4,300 runners sign up for Vietnam Trail Marathon

The Vietnam Trail Marathon will be run in five distances of 70 km, 42 km, 21 km, 10 km and 5 km.

In the men's 70km race, the main contenders are Vietnam’s Quang Nguyen and two Frenchmen – Gaetan Morizur and Valentin Orange.

Apricot blossoms in Mu Nau Valley, Moc Chau District, Son La Province. Photo by VnExpress/Xu Kien.

In the women’s section, Nguyen Thi Duong, Tra My, Ha Thi Hau and Frenchwoman Axelle de Feraudy will compete for the top prize.

Many Vietnamese celebrities including singers, models and writers, will also join the races.

Runners racing in long-distance (21 km-70 km) course will have parts of their registration fees go directly to local charities.

Organizers plan that around VND700 million ($30,374) will be distributed to local projects to help needy children and families in the mountainous province’s Moc Chau District.

The Vietnam Trail Marathon was originally planned for January 30, but deferred because of the nation’s third Covid-19 outbreak that was centered in the northern province of Hai Duong.

The Vietnam Trail Marathon is the third race Vietnam Trail Series organized by the Topas Explorer Group, an independent tourism and athletics business owned by Danish businessman Jørgen Sølvsten Nielsen that is present in 36 countries, including Vietnam.

The earlier two races organized by Topas in Vietnam were the Vietnam Mountain Marathon and the Vietnam Jungle Marathon.