Mount Cameroon Race Of Hope More Innovations For 2015

Magunda, Baker

Managing Director at Diageo Guinness Cameroon

The main sponsor of the Mount Cameroon race of hope, Guinness Cameroon S.A, says this year’s edition of the annual event will see more innovations than was the case in the previous years. The race is scheduled to take place on Saturday 14 February.

The innovations, the company says will include a tour of the ‘Flame of Hope’ which has already started in Ngaoundere and will be received in Buea on Friday 13 February. More cultural activities as well as the involvement of more partners will see the light of day.

When Guinness Cameroon S.A staged its comeback last year as main sponsor of the Mount Cameroon Race Of Hope, the prizes for winners in the male and female categories jumped from 3 million FCFA to 10 million FCFA.

Another novelty this year, the company says is that special prizes will be awarded to athletes who will first arrive the various huts (huts 1, 2 and 3) and the summit of the mountain on the race day even if they don’t eventually win.

Guinness Cameroon S.A Managing Director, Baker Magunda, talked about these innovations during the Test Race event last Sunday 18 January in Buea. The test race was colourful and attracted 205 racers bringing together top management staff of Guinness Cameroon S.A, athletics federation officials as well as representatives of the South West Administration.

Last week, the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of the event, Governor Okalia Bilai presided over their first preparatory meeting that brought together representatives of the main sponsor, Guinness Cameroon S.A, the National   Athletics Federation President Mr. Emmanuel Motomby Mbome, top security chiefs in the region as well as other stakeholders.

Fourteen committees were thus put in place to take charge of specific organizational aspects. During the meeting, it was revealed that more than thirty foreign athletes were already registered for the event while the registration process for local athletes was closed last weekend.

Guinness officials at the meeting assured that everything was being put in place to ensure total success. They emphasized the need for heavy security during the event which the security chiefs assured would be very available.

As part of the vibes, a Guinness Cameroon S.A organized Trade Fair began in Buea and will run till the International Women’s Day Celebration on 8 March.

Guinness Cameroon S.A has a three–year sponsorship contract with the Cameroon Athletics Federation which expires on 26 August 2016. Both parties say they are hopeful there will be a renewal.