Nepal’s trail runner Suman Kulung has secured a credible fourth position in the 50K Marathon Trail race in Fieberbrunn, Austria.

The three-day event, which concluded on Sunday, saw celebrated American runner Hayden Hawks claim victory in the 48.2km marathon trail with a time of 5 hours and 36 seconds. Norway’s Frederik Bruseth finished a close second in 05:02:06, with his compatriot Stian Dahl Sommerseth (05:06:23) completing the podium. 50K results

A total of 396 athletes from around the globe participated in the 50K event. The marathon trail is one of four races held alongside the ‘100 Miles’ ultra-marathon. Local trail running legend Gerald Fister won the men’s 100 Miles and Irene Guembe Ibanez of Spain secured victory in the women’s section.  

Now in its fifth year, the 173.2km blue-ribbon race, the longest for trail running in Austria, features roughly 10,000 metres in elevation gain. KAT100 is an ITRA-approved race, offering 4 qualifying points, also known as ‘Running Stones.’

Kulung’s remarkable performance of 05:35:48 was achieved while competing against a star-studded field led by Hawks. This is expected to further enhance Nepal’s reputation as the home of some of the world’s brightest trail runners. He represented the Dr. Sigrid Schwarzenbacher Foundation, Austria, in the race.

The course, located in the country’s Pillerseetal region, is not only challenging but also breathtakingly beautiful. The Kitzbühel Alps provide stunning views, and the racecourse passes through Wildseeloder, Hochfilzen, Waidring, St. Johann, Kitzbühel Horn, Streif, and Jochberg, offering a unique perspective of the surrounding Wilder Kaiser and Hohe Tauern mountain ranges. The race revolves around the theme of ‘Next Step to Heaven.’

Competitions were also held for the Endurance Trail (81.4 km, 4,860 vertical metres), the Speed Trail (24.2 km, 1,640 vertical metres) and the Easy Trail (8 km, 243 vertical metres). Additionally, the event included the ‘Kids Trail’ with three courses ranging from 500 to 1,500 metres in length.

Hawks expected to win easily, but the race took an unexpected turn when Bruseth put up a formidable challenge. Hawks initially set a blistering pace and led the uphill segments. However, Bruseth caught up and overtook him on the downhill. The see-saw battle for the top spot continued until Hawks summoned all his resources to reclaim the lead on the final flat kilometres, securing victory with a time just shy of five hours. Bruseth finished a close second, trailing by only two minutes, while fellow Norwegian Stian Dahl Sommerseth claimed third place.

“The race is really tough. I’m not used to such technical trails and so much mud,” Hawks told KAT100’s official website, reflecting on his performance. “Back home in Utah, it’s almost always dry, and the mountains aren’t as steep. Stian really pushed me, and I had to give everything. Now I’m glad to be at the finish.”

The women’s race was equally compelling, with Canada’s Valerie Arsenault emerging victorious with a time of 06:16:25. She narrowly edged out Claudia Chmielowska from Poland, who finished in 06:20:56, and Germany’s Anke Friedel, who completed the race in 06:37:56.

The weekend’s events concluded with the Speed and Easy Trails, adding more excitement to the running festival. Italian Matteo Rossi triumphed in the Speed Trail, completing the 24.2 km and 1,640 metres of elevation gain in just over two hours. Spain’s Yessica Perez Torrente was the fastest woman, finishing in two hours and 46 minutes.

Meanwhile, Lauren Russell from Great Britain and Austrian Anton Wechselberger emerged victorious in the Easy Trail on Saturday afternoon.