Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge (), or HK4TUC (), is an annual ultramarathon race in Hong Kong. Considered one of the most challenging mountain races worldwide, participants have to run through within 72 hours the famous quadruple hiking trails in Hong Kong known as "Four Trails": MacLehose, Wilson, Hong Kong, and Lantau. The ultramarathon spans a total distance of 298 kilometres with a cumulative elevation of 14,500 metres, starting from Tuen Mun and ends at the green post box outside Silvermine Bay Ferry Pier in Mui Wo.

History

This challenge was founded in 2012 by German expat Andre Blumberg, who had moved to Hong Kong. He explained that his intention at the time was to challenge himself and get back into shape before hitting a mid-life crisis. He set a goal of completing all four major trails within four days and ultimately succeeded in doing so on his own.See the documentary Four Trails In 2013, he invited other runners to join, shortening the challenge from four days to three, with 3 out of 5 participants successfully completing it.

From 2014 onward, Andre Blumberg shifted from being a runner to becoming the event’s organizer. The challenge has since been held annually during the first three days of the Lunar New Year. Runners may submit an application, and Blumberg decides on invitations based on their track record and motivation. Around twenty runners are typically selected each year. The event offers no medals, rankings, entry fees, or prize money. However, starting in 2014, two honorary titles were introduced: “Finisher” and “Survivor.” A runner earns the title of “Finisher” if they complete all four trails within 60 hours — an accolade regarded as a prestigious honor in the trail running community. Among the six participants in 2014, only Vic So managed to complete all four trails in 62 hours, earning the title of “Survivor,” though he fell short of finishing within the required time.

In 2017, director Robin Lee filmed a 45-minute documentary about the Four Trails Challenge, titled "Breaking 60 | Challenging the Impossible" which aired on Apple TV+. The documentary chronicled the arduous journey of a runner who, for the first time that year, completed the challenge under 60 hours, becoming a "finisher."

After that, Blumberg introduced new rules almost every year to increase the difficulty: 2017: Cut-off of 80 hours imposed for “Survivor” category 2019: Cut-off reduced to 75 hours 2020: Cut-off reduced to 72 hours 2021: No hiking poles or music 2022: No painkillers 2023: Start time shifted from morning to evening, participants therefore have to endure an extra night without sleep 2024: Start time announced only 12 hours before the race 2025: No watches; start time announced 6 hours before the race

The 2021 race only invited past finishers and survivors amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Prominent runners including Stone Tsang and Tom Robertshaw withdrew during the race, with Jacky Leung making history as the first that breaks the 50-hour mark. Four Trails, a film that documents that year's challenge, was released in 2025.

Four Trails

The entire challenge covers a total distance of 298 kilometres, with a cumulative elevation gain of 14,500 metres. Runners must complete all four trails individually and without help from others apart from supply facilities along the routes, such as grocery stores and vending machines, and transportation between trails. Each runner could be joined by only one support crew member and one driver during the transportation. Rest and sleep breaks are allowed during the race, but the time spent will count towards the overall result.

The four trails, individually ran in reverse from the finishing point back to the start and in the following sequence, are:

MacLehose Trail 100 kilometres running west to east, from Tuen Mun New Town to Pak Tam Chung, traversing several country parks including Tai Lam, Tai Mo Shan (highest peak in the city), Shing Mun, Kam Shan, Lion Rock, Ma On Shan, and Sai Kung East and West Runners must complete within the cut-off time of 18 hours Runners will then be taken to the next starting point by car

Wilson Trail 78 kilometres running north to south, from Nam Chung to Stanley, traversing Pat Sin Leng, Tai Mo Shan and several hills in New Territories and Kowloon outskirt before crossing the harbour on the MTR underground, then passing through Quarry Bay and Tai Tam Runners must cross the harbour on the MTR (Lam Tin station to Tai Koo station via Kwun Tong line, Tseung Kwan O line, and Island line) Taking the MTR to Taikoo Station is also considered part of the trail race, and no supporting crew member are allowed during this transition Runners will then be taken to the next starting point by car

Hong Kong Trail 50 kilometres running east to west, from Tai Long Wan to Victoria Peak Runners must take the ferry at Central Piers to the next starting point Starting from 2023 runners can no longer travel by car and must walk from Victoria Peak to the Central Pier.

