FUGA athletes from around the globe gathered at the starting line
Chiang Mai, Thailand, Dec. 11, 2025 — Kailas FUGA elite runners secured victories at the Chiang Mai Thailand Major by UTMB World Series. They captured wins in both 100K divisions and a second-place finish in the Men’s 100M. Portuguese athlete Miguel ARSENIO claimed victory in an impressive debut on Chiang Mai’s demanding 100K course, completing it in just 09:14:20. Vietnam’s Ha Thi HAU secured the Women’s 100K title in 10:43:28. China’s Jiaju ZHAO earned second place in the Men’s 100M with a time of 21:40:09 on a course featuring 8,100 meters of elevation gain.
This year featured more than 50 athletes, marking the biggest assembly of Kailas FUGA elites and FUGA Mountain Club members at Chiang Mai Thailand by UTMB. Their genuinely international team included competitors from China, Lithuania, Nepal, Malaysia, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom.
Kailas FUGA Brand Director Nina SUN stated, “Kailas FUGA is thrilled to witness such robust representation at Chiang Mai, both on the podium and throughout all race distances. FUGA’s Powergrip technology demonstrated its effectiveness on Chiang Mai’s challenging and wet terrain, providing comfort and enabling peak performances for our athletes. Exposing our gear to such varied terrain creates valuable testing opportunities, allowing us to refine our products based on athlete feedback. We take pride in our elite runners and FUGA Mountain Club members coming together at the starting line of the world’s premier trail races, bonded by their shared passion for trail running and equipped with our high-performance professional gear.”
At Chiang Mai, both ARSENIO and HAU opted to wear the renowned Kailas FUGA Ex PRO trail shoes, celebrated as a ‘super shoe’ that propelled Christian Minnogio to an impressive second-place finish at the UTMB OCC this year. ARSENIO described his choice, stating, “The Ex PRO shoes delivered outstanding performance on this terrain—exceptional grip, stability on technical sections, and the responsiveness needed to maintain a strong pace confidently!”
After securing her fourth consecutive 100K victory at Chiang Mai Thailand by UTMB, HAU shared her reasons for returning. She explained, “This is one of Asia’s premier races, attracting many elite athletes. I aim to challenge myself, compete against the strongest runners, and showcase the image of Asian athletes and the spirit of the Vietnamese people to the worldwide running community.”
The Kailas FUGA team—comprised of genuine adventurers—enjoyed a year of impressive achievements, embodying the philosophy that “passion connects everything.” HAU’s victories this year included the Tsaigu 100, Kailas Penang Skyrace – 50km Sky Ultraks, and Vietnam Ultra Marathon 75K. ARSENIO claimed victory at the Swiss Canyon Trail 111K in Switzerland. In April, Jiaju ZHAO won Mount Yun by UTMB in China and finished 10th at UTMB in Chamonix, France.
Since its modest start in 2017, FUGA Mountain Club has evolved from a small group of runners into a worldwide team exceeding 400 members. In China, women comprise over 45% of the total team, and the Global team aims to reach comparable proportions by 2026.
The Chiang Mai Thailand Major by UTMB World Series is one of four regional UTMB World Series Majors held annually. This year’s event took place across two weekends: November 29–30, 2025, at Doi Inthanon National Park, and December 4–7, 2025, at Chiang Mai PAO Park.
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About Kailas FUGA
Leveraging two decades of experience in mountain sports, KAILAS introduced its trail running product line, FUGA, in 2016. Under the pioneering guidance of Baggio Chengzhan ZHONG, FUGA has brought revolutionary design and technical innovation to the industry. Since its debut, FUGA has built a reputation for superior grip, durability, and innovation among athletes and international award bodies such as ISPO. Through collaborations with professional runners, coaches, and event organizers like TORX, FUGA has influenced the industry in China and internationally. As a truly global brand with athletes and retail locations across 35 territories, our vision for a more vibrant and ambitious future is motivating the next generation and transforming the trail running world.
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CONTACT: pippaebel@kailas.com.cn
