Race Information

Super Kerbau - Sabah Tea

The Super Kerbau at Sabah Tea Plantation in December 2021 was very well received, and we had many requests for a repeat. We have listened to the requests, and we have teamed up with Sabah Tea to host another Super Kerbau on 18 December 2022. 

Super Kerbau - Sabah Tea is a continuation of the original race concept started in 2016. The Super Kerbau Trail Run Series is a roaming trail running series that takes runners through a combination of jungle, village trails and back roads in selected parts of Sabah on the island of Borneo. The Super Kerbau courses are designed for beginners and experienced trail runners alike, with different distances on a combination of trails and hills providing ample challenge for a fun day out.

The Super Kerbau race series is an ideal introduction to trail running to train for one of the longer courses of the bigger events.

Race #7 is set in Sabah Tea Garden. We assume at this time that there will be no specific Covid restrictions for the race, apart from a likely mask requirement during RP collection. At this stage we do not have limits on race entries.  

Outline of race course:

The race courses are set within the Sabah Tea Garden on a combination of tracks, gravel and dirt roads with one major section of jungle trails up over Kamunsu Hill and a smaller section along the river. There is significant overlap with the 2021 courses to capture the nicer sections such as the climb of Kamunsu Hill, but also some changes that includes a water station at the river side to allow for a refreshing dip after coming down from Kamunsu Hill. We again have two race distance: 

• "Short" course which is in the order of 15 km. Not an easy course, yet suitable for parents to bring kids out on as well as any runner preferring a shorter, potentially faster course.
• "Long" course for those seeking a longer, more challenging race with a distance of about 30 km.  

The courses are outlined under the banner "Courses" on the main menu. The race is designed to allow both beginners and experienced runners to take part and be challenged, with a significant challenge on the route being the Kamunsu Hill. Runners are advised to be medically fit and mentally prepared for the challenges ahead as runners are likely to be exposed to both hot, wet and muddy conditions, dependent on the weather on race day.

Cut-off times will be set to enable us to manage the course. These are generally very generous, but 30k participants do need to keep a steady pace to stay within the cut-off time and finish before dark. Cut-off times for the total race distances are currently set as stated below, but may be adjusted depending on the final course distances and elevations.

Short course:   7 hours
Long course:    6 hours at halfway station and 11 hours at the finish 

Information on the courses is available on the "Course" menu page. 

Itinerary

An outline itinerary is provided below. This may be subject to changes as details are firmed up, so please recheck details closer to the race day if you are joining the event.

Registration & Race Pack Collection

There are 3 processes in the full registration to take part in the event. An outline of these is provided below. Details may be updated and amended closer to the race, so please check prior to the race.

1. The first step is to register and pay to "sign up" for the race. Please refer to the "registration" page on this web site which will contain the required information and re-direct you to Racematix for the registration and payments.
2. Race pack collection is in the afternoon on the day before the race and in the morning before the race at the race venue.
3. Final scanning of your timing chip at the start area in the final hour before race start.

Race pack collection will be held at the venue at Sabah Tea Plantation on the Saturday as well as early morning Sunday before the event. We strongly encourage you to do the Race Pack collection the afternoon/night before the race. If this is not possible, we encourage you to come early in the morning to make sure you will be fully registered and ready by race start without undue stress. Tentative timing for the Race Pack collection per schedule below - this may be updated, so please check again before the race.

1. Saturday 17th of December, 2022 from 2:00 pm till 7:00 pm.
2. Sunday 18th December 2022 from 5:00 am till 6:30 am.

Race pack collection will be at the hall at Sabah Tea Plantation ( 5°56'31.89"N, 116°47'0.51"E). The following stepwise procedure will be followed:

When arriving at the Race Pack follow the following procedure – make sure you know your BIB number:

1.  Show your IC and inform your bib number at the document check counter. You will receive a small tag.
2. Take this to the respective (short or long course) RP collection counter to collect your race pack with T-shirt, BIB and Timing Band.

Please register early to avoid congestion and being late for the start!. Please also note that once you have your timing bib, you need to scan in before race start in the morning of the race.

