Rosey joins (from left) Law, Wong and Tang in a photo-call to promote Miri Bungai Beach Ultra 2017 .
MIRI: The Miri Bungai Beach Ultra 2017 event is expected to gather 500 local and international runners this Nov 5.
The run, which enters its second edition this year, will cover the routes along the strip at Beach Republic Miri. It will also host four categories – up from only two held last year.
According to Assistant Minister of Women, Family and Childhood Development Rosey Yunus, the run doubles as a tourist attraction and as such, various activities will be arranged to promote local cultures throughout the competition.
“I would like to encourage participants from all walks of life to join this run as we are encouraging healthy living. I hope to see more local and international participants, especially with two more categories added this year.
“Moreover, the participants will indirectly become tourism ambassadors where during the event, they will see the beauty of our place and tell their friends back home about it,” said the Bekenu assemblywoman, who is also advisor to the event, during a press conference at Beach Republic Miri yesterday.
Meanwhile, event director Lawrence Wong announced the run as a ‘Candidate Race’ for the Malaysia Ultra League (MUL) Championship Season 2016/2017.
“A Candidate Race is a new race to be evaluated during the first edition – provided that it fulfils the technical criteria of MUL races; if it does, it would become a permanent MUL race and as such, all participating runners would be awarded with MUL points based on the league’s standard-point’s rules.
“In this regard, ultra-runners from Malaysia and elsewhere would have a platform where their efforts and achievements would be acknowledged. Best of all, they just have to register for their races and run to be part of it,” he explained.
The categories and corresponding fees (per participant) for Miri Bungai Beach Ultra 2017 are 60km (early bird’s rate of RM250 till Aug 31; RM300 from Sept 1 to 30); 38km (early bird’s rate of RM150 till Aug 31; RM200 from Sept 1 to 30); 10km (RM55 flat rate per runner aged 13 and above); and 5km Fun Run (RM55 flat rate per runner aged five and above).
For those wishing to sign up for the 60km run, they must have completed at least one full marathon (42.195km) or a longer road/trail race while for the 38km run, participant must have completed at least one half-marathon or a longer road/trail race.
The participants for both categories will be asked about this during registration, and they must provide details of their qualifying event including the names and time result.
The cut-off time (COT) for 60km is 12 hours (4am-4pm) and for 38km, the COT is eight hours (4am-noon).
The run is jointly organised by Miri Beach Republic, N71 Bekenu Service Centre and Bulatan Park Runners Club (BPRC), with support from the Fire and Rescue Department and Sibuti District Council.
Further information and forms (for 60km and 38km events) can be obtained online via http://bulatanparkrunnersclub.com/mbu2017/, while forms for the 10km and 5km events are obtainable at Share Tea Miri and the N71 Bekenu Service Centre.
Fire and Rescue Department Zone 6 chief Supt Law Poh Kiong and BPRC president Tang Swee Ming were among those present at the press conference yesterday.