Brilliant victories for Meng Guangfu and Sunmaya Budha in the inaugural 2025 Gran Canaria World Trail Majors race, Hong Kong 100. Chinese dominance with podium finishes for Guidu Qin and Guomin Deng in the men’s race while in the female Veronika Leng and Hau Thi Ha do it in the women’s race. In the Short Series by Gran Canaria World Trail Majors, first race in the new short distance series, sees victories for Yang Jianjian and Ram Maya Budha (Sunmaya’s sister!).
The Hong Kong 100 is head to the East of the city of Hong Kong and within the UNESCO World Geopark of the Sai Kung Peninsula, in an environment of dense vegetation and close to the sea. Four races, from 33 Km to 192 Km, have seen around 3,000 runners take on the first races of the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors series 2025.
For local runners, it is a way of coming face to face with a notable selection of international competitors and, at the same time, achieving international recognition that is not possible in Chinese races. The Hong Kong 100 is the most internationally renowned race in the country due to its long history and status on the calendar. The emerging Chinese trail running scene once again demonstrated the quantity and quality of its runners, who proved they can take the challenge to any other country in the world with brilliant victories from Meng Guangfu and Sunmaya Budha and, with it, they take the lead in the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors series.

‘Chinese start’: fast and competitive
With excellent weather throughout the weekend, some challenging trails in terms of steps and rocky trails, a few beaches and short but steep inclines, the fifteenth Hong Kong 100 started with a very high pace. The starts in Chinese races are usually extraordinarily fast and a competitive lead group headed out as temperatures rose and the humidity began to sap energy.
From the very start Meng Guangfu (China, Hoka), You Peiquan (China, Anta Guanjun), Deng Guomin (China, The North Face) and Shen Jiasheng (China, The North Face/Coros), all winners in past editions, confirming the first thought that this could be the most exciting edition in the history of the race. The international runners tried to keep up with the Chinese pace and among the first runners were John Ray “Stingray” Onifa (Philippines, T8), Raul Butaci (Romania, BigK), Daniel Jung (Italia, Altra-Alpenplus) and Ionel Christian Manole (Spain, Salomon/226).
The ‘Chinese start’ was also present in the women’s race with a hard and fast start from a group containing: Chen Lin (China, Adidas Terrex), Cheung Man Yee (Hong Kong), Ying Li (China, Kailas Fuga), Anna Li (China, Hoka), Wu Yuanyuan (China, Altra/NEWS), Sunmaya Budha (Nepal, Kailas Fuga), Hau Thi Ha (Vietnam, Mude), Yukari Seimiya (Japan, Hoka), Veronika Leng (Slovakia), Kellie Angel (Australia, Hoka/T8), Lorena Ramírez (Mexico), Sandra Sevillano (Spain, BigK, 715) and Silvia Puigarnau (Spain, Scarpa).



Mid-race: the pace takes its toll
The high pace was taking its toll and gradually dropping runners from the initial lead group. Km 51 and Meng Guangfu and John Ray Onifa took advantage, Deng Guomin, Ionel Cristian Manole, Guidu Qin (China, Outopia) and Shen Jiansheng were not far. The race was very open at this point.
Remarkable race by Giudu Qin who was able to recover with a less aggressive pace and managing his effort and climbed positions: 12th in the first checkpoint, 6th half the race, on podium position at Gilwell Camp, km 70. Meng Guangfu, meanwhile, showed not weaknesses. The splits were clearly better than the record times, partly due to a course change caused by a landslide a few months ago, but also thanks to the pleasant temperatures and intense competition.
The women’s race was proving to be highly engaging as well, with a standout group forming early on. As the positions became clearer, it was evident that Nepali runner Sunmaya Budha, Hong Kong-based Slovak Veronika Leng, and Vietnamese athlete Hau Thi Ha were the strongest competitors. The leading trio steadily gained ground over the Chinese runners Jinyan Tang (Salomon), Lingjie Chi (Salomon) and Anna Li.



Meng Guangfu crowned in Hong Kong 100, again
103 kilometres, 5300 metres of elevation and thousands of steps later saw Guangfu Meng win after pushing the final pace and showing himself as a very solid leader. The time, 9 hours 43 minutes, 8 ahead of Guidu Qin, also behind the record time but as mentioned before the course was not exactly the same. Anyway, what an astonishing performance! The podium was completed by Guomin Deng for a full-Chinese podium. Ionel Crisitan Manole grabbed a great 4th place, very valuable on the competitive Chinese soil, and Shen Jiansheng was 5th.
John Ray Onifa, Man Kumar Roka Magar (Nepal, Anta Guanjun), Kao Zhu (China, Outopia), Adriaan Vriens Lodweijk (Nederlands, T8/Umara) and Jie Zhang (China, Adidas Terrex) completed the top 10.

