A 6.706 km loop on Bowen Road. One lap every hour, on the hour. Miss the bell and you're out. There is no finish line — only the last person who completes one more lap, alone.
Four ways to take on Bowen Road. The Unlimited is the headline event — last person standing, Silver Coin status, Silver Ticket qualifier for the World Team Championships. The 24, 12 and 6 hour formats let everyone share the loop.
Each lap starts on the hour from 20:00 on 2 April. Complete the 6.706 km loop within the hour and you're in the next corral. Miss the bell, fail to finish in the hour, or quit between laps — you're out. The winner is the last person to complete one more lap alone. If no one completes a final solo lap, no winner is declared.
Same start as the Unlimited — 20:00 on 2 April. Run through the night and into the day, banking as many 6.706 km loops as you can before the 24-hour gun. A proper through-the-night ultra.
Daylight start. 12 hours of looping Bowen Road in the spring heat. Solid mileage, real heat acclimatisation, and a proper crew vibe through the day.
The morning challenge. 6 hours, as many laps as you can manage. The perfect first taste of the backyard format — and the easiest way to share the loop with the Unlimited runners on day two.
All four challenges run the same Bowen Road loop, share the same start/finish, and share the same crew pavilion. That's the magic of the backyard format — the 6-hour runners pass the people who've been out there for 36 hours and never want to leave.
6.706 km of paved road climbing gently above Wan Chai and Mid-Levels, sheltered by trees, looking out over Victoria Harbour. The loop you have to run again. And again. And again.
Last-person-standing is a brutally simple format. Here are the rules in full — the ones that send most people home before the sun comes up.
Each lap starts on the hour, beginning at 20:00 on 2 April. Lap distance is 6.706 km / 4.1667 mi. The lap must be completed within the hour.
You must be inside the start corral when the bell rings. 3-minute, 2-minute and 1-minute warnings are called. Missing the bell = elimination. No appeals.
You may only leave the course to use the restroom. Any other detour = elimination. The course is the course.
Personal aid is only allowed in the holding area between laps. Nothing on the loop. You carry what you need.
Trekking poles are not permitted. Pacers are not permitted. This is you, the loop, and the bell.
You're allowed one designated crew member in the holding area. They handle nutrition, kit, ice, naps — everything you can't.
The winner is the last person to complete one more lap, alone. If no runner completes one more lap solo after the final pack falls, no winner is declared.
The Unlimited is a Silver Coin event and a Silver Ticket qualifier for the Backyard Ultra World Team Championships — 17 October 2026.
Four start times across two days. All four challenges share Bowen Road and the same crew pavilion. Show up, set up, and stay as long as you can.
The bell rings. Lap 1 begins. Some people are still here on Saturday.
Daylight start. 12 hours to bank as many loops as you can.
Morning challenge — the easiest way into the backyard format.
The Unlimited ends when there's a winner, or when the field is empty. Past editions have run past 28 hours.
A short history of the runners who survived the bell longest at past editions of the Big Boar's Backyard Challenge.
Sleep, ice, lanterns, Steve in the red shirt, naps in deck chairs, runners on lap 24 pretending they're fine. This is what Bowen Road looks like at hour 26.
The next Big Boar's Backyard Challenge is in the works. Dates, format and registration details will land here when they are confirmed. To hear it first, sign up to the RaceBase newsletter on the home page or email hello@racebase.asia.
Bowen Road, Hong Kong · 6.706 km loop · Next edition coming soon
