Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon Guide
What is the Mount Kinabalu Climbathon?
The Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon is an October mountain race, first held in 1987, covering about 24.5 km up to Low's Peak and back down. The 2026 edition is on 18 October in Kinabalu Park.
What is the Mount Kinabalu Climbathon?
The Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon is a mountain running race held on the slopes of Mount Kinabalu, Sabah's iconic peak inside Kinabalu Park. Run each October, it sends athletes racing toward the summit and back down again, testing speed, endurance, and the ability to cope with steep granite terrain and thin mountain air.
It was first held in 1987, as a way to train a quick-response rescue team for climbers (MountKinabalu.com, checked 7 October 2026). The 2026 edition is on 18 October 2026 at Kinabalu Park, Kundasang (Sabah Tourism Board, checked 7 October 2026). The 2025 race was flagged off at 6:30 am (MountKinabalu.com, checked 7 October 2026); check the official Climbathon website for the 2026 start time. Over the decades it has become a magnet for elite skyrunners and mountain athletes from around the world, drawn by the chance to race to the top of one of the region's most famous mountains.
The course and elevation
The course introduced in 2024 is roughly 24.5 kilometres: about 12.25 km up to Low's Peak (4,095 m) and 12.25 km back down (MountKinabalu.com, checked 7 October 2026). The Sabah Tourism Board's 2026 listing also gives 24.5 km (Sabah Tourism Board, checked 7 October 2026). Much of the climb is on the exposed granite slabs that make Mount Kinabalu so distinctive. The mix of steep climbing, technical downhill, and altitude makes this one of the most punishing race profiles in Asian mountain running.
Race categories
The 2024 and 2025 editions had three categories: Men's Elite, Women's Elite and Men's Veteran (over 40) (New Straits Times, checked 7 October 2026). The 2025 field drew runners from 27 countries, and the Men's Veteran title was won by Sabahan porter Daved Simpat (MountKinabalu.com, checked 7 October 2026).
Course records
The 2025 winners set new records for the current course (MountKinabalu.com, checked 7 October 2026):
| Category | Record time (2025) | Holder |
|---|---|---|
| Men | 3:05:41 | Gianluca Ghiano (Italy) |
| Women | 3:46:13 | Anastasiia Rubtsova (Russia) |
Covering about 24.5 km of mountain terrain to the summit and back in just over three hours is an extraordinary athletic feat.
History of the race
The Climbathon began in 1987 as a way to train a quick-response rescue team for climbers in trouble. The Sabah Tourism Board took over its organisation in 1995. After its 30th edition in 2017 the race went on hiatus, returning in 2024 with a new course, and in 2025 it rejoined the Skyrunner World Series (MountKinabalu.com, checked 7 October 2026). Its enduring appeal lies in its unique selling point: a race to the summit of the highest peak between the Himalayas and New Guinea, on a mountain already famous worldwide for trekking.
How to enter the Climbathon
The race is organised by the Sabah Tourism Board through its subsidiary Sri Pelancongan Sabah (Sabah Tourism Board, checked 7 October 2026). Registration opens on the official Climbathon website. Check it for entry fees, eligibility and closing dates. Conditions on the summit plateau can change fast.
This is not a beginner event. Mountain weather can turn quickly, with low cloud and cold on the upper slopes. Build serious hill and downhill fitness, prepare for rapid weather changes, and register early through the official Climbathon website.