Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam will host a race of the prestigious UTMB World Series for the first time, opening opportunities to put the country’s mountain trails on the global trail running map.
France’s Ouest-France newspaper reported that the Vietnam Highlands Trail by UTMB will take place in Da Lat city of Lam Dong province from January 8-10, 2027. The event is a newly added race to the 2027 calendar of the UTMB World Series, which currently includes 64 races across 29 countries and territories.
It attracts both professional athletes and trail running enthusiasts worldwide. Runners who complete races in the series can collect “Running Stones” for a chance to qualify for the HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc finals held annually in Chamonix in southeastern France.
Organisers expect the Vietnam Highlands Trail by UTMB to become a leading trail running event in Southeast Asia’s highland region. Data from UTMB showed that about 22,000 Vietnamese runners currently hold valid UTMB Index, with women accounting for 38%, reflecting the rapid growth of trail running in Vietnam.
The Vietnam Highlands Trail 2027 will feature five distances: 5km, 10km, 20km, 50km and 100km. The routes will take runners through various terrains typical of the Central Highlands, including four well-known mountain peaks – LangBiang, Bidoup, Pinhatt and Nui Voi.
According to organisers, each mountain offers distinct ecosystems, terrains and landscapes, promising diverse experiences for participants, from pine forests and hills to the iconic red dirt trails of the Central Highlands. Registration for runners holding a UTMB Index is scheduled to open on June 2, before being made available to the public from June 4 on the event’s official website./.
