FOLLOWING the success of Mara Lasak Pahang 2.0, the state government has announced plans to host the third edition of the trail run in Hulu Tembeling, Jerantut.
State communications and multimedia, youth, sports and NGO committee chairman Fadzli Mohamad Kamal expects Mara Lasak 3.0 to be even more vibrant.
He said there would be 105 teams and 1,050 runners in 2026, noting that the participation numbers nearly doubled those of the previous year.
The announcement followed the prize-giving ceremony for Mara Lasak 2.0 where Tengku Mahkota Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah presented the prizes.
The Kuantan district police headquarters team emerged as overall champions and winners of the uniformed bodies category, clocking in at two hours and eight minutes.
Fadzli also lauded the participation of 63-year-old Pahang Syariah Chief Judge Datuk Abdul Walid Abu Hassan, who completed the race in approximately three hours.
The state executive councillor said this achievement served as a strong example for the younger generation.
“It proves there is no excuse for youth not to take part in or complete this challenge,” he said.
The run required teams of 10 to navigate a 15km route, encompassing forest trails, bogs and hills, while carrying a 5kg load.
Categories include uniformed bodies, government agencies and statutory bodies, youth, university students, community groups and invitational/VIP teams.
Fadzli told Bernama that future plans included opening the competition to participants from outside Pahang and introducing new categories.
While there was interest in inviting international competitors, he emphasised that such a move would require “careful and detailed planning”.
