PUTRAJAYA, Oct 26 — EcoTrail Putrajaya 2020 will be one of the main features in the federal administrative capital calendar in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) and Putrajaya Silver Jubilee next year, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi.
He said Putrajaya possesses the unique eco-element that fits the bill for the EcoTrail event.
“It is Malaysia’s desire that the EcoTrail Putrajaya in the long run would be able to reach the EcoTrail Paris level of magnitude,” Mohamaddin said today.
He said this in his speech at the Visit Malaysia Year soft launch campaign for Putrajaya level and closing ceremony for EcoTrail Putrajaya 2019.
His speech was read out by Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry deputy secretary-general (tourism) Datuk Haslina Abdul Hamid.
Today’s inaugural Ecotrail Putrajaya 2019 attracted 875 participants, including 210 from countries like France, Germany, Romania, Japan and Indonesia.
This is the first EcoTrail held outside Europe and in Asia. EcoTrail has been held in Paris, Brussels, Reykjavik, Oslo, Funchal, Madrid, Geneva, Florence and Stockholm. The 12th EcoTrail Paris 2019 registered almost 12,000 participants.
EcoTrail combines sporting feats with sustainable development disciplines and eco-responsibility. The objective of EcoTrail is a “clean race”, allowing participants to engage with natural and cultural heritage of the urban territories.
EcoTrail Putrajaya 2019 involved four categories of nature race over 15km, 30km, 50km and 80km trails.
Malaysian Ong Soon Seng, 42, finished first in the 80km men’s open category while another Malaysian, Siti Khadijah Shaker, 34, won the 50km women’s open category. — Bernama
