WORLD Mountain Running Association (WMRA) president, Bruno Gozzelino has confirmed that he will be in Obudu next week for the seventh Obudu International Mountain Race and the third African Nations Mountain Running Championships to offer moral and technical support to the local organising committee for the race.Gozzelino disclosed that he has conveyed his desire to be at the Obudu Ranch Resort, venue of the highest paying mountain race in the world, to LOC Chairman, William Archibong, adding,'The Obudu international mountain race is an important event in the calendar of the WMRA because it has helped to draw African athletes to the race in large numbers.'Prior to the race, African athletes had not been competing in the WMRA Grand Prix series and the world championships but now we have them in large numbers. An African nation, Eritrea even won the men's team event at the 2010 WMRA world championships held in Kanmik, Slovenia.'The world mountain running family is grateful to the Governor of Cross River state, (Senator) Liyel Imoke for his continued support for the race.'Gozzelino also revealed that the WMRA was not only impressed with the world class organisation of the race, but also the fact that the LOC for the race and the AFN have never owed any athlete any prize money since the inaugural edition of the race in 2005.''This is a good advertisement for the people running the race and the supervising federation of their honesty and integrity. We are pleased to announce that the race has become one of the important events in the calendar of the WMRA,' he further added.The total prize money for the race, which holds on Monday next week, is $278,000, with the winners in each gender category going home with $50,000 each, while $20,000 and $9,000 respectively will go to the second and third placed finishers.The prizes for fourth to 10th placed finishers in each category are $4,500, $4,000, $3,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000 respectively.The 7th Obudu Mountain Race will cover a distance of 11 kilometres uphill, to an altitude of 1,575 metres above sea level, taking the athletes to one of the finest destinations in the world, the Obudu Mountain Resort.
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