Nijmegen17 Sep 2022

Because many racers asked for it, UPR held a second race in 2022, on Saturday 17 September in Nijmegen, a beautiful city on the Waal with a long history, small streets, squares and corners that suit a photo marathon well.

The race started at 11:00 on the square in front of Nijmegen station and lasted eight hours, with five checkpoints and four themes: De dood of de gladiolen (all or nothing), Non-verbaal (non-verbal), Spitsuur (rush hour) and Iets heel anders (something completely different). The last checkpoint closed at 19:00, and the twelve photographs were due before 13:00 the next day.

The jury was the same as in Rotterdam that spring, Diana Bokje, Merel Schoneveld and Simone Peerdeman, and before the race they told the racers what they look for: series that hold together, an original view of the theme, photographs that touch them and a little courage, close to the subject and always with respect.

The winners

Peter de Witte won Best Photographer, ahead of Emiel Pol and Esther Gerritsen. The themes went to Esther Siboni, René Leenders, Hans Winkels and Margot Bleijenberg, and the jury favourites to Annemarie Terhell, Giacomo Pistone and Esther Siboni.

There was more than €700 in prize money: €250, €120 and €70 for the three best photographers, €50 for each theme winner and €25 for each juror's favourite.