The team of Nepalese soldiers out to set new Hong Kong Trailwalker record

AWOO Team Nepal are one of the favourites to win this year’s 100km race along the MacLehose Trail, and hope not only to be champions but to beat the course record compatriots set in 2013

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AWOO Team Nepal, who are competing in Oxfam Trailwalker 2016, at the Shing Mun reservoir. Photo: Antony Dickson

Published: 12:36pm, 17 Nov 2016Updated: 10:31pm, 17 Nov 2016

Nepalese soldiers have a long history with the Oxfam Trailwalker, and when the 35th edition of the 100km trail race begins at 8.30am this Friday in Sai Kung, a quartet of close friends hope to keep that tradition alive – and better any of their predecessors.

Bhim Bahadur Gurung, Purna Tamang, Bed Bahadur Sunuwar and Tirtha Tamang will be teaming up for the first time for the Trailwalker together and have their eyes on the course record of 10 hours 58 minutes, set by compatriots Team Columbia S1 in 2013.

Brought up in different places, it was in and around Kathmandu that Bhim, Purna, Bed and Tirtha – who run under the name AWOO Team Nepal S5 – nurtured and honed their trail-running skills after joining the army. As Purna explains: “For every sport you need to run – football, volleyball... you run. The start for everything is running. Now I just love running.”

Tirtha Bahadur Tamang (centre) after winning the 2014 Hong Kong 100 race with (right) his teammate this weekend Bed Bahadur Sunuwar, who came second, and Vlad Ixel, who finished in third place. Photo: Vibram Hong Kong 100

The Nepalese army mates have travelled the world to run endurance events and are no strangers to Hong Kong trails. Bhim was part of the Nepalese team that won Trailwalker 2014; Tirtha won the Hong Kong 100 ultra trail race in 2014 and Bed was second; and Purna won the The North Face 100 Hong Kong race in 2013.

They have also bagged impressive results elsewhere. Tirtha, for example, won this year's 116km Ultra Tour Monte Rosa three-day stage race in Italy and Bhim broke famed European ultrarunner Kilian Jornet’s course record this summer at Trofeo Kima, a highly technical 52km race in Italy with a 4,200m vertical climb.