Ultra Rumble in the Jungle of Pu Luong
The Vietnam Jungle Marathon (VJM) 2025 unfolded today with awesome racing from trail runners from 36 nations. In a day of intense racing with the lead being tightly contested in the ultra battles, Vietnam, France, Ireland and Italy were some of the nations represented on the podium.
The breathtaking beauty of Pu Luong’s iconic terrain was matched only by fierce competition witnessed across all race distances.
Race Director, David Lloyd, shared: “For most of the day, we were blessed with good light, so our runners got to see Pu Luong Nature Reserve in all its glory. I dearly love this part of Vietnam, so hearing so many runners describe being in awe of the of Pu Luong at the finish was a true pleasure.”
The VJM 70km
The men’s 70km race featured a thrilling battle between Valentin Orange (France) and Nguyen Si Hieu (Vietnam) who were neck and neck, right from the gun.
In the end, they crossed the finish line together clocking the same time to share first place.
“I love Pu Luong and have been countless times, but this is the first time I have had the chance to race so closely against my great friend Si Hieu, here,” shared Valentin.
He added “Pu Luong is a uniquely beautiful place that I will always return to. I used to live in Vietnam and I miss it very much – the running community here is truly special, so I am super happy to be back here to race Vietnam Jungle Marathon.”
Nguyen Thang, from Vietnam completed the top three and represented Newborns Vietnam on the podium.
In the women’s 70km race, Nguyen Thi Nguyet (Moon) from Hoi An, Vietnam delivered a very impressive performance with strategy, she was not leading the race from the start, but impressively passed Phung Trang to take the lead from checkpoint 7, then opened up a gap which she held right to the finish, with a time of 10:14:19.
Nguyet shared: “I loved the race – the trails are beautiful and I loved running through all the small, pretty villages along the way. Pu Luong is a magical place and I am very happy to have the chance to run here and I feel very fortunate to take this win. The support all along the course from the organisers was also excellent.”
Phung Trang, took second, just 12 minutes after Nguyet, while Giang Thi Linh, from Sapa Ethnic Running Club, made her debut on the trails of Pu Luong, finishing third in 11:16:03.
VJM 50km
The 50km men’s race saw Sung A Phu, also from Sapa Ethnic Running Club, take the top spot with a finishing time of 5:09:35. He came into VJM already well recovered from his second place at VMM 50km as part of World Trail Majors.
“The VJM course is so beautiful and the people here are warm and friendly. The stunning view at Kho Muong valley was a highlight of the race,” Phu shared.
The second male was Stephen Barkey of Ireland, while third went to Nguyen Duc Tuyen in 5:33:27.
Vietnamese women dominated the VJM 50km
The champion of VJM 70km was Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh who completed the course in an impressive 6:21:20. The second female finisher, Lưu Hồng Vân, crossed the line in 6:31:34, while Nguyễn Thị Trà Giang claimed third with a time of 6:38:23.
The 25km battle
The men’s 70km title went to Nguyen Duc Tuan Anh (Tu Do), finishing in 2:14:33. He was closely followed by Nguyen Xuan Tu (2:19:24) and Mario Maresca (2:21:38).
In the female category, the winner, Thai Thi Hong, clocked a time of 2:51:35, with Ta Thi Linh (2:53:35) and Nguyen Le (3:21:25), completing the podium.
The 10km race
The 10km men’s champion, Vu Tien Viet Dung finished with a time of 1:10:13, edging out Ronen Lind (Switzerland) 1:11:02. Hoang Anh Tuan took third in 1:17:40.
On the women’s side, Tran Duyen claimed an emphathic victory with a time of 1:12:22. Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet and Tran Thi Hop rounded out the podium with 1:31:01 and 1:22:48, respectively.
Charity Work
This year the race continues its tradition of supporting good causes. The money raised from Vietnam Jungle Marathon 2025 brings the total series amount to around USD 530,000 (over 13,8 billion VND).
Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation runners
This year we welcome a large team of more than thirty runners from Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation with free slots and full support for travel and their stay at VJM.
Many are from disadvantaged communities and with the help of Blue Dragon, they have overcome significant challenges.
Hoang Anh from Blue Dragon explains: “Some are continuing their education or vocational training, while others have embarked on careers in various fields. Others have earned scholarships or returned to Blue Dragon as mentors, helping the next generation. Their participation embodies resilience and hope, as they build stable, goal-driven futures.”
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