Victoria 162 2027

"Neih hou": in Hong Kong, even “hello” is pronounced at speed—much like the program awaiting runners in mid-March 🌆. Head to Hong Kong, between the namesake island, Kowloon, the New Territories and Lantau Island. At this time of year, the climate stays mild and humid, with temperatures ranging between 16 and 23 degrees and a few possible showers ☔—enough to run without suffocating, unlike the local summer, known to be unbreathable 💦. A transitional climate, perfect for racking up the miles without melting 🧊.

The course is built around Victoria Harbour 🌊, and quickly gets to the heart of the matter: steep trails, rugged ridges and isolated singletrack alternate with more runnable sections along the coastline ⛰️. The terrain is unforgiving on the long version, with 7,700 mD+ on the program for the "V162", the only trail 100-mile race in all of Hong Kong 🥇. The throughline of the course can be summed up in one image: runners take the MTR, the local metro, to cross the harbour mid-race, before heading back out to scramble along the other side 🚇. An improbable urban switch that makes it possible to do two activities in one: run and visit the city 🏙️.

Five starts make up the weekend, from the "L57" to the "H25" 🚩, designed to appeal both to the beginner coming for their first big elevation gain and the ultra-trail runner looking for a change-of-scenery ultra-trail. Accessibility is precisely the hallmark of the event: starts and finishes are all just steps from a metro station, a rare luxury for a route this wild 🌿. For the runner coming from elsewhere, the experience is almost a travel concentrate: land in one of Asia’s most intense cities ✈️, scramble for two or three days on isolated trails, and leave with the feeling you’ve watched raw nature and urban excess coexist in record time.

Between two climbs, the city always has another card to play 🃏. You’ll gladly climb up to Victoria Peak for the view that justifies every heavy leg, stroll along the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade facing the skyline 🌆, and finish in style around the Temple Street night market, where the scents of dim sum and cart noodles are a welcome replacement for the energy bar 🥟 . The legendary Star Ferry completes the picture, between two harbour crossings by metro during the race itself—a running experience that, clearly, never really leaves the local vibe, even once you’ve picked up your bib 🏃.

So, ready to heat up the chopsticks just as much as your calves? 🥢