The world’s top skyrunners will converge on Hong Kong’s Lantau island for the fourth leg of the Skyrunner® World Series on Sunday, October 4.

The Lantau 2 Peaks represents a hub for top international runners aiming to score points in the Series semi-final and the first World Series race in China. No less than eight men and six women in the top ten ranking will be racing in a field of 1,000 runners.

Heading the line-up are 2014 World Champion (combined) Stevie Kremer, currently ranked 4^th, Maite Maiora, ranking leader, Elisa Desco, World Champion of the Sky discipline ranked 2^nd, Laura Orgue, 3^rd, Hanny Allston, 9^th and Yngvild Kaspersen, 10^th.  Russia’s Ekaterina Mityaeva and Azara Garcia, both ranked in the top 20, will join them.

The men’s competition will be even tougher. Leading the ranking is Italy’s Tadei Pivk, winner at Zegama and Dolomites, Manuel Merillas, 3^rd, Ionut Zinca, 4^th, Aritz Egea, 5^th, Hassan Ait Chaou, 6^th, Pere Rullan, 7^th, Marco De Gasperi, 9^th and Dai Matsumoto, 10^th.  Joining them will be Pere Aurell, Rémi Bonnet winner of both the VK and 25K at The Rut, USA and Dmitry Mityaev, ranked 17^th.

The tough, technical 23 km Lantau 2 Peaks, like the name says, reaches Hong Kong’s two highest peaks on Lantau island – Sunset Peak and Lantau Peak, counting a total of 3,975m vertical ascent and descent to a high point at 934m altitude.

While the altitude is not extreme, it’s compensated by the challenging rocky trails and the spectacular views. Just below, Hong Kong’s largest bronze Tian Tan Buddha majestically overlooks the surrounding islands.

Once more, Alpina Watches, Official Watch of the 2015 Skyrunner® World Series and European Championships, will award the Alpina Smart Time Prize.

The Alpina Smart Time Prize however, was not conceived to award the race winners, but to reward the first man and woman passing through the highest point of the race according to their age. The prize formula is based on timing at the highest point of the course, in this case, Lantau Peak at 934m altitude. A bonus, together with an exclusive algorithm is given to younger and older competitors, putting everyone at the same level, irrespective of the final race results.

The male and female winners will each receive a luxury Horological Smartwatch, the first of its kind on the market. This special prize has been awarded at the Mont-Blanc 80K, the Dolomites SkyRace® and Tromso SkyRace®.

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Race website