Spectacular victory for Sunmaya Budha
In the women’s category, Sunmaya Budha’s performance was devastating for her competitors. Her sister won on Friday’s The Half Short Series by Gran Canaria World Trail Majors first ever race, and Sunmaya was doing the same. Her pace, solid, never looking back, showed how strong she was pushing. Behind Veronika Leng and Hau Thi Ha showed also solid performance and good splits. Behind, Tang Jingyan (China, Salomon) and Chi Lingjie (China, Salomon) expected rivals’ problems.
After 11 hours, 11 minutes and 47 seconds Sunmaya Budha crossed the line in the Hong Kong 100 2025 receiving the first 1500 points awarded for the Gran Canaria World Trail Majors series. A spectacular victory that confirms her as one of the best runners in the world, starting the season with strength. Will she run other Gran Canaria World Trail Majors events? That was the question frequently asked in the finish line. Only 14 minutes later Veronika Leng crossed the finish line and the Vietnamese Hau Thi Ha took third 44 minutes later.
Tang Jingyan, Chi Lingjie, Nirmala Rai (Nepal, Anta Guanjun), Ma Ting (China, Jingzhoujinpao), Anna Li, Man Yee Cheung (China, Gone Running) and Feifei Yang (China, Nitecore) are the Hong Kong 100 2025 top 10.


The first wins in the Short Series for Yang Jianjian and Ram Maya Budha
In 2024, the Hong Kong 100 was the first race in the history of World Trail Majors, in 2025 it had the honour of starting the Short Series by Gran Canaria World Trail Majors, a series for amateur and elite runners, more attainable distance for the majority than the long ultras and very competitive for the faster runners.
Sharing the first 50 Km or so of the course with the Hong Kong 100, and suitably named ‘The Half’, the 56 Km with 2000 metres of elevation is set entirely within a protected landscape, away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded city, but with the start and finish being easily accessible by public transport from the city centre within an hour’s travel.
The competition was expected to be between Chinese and Japanese runners. It turned out to be the case with Chinese setting a fast pace since the very beginning of the race. Yang Jianjian (China, Vibram) lead a group that included Zhang Sheng (China), Guan Youshen (China, Kailas Fuga) and Yoshino Yamato (Japan, Salomon).
With mild temperatures hovering around 20°C, the runners tackled the two iconic beaches featured in The Half course. Jianjian continued to assert himself as the strongest contender, leading for most of the race. Short, steep slopes combined with a high pace gradually thinned the pack. After passing Pak Sha, and around two-thirds into the race, after dropping the last member of the group, Zhang Sheng, Yang Jianjian broke away solo to claim a decisive victory. His time: 4:36:04.


Zhan Sheng was second three minutes apart and Luo Canhua (China, Kailas Fuga) was finally third, recovering from 14th in the early stages of the race. Yoshino Yamato was the first non-Chinese runner and Chao Hai Qi (China, Anta Guanjun) was fifth while Marcel Hoeche (Germany, Adidas Terrex) and Eduard Hernández (Spain, Ironwill/Egari) – 6th, 8th – where the first Europeans running a smart race against the Chinese athletes, who know the terrain well and set an impressive early pace.
In the women’s race, the Budha’s sister had to great weekend: we witnessed the impressive victory for Ram Maya Budha (Nepal, Kailas Fuga), leading from start to finish and securing a clear win over Japan’s Yuri Yoshizumi (Scarpa) by more than 20 minutes. Only Yang Linlin (China, BigK) managed to keep up with her in the early stages of the race but lost steam later, finishing fifth, more than 40 minutes behind the Nepali runner which set a new record at The Half (5:34:05) and made her the first leader of the Short Series by Gran Canaria World Trail Majors. Yan Yang (China), Zhou Ruifang (China, Vibram) and Yang Linlin round up the top 5.
Brilliant – and fast! – start to the Short Series by Gran Canaria World Trail Majors. What’s next at the Black Canyon Ultras in early February?


Full results and streaming
Hong Kong 100: Full Results
Hong Kong 100 – The Half: Full Results
Hong Kong 100 Streaming: Start, Main, Finish.

Next Race: Black Canyon Ultras
The series moves to the U.S.A at the beginning of next month: February 8th–9th will be the Black Canyon Ultras, which has proved to be one of the most competitive races in the United States. The second round of the World Trail Majors series will be held on fast gravel trails, usually under the sun but not without the risk of cold and snowy weather at this time of the year in the state of Arizona. The race will be live streamed as is standard for races organised by Aravaipa. As a bonus competitive edge, the top finishers in the 100-kilometre distance will receive a Golden Ticket to the Western States Endurance Run.