It was launched with the traditional press conference recently in Yaounde.

The countdown to the 2016 edition of the Guinness Mount Cameroon Race of Hope was launched on Friday February 12^th in a press conference at the Hilton hotel in Yaounde jointly granted by the Cameroon Athletics Federation and the official sponsor of the event, Guinness.

Speaking during the press conference, the president of the athletics federation, Emmanuel Motomby Mbome disclosed that there will be a record number of 11 foreign participating countries namely; the United States, Great Britain, Belgium, Switzerland, Kenya, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. He also announced that there will be a race anthem for the very first time since the 21-year existence of the race. Motomby Mbome said they have been working in close collaboration with Guinness and the governor of the South West Region so as to make this year’s event the best organised so far.

Meanwhile the Guinness Corporate Relations Director, Sandie Paho Handou reiterated the fact that the nature of their sponsorship is the same as during the past years, that is, Guinness will have to take care of the communication around the event, dressing the athletes, acquiring an insurance policy for athletes while the federation handles issues related to security and taking care of the athletes. She said the race will take place in three categories as has been the case since Guinness returned to the competition and the cash prizes remain the same.

The cash prize for the 38 km main race is FCFA 10 million for the winner, five million for the runner up and two million for the third. The winner of the youngsters’ race which is half the full distance, that 19km, will bag home a cash prize of three million, FCFA 1.250.000 for the second and FCFA500.000 for the third. The third and last category will be the veteran race to be run over a distance of five kilometres with the winner taking home a cash prize of one million, FCFA500.000 for the second and FCFA250.000 for the third.

It is worthy to note that the 2016 of the mountain race will take place on February 27^th with over two thousand athletes from within and outside Cameroon taking part. It will be the 21^st edition, the third since the return of Guinness as official sponsor. The race will be taking place under a mood of suspense as it is not clear whether Guinness is going to continue the sponsorship of the event of not hence the appeal of the president of the athletics federation for the three years contract with Guinness which expires this year to be renewed. Initiated in 1973, the Guinness Mount Cameroon Race of Hope is Cameroon’s oldest marathon and one of the best known mountain climbing events in Africa which attracts over 20.000 people each year.