Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB
Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB – MY100
Esplanade Taiping, Perak
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The Malaysia Ultra-Trail by UTMB – MY100 is a 98 km ultra starting from the Esplanade in Taiping, Perak, with 4435 m of vertical gain and a high point of 1369 m. Despite topping out below 1400 m, the course packs in serious climbing thanks to the huge ascents of Maxwell Hill (Angkasa), which is climbed from near sea level both early and late in the race. The result is a deceptively tough profile: long, steep climbs bookending flatter, lower ground in the middle. Run in the tropical heat and humidity of northern Peninsular Malaysia, the MY100 tests heat management as much as climbing legs. Runners drop from over 1000 m at Angkasa back down to the lowlands and then have to climb all the way back up again near the finish. This guide breaks down the course, the decisive Maxwell Hill climbs, and how to pace, fuel and prepare for the conditions.
The Course: Taiping, Maxwell Hill and the Lowlands
The MY100 starts at the Esplanade in Taiping at just 26 m and covers 97.7 km back to the finish at 20 m. The opening act is dramatic: a long climb to Angkasa at 12.5 km (1066 m), the Maxwell Hill high ground, followed by a steep descent to Maxwell Basecamp at 22.1 km (62 m). From there the course runs through lower terrain — Tiger Temple at 29.6 km (35 m), Spritzer Ecopark at 37.5 km (28 m), the KTM Tunnel at 50.1 km (23 m) and Changkat Ibol Junction at 62.6 km (28 m). After a rise to Peak 300 at 72.1 km (146 m), the sting arrives: a second enormous climb back to Angkasa at 86.4 km (1059 m) before the plunge to the finish at 20 m. With the course high point of 1369 m reached on the Maxwell Hill sections, the profile is essentially two giant climbs and descents wrapped around a long stretch of lower, faster ground — a shape that demands respect for what waits at 86 km.
Where the Race Is Decided: The Two Maxwell Hill Climbs
The MY100 is defined by its two ascents of Maxwell Hill. The first, from the 26 m start to Angkasa at 1066 m (12.5 km), gains over a vertical kilometre early while legs are fresh — but going out too hard here, especially in the heat, mortgages the rest of the day. The descent to Maxwell Basecamp (62 m at 22.1 km) is steep and quad-heavy, the first of several long downhills that add up across 4435 m of total gain. The race is truly decided on the second Angkasa climb. After the long lower-elevation middle, runners face the same massive ascent again from Peak 300 (146 m at 72.1 km) up to Angkasa at 1059 m by 86.4 km — a brutal 900 m-plus climb on tired legs late in the race. Whoever arrives at Peak 300 with energy and functioning quads to attack this second climb, and then survive the final descent to the finish, will make up the most ground. Pacing the first climb and the lowland middle conservatively is the key to being strong when it matters most.
Pacing and Fuelling Against the Cut-offs
The cut-offs frame the effort: Maxwell Basecamp at Sat 11:00, Changkat Ibol Junction at Sat 23:00, Peak 300 at Sun 02:00, and the finish at Sun 11:00. The long window into Sunday morning means much of the race is run through the night. Spritzer Ecopark (37.5 km) and Changkat Ibol Junction (62.6 km) are crew points, along with the finish, giving key places to resupply, cool down and prepare for the second Maxwell Hill climb. Use the runnable lower-elevation middle — the stretch through Tiger Temple, Spritzer Ecopark, the KTM Tunnel and Changkat Ibol — to bank time and calories without overheating, so you reach Peak 300 well ahead of the Sun 02:00 cut-off with fuel in the tank for the final ascent. Because aid must cover long tropical segments, carry enough fluid and electrolytes between stations; in the heat and humidity, dehydration and salt loss can end a race faster than the climbing. Eat and drink steadily from the start rather than waiting until you feel depleted.
Conditions to Expect: Tropical Heat and Humidity
The defining condition of the MY100 is the tropical climate of northern Peninsular Malaysia. Heat and high humidity dominate the low-lying sections around Taiping, one of the wettest places in the country, so rain, mud and slick trail are realistic on top of the warmth. The big climbs to Angkasa reach cooler air at over 1000 m, but the transitions between hot lowland and higher ground place real stress on the body. With the finish cut-off at Sun 11:00, the race runs overnight and into the following morning, so runners will face both nighttime humidity and rising daytime heat on the closing kilometres. Prioritise heat acclimatisation, generous hydration and electrolytes, and shoes that grip on wet, muddy terrain. Reliable lighting is essential for the night sections, and planning to cool down at the crew points can make the difference on a course where the climate is as much an opponent as the 4435 m of climbing.
Who This Race Suits
The MY100 suits ultra runners who are comfortable pairing big climbs with demanding heat and humidity. Although the high point is only 1369 m, the two full ascents of Maxwell Hill and the 4435 m of total gain make this a genuinely tough 98 km, and the tropical conditions add a challenge that mountain-only training does not prepare you for. It is a rewarding target for runners who train for heat as seriously as for vertical, and who can pace a course whose hardest climb comes at 86 km. If you can manage your effort and fuelling through the hot lowland middle, keep your quads intact through repeated long descents, and dig into the second Angkasa climb late at night, the MY100 offers a distinctive and demanding Southeast Asian ultra experience.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 26 m · —
12.5 km · 1066 m · —
22.1 km · 62 m · Sat 11:00
29.6 km · 35 m · —
37.5 km · 28 m · —
50.1 km · 23 m · —
62.6 km · 28 m · Sat 23:00
72.1 km · 146 m · Sun 02:00
86.4 km · 1059 m · —
97.7 km · 20 m · Sun 11:00
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