Asia Pacific Trail Running Championships 2026: meet the Australian team

The Asia Pacific Trail Running Championships are heading to Wuyishan, China from 24 to 28 November 2026, and Australia is sending its biggest team yet. Here’s who is racing for the green and gold, how each course looks and how to follow along.

What are the Asia Pacific Trail Running Championships?

Organised by the International Trail Running Association (ITRA), the Asia Pacific Trail Running Championships (APTRC) is where the best trail runners from around the Asia Pacific region come together to compete for individual and team honours. There are three race formats that make up the championship: the U23 15km, Short Trail 40km and Long Trail 80km. This year it’s all happening in Wuyishan, in China’s Fujian Province, from 24 to 28 November.

Renowned for its timeless landscapes, rich cultural heritage and centuries-old trails, Wuyishan offers an unforgettable stage for the region’s most prestigious trail running event.

Australia’s biggest team yet

Following the successful debut of the championships in Ulju, South Korea, in 2024, the second edition of the APTRC will once again unite the top trail runners from across the region.

The 2024 edition saw some standout results from the Australian team, placing 4th in the overall standings, as well as some incredible individual results from Zoe Manning (1st U23), Ethan Penck (2nd U23), Toby Lang (3rd U23), Blake Turner (3rd Short Trail) and Michael Dimuantes (3rd Long Trail).

This time around, Australia is sending an even bigger team, with 20 athletes selected to represent the green and gold. The team was selected, and is supported by AUTRA – Australian Ultra & Trail Running Association.

U23 race: 19km through the tea fields

It’s especially exciting to see a huge list of upcoming superstars in the U23 team this year, and it will show a glimpse of Australia’s future in trail running. The U23 course will see them complete 19km with 860m of elevation.

Unlike the Short and Long Trail events, which start and finish in Wuyishan, this course starts and finishes in Xingcun. The athletes head east along Nine-Bend Creek into the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area, then continue on through the tea fields where Da Hong Pao is grown. It’s the perfect scene to discover the future of Asia Pacific trail running.

U23 team

• Iris Chenhall
• Ahnika Lennie
• Jade Hazeldine
• Clay Smith
• Benjamin Butler
• Patrick Clark
• Toby Lang

The U23 race will be held on 27 November.

Long Trail: 84km and 4,200m in the Wuyi Mountains

To start the competition off, the Long Trail athletes will take on 84km with 4,200m of elevation. This will be a career-highlight race for most, as the terrain they cover will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They’ll face a mixture of the steep and rocky terrain of the Wuyi Mountains and the rolling hills of the tea fields. This is sure to be a course that tests the limits and versatility of the entire field.

Long Trail team

• Nicole Paton
• Alice McGushin
• Kellie Angel (Captain)
• Anna Pillinger
• Benjamin Burgess

The Long Trail race will be held on 26 November.

Short Trail: 36km and 2,000m along the cliff faces

On Day 2 of the championship, the Short Trail athletes will head off on a 36km journey with 2,000m of elevation. They’ll want to pace themselves early, with a large portion of the climbing in the second half of the race. The course will see a high-octane duel along the cliff faces of the Wuyi Mountains, passing some historical monuments along the way. You can only imagine the scene is going to be epic!

Short Trail team

• Zoe Manning
• Jessica Jason
• Toby Sparkes
• Leo Peterson
• Vladislav Ixel
• Michael Tosin
• Joshua Goding
• Nathan Pearce (Captain)

How to follow the Australian team

Now that the scene is set and the stoke levels are high, please get behind the Australian team. You can follow along on social media via @australian_ultra (AUTRA), @aptrc_trail (APTRC) and @itra_trail (ITRA).

Written by Nathan Pearce

1 article • Since 2026

Nathan Pearce is a mountain and trail runner for On, a Product & Training Specialist at Garmin, a Skratch Labs Australia fuel athlete and a coach with Run Rabbit. He has won the Roller Coaster Run 22km, the Roller Coaster Run 23km (2023 and 2025), UTA11 (2023) and the Warburton Trail Fest Donna Double 22km (2026), and is captain of Australia's Short Trail team at the 2026 Asia Pacific Trail Running Championships.

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