KUCHING, 4 March: Sarawak is the only stop in South East Asia for Spartan Trail World Championship event.
The Sarawak event dubbed the ‘Borneo Trail Classic’ (BTC) to be held on Oct 16 and 17 this year is organised by Kuching Fitness Association.
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Sarawak Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah emphasised that his ministry was excited to support the event.
He said the event will take place at Kubah National Park, which is considered the hardest trail in the region, and would definitely be an attractive pull especially for serious trail racers from around the world.
“This is also a good platform and opportunity to give participants the confidence to travel to Sarawak again, putting on the world map as the travel destination for trail running sports.
“In Sarawak, we have the best kept trails – from the lush of the rainforest to the paddy fields; a wide variety of sceneries and moods, which mean ‘instagrammable’ opportunities for racers,” he said in press conference here today.
Karim pointed out that the event will give Sarawakians the opportunity to run alongside world class trail racers as well as to expose and groom local athletes to world class standards.
He added that BTC is not limited to seasoned runners but it is open for everyone to participate with different categories for all different age groups and fitness level.
“This race is not only a physical challenge, it is also a mental challenge, especially the 100km Ultra Trail and 50km Trail, where one will need mental fortitude and determination to complete the race,” he said.
Karim, who also Minister of Youth and Sports, said beside benefiting local athletes, the event will also be a platform to showcase Sarawak’s unique culture and warm hospitality to the world.
Thus, it will provide an opportunity to help revitalise Sarawak’s tourism industry which is widely affected by Covid-19 pandemic.
“After experiencing a long Movement Control Order (MCO), everyone would be eager and excited to get moving and be out in the nature.
“This event is also something positive and will help to promote the importance of a healthy lifestyle and exercise to Sarawakians,” he said. — DayakDaily
