Namibia 2009 - seven-day, six-stage, 250-kilometer footrace across southern Namibia.
(all information care of RacingThePlanet )
LIVE SEE RACE REPORTS HERE
10 May 2009 : Detailed Route description - Check the Route here
9 March 2009, Hong Kong -- RacingThePlanet is set to stage its next endurance event in Namibia on 17 May 2009. Traversing some of the most spectacular dunes and stunning landscapes of the oldest desert in the world
* the Namib Desert, RacingThePlanet*s six stage, seven day, 250 kilometer self-supported footrace, features a field of 214 from 38 countries.
The
event kicks off with a steep descent into the Fish River Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world, an area rich with local wildlife such as Mountain Zebra, Giraffe, Oryx, Steenbok, Springbok and even leopard.
Competitors will make their way through the African bush traversing lunar landscapes and over some of the most demanding and challenging sand dunes in the world to finish at the Skeleton Coast in the charming town of Lüderitz.
The field of 214 features a record seventeen (17) former champions including 27-year-old Ryan N. Sandes of South Africa, who has won two previous RacingThePlanet events and 60-year-old Marco Olmo of Italy, a recent champion of many top ultramarathons. Seven teams will be competing including a four-person team from Israel, a Spanish team, a father/son/daughter team, a Japanese team, an HSBC bank team, an American/Danish team and an all female team. A record number of women will be competing with 54 on the roster. The largest contingent of competitors hails from the United Kingdom with 58, and a record 63 competitors are coming from Hong Kong.
Many competitors will be raising money for charities including Briton*s Mark and Philipp Mosimann, brothers from the United Kingdom who have already raised more than US$50,000 to support an Operation Smile mission in Namibia; American Norman Waite, a banker with Nomura in Hong Kong, who is hoping to raise US$250,000 to support the Otto Wong Neuro-Oncology Clinic; and Garrett T. Quigley, Zein J. L. Williams, Gordon D. Oldham, Douglas H. Maclagan and Stephen R. Moore, who are supporting the Child Welfare Scheme in Nepal.
More
than 60 competitors will be raising money for local and international charities.
Thanks to the unwavering support of the Namibia Tourism Board, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and other government agencies in Namibia, competitors will have access to some of the most remote and pristine areas in the country, and will be the first ever humans to have crossed parts of the landscape.
Competitors in RacingThePlanet: Namibia will have access to a cybertent which will feature fifteen Intel-powered Classmate laptops.
RacingThePlanet
has utilized these laptops for the past year, testing and validating the devices for use in rural schools. The laptops have become a key resource for the event. Breaking news from the field will be sent utilizing these Intel-powered laptops and BGAN satellites.
Omaruru Beverages (PTY) Ltd. of Namibia will supply competitors, staff and volunteers with nearly 18,000 liters of OASIS* Natural Mineral Water, the most popular water in Namibia.
Website coverage of RacingThePlanet: Namibia can be found at www.4deserts.com/beyond/namibia featuring hundreds of pictures, breaking news texts, daily journals, video clips, field updates and full results.
*About RacingThePlanet*
RacingThePlanet* is a unique category of rough country footraces that take place over seven days and some 250 kilometers in remote and culturally rich locations around the world. Competitors must carry all their own equipment and food; they are only provided with water and a place in a tent each day but are supported by professional medical and operations teams.
RacingThePlanet is international; the events typically involve competitors from over 20 different countries who are able to mingle around the campfires and in their geographically mixed tents. Currently the events consist of the
4 Deserts, a series which encompasses the Gobi Desert in China, the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Sahara Desert in Egypt and Antarctica, and a fifth event which roves to a new location each year. *Time Magazine *recently ranked the 4 Deserts #2 on its list of the world*s top endurance competitions.
RacingThePlanet also maintains an online store which carries only the best products for endurance events, travel and the outdoors. The store can be found at www.racingtheplanet.com.
Latest Newsletter from Racing the Planet - March 2009
Dear Competitors,
There are less than three months to go until RacingThePlanet: Namibia 2009, which starts on the 17 May 2009. To help you fully prepare for this event, we will continue to send out regular updates. Here are a few updates regarding Roadshows and Events, RacingThePlanet: Namibia Competitors, Course, and some very important Travel Information including entry requirements, the Store, and a preview of RacingThePlanet: Australia 2010.
Roadshows and Events
Singapore: A roadshow will take place on Thursday, 5 March 2009 at The Brasserie on Circular Road (behind Boat Quay) in Singapore from 7 pm.
We
welcome anyone who is planning to compete or who is interested in RacingThePlanet or 4 Deserts events. There will be an update on events and other plans for 2009. More details can be found on the forum or by clicking here.
