# Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge

Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge (Chinese: 香港四徑超級挑戰), or HK4TUC (Chinese: 四徑; lit. 'Four Trails'), 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

The challenge was founded by Andre Blumberg, a German expat living in Hong Kong in 2012 when he decided to run the four trails in four days during the Chinese New Year holiday period. Blumberg later said he decided to challenge himself and get in shape as mid-life crisis loomed. Participation is strictly by invitation from Blumberg, who permitted around two dozens of runners every year. After an overhaul of the system in 2014, two titles of "finisher" and "survivor" are introduced. Runner could only earn the title of "finisher" if complete the four trails within 60 hours, and "survivor" in 72 hours. New rules were implemented to increase the difficulty, with hiking poles banned in 2021, painkillers in 2022, and watches in 2025.
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 challenge starts on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which usually falls in January or February. Spanning a total of 298 kilometres, the route has a cumulative elevation of 14,500 metres. Runners had to complete all the routes solo and self-supported with crew support allowed only off-trails. Sleep breaks and rests are allowed but will count into the timing.
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)
** 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 reach the pier on foot
* Lantau Trail: 70 kilometres looping clockwise with starting and ending both at the green post box outside Silvermine Bay Ferry Pier in Mui Wo

## 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 two only female finisher. The youngest successful participant is Sarah Pemberton, completing the race in 70 hours 45 minutes in 2020 at the age of 26.
Only six runners claimed the "finisher" title twice: Nugo Yamanath Limbu, Jacky Leung, Salomon Wettstein, Hyun Chang Chung, Nikki Han, and Tomokazu Ihara.

### List of finishers

| | Finisher | Result | Year | Notes |
| 1 | Wong Ho-chung | 46 hours 55 minutes | 2022 | Breaking 50 |
| 2 | Jacky Leung Chun-keung | 49 hours 26 minutes | 2021 | Breaking 50  Finisher Twice |
| 2 | Jacky Leung Chun-keung | 58 hours 31 minutes | 2020 | Breaking 50  Finisher Twice |
| 3 | Salomon Wettstein | 51 hours 53 minutes | 2021 | Finisher Twice |
| 3 | Salomon Wettstein | 54 hours 14 minutes | 2018 | Finisher Twice |
| 4 | Liu Fo-lok | 52 hours 2 minutes | 2024 | |
| 5 | Tom Robertshaw | 53 hours | 2017 | |
| 6 | Tomokazu Ihara | 54 hours 2 minutes | 2023 | Finisher Twice |
| 6 | Tomokazu Ihara | 57 hours 42 minutes | 2019 | Finisher Twice |
| 7 | Stone Tsang Siu-keung | 54 hours 15 minutes | 2017 | |
| 8 | Nugo Yamanath Limbu | 54 hours 26 minutes | 2020 | Finisher Twice |
| 8 | Nugo Yamanath Limbu | 56 hours 29 minues | 2023 | Finisher Twice |
| 9 | Stephen Redfern | 54 hours 46 minutes | 2020 | |
| 10 | Kristian Joergensen | 55 hours 52 minutes | 2019 | |
| 11 | Thomas Lam Shing-yip | 55 hours 32 minutes | 2022 | |
| 12 | Eric Leung Wai-yip | 56 hours 1 minutes | 2024 | |
| 13 | Abimanyu Shunmugam | 56 hours 6 minutes | 2020 | |
| 14 | Ryo Doi | 56 hours 25 minutes | 2020 | |
| 15 | Joseph Yeung Chi-shing | 56 hours 26 minutes | 2022 | |
| 16 | Ryan Whelan | 56 hours 54 minutes | 2023 | |
| 17 | Wong Ka-kit | 57 hours 11 minutes | 2023 | |
| 18 | Richard Kimber | 57 hours 27 minutes | 2022 | |
| 19 | Jag Lanante | 57 hours 45 minutes | 2017 | |
| 20 | Cheung Man-yee | 57 hours 53 minutes | 2022 | |
| 21 | Phairat Varasin | 57 hours 54 minutes | 2018 | |
| 22 | Law Kai-pong | 58 hours 11 minutes | 2020 | |
| 23 | Tetsuya Fukui | 58 hours 15 minutes | 2024 | |
| 24 | Nikki Han | 58 hours 20 minutes | 2019 | Finisher Twice |
| 24 | Nikki Han | 59 hours 42 minutes | 2021 | Finisher Twice |
| 25 | Lau Chun-man | 58 hours 55 minutes | 2021 | |
| 26 | Leon Jiang Liangjun | 58 hours 58 minutes | 2024 | |
| 27 | Hyun Chang Chung | 59 hours 23 minutes | 2021 | Finisher Twice |
| 27 | Hyun Chang Chung | 59 hours 46 minutes | 2020 | Finisher Twice |
| 28 | Kevin Cheung Kei-fung | 59 hours 30 minutes | 2023 | |
| 29 | Mayank Vaid | 59 hours 43 minutes | 2024 | |
| 30 | Chiu Wen-hsiao | 59 hours 45 minutes | 2017 | |
| 31 | Law Chor-kin | 59 hours 50 minutes | 2021 | |

### List of past sessions

| | Time limit | Time limit | Runners | Completed | Completed | Year best |
| | Finisher | Survivor | Runners | Finisher | Survivor | Year best |
| 1st (2012) | 4 days | — | 1 | 1 | — | Blumberg |
| 2nd (2013) | 3 days | — | 5 | 3 | — | |
| 3rd (2014) | 60 hours | 3 days | 6 | 0 | 1 | Vic So, 62 hrs |
| 4th (2015) | 60 hours | 3 days | 4 | 0 | 1 | Lanante, 81:30 |
| 5th (2016) | 60 hours | 3 days | 23 | 0 | 11 | Robertshaw, 60:38 |
| 6th (2017) | 60 hours | 80 hours | 22 | 4 | 5 | Robertshaw, 53 hrs |
| 7th (2018) | 60 hours | 75 hours | 28 | 2 | 5 | Wettstein, 54:14 |
| 8th (2019) | 60 hours | 75 hours | 29 | 3 | 6 | Joergensen, 55:52 |
| 9th (2020) | 60 hours | 72 hours | 33 | 7 | 5 | Limbu, 54 hrs |
| 10th (2021) | 60 hours | 72 hours | 18 | 6 | 5 | Leung, 49:26 |
| 11th (2022) | 60 hours | 72 hours | 16 | 5 | 2 | Wong, 46:55 |
| 12th (2023) | 60 hours | 72 hours | 25 | 5 | 10 | Ihara, 54:02 |
| 13th (2024) | 60 hours | 72 hours | 19 | 5 | 5 | Liu, 52:02 |
| 14th (2025) | 60 hours | 72 hours | 15 | 0 | 11 | Limbu, 60:49 |
| Total (2014–2025) | Total (2014–2025) | Total (2014–2025) | 238 | 37 | 67 | |