Kathmanu: Nepali runner Phurbu Tamang regained the title in the world's highest "Qomolangma Marathon" race Tuesday at the foothills of Mount Qomolangma -- the Tibetan name for the world's highest peak Mount Everest.

Tamang won the men's open category in three hours, 48 minutes and 41 seconds. Tamang also won here in 2009 and 2010, Xinhua reported.

Kumar Rajbhandari finished second in 3:54:51, while last year's winner Sudip Kulung Rai came third.

The race set off from near the famous Khumbu Ice Fall at Qomolangma Base Camp (5,364 metres above sea level) and the finish was at Namche Bazar (3,440 metres).

The Guinness Book of World Records lists the race the highest altitude marathon that makes it more adventurous and one of the toughest races in the world.

This is the 10th edition of Tenzing-Hillary Marathon which commemorates the first successful ascent of 8,848-metre-high Mount Qomolangma by Nepal's Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and New Zealand's Edmund Hillary, May 29, 1953.

A total of 93 foreigners and 62 Nepali runners took part in this year's race. (IANS)