KUCHING: Sarawak will play host to the Spartan Race again next year.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah revealed at a press conference yesterday that the event comprising the Spartan Trial, Spartan Kids Race and Spartan Stadion will take place at Sarawak Stadium next October in conjunction with the 2020 National Sports Month.
He hailed the success of the first Spartan Race held here in October which he said earned a reputation as “the toughest Spartan course in South East Asia.”
Building on that success, Sarawak will also play host to another Spartan event – the first Southeast Asia Regional Series competition for the Sprint category in April 2020.
The Super race – over 10km with 25 obstacles – will pit the best local racers against the best in the region to vie for a spot to the 2020 Asia Pacific Championships.
“Organisers expect the race to draw over 7,000 international and local racers to compete in the April and October 2020 races. I am also delighted that Sarawak is becoming the preferred destination for world’s top elite athletes to come and challenge themselves in the sport of Obstacle Course Racing,” the Minister said.
He also revealed that Sarawak is in talks with Spartan International to bring in the first Biannual Spartan APAC Owners Summit 2020 to be held in Kuching in conjunction with the April SEA Race.
Spartan is the world’s largest obstacle race and endurance brand with more than 250 events held in over 40 countries on six continents. It attracts more than one million participants annually across all fitness levels from beginners to elite.
Also present during the press conference were Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Sebastian Ting, Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Snowdan Lawan and Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee.