Translantau™ by UTMB®
Translantau™ by UTMB® – TransLantau50
Mui Wo River Silver Garden
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
TransLantau50 is the 45 km race of Translantau by UTMB, a loop starting and finishing at Mui Wo on Hong Kong's Lantau Island. It carries 1,857 m of climbing over its 45 km, yet tops out at just 440 m, the classic Lantau signature: a big vertical total delivered as relentless short, steep climbs and descents at low elevation rather than one long mountain haul. That profile makes the TransLantau50 a step up in seriousness from the 25 km event without ever going high. Two cut-offs govern the second half of the race, and the near sea-level checkpoints mean every metre you climb is soon given back, so your legs are worked constantly on ascents and technical descents. This guide covers the course shape, where it gets hardest, and how to manage the aid stations, cut-offs and Hong Kong's heat.
The course and terrain
The TransLantau50 runs 45 km from the Mui Wo start (4 m) through Ham Tin (12 m at 7.1 km), Chi Ma Wan (47 m at 19.5 km), a return past a Mui Wo checkpoint (26.3 km), Discovery Bay (40 m at 36 km) and back to the Mui Wo finish (3 m at 44.6 km). Every single checkpoint sits within a few dozen metres of sea level, which frames the whole race: this is coastal Lantau trail running, weaving across the island's paths and catchwaters with the sea a constant companion. The key figure is 1,857 m of climbing against a high point of only 440 m. With no checkpoint anywhere near that height, the vertical is packed into repeated sharp climbs and descents between the low aid stations. Expect rocky, stepped trail, steep pitches that force hiking, and fast technical descents. Nothing here is a long grind; instead the course keeps switching your legs between climbing and braking, which over 45 km adds up to a genuinely demanding day.
Where the race is decided
The first major test is the stretch from Ham Tin (7.1 km) to Chi Ma Wan (19.5 km). At more than 12 km between aid stations and with the course carrying much of its early vertical here, this is the longest and lumpiest carry of the day and the place to settle into a sustainable climbing rhythm rather than racing. Arrive at Chi Ma Wan under control and you have set up the whole race. The back half loops out to Discovery Bay (40 m at 36 km) before the run home. The segment from the Mui Wo checkpoint at 26.3 km through Discovery Bay and back to the finish is where fatigue meets the ongoing short-steep climbing, and where the two cut-offs bite. With the 1,857 m of vertical distributed across the loop, there is no single climb to fear, but the cumulative toll of the descents on your quads is real. Whoever keeps their descending legs intact through Discovery Bay will finish strongest over the final 8.6 km back to Mui Wo.
Pacing, aid and the cut-offs
Two cut-offs shape the TransLantau50: the Mui Wo checkpoint at 26.3 km by 16:00, and Discovery Bay at 36 km by 18:30. Those govern the second half, so track your time through the climbing-heavy first 19.5 km to Chi Ma Wan carefully to ensure you reach the 26.3 km gate with margin. The window from that checkpoint to Discovery Bay is roughly 9.7 km and two and a half hours, which is comfortable on fresh legs but can tighten if the earlier climbs have drained you. Aid and crew access are available at all six points: the Mui Wo start, Ham Tin (7.1 km), Chi Ma Wan (19.5 km), the Mui Wo checkpoint (26.3 km), Discovery Bay (36 km) and the Mui Wo finish. The longest self-supported carry is the roughly 12.4 km from Ham Tin to Chi Ma Wan, so leave Ham Tin fully stocked with fluid and calories. Because the climbs are short and steep, plan to hike them efficiently and do your eating and drinking on the flatter catchwater and coastal sections between the punchy ascents.
Conditions to expect
At a high point of just 440 m, altitude plays no part in the TransLantau50; heat and humidity are the decisive conditions. Running near the coast with little high ground to catch a breeze, you are exposed to Hong Kong's warmth for the full 45 km, and hydration and electrolyte management will make or break your day. Use the closely spaced aid stations to stay ahead of your fluid losses rather than trying to claw back a deficit late in the race. Underfoot, expect the technical Lantau mix of rocky steps, steep dirt pitches and firmer catchwater paths, with descents that demand focus once your legs are tired. The near sea-level start and finish at Mui Wo make the race easy to reach and crew, but the 1,857 m of concentrated vertical and the two second-half cut-offs mean it deserves respect. Pace the long Ham Tin to Chi Ma Wan carry sensibly, protect your quads on the descents, and manage the heat, and the loop back through Discovery Bay to Mui Wo becomes a strong finish rather than a fight for the cut-off.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 4 m · —
7.1 km · 12 m · —
19.5 km · 47 m · —
26.3 km · -2 m · Sat 16:00
36 km · 40 m · Sat 18:30
44.6 km · 3 m · —
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