgettable experience at the 2024 season.”
Compared to other races in the World Trail Majors system, VMM is also the first race in Southeast Asia, alongside Mount Fuji 100 (Japan) and Hong Kong 100 Ultramarathon (Hong Kong).
