This is an annual 11.25 km mountain running competition that takes place in late November in Obudu, Cross River State, Nigeria. First held in 2005, it has the largest total prize-money available of any mountain race and is known as "the world's richest mountain race". The men's and women's competition winners receive US$50,000 each, and there is a total prize pot of around $250,000.
The combination of the distance of the race and the rewards on offer means that it attracts world-class road running athletes as well as mountain running athletes. It is an associate member race of the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) and is also endorsed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
The race was created under the patronage of Donald Duke, a former Governor of Cross River State, who devised it as a means of raising awareness of Obudu Mountain Resort – a tourist resort. The course begins at a height of 800 m above sea level, and as it traces a path towards the summit of Mount Obudu it climbs a further 800 m, with the finishing point of the race being a total 1600 m above sea level.
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2013 Obudu International Mountain Race says “random in-competition doping control” will be employed during this 9th edition of the race coming up on the 23rd of November. This is to ensure a fair, smooth and healthy competition which has become one of the most anticipated events in the calendar of the world mountain running association.
The LOC will cooperate with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) official in Nigeria who will customarily conduct the exercise.
It is worthy of note, that the race has not witnessed any major doping scandal since inception in 2005 and as such there is confidence that a clean race will be witnessed come November 23rd 2013.
Acknowledgement: Cross Rivers State Government
Source: TUN Extra
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