No chip timing gantries, no finisher medal ceremony, no frills — just 22.8 gruelling kilometres of Lantau singletrack. The Hilly Grail returns on 19 September 2026, and The Trail Hub Hong Kong is keeping it deliberately small: a "fat-ass" style event capped at just 35 runners.
In This Guide
What is The Hilly Grail?
Per The Trail Hub's official event page, The Hilly Grail is described as "The Trail Hub's original fat-ass mountain run," born out of a need for last-minute ITRA and UTMB qualifying points and a desire for "some gnarly fun." It strips racing down to basics: a single 22.8km loop of relentless climbing and technical singletrack on some of Lantau's toughest trails, with one aid station at the halfway point.
Unlike a typical Hong Kong trail race with branded expos and elaborate finisher swag, The Hilly Grail is unapologetically bare-bones — the organisers describe the HK$200 entry as covering "a basic aid station, a finish line, and the coveted black Hilly Grail tee." That no-frills format, and the hard 35-runner cap, is very much the point.
Race details, entry fee and time limit
The Hilly Grail 2026
Registration and the official GPX route file are on The Trail Hub's timing site.
The course is a single loop that begins and ends at Pak Kung Au, with the sole aid station — stocked with food, water, sports drink and a first aid kit — also at Pak Kung Au, meaning runners pass it once at the halfway mark. Entrants can access their drop bag at that checkpoint. Personal luggage can be stored at the event centre until the race finishes.
Like most outdoor endurance events in Hong Kong, The Hilly Grail is weather-dependent: it will be cancelled if the Hong Kong Observatory hoists an Amber, Red or Black Rainstorm Warning, or a Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 or above, at or after 7am on race day, with organisers aiming to reschedule where possible.
If you're building out a bigger Lantau trail season, our guide to the Lantau 2 Peaks trail race covers another tough outing on the same island, and our roundups of Hong Kong's best hikes and best running routes are useful for training in the lead-up.
Getting to Pak Kung Au
Pak Kung Au sits on Tung Chung Road on Lantau Island, at the boundary between Lantau Trail Stage 2 and Stage 3, roughly between Sunset Peak and Lantau Peak. The most straightforward route is the MTR to Tung Chung Station, then New Lantao Bus route 3M (Tung Chung Station ↔ Mui Wo Ferry Pier) to the Pak Kung Au stop — the full 3M journey runs about 35 minutes end to end, so budget accordingly depending on where you board.
Good to know: with only 35 spots and a genuine cult following among Hong Kong's trail crowd, Hilly Grail places tend to go quickly once registration opens — and because it's a fat-ass event rather than a commercial race, don't expect the marshalling density of a bigger race; come prepared to navigate and be self-sufficient between the start and the single aid station.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan your race
The Hilly Grail runs 19 September 2026 from Pak Kung Au, Lantau — HK$200 entry, capped at 35 runners.