by sportswriters Dong Yixing, Wang Qin'ou and Shen Nan
LINHAI, China, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- With no running pack, poles, or sunglasses, Swiss athlete Remi Bonnet cut a minimalist figure as he sprinted to victory in the men's 25km event at the 2025 Tsaigu Trail on Sunday.
Clutching only a water bottle, the trail runner from the French-speaking town of Charmey stopped the clock at one hour, 47 minutes, and 24 seconds, leaving him more than five minutes ahead of his nearest competitor, China's Shi Guo.
For Bonnet, this win was a perfect finale to his season and a significant personal milestone after recovering from a stress fracture in his tibia in June.
"It was a good race for me. It's my longest since the injury," he said. "It's a good sign for next year."
The race marked Bonnet's debut at the Tsaigu Trail, an event celebrating its 10th anniversary as one of China's premier trail running competitions.
His first impressions upon arriving in Linhai, east China's Zhejiang Province, were that the event lived up to its growing reputation. "I think it's really popular. It looks like a big race and the organization is really well done," he told Xinhua prior to the race. "It's really cool to see that the sport is also developing in China."
That initial excitement was confirmed by the vibrant atmosphere on race day, with crowds cheering enthusiastically along the course. "It was really good at the finish and also during the race," he noted, comparing the energy to only "a few popular races in Europe."
Bonnet's journey to the top of trail running is closely linked to the snow-covered peaks of his winter profession. Hailing from a small Swiss village in the mountains, Bonnet started first with ski mountaineering and turned to trail running during summer to train.
His talent was spotted by Salomon a decade ago, prompting a shift into summer racing that has seen him become a world champion in both disciplines. For him, the two sports are connected by a deep love for the mountains.
"In winter I have the snow at home, so I cannot run on the top of the mountain. So I take my skis," he said, describing a life dictated by the seasons. While skiing down is easier on the legs, the strain of running downhill can be "a bit tougher on the body," a challenge he accepts because "I like both, and I think I need both to be happy."
This strong passion drives his career. For Bonnet, the victories and records, including his recent world record at the Fully Vertical Kilometre, are great achievements but not the primary goal.
"First of all, it is passion," said the 30-year-old. "I don't do it for winning races or breaking records. I have to be motivated every day to go to the mountain, and it's what I like to do every day."
This perspective allows him to appreciate the rapid evolution of trail running from a niche community to a global sport. He has watched the competitiveness intensify, noting that now "there is at least 10 guys who can win" at every major race, a professionalism he finds "quite cool to see."
With the Tsaigu challenge complete, Bonnet's focus now shifts from the humid, fast-paced trails of Zhejiang back to the crisp alpine snow of Switzerland. The man who is as much a force on skis as he is on foot will take a brief break before the winter season begins. ■