Ultramarathon runner conquers Pekoe Trail in 59 hours
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On January 27, ultramarathon trail runner Hyun Chang Chung crossed the finish line at the Ceylon Tea Museum in Hanthana, cheered on by the local community and his elated family. He had just become the first person to run the entire 300 km length of the Pekoe Trail in two and half days.
The Pekoe Trail is a 22-day walk from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya via Ella, Haputale, and Horton Plains, but Chang completed it in 59 hours. “I just had to be the first person to complete this ultramarathon. The diversity in elevation, terrain, and environment as it winds around tea estates, nature reserves, and local communities puts the Pekoe Trail on par with some of the best trails in the world,” he said.
The Hong Kong-based banking application developer with a passion for marathon trail running, has competed in over 50 trail marathons around the world. The Pekoe Trail is his first challenge of 2023.
The Pekoe Trail is part of the European Union’s 5.7 million Euro (LKR 2.2 billion) support for Sri Lanka’s national tourism strategy. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also provided approximately USD 787,000 (approximately LKR 283 million) for this initiative.
The Pekoe Trail is the first in a collection of destination-based walking trails to be developed under the Serendipity Trails banner for Sri Lanka Tourism. The interconnecting trail network will allow visitors to discover the varying terrain, history, culture, food, and local communities by foot, in short sections or as part of a multi-day experience. The Pekoe Trail will open by summer 2023.
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