Four Obudu Champions Return For 2012 Race

As many as four former winners of the Obudu International Mountain Race have confirmed their participation in this year's race which holds next month at the Obudu Ranch Resort in Obudu, Cross River State.

 Top on the list of the former champions who are staging a return is Ethiopia's double winner
Abebe Dinkesa, who will be gunning for an historic hat-trick of titles at the race.

Dinkessa won the men's title and the accompanying $50,000 top prize in 2008 and 2010 to become only the second man in the history of the race to win the title twice. Another Ethiopian, Habtamu Fikadu, won in 2007 and 2009.

 Also staging a return to challenge for the top prize is the men's defending champion, Ethiopia's Hunegnaw Mesfin, who ran the second fastest winning time (41:50) to win last year. Dinkesa holds the course record and the fastest winning time ever (41.45 seconds) which he ran in winning his first title in 2008.

For the women, reigning Obudu  mountain running champion, Genet Yalew  of Ethiopia,  tops the list of champions who are staging a return to the race come next month at the Obudu Ranch Resort. She will however battle Kenya's Businei Rita Jepto  for the title and the %50,000 top prize.