KOTA KINABALU: A total prize purse of RM68,700 is up for grabs at the 33rd Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon on Oct 18.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said the event would feature the Men’s Elite, Women’s Elite and Men’s Veteran categories, with winners in each category receiving RM8,000 for first place.
Prizes will be awarded to the top 10 finishers.
He added that the return of the Climbathon to the Merrell Skyrunner World Series would further strengthen Sabah’s position as an international destination for adventure tourism and mountain sports.
The Climbathon is the 17th race of the 2026 Merrell Skyrunner World Series, which features 19 races across 12 countries and four continents.
About 20 World Series athletes out of about 250 elite and experienced mountain runners from 20 countries expected to compete.
Among them areItaly’s Daniel Antonioli, ranked seventh in the 2026 series, and Russia’s Svetlana Nurmukhametova, ranked sixth in the women’s standings.
Sabah’s leading runners, including Oswald Maikol, Jude Maikol and Sheron Sariman, will also compete in the Elite Men’s category, while Daved Simpat returns to defend his Men’s Veteran title.
He said the participation of international runners, their families and supporters was also expected to generate economic benefits for the state’s tourism sector.
“Whenever participants come from outside Sabah, together with their families and supporters, it will certainly have a positive economic impact.
“We do not have the detailed figures yet, but the participation of people from outside Sabah, including families and fans of the sport, will certainly generate good economic returns for the tourism sector and those involved in it,” he said during a press conference here yesterday.
The Climbathon will take place within Kinabalu Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the Timpohon Run 2026 kicking off a day before.
The 10km Timpohon Run has attracted more than 350 participants.
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