Lantau Trail 70 kilometres looping clockwise with starting and ending both at the green post box outside Silvermine Bay Ferry Pier in Mui Wo

Runners must start Lantau Trail before 54 hours have elapsed

Records The record holder is Wong Ho-chung who achieved a result of 46 hours 55 minutes in 2022. He, along with another local Jacky Leung, are the duo "breaking 50" achievement holders. Nikki Han and Cheung Man-yee are the only two female finishers. The youngest successful participant is Sarah Pemberton, completing the race in 70 hours 45 minutes in 2020 at the age of 26.

Only seven runners have claimed the "finisher" title twice: Nugo Yamanath Limbu, Jacky Leung, Salomon Wettstein, Hyun Chang Chung, Nikki Han, Tomokazu Ihara and Liu Fo-lok .

List of Finishers +FinisherResultYearNotes1Wong Ho-chung46 hours 55 minutes20222Jacky Leung Chun-keung49 hours 26 minutes2021 58 hours 31 minutes20203Salomon Wettstein51 hours 53 minutes202154 hours 14 minutes20184Liu Fo-lok52 hours 2 minutes202456 hours 42 minutes20265Tom Robertshaw53 hours20176Tomokazu Ihara54 hours 2 minutes202357 hours 42 minutes20197Stone Tsang Siu-keung54 hours 15 minutes20178Nugo Yamanath Limbu54 hours 26 minutes202056 hours 29 minues20239Stephen Redfern54 hours 46 minutes202010Julien Chorier55 hours 12 minutes202611Kristian Joergensen55 hours 52 minutes201912Thomas Lam Shing-yip 55 hours 32 minutes202213 Eric Leung Wai-yip56 hours 1 minutes202414Abimanyu Shunmugam56 hours 6 minutes202015Takashi Doi56 hours 25 minutes202016Joseph Yeung Chi-shing56 hours 26 minutes202217Ryan Whelan56 hours 54 minutes202318Wong Ka-kit57 hours 11 minutes202319Richard Kimber57 hours 27 minutes202220Jag Lanante57 hours 45 minutes201721Cheung Man-yee57 hours 53 minutes202222Phairat Varasin57 hours 54 minutes201823Man Wing Yam58 hours 9 minutes202624Law Kai-pong58 hours 11 minutes202025Tetsuya Fukui58 hours 15 minutes202426Nikki Han58 hours 20 minutes201959 hours 42 minutes202127Scott Pugh58 hours 43 minutes202628Lau Chun-man58 hours 55 minutes202129Leon Jiang Liangjun58 hours 58 minutes202430현창충Hyun Chang Chung59 hours 23 minutes202159 hours 46 minutes202031Markus Schieder59 hours 24 minutes202632Kevin Cheung Kei-fung59 hours 30 minutes202333Mayank Vaid59 hours 43 minutes202434Chiu Wen-hsiao59 hours 45 minutes201735Law Chor-kin59 hours 50 minutes2021

List of past sessions +Time limitRunnersCompletedYear bestFinisherSurvivorFinisherSurvivor1st (2012)4 days11Andre Blumberg2nd (2013)3 days533rd (2014)60 hoursNo time limit 601Vic So, 62:004th (2015)401Jag Lanante, 81:305th (2016)23011Tom Robertshaw, 60:386th (2017)80 hours2245Tom Robertshaw, 53:007th (2018)75 hours2825Salomon Wettstein, 54:148th (2019)2936Kristian Joergensen, 55:529th (2020)72 hours3375Nugo Limbu, 54:0010th (2021)1865Jacky Leung, 49:2611th (2022)1652Wong Ho-chung, 46:5512th (2023)25510Tomokazu Ihara, 54:0213th (2024)1955Liu Fo-lok, 52:0214th (2025)15011Nugo Limbu, 60:4915th (2026)26510Julien Chorier, 55:12Total (2014–2026)2644277

Notes

See also Hong Kong Marathon Trailwalker

References

External links Race map