26/02/2025
*** Suspension of Ultimate Trails of Penang Eco ***
Dear Runners,
After some months of reflections and consideration, we have now decided to suspend this 9-editions-old event for this year, and launch this event in 2026 in a different format.
Since the launch of this event in 2015 then as the 1st ultra trail race in Peninsular Malaysia, Penang Eco has evolved and survived through great times in the earlier years, and challenging years in the post-MCO Covid era.
With the changing landscape of ultra running in Malaysia post covid era, we have seen the decline in runners' sentiments in general in challenging the longer distance ultra trail races, particularly in distances over 50km. The introduction of Ultimate Trails of Penang in 2018 has created two ultra trail races in Penang with similar distance categories (although different characters, terrains and elevations). After 9 years, many have done this race before on the old and new routes. While Penang Eco has always been considered as "tough", it is especially so in the post Covid era that it is "too tough" for many to consider even signing up.
In parallel, we have faced increasingly greater challenges in connecting the trail routes through durian plantations/estates with more and more fences/gates being put up, banning/barring runners from entering/passing through. Some owners even removed/relocated some of our markers causing confusion for the runners leading to them getting lost during the race.
Still, we love these trails in Bukit Mertajam. As our 2025 event calendar is rather full with our own events and those that we help others to organize, we plan to relaunch Penang Eco in a different format in 2026.
Should you have any deferred slots which you plan to use this year, please get in touch with us to work out a suitable arrangement. Thank you all for your support over the past 10 years and we look forward to greet you in 2026 new Penang Eco.
Race Directors
Ng Seow Kong Allan Lee
26 Feb 2025
