Lead pack ascending Obudu Mountain (© Danny Hughes)
Northern Cross River State, NigeriaKenyan Francis Kibiwott, running in his first mountain race, and Kedir Rehima of Ethiopia produced commanding victories at the Obudu Ranch Mountain Race in Nigeria on Saturday (25), the richest mountain race in the world.
Running in good conditions, the competitors chased a $50,000 first place prize over an 11.5 km course with an 800m ascent up Obudu Mountain.
The men’s and women’s races started with a 15 minute gap between the two. Both races developed into a fierce competition between the inexperienced (for mountain running) invited African athletes, and the traditional mountain runners from Europe, USA and New Zealand.
At the seven kilometre point, World mountain running champion Rolando Ortiz of Colombia and five times champion, Jonathan Wyatt of New Zealand, were in a group of seven which included Tesfayohonnes Mesfin of Eritrea, Kenyans Francis Kibiwott and John Korir, and Ethiopians Lemi (ETH); and Solomon Molla (ETH).
One by one the relentless pace up the unforgiving climb convinced the members of this lead pack to conserve their energies for a high placing rather than the $50,000 first prize. With 3 kilometres to go, Ortiz and Kibiwot had dropped all the opposition, and at this point Ortiz had eventually broke and gave way to Kibiwot who went on to win his very first mountain race, the $50,000 first prize, and en route, breaking the course record by five minutes in a time of 42:26. Ortiz, representing the mountain running fraternity, hung on for the $20,000 second place prize just 42 seconds behind, while the in form Eritrean, Mesfin, was third in 43:24. Soloman Bushendich, recent winner of the Amsterdam Marathon in 2:08:52 just edged Wyatt to take fourth place in 43:32 with Wyatt clocking 43:41. Korir was a further nine seconds behind in 43:50. Ethiopians Lemi and Solomon Molla completed the valuable prize winning positions.
The women’s race was also won by an east African, Ethiopian Kedir Rehima, who broke away from the experienced Hungarian Simona Staicu with 2 kilometres to go to win the $50,000 first prize with a new course record of 53:26. Staicu, the winner of this year’s famous mountain race, the Jungfrau Marathon, maintained her second position to finish in 54:24 and collect $20,000 while the $10,000 prize for third was won by Norwegian (and 4th in this years World Mountain Running championship) Anitah Eversten, who was fourth in this year’s World Mountain Running Championships, in 54:46. World Mountain Running Champion Andrea Mayr was a fraction of a second behind in the same time, while the remaining prize positions were taken by Nicole Hunt (USA) Christine Lundy (USA), Hafida (FRA) and Melissa Moon (NZL).
Race favourite, and European mountain running champion Anna Pichrtova missed the race having been hospitalised after a car accident while travelling to the race. Melissa Moon and Danny Hughes, also passengers in the car were relatively uninjured, but Izabella Zatorska was also hospitalised and missed the race.
The Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency Donald Duke, promised a bigger and better event next year.
Danny Hughes for the IAAF
