4,000 athletes to compete in mountain marathon in Lao Cai
(VOVWORLD) - The 2019 Vietnam Mountain Marathon will take place in the town of Sa Pa, Lao Cai province on Saturday and Sunday. 4,000 athletes from 46 countries and territories, including Vietnam, will compete in distances ranging from 10km to 100 km in the seventh annual event.
 A large number of foreigners participate in the previous edition of the Vietnam Mountain Marathon. (Photo: VNA) |
The marathon will also draw Francesca Canepa, champion of the 2018 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc in Europe and Nguyen Tien Hung, winner of the 100km race of the Vietnam Mountain Marathon last year. Founded in 2013 by Topas Travel, the event is one of the biggest ultra-marathon events in Asia and a landmark event in Southeast Asia. This year, it recorded a rise of 18 percent in the number of registrations compared to 2018.
The Vietnam Mountain Marathon has also raised thousands of dollars to support charitable activities since 2013. This year, 43,000 USD will be donated to local projects operated by Operation Smile and Newborns Vietnam. The Vietnam Trail Series launched by Topas Travel has raised more than 250,000 USD for projects of the two organisations and local charitable programs.