Varsity hosts Cross Country to conserve environment

University of Kabianga will on Sunday hold the inaugural South West Mau Cross Country in a bid to conserve Mau forest water tower.

The event, to be held in Belgut in Kericho County, will bring on board athletes from the South Rift region.

The 5,000m Commonwealth Games champion Mercy Cherono and the 2013 World Cross Country champion Japheth Korir are the brand Ambassadors for the race.

Seasoned long-distance runners Geoffrey Koech, Philip Langat, Sandrafelis Chebet, 2011 Boston Marathon champion Caroline Kilel among others are expected to take part in the race.

Many of the athletes who will be participating, will be using the race to gauge their performance ahead of major races outside the country.

Kilel told SaturdayNation Sport that she will be using the race as part of her training ahead of Yellow River Marathon race in May.

"I will be using the race as part of my training ahead of a major race which I will participate in May. I have been out of competition for some time but I’m now out to regain my form," said Kilel.

Kilel finished eighth in Macao Marathon in China earlier this year.

REGISTRATION STILL OPEN

The university's Public Relations Officer Nicholas Langat said that the registration process was ongoing.

“Registration is ongoing at the cost of Sh200 per person. Students however will be charged Sh50 only,” he said.

“Being an inaugural event, we will allow the registration to spill over to Sunday morning to avoid locking out interested people,” he said.

The event was organised in partnership with several organisations among them Nation Media Group, Kenya Forest Service, County Government of Kericho, Equity Bank, Sunshine Hotel and Madison Insurance.

The funds from the event will be channelled towards re-afforestation and protection of Mau and other endangered forests which have been destroyed due to uncontrolled logging and other human activities.

The race is expected to start at 8am from the main campus pavilion.