KLWC Executive Director of Branding, Sales and Marketing Dato’ Sri Dr Vincent Tiew said the event complemented KLWC’s vision of bringing health, wellness and lifestyle together.
THE RUNFEST GRAND PRIX RACE will return next year with an expanded format, including a new individual 5km category and a target of 2,000 participants.
Organised by Unikorn Events Sdn Bhd, the three-day running and lifestyle event will be held from March 26 to 28, 2027 at KL Wellness City (KLWC) Gallery in Bukit Jalil, with KLWC serving as the Official Venue Partner and co-host.
Registration for the event will open on Oct 7.
Following the inaugural edition, which featured the SEKIDEN team relay as its sole race format, the 2027 edition will introduce the Grand Prix format, comprising competitive heats and finals.
The new Soloist category will allow individual runners to compete over 5km, with four divisions — Men’s Open (18 to 39), Women’s Open (18 to 39), Men’s Veteran (40 and above) and Women’s Veteran (40 and above).
Soloists will compete in daytime race waves before progressing to either the Speed Final or Sub Final, subject to the event’s race rules.
Participants may also register under a team name, allowing them to compete for a team result alongside their individual placing.
The SEKIDEN relay will return in three categories — Men, Women and Mix.
Each three-member team will cover a combined distance of 9km, with each runner completing a leg before handing over a tasuki, a traditional cloth sash worn across the torso, rather than the conventional baton.
The mixed category will allow a maximum of two male runners per team.
The 2027 event will offer a total prize pool of RM13,500 across eight race categories.
For the SEKIDEN categories, the winning team will receive RM1,500, followed by RM1,000 for second place and RM500 for third.
For the Soloist Open and Veteran categories, first place will receive RM500, second RM350 and third RM250.
KLWC Executive Director of Branding, Sales and Marketing Dato’ Sri Dr Vincent Tiew said the event complemented KLWC’s vision of bringing health, wellness and lifestyle together.
“At KL Wellness City, we believe wellness is not limited to healthcare. It is also about being active, connecting with the community and creating opportunities for people to make healthier lifestyle choices,” he said.
Tiew said the event would also provide an opportunity for runners, families and the wider community to experience KLWC as a health and lifestyle destination.
Beyond the races, the event will feature a festival village with food, games and lifestyle activities.
Race pack collection will also be held at KLWC, allowing participants to access pre-race activities, race-day events and the festival experience at the same location.
Organisers said the collaboration was aimed at promoting active living, community engagement and holistic wellness while bringing sporting and lifestyle activities to the integrated healthcare and wellness township.
Registration for the RunFest Grand Prix Race 2027 opens on Oct 7. Participants can follow the official RunFest and Unikorn Events channels for registration details and further updates.