THANH HÓA — The Vietnam Jungle Marathon (VJM) presented by Kailas FUGA will return to the trails of Pu Luong Nature Reserve for its 9th edition on Saturday, with distances up to 70km.

Featuring over 1,500 athletes from 51 nations and territories, competing in 10km, 25km, 50km and 70km, the event promises plenty of highly anticipated re-matches and the potential for course record breaking performances.

VJM has taken place in Pù Luông Nature Reserve since 2017. As part of the Topas Vietnam Trail Series, the race has long attracted a rich, international field, including top regional and domestic talent. With a start list including a host of top talent, 2026 once again promises some excellent and tight racing in beautiful Pù Luông.

Course records in danger

Both the women’s and men’s fields feature a mix of experienced VJM podium runners and debutants. Many are coming off the back of some heavy recent racing, so podium spots may be decided by powers of recovery, as much as pure trail speed. 

In the men’s race, Pacome Poignant of France comes in with the highest ITRA index. His 2026 includes 3rd at the 100km Trail du Kreiz Breizh, while in 2025 he won the Ultra-Trail Harricana du Canada 42km.

 

He faces top-seeded Vietnamese runner, Ngô Văn Chính, who makes his VJM debut. He won his hometown race, Vietnam Mountain Marathon (VMM) 100km in 2025 and backed it up with 3rd in 2026. Will the recovery period since VMM be sufficient for him to challenge for the win, and maybe even the VJM course record?

They face Nguyễn Tiến Võ, a Pù Luông specialist whose VJM trajectory has seen him climb from 11th to 2nd and finally to the top step of the podium in 2024. Despite having a grueling 100mvictory in his legs from just two weeks ago, his intimate knowledge of these trails makes him a perennial favourite for the podium.

Adding more international firepower is Spain’s Borja Bonet Segui, who brings European mountain experience to his VJM debut following the second-place finish at the Mestia Ultra 70km.

The women’s 70km field is equally stacked, headlined by ITRA ranking leader Giàng Thị Linh.

Linh took third-place in the VJM 70km last year, but this year she has come back closer to her 2024 form, with a recent runner-up spot at the VMM 100 Miles. Like Võ, Linh arrives off her recent MCC 100 mile win. She is joined by Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Anh, who is unbeaten at VJM, with wins in the 25km in 2023 and the 50km in 2024 and 2025.

The depth of the field is further bolstered by reigning VMM 70km champion Phương Thị Hồng Nhung, who makes her VJM debut after a stellar 2025 season, and Lê Phương Vy, the most experienced woman in the field. She has four previous VJM starts and three of them resulted in a podium. She is a past VMM 100 Miles champion - a race she also took sixth at, just a few weeks ago. 

Beyond the running itself, VJM 2026 continues its mission of social impact. The Vietnam Trail Series has now surpassed US$575,000 in charitable funding. The charitable aims of funding are: young people in hardship, medical/health and education.

Since 2017 VJM has funded child drowning prevention for Thanh Hóa Province; support for kids in crisis through Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation; and surgery for children via Operation Smile. Funding has also been allocated to large capital project to re-build a local school.  Further funding for AED devices and training is allocated, with this project currently in the planning phase.

VJM also allocates free bibs for charities to raise further funding, as well as welcoming groups of young people from Blue Dragon for a free weekend in Pù Luông to enjoy the race. — VNS