Mount Cameroon Race of Hope kicks off in Buea today

Buea is set for the 30th edition of the Guinness Mount Cameroon race dubbed "Race of Hope" scheduled for this Saturday, 14th February 2015 in the South West Region of Cameroon.

About 500 athletes, including 25 foreigners have been selected to take part in the traditional race on one of the highest mountains in Africa with an estimated height of 4,100 meters.

This year’s foreign athletes are expected from ten countries with a majority from the United States and Rwanda. The information was disclosed during a press conference in Buea.

The Kick-off was given by Cameroon’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Adoum Garoua, at the Molyko Omnisport Stadium at 7am this 14 February.

The runners expected shall brave 38 km ascending and descending the mountain on an altitude of 4,100 m in a race that Guinness Cameroon has injected a sum of FCFA 300 Million.

Two categories of the race will unfold this Saturday namely the full-marathon (38km) with a price tag of FCFA 10 million for the winner, five million for the second position and two million for the third position.

The second categories will be the half marathon parallel to the main race and will be awarded three million for the first arrival, FCFA 1,250,000 for the second and FCFA 500,000 for the third.

These prizes apply equally for both male and female winners. The sports men and women of the race of hope validated their participation tickets at the end of the selection races that took place through the national triangle including Ebolowa (Mount Ebolowa), Douala (Mount Bedi), Mount Metchou (West) and Mont Bankolo (in the centre).

The athletes will be competing to succeed Eric Mbatcha winner of the “senior class gentlemen” in the last edition and Lisette Ngalim last year’s winner in the women series.