If you are in Malawi around mid-July, please askabout the Mulanje Porters’ Race – now an international event – organised by the Mount Mulanje Conservation Trust. The Mulanje porters and other entrants race up and down 25km of Steep Mountain in one of Africa’s maddest and most daunting fitness challenges, taking in the heights of the Skyline Path to Chambe. Cash, items and assorted gifts are given to the different winners mainly the first three. Differentrecords have been broken by different winners. One of the winners, Kayange (from the Malawi Defense Force) set a new course record of 2 hours 8 minutes 45 seconds.

Mulanje Porters Race is undoubtedly Malawi’s prime athletic contest. Imagine 200 or more participants, ages 13 to 74, tearing up a rocky crag, traversing a grassy plateau, and then bouncing back down the mountain, logging 25 kilometres and about 2,000 metres of elevation change. The event is open to all men, women, boys and even women, and further details can be obtained through infoMulanje or the MCM or MMCT.

Mulanje Porters Race is undoubtedly Malawi’s prime athletic contest. Imagine 200 or more participants, ages 13 to 74, tearing up a rocky crag, traversing a grassy plateau, and then bouncing back down the mountain, logging 25 kilometres and about 2,000 metres of elevation change. The event is open to all men, women, boys and even women, and further details can be obtained through infoMulanje or the MCM or MMCT.