Highlights of the mount Cameroon race of Hope 2009
More than 600 athletes are taking part in a Mountain race in Cameroon. The race kicked-off this morning at exactly 7.00 Central African Time (CAT). Mount Cameroon, located in the Southwest region of Cameroon, towers at 4100 meters above sea level. It is an active volcano with rugged terrain. The race is organised by the Sports authority of Cameroon – the Ministry of Sports and the Cameroon Athletics Federation with sponsorship principally from government coffers, supplemented with private funding and commercial adverts from major firms in the country. The majority of athletes are from Cameroon, with strong contingents from several African and European countries. Chinese, Korean and Canadian athletes featured prominently in the race.
For the last three days, Mount Cameroon has been mysteriously covered by dark clouds, unusual in this time of the year. The peak only revealed itself briefly early this morning. As the race started and the athletes disappeared into the rainforest, the Mountain was once more covered with dark clouds. The weather and threat of rain is generating anxiety on the ground in Upper Farms. At the Omnisport Stadium in Molyko, entertainment is ongoing, with live band music, commedy and dance. The colourful cultural event has pulled more than one hundred thousand persons into the Stadium and its esplanade.
The following athletes, who are descending, have run passed upper farms at 11:08 CAT speeding to the Omnisport stadium in Molyko; Simplice Ndoumbe, Januarius B., Lyonga Esombe, Lyonga Mondoa. At 4 hours 25 minutes, the winning time in 2008, no athelete has crossed the finished line. The race this year seems to be at a slower pace. Geography and terrain coupled with organisational lapses have hampered the race. That notwithstanding, the teeming crowd is anxiously cheering the athletes as they run pass Upper Farms and Clerks Quarters – Bongo Square.
The Mount Cameroon Race has four categories: Veteran (40 – 60 years), Women category, Junior ( 9 – 17 years) and the Male senior category. This year the cash prize for the winner is 10.000 US Dollars, with sponsorship deals for international marathon events.
Ernest Vufuo from the South Region of Cameroon crosses the finished line at 11:46 CAT. However, at 12:54 CAT, the organising committee is yet to declare him winner of the race, since doubts have cropped up on this athlete who crossed the finishing line yet he is unable to produce his ticket obtained at the summit of the mountain. The same incident surrounds the female category. Reports from our staff in Hut 3 corroborate that these same athletes were not even identified amongst the first fifty athletes descending the mountian through Huts 3 and 2. The technical team of the Cameroon Athletic Federation is sorting out matters. At 13.08 CAT winners still to be declared.
The economy of Buea municipality has witnessed a boost as hotel rooms are fully booked and occupied and frantic shopping by visitors at the Buea Trade Fair. The food and hotel sectors of the local economy are the biggest winners. The transport sector has also experienced a jolt with township taxis criss-crossing the town in full capacity. The municipal authorities expect stronger multiplier effect unto other sectors of the economy
Commentaire par etum le 2 mars 2009:
Belle course suivie sur la CRTV
Commentaire par Bro Ekema le 2 mars 2009:
as per the statistics and comments written by cameroonians this year’s race is one of the most poorly organized race ever. Since the government took over the battle of command for the race it has been one mistake to the other. The Government cannot do anything good in this country.
Commentaire par Pa Buea le 2 mars 2009:
i agree with you Bro Ekema this government of ours is a disgrace, a race that is being held in Buea,but the meetings of such race are held only in Y’de neglecting the Local organizing committee too bad for the government that is why even the Lord mayor for Buea municipality could not stomach it what is wrong with this country for crying out loud. Sooner or later a presidential degree will be signed transfering the Buea Mountain to Y’de so that the race could be ran in Y’de
Commentaire par Hangry mam le 15 mars 2009:
I agree with you Pa Buea,Cameroon is one of the worst countries on the face of this planet,you can not imagine that a common race can not be well organised then do you expect the country to well organised.But what I will advise any person from that country you must believe strongly in the WORD OF GOD because no matter what He is the Lord of HOST.The French has actually gain from their bad deeds.We do not know what future will our children have.A country God has Blessed with all kinds of natural resources and the devil cames with his wicked army to destroy in the name of political leaders.
Commentaire par louis le 17 mars 2009:
Let’s stop critics against the Cameroon’s governments. Our people have not behaving in God way. We deserve every thing we getting… to change this country we have to change our behaviors first or God will turn his back on us for a long long time… look what happened to Israel when they failed to obey GOD…
Commentaire par threshold le 26 janvier 2010:
what is going to happen this year? Anjianjei Constantine 0023776335224
Commentaire par Ndinwa Benedict Jini le 28 janvier 2010:
Le Guen faultered by thinking the lions could make in just five dats of training
Commentaire par Ndinwa Benedict Jini le 28 janvier 2010:
Le Guen is a good coach none the less but needs not allow his sentiments override his reason especially when national interest is at stake.
Commentaire par Mr Nicholas le 9 février 2010:
As we gear up for the 2010 race, many of us are worried that the organizers will again forget to do the organizing again this year! Infact lets now refer to them as diss-organizers, as that is what it seems they are good at!
This is my 3rd time running the race. The preparations last year were the worst so far. We spent almost 2 days altogether before the race standing in line for medical tests, then driving from one place to another trying to understand where the diss-organizers would issue our numbers. Most people ended up still fighting (and I mean fighting!) for numbers and T-shirts after midnight the night before the race…many good athletes had to withdraw as they were too tired to perform. Some could not even start on time because they still had not been issued with numbers by the following morning when the race started!
This year I expect the same confusion, even though I’ve voiced my concerns to many of the diss-organizers in Buea and Yaounde. We hear today that there is talk that the course will be changed, athletes will only go to the second hut! We hear on the radio that the diss-organizers want a more exciting race and so have shortened the course!!
It seems that the poor athletes who have trained for many months stand to suffer as usual. Mount Cameroon Race is about climbing Mount Cameroon…that’s what makes in so unique and challenging and that’s what foreigners at least are interested in. Many of us have trained for this in a dedicated way since September 2009, and now, last minute and true to form, the diss-organizers are at it again!
I will be there to run whatever, but its high time that someone took control of this race and started putting the athletes first!!