Alexander Stock - Kompas.com/Kahfi Dirga Cahya

The majestic Mount Rinjani in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), shared its magic with participants of the Rinjani 100, an ultramarathon that offers an extreme trail run track accross the 3,726-meter high active volcano.

“The track is so challenging, and the view is just beautiful. I’ll definitiely come back for next year’s Rinjani 100,” said Austrian Alexander Stock, 33, who won the men’s 36 kilometers (36K) category after clocking six hours and 31.33 minutes — a new record, breaking last year’s seven hours and 34 minutes — on Saturday.

The Rinjani 100 is an annual ultramarathon event held in Lombok. The fifth runoff this year, which ran from Friday to Sunday, was also a qualifying event for the 2017 Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) world summit trail race.

The weekend’s race offered three other categories: the 100K, 60K and 27K. As a qualifying event, the Rinjani 100 provided runners with five points for the 100K, four points for the 60K as well as two points each for the 36K and the 27K.

Melisa Grayel of France, the champion of the women’s 36K, clocking an 8:55:37 time record, said her business with the Rinjani track wasn’t over.

“The race was incredible. I believe all runners will want to come back,” said the 27-year-old.

Local runners Fandhi Achmad, 34, won the 100K category after clocking 33:11:55, while 24-year-old Akhmad Nizar won the 27K recording a new record time of 04:05:56 — beating last year’s 04:41:01 record.

As many as 497 runners from 28 countries took part in the Rinjani 100, which was co-hosted by NTB’s National Sports Council (KONI) and the provincial tourism office.

The race is considered one of the most extreme marathons in Indonesia, and even Asia, under the standards of the UTMB.

The UTMB is a single-stage mountain ultramarathon that takes place annually in the Alps and follows the route of the Tour du Mont Blanc through France, Italy and Switzerland. It has a distance of approximately 166 km and a total elevation gain of around 9,600 m. This year, the UTMB will be staged in August and September.

Stock and Grayel were among 269 runners in the 36K that started their race on Friday night from Nusantara Hotel in Sembalun, about 1,160 m above sea level.

Akhmad Nizam - Kompas.com/Kahfi Dirga Cahya

West Nusa Tenggara’s Tourism Office head Lalu Mohammad Faozal said the Rinjani 100 was the fourth sports tourism event held in the province this year.

“Previously, we hosted the Tambora Challenge, the Sembalun Challenge and the Tour de Lombok Mandalika. Overall, we have 18 events listed to run in 2017,” he said.

The province is gearing up for other sports tourism events, including Gili Trawangan Color Run, an international golf tournament, a surfing event as well as a paragliding competition.

“From the 18 events, we’re optimistic of bringing 3.5 million visitors to West Nusa Tenggara,” said Lalu.

NTB deputy governor Muhammad Amin said the local government would work on infrastructure to support sports tourism events, which are expected to boost the province’s popularity and attractivness as a destination.