Mount Cameroon Race of Hope
Encyclopedia
The Mount Cameroon Race of Hope (in French, "La Course de l'Espoir") is an annual, televised footrace
held at Mount Cameroon
in the Southwest Province
of Cameroon
in January or February. The 2011 is scheduled for February 26. The event begins at Molyko Sports Complex in Buea
and follows a path up Mount Cameroon and back; The course runs a distance of 38 kilometres (23.6 mi). Participants are divided into men's and women's divisions and further subdivided into professionals, youth, and casual runners. Each winner in the men's and women's professional divisions will receive 3,000,000 francs CFA
in 2011. Teams may enter the race and compete in the relay
division. The first Race of Hope was in 1995. Since then, participation has steadily increased; there were 214 participants in 2005, 390 in 2006, and 643 from nine countries in 2007. As of 2010, the winners since the race's inception had all been Cameroonians. Sarah Etonge
has won the women's division for four straight years.
The first race took place in 1973. For many years, the race was organised and sponsored by Guinness
under the name Guinness Mount Cameroon Race. In 2005, control of the event was taken by 12 local committees in Buea and representatives of the national Cameroon Athletics Federation (CAF) and the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education. The budget in 2007 was 130 million francs CFA, the bulk of which was provided by the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education. The change to public control was controversial: In 2005, Mayor Charles Mbella Moki of the Buea Rural Council accused the organisers of mismanagement and proposed that Guinness to be given back full control. In 2006, the CAF cut the prize money to the winners by 25% without warning, reportedly to cover their membership fees in the organisation.
About 5,000 visitors come to Buea each year to view the marathon. Cultural and sporting events take place in Buea. These include artists, choral groups, and dancers; and basketball, handball, and volleyball tournaments. Local authorities sanction the event through the paramount chief
of Buea, who climbs Mount Cameroon to petition the gods for their blessing.
The 2007 documentary film Volcanic Sprint
is about the race.
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
held at Mount Cameroon
Mount Cameroon
Mount Cameroon is an active volcano in Cameroon near the Gulf of Guinea. Mount Cameroon is also known as Cameroon Mountain or Fako or by its native name Mongo ma Ndemi ....
in the Southwest Province
Southwest Province
The Southwest Region or South-West Region of Cameroon is a province of Cameroon and constitutes part of the territory of Southern Cameroons. Its capital is Buea. , its population was 838,042...
of Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
in January or February. The 2011 is scheduled for February 26. The event begins at Molyko Sports Complex in Buea
Buea
Buea is the capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon. The town is located on the eastern slopes of Mount Cameroon and has a population of 90,088 . Buea was the colonial capital of the German Kamerun from 1901 to 1919,and the capital of the Southern Cameroons from 1949 until 1961...
and follows a path up Mount Cameroon and back; The course runs a distance of 38 kilometres (23.6 mi). Participants are divided into men's and women's divisions and further subdivided into professionals, youth, and casual runners. Each winner in the men's and women's professional divisions will receive 3,000,000 francs CFA
CFA franc
The CFA franc is the name of two currencies used in Africa which are guaranteed by the French treasury. The two CFA franc currencies are the West African CFA franc and the Central African CFA franc...
in 2011. Teams may enter the race and compete in the relay
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
division. The first Race of Hope was in 1995. Since then, participation has steadily increased; there were 214 participants in 2005, 390 in 2006, and 643 from nine countries in 2007. As of 2010, the winners since the race's inception had all been Cameroonians. Sarah Etonge
Sarah Etonge
Sarah Liengu Etonge is a current African mountain running star. She has won the annual Mount Cameroon Race of Hope five times in her native Buea, in the Southwest Province. Her most recent victory came in 2005, with a time of 5:38:06...
has won the women's division for four straight years.
The first race took place in 1973. For many years, the race was organised and sponsored by Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
under the name Guinness Mount Cameroon Race. In 2005, control of the event was taken by 12 local committees in Buea and representatives of the national Cameroon Athletics Federation (CAF) and the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education. The budget in 2007 was 130 million francs CFA, the bulk of which was provided by the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education. The change to public control was controversial: In 2005, Mayor Charles Mbella Moki of the Buea Rural Council accused the organisers of mismanagement and proposed that Guinness to be given back full control. In 2006, the CAF cut the prize money to the winners by 25% without warning, reportedly to cover their membership fees in the organisation.
About 5,000 visitors come to Buea each year to view the marathon. Cultural and sporting events take place in Buea. These include artists, choral groups, and dancers; and basketball, handball, and volleyball tournaments. Local authorities sanction the event through the paramount chief
Paramount chief
A paramount chief is the highest-level traditional chief or political leader in a regional or local polity or country typically administered politically with a chief-based system. This definition is used occasionally in anthropological and archaeological theory to refer to the rulers of multiple...
of Buea, who climbs Mount Cameroon to petition the gods for their blessing.
The 2007 documentary film Volcanic Sprint
Volcanic Sprint
Volcanic Sprint is a 2007 documentary produced by Steve Dorst and Dan Evans about a grueling mountain race in Africa and the mostly local competitors who compete against tough odds to overcome dire poverty.- Synopsis :...
is about the race.