Premier of Dragon's Back Race Award Winning Film This Weekend

News Release / 26.02.2013

It’s official, “Chasing the Dragon” – the story of the 2012 Dragon’s Back Race™ - has won three awards at the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival, which takes place this weekend. The awards are Gold for Best Running Film, Silver for Best Feature Film and Bronze for the Festival Grand Prize.

The World premiere of Chasing the Dragon will be held at the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival on Saturday 2nd March at 8.45pm. Chasing the Dragon has been ShAFF’s fastest selling film and demand for tickets has been so great that the premiere has been upgraded twice and will now be shown on the Showroom Cinema's largest screen. There are a final few tickets available.

Festival judge and Trail Running Magazine Editor Claire Maxted said about Chasing the Dragon:  “Having been at the Dragon’s Back Race™ 2012 myself reporting for Trail Running magazine, I can see why the film has scooped three awards at ShAFF. It deftly conveys both the beauty of Welsh mountain scenery and the tough-as-nails attitude of the runners taking part in this extreme 220 mile, five day race last September.  Watching, you feel like you are part of this race, and interviews with both elite and regular racers gives you a unique insight into the hardships they are willing, or not willing, to endure.”

Race Director, Shane Ohly added, "The legend of the Dragon's Back Race™ has proved to be alluring yet again. First, the 2012 Berghaus sponsored race was massively over subscribed and now it looks as though we will fill a cinema to bursting point!"

Immediately after the premiere finishes, the audience will be able to join Steve Birkinshaw, Helene Whitaker, Rob Baker and Shane Ohly for a Q&A session. Steve Birkinshaw won the Dragon's Back Race™ in 2012 and is one of Britain's most accomplished endurance mountain runners. Helene Whitaker (alongside Martin Stone) won the original 1992 Dragon's Back Race™ and astounded many by finishing 4th overall - and first woman - twenty years later in the 2012 race. Rob Baker came second at the 2012 Dragons Back Race™ and is a top road and mountain runner. 

Shane Ohly continued, "The premiere of Chasing the Dragon and launch of the DVD is proving to be a major catalyst for enquires about the next Dragon's Back Race™ in 2015".  With over 1,300 runners already having registered their interest in competing in 2015 the organisers are expecting a surge of applications when the entires open on the 1st April.

For information on the Dragons Back Race see www.DragonsBackRace.com

For information on the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival see www.shaff.co.uk