FRENCH runner Vincent Malcurat posted a course record eight hours and 19 minutes in the 47 kilometer kick off race of the King of the Mountain (KOTM) series during the 2020 Marikit-Pigingan Trail Race 47K and 30K held February 16 in Dalupirip, Itogon, Benguet.

Malcurat bested 54 others in the foot race organized by frontrunner magazine under the KOTM banner which consists of five trail running events held annually in the vast Cordillera mountain range in northern Philippines.

Marc Conrad Molina and Raymond Kenneth Dionisio, both for the Philippines, settled for second and third respectively with a time of 9:45 and 9:46.

In the women’s contest, Jenny-vi Fontanilla clocked nine hours and 16 minutes to finish first with Michelle Daulayan (10:14) and Sunshine Wanawan (10:34) completing the top three.

The 30K run meanwhile saw Ypril Marc Manzano checking in first with a time of three hours and 46 minutes even as Laurence Balanza finished second after completing the route with a time of 3:57 with Wisly Marquez coming in third after having a time of 4:14.

Southeast Asian Games obstacle course racing gold medalist Sandi Menchi Abahan recorded a time of four hours and four minutes to win the women’s side with Arlene Uyammi (4:52) and Lea Fe Mediana (5:14) barging into the top three finishers.

Aside from the Marikit - Pigingan trail run, KOTM will also hold the forest bathing trail loop ultra, Pulag 100, and the Hardcore Hundred Miles.

The forest bathing trail ultra will feature a 10K, 20K, 50K and 100K trial run from March 21 to 22 which starts and ends at Camp John Hay.

The Pulag 100 (P1) meanwhile kicks off April 18 to 19 at the Pulag Ranger Station with finish at Camp John Hay while the Hardcore 100 Miles (H1) will be in Kapayap, Nueva Vizcaya slated May 28.

Runners who officially complete four successive KOTM events in one year are awarded the KOTM400 pendant while those who officially finish three H1 races are also recognized and automatically elevated to the KOTM Hall of Fame.