CHECKPOINTS

1. Race Regulations

Race Day: Saturday, 28 February 2026

Race Venue: New Territories, Hong Kong

Race Distance: 70 - 75 km (approx XX hm elevation gain)

Midnight : Start 50/50 and 50 Miles Open Public Races

01:00 am : ATM Championship Race Start

01:10 am : End of Start Procedure. Latecomers will automatically be ranked as DNS.

22:00 pm - Cut-off Time at Finish

1.1. The ATM Championship Final race will ,logically, follow the general race regulations of the 9 Dragons Ultra as organised and managed by the local Event Management Team. Participants in the ATM Final race are therefore expected to obey the instructions of the race director and his team at all times during the race. By starting the race, participants are deemed to have accepted all race regulations.

Link to General Race Regulations

Key points of relevance to ATM Finalists:

1.1.2 Indemnity clause: Any person taking part in the ATM Championship Final race must do so willingly and must follow the race regulations, and instructions by the race director, at all times. Runners must have appropriate medical, travel and accident insurance cover, and are required to sign a waiver at race pack collection attesting to the fact that they are in good health and fit for the physical effort required for participating in long distance running races. Kuai Sports Promotions Ltd, as promoter of the ATM Championship series, declines all liability if health problems or injuries are experienced during an event promoted under the Asia Trail Master Championship series. In addition, participants will state not to prosecute the 9 Dragons Event Committee and will release the Event Committee and everybody related with the Event Committee from all responsibility for damages or losses that may arise during the event 9 Dragons event in 2026.

1.1.3 Weather: the race will proceed come rain or sunshine.

1.1.4 Mandatory Gear check will be performed before the Race Start. Please note there may also be gear checks during the race! Please note the ‘mandatory’ in ‘mandatory gear’ : if you cannot show an item on the list: no run, and no discussion about it. Please check the mandatory gear list beforehand. For convenience, the list for ATM Finalists has been added at the end of this document.

1.1.5 No shortcuts for whatever reason: runners should follow and run on the marked trails only. This to prevent impact on the area's ecosystem and to ensure a fair competition. Anyone caught violating on purpose is absolutely disqualified and out of the race.

1.1.6 No race bib, no run. Your bib must be worn in front and must be visible all the time during the race.

1.1.7 There is no drop bag service, only a finish bag service.

1.1.8 Runners should check-in their respective bib number at the latest 20 minutes before gun start and follow the start procedure

1.1.9 Cut-off times: there are no hard cut-offs, but the closing times of the aid stations and checkpoints for the open 50 miles public race must be respected. Normally, there should be zero impact for ATM Finalists, but in case for whatever reason you decide to walk it out, please take note that checkpoints will not be kept open just for you.

2. Extra regulations for ATM Finalists-only

2.1. Men and women start together at 1:00 am local time. The start procedure ends at 1:10 am. After that time, late-comers are officially marked as DNS and will not be permitted to still start the race

2.2 All Finalists will receive a bib number with a tag code that will be scanned at the start as you enter the start arena, at checkpoints and at the finish line.

2.3 Going off course: when a runner goes off course, the race director or official event staff will immediately aim to contact the runner and instruct the runner to return to the point where he/she went off course. Note that the runner must go back by himself and unaided by others. A runner seen sitting on a motorcycle, in a car, or on a horse in this situation will be disqualified. Similarly, a runner who managed to find a shortcut somehow in this situation will be penalised by 1 hour.

2.4. Team work. All Finalists are permitted to help their teammates during the race. It’s part of team tactics. This includes passing water, food etc but bear in mind that mandatory gear checks during the race are for everyone and “I gave my bottle to my teammate’ is no excuse not to have one yourself. 2.7. Support crews: it is allowed to receive third-party (team/coach) support at well-defined aid stations exclusively. Any assistance obtained outside these aid stations will result in a time penalty of 1 hour for a first infringement and DQ for a second infringement. The relevant aid stations where support crew assistance is allowed are: AS X (km X) and AS X (km X).

2.4.1.: Support crews should be limited to maximum 2 people and follow instructions by the race director and/or aid station managers at all times - including regarding the access to and exit from said aid stations by motorised vehicles.

2.4.2: Support crews should not obstruct other teams’ runners under any circumstance. Failure to comply with this rule will result in 30 minutes time penalty for the support crew’s own runner(s) in question. Race referees are on-site to monitor.

2.5. This is a foot race. Any kind of cheating with transportation vehicles or other aids (motorcycles, bicycles, steps, cars, horses) are strictly prohibited and may result in a permanent ban from the event and the ATM Championship.

2.6 All participants should behave in a sporting manner at all times and shall permit any faster runner to overtake without obstructing. Unsporting behaviour will be penalised by 1 hour.

2.7 Emergency. All participants are required to help other runners, regardless of the team, who find themselves in an emergency, even if it comes at the expense of a good race result

2.8 The race result determines the outcome of the Season 10 ATM Championship. The winners, male and female, are the new ATM Champions

2.8.1 The race result is based on race gun time and not on personal net time. He/she who crosses the finish line first wins, barring any time penalties that may have been obtained during the race

2.10 The ATM Country Team Result will be based on the accumulation of the best finisher times of the first 3 male and 3 female runners of each team

2.11 The Top 10 male & female of the individual race result and the winning team members are required to attend the podium ceremony on Saturday afternoon at the race finish line.

2.12 All Finalists agree that multimedia footage (livestreams, video, audio, photo etc) will be taken of them during the event, which will be published on and distributed via ATM social channels and 9 Dragons social media and other officially assigned media channels

Additional notes & advice:

• You can use trekking poles if you wish to do so.

• If you decide not to continue the race, you should inform an event crew member and walk to the nearest Aid Station or DNF Point. If you are injured and cannot walk, call the emergency number printed on your bib. When possible, also post your DNF confirmation in the ATM Finalists’ whatsapp group

• If you have serious complaints or wish to officially protest against a runner’s result, cheating, violation of rules and misconduct (e.g. physical or mental abuse, tampering of markers, disrespect to local people or event crew etc.), you should address the race officials at the finish immediately and in any case within 1 hour after you crossed the finish line, i.e. NOT the next morning. Please note you will be requested to pay a ‘protest deposit fee’, which you will get back in full if your protest is deemed valid by the race officials.

Mandatory gear list

• Hydration vest or running belt - minimum 1 litre of water/energy drink

• Headlamp (must be ON and functioning when dark)

• Spare batteries for headlamp (rechargeable exempted), or a back-up headlamp

• Mobile phone with local SIM card and data plan • GPX downloaded on sportswatch or mobile phone

• Emergency blanket

• Whistle

• Light waterproof rain jacket

• Wind jacket or long sleeve top

• Basic First Aid Kit for treating minor wounds. Minimum: disinfectant and plaster, bandage (e.g. hansaplast etc)

Recommended gear:

• Personal cup for drinks, hot drinks or soup (no cup = no hot drinks)

• Personal choice of energy gels and/or bars (do not always rely on the event’s nutrition offerings)

• Powerbank to recharge mobile phone

• Sunblock

• Bib belt