Reaching Low's Peak first wasn't enough to win the 33rd Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon on 18 October 2026.
Italy's Alex Oberbacher and Spain's June Villarroel both came from behind on the descent to claim the Men's and Women's Elite titles, while Evgeny Markov of Russia won the Men's Veteran category.
Around 253 runners took part in the 24.5 km race from Kinabalu Park to Mount Kinabalu's 4,095.2-metre summit and back. As the 17th stop of the 2026 Merrell Skyrunner World Series, the event brought international competitors together with local runners, including Sabah's mountain guides and porters.
A Race Decided on the Descent
The Climbathon's course takes runners through humid rainforest, steep stairways and exposed granite slopes, with a continuous 12.25 km ascent followed by an equally demanding descent.
In the Men's Elite race, Italy's Daniel Antonioli reached Low's Peak ahead of Oberbacher, only to lose the lead on the way down. Oberbacher crossed the finish line in 3:20:54, ahead of Antonioli in 3:23:46.
Speaking to MountKinabalu.com after the race, Oberbacher described how the long ascent, numerous steps and thinner air near the summit took their toll. Towards the top, he recalled feeling as though he was “walking like a zombie”.
The Women's Elite title was decided in similar fashion. Russia's Svetlana Nurmukhametova led at the summit, but Villarroel recovered on the descent to win in 4:09:14.
“I suffered a lot in the uphill,” Villarroel told us. “But then in the downhill, I recovered and I felt very good.” She added that the humidity and seemingly endless steps were particularly difficult to prepare for at home.
Mount Kinabalu Climbathon 2026 Results
The top five finishers in each of the Climbathon's three official categories were:
Men's Elite
| Place | Runner | Finish Time |
| 1 | Alex Oberbacher | 3:20:54 |
| 2 | Daniel Antonioli | 3:23:46 |
| 3 | Shoma Otagiri | 3:29:54 |
| 4 | Vitus Daimi | 3:37:42 |
| 5 | Oswald Maikol | 3:40:44 |
Women's Elite
| Place | Runner | Finish Time |
| 1 | June Villarroel | 4:09:14 |
| 2 | Svetlana Nurmukhametova | 4:18:45 |
| 3 | Vanja Cnops | 4:42:19 |
| 4 | Man Yee Cheung | 5:04:20 |
| 5 | Jang Boyoung | 5:43:37 |
Men's Veteran
| Place | Runner | Finish Time |
| 1 | Evgeny Markov | 3:29:11 |
| 2 | Ivan Vlasenko | 3:51:02 |
| 3 | Daved Simpat | 3:52:21 |
| 4 | Aleksandr Dorovskikh | 3:55:06 |
| 5 | Safrey Sumping | 3:55:55 |
The official Climbathon website publishes the category standings and finishing times.
Sabahan runners also featured among the leading finishers. Mount Kinabalu porter Daved Simpat, who won the Men's Veteran title in both 2024 and 2025, finished third this year. Fellow porter Oswald Maikol secured fifth place in Men's Elite.
Read more about their previous performances in this 2025 Mount Kinabalu Climbathon recap.
Safrey Sumping: Still Learning After Two Climbathon Titles
Among the local competitors was Safrey Sumping, one of MountKinabalu.com's in-house mountain guides and a member of the Mountain Search and Rescue Unit (MoSAR).
His involvement in mountain rescue is particularly fitting given the Climbathon's origins in 1987 as a training initiative for mountain rescue personnel.
Safrey first competed in 2003 and estimates that he has joined around 15 editions. He won consecutive Men's Elite titles in 2016 and 2017, both on weather-shortened courses that turned back at Panalaban rather than Low's Peak.
This year, his goal was to improve on his 2025 finishing time of 3:59:42. Although he placed fifth in Men's Veteran, two positions lower than last year, he completed the race in 3:55:55, shaving 3 minutes and 47 seconds off his previous time.
Safrey explained that his work as a guide helps him understand the trail, but doesn't replace dedicated race training. He supplements regular climbs with running and stair training, while paying close attention to his pace on the ascent and descent.
Damp, slippery sections required extra care this year, particularly on the way down. After finishing, he was already considering how to strengthen his training for future races.
Read more about Safrey's racing history in our 2026 Climbathon pre-race feature.
What Keeps Them Running?
Belgium's Vanja Cnops, who finished fifth in Women's Elite in 2025, returned this year hoping to reach the podium. Despite pushing hard on the ascent and tiring on the descent, she achieved her goal, taking third place in 4:42:19.
For Cnops, the discipline of training brings its own rewards, helping her feel stronger and more confident.
Men's Elite champion Oberbacher finds something similar in mountain running. Living near Italy's Dolomites, he regularly heads into the mountains after work, enjoying the opportunity to explore new places.
“It's hard, but it's also relaxing,” he explained.
The Climbathon was Oberbacher's first experience of Malaysia. Before arriving, he knew little about Sabah beyond photographs of Mount Kinabalu and the race. He was particularly struck by the lush rainforest, so different from the mountains back home in Italy.
Villarroel was equally impressed by the landscape, describing the transition from tropical jungle to the granite slopes near Low's Peak as unlike anything she had encountered in other races.
“I've never run anything like it,” she said.
Asked why she continues competing in races that require so much training and commitment, Villarroel laughed.
“I think we're all kind of crazy.”
She admitted there are moments when the suffering makes her question why she does it. But mountain running also offers a chance to disconnect from everyday life, along with a sense of strength and satisfaction that makes the effort worthwhile.
“It always gets you back.”