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London: RacingThePlanet will travel to London on 24 April for a special dinner to support the international charity Operation Smile at the renowned Mosimann*s in London. (Brothers Philipp and Mark Mosimann will be competing in RacingThePlanet: Namibia 2009 and are kindly hosting the evening).
Canada: We are in the process of planning a roadshow in Canada. Stay tuned for details.
RacingThePlanet: Namibia 2009 CompetitorsSome interesting facts:
- There are a record number of female competitors entered for
RacingThePlanet: Namibia 2009 * a total of 57, including six past
champions:
Lia Farley of the United States (Gobi March 2008), Stephanie Case of Canada
(RacingThePlanet: Vietnam 2008), Nina Breith of Germany (Sahara Race 2008),
Sandra McCallum of Canada (Sahara Race 2007), Lucy Marriott of the United
Kingdom (Atacama Crossing 2006) and Sissell Smaller of Norway (Atacama
Crossing 2006).
- Private banker, Laura Corti of Italy, who has completed the 4 Deserts
will be competing. She is one of only four women in the world to complete
the 4 Deserts.
- Best-selling children*s book illustrator Yukako Hayashi of Japan will
be competing in her sixth RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts event.
- Jennifer Murray of the United Kingdom, who is the first woman in the
world to fly a helicopter around the world, will be competing in her first
RacingThePlanet event.
- Annabelle Bond of the United Kingdom, who has completed the Seven
Summits, will be competing.
- There are a total of sixteen past RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts
champions, male and female, in the field.
- Several who have completed the 4 Deserts will also be competing:
Dave
Kunhau of the United States, Joel Burrows of the United States, Alasdair G.
Morrison of Scotland, Martyn Sawyer of the United Kingdom, Ji Sung Yoo of
Korea, Vincent Carroll of Ireland, Matt Chapman of Australia, Carlos Garcia
Prieto of Spain, Evgeniy Gorkov of Russia, Jacob Hastrup of Denmark, Joe
Holland of the United States, Yoshiaki Ishihara of Japan, Derek Kwik of Hong
Kong, Harold Roberts of the United Kingdom, Chuck Walker of the United
States, Kazuo Isomura of Japan, Gunnar Nilsson of Sweden and Paul Liebenberg
of South Africa.
- 4 Deserts champion Francesco Galanzino of Italy will be competing.
- Bush doctor Paul Liebenberg, who became the first in the world to
complete the 4 Deserts in a calendar year, is competing.
- RacingThePlanet is also pleased to welcome 60-year-old Marco Olmo of
Italy. Marco is one of the most famous ultra-marathoners in Europe who has
won many prestigious ultramarathon events. A major movie is currently being
made about Marco.
RacingThePlanet: Namibia 2009 Course
The stages have been set for RacingThePlanet: Namibia 2009 * these stages
include: Stage 1: Africa*s Grand Canyon; Stage 2: Leopards & Cheetahs; Stage
3: Huns Mountains; Stage 4: In the Footsteps of the Bushmen; Stage 5:
Out of
Africa; and Stage 6: The Diamond Trail.
More detailed course information will be sent shortly, including expected stage distances and terrain. Our course team is currently in Namibia making the final changes.
Very Important Travel Information
Entry Requirements
All visitors require a passport to enter Namibia. It must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended stay in the country, and have at least two blank pages, which must be side by side. Also, if you intend to visit South Africa you will need additional blank pages. You will not be able to enter the respective countries without the blank pages.
Transfers
Pre-Event: Remember that you must meet us at the Windhoek Country Club Resort by 10 pm on Friday, 15 May 2009. The equipment check will take place on Friday. We will depart for the first campsite very early on Saturday.
Post-Event: On Sunday, 24 May all transfers will depart from the Cañon Village to Windhoek International Airport. The free transfers will depart starting in the early hours on Sunday to ensure you have enough time to catch your flight on Sunday. **You may also fly from the Cañon Village to the Windhoek Airport. The price is expected to be around US$150. We will be providing contact information soon.
**Please note that this flight is only available after the event. All competitors, staff & volunteers will transfer from the Windhoek Country Club Resort to Camp 1 * Africa*s Grand Canyon by bus on Saturday, 16 May. You are not allowed to fly to the Cañon Village before the event.
Store
Don*t forget to order early for any equipment and food needed for Namibia.
There are also a handful of specially designed Buffs available on the store.
In just a few days we*ll be launching a brand new online store to assist you with all your equipment needs. Visit the store here.
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Preview of RacingThePlanet: Australia 2010 RacingThePlanet