Race Logistics Sunday 18th December, 2022:

5:00 : Prestart registration. All runners must sign in prior to the start to be ranked in the race.
7:00 : Race start 
13:00 : Cut-off time at half-way for long course runners
14:00 : Cut-off time at finish line for short course runners
14:00 : Prize presentation
18:00 : Cut-off time at finish for long course runners 

Entry Fees and Entitlements:

Please refer to the Registration page

Transport Directions to Start/Finish location:

The drive from KK to the start/finish venue at Sabah Tea plantation is approximately 2:45 to 3 hours if there is no traffic, but can be much longer if traffic is heavy or there are heavy and slow trucks on the road. Please also take note of extensive road construction works along the route - be particularly cautious if you are not familiar with the road and driving in the dark. Allow plenty of time for the journey and drive safely. We recommend to make a weekend trip out of it and either stay overnight at Sabah Tea (first come first served basis) or in the area - see below. This will save you for a very early start and reduce the risks of getting caught in traffic.

From KK, drive via Kundasang and Ranau and continue towards Telupid. Sabah Tea will be on your left approximately 20 km past Ranau - look out for a large signboard.

Access and Parking at Sabah Tea (Race Venue)

From the gate to Sabah Tea Plantation, proceed on the sealed road up past the office and restaurant are towards the chalet and hall area. Parking has to be carefully managed not to block the start/finish area - please follow instructions and do not park in areas marked with "No Parking"

Coordinates for Start Area:  5°56.542'N, 116°47.026'E 

Accommodation at Sabah Tea or closer to Race Venue:

For competitors who want to make a weekend trip out of the race and/or just want to stay overnight close to the race venue to avoid the early morning drive and also get the registration done well in advance, Sabah Tea offers several options ranging from chalets over bamboo long-house rooms to camping. There are toilets and shower facilities attached to the long-house accommodation.  

Please contact Sabah Tea Garden for information and bookings:  http://www.sabahtea.com.my/

If Sabah Tea should be full, other options are at Ranau Town about 20 km away, at Poring Hotsprings area about 25 to 30 km away or in the Kundasang area. There is a restaurant at Sabah Tea Garden but they will obviously have limited capacity and hours of operation are limited, so we advice to make enquiries and plan in advance.  

Race Rules & Regulations

• You must follow the SOPs for the race related to Covid-19 (at this stage only expected to involve a potential mask mandate at RP collection).
• You must complete the marked course on foot under your own power.
• You must stay on the marked course. Short cuts are not permitted. If you get lost return to the last sighted marking or check point.
• Your race number must be worn on the front and visible at all times on the outside of your clothing.
• The use of headphones/earplugs is not permitted when you are running or trekking along roads with traffic for safety reasons.
• Always walk with traffic coming towards you unless advised by the course marshals.
• You must check in with officials at each water station (WS) / check point (CP) and get registered. Failure to sign in will mean you have not completed the race course and you will either be disqualified or be listed as un-ranked.
• If you withdraw from the event, you must inform the marshals that you wish to withdraw at a WS (unless assisted from the course by a medical team.) You must remain at the WS for transport or clearly communicate with officials about leaving the station.
• Withdrawal is final. Once you have withdrawn from the race, you cannot re-enter.
• If you need First Aid help on the course you must inform race officials at a water station or use the emergency phone numbers provided.
• You must carry the Mandatory Gear at all times during the event.
• Littering is prohibited. Runners caught disposing of rubbish on the race course will be penalized heavily or disqualified immediately.
• Leave gates as you find them. If closed, you may open it to pass through but it is your responsibility to close the gate after you.
• Support crews are per default not permitted on the race course unless specifically allowed at specific points.
• Any actions to disrupt the event or competitors is not permitted and will be heavily penalized or lead to disqualification. This includes for instance tampering with the course marking.
• The race director reserves the right to modify the race courses and/or start time as deemed necessary for safety reasons
• Runners are not allowed to receive aid from non-competitors on the race course at any point including food, fruit and drink. Competitors may purchase such items from food stalls but it would be an unfair advantage for individuals to have friends/family on the route providing assistance. This goes against the spirit of competition and against the race/event rules.

Mandatory Kit List

Please note the mandatory kit list may be updated between now and at least 10 days before the event date. Do check updates relating to the event to stay informed at all times. A list is provided below and may be downloaded from the "Racebox" linked on the main menu.