MALAYSIA'S TOP MOUNTAIN RUNNERS TO PARTICIPATE IN MT FUJI RACE

KOTA KINABALU (Malaysia), July 17 (Bernama) -- East Malaysia state of Sabah
Tourism Board (STB) will send a delegation to Japan's 62nd Mt Fuji International
Mountain Race on July 24 as part of the efforts to promote Sabah and the
upcoming 23rd Mt Kinabalu International Climbathon 2009 to the Japanese.

The delegation will be led by STB Chairman Datuk Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin
and Climbathon organising secretary Zachary Mobijohn.

In a statement, Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd, a STB subsidiary said
Malaysia's leading runners, Saffrey Sumping and Danny Kuilin, both from Sabah,
will represent the country in the men and women's categories.

Danny, who finished second in the Climbathon last year, clinched the fourth
placing in last year's Mt Fuji Race.

Saffrey, who finished fifth in the Climbathon last year, had an impressive
debut at the 2008 Mt Fuji Race, finishing 30th in the men's open, which saw the
participation of over 3,000 runners.

Mt Fuji is Japan's highest and most difficult mountain race, with a distance
of 21km, the same distance as that of the Mt Kinabalu Climbathon.

The race will start from the Fujiyoshida City Hall and end at the peak at
3,776 meters, slightly lower than Mt Kinabalu peak of 4,095.2 meters.

Meanwhile, Zachary said that since participating in the Mt Fuji race in
2005, the number of Japanese runners taking part in the Climbathon had increased
significantly.

"This is a also a reciprocal programme with the organiser of the Mt Fuji
race with the objective of creating more awareness of Mt Kinabalu," he said.

The Climbathon will be held from Oct 24-25. It is also the final leg of the
7-Series Federation of Sports Sky Running World Series 2009.

Some 140 mountain racers have confirmed participations at the Climbathon so
far.
-- BERNAMA