Registration begins for first Taiwan Alishan Divine Tree Marathon

首屆阿里山神木下馬拉松開始報名

Event to showcase mountainous area around Chiayi City in central Taiwan

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The first Taiwan Alishan Divine Tree Marathon, which will take place on Apr. 12 next year in mountainous central Taiwan, is now open for registration.

Alishan, a township in Chiayi County that boasts a plethora of forest and mountain resources, is both a tourist magnet and the base for mountaineering buffs wishing to scale Yushan, the highest mountain on the island.

Hosted by the Alishan National Scenic Area Administration (ANSAA), the race event seeks to market the scenic area around Chiayi while celebrating the "Year of the Mountain" as part of a nationwide tourism campaign.

The marathon features 42 kilometer (km), 21 km, 10 km, and 3 km races that will course through scenic spots of the Alishan area. Highlights include a prairie, suspension bridge, shaded boulevard, and Formosan sika deer farm.

There will also be travel tours designed for participants to relish the local culture and cuisine, giving them the chance to experience tea feasts, mochi making, and outdoor theater. In addition, to add fun to the event, a cheerleading competition and best running outfit contest will test participants' creativity, with cash prizes totaling NT$2 million (US$66,285), wrote UDN.

Registration runs between 11 a.m, Dec. 19, 2019 and 11 p.m, Jan. 31, 2020. More information is available on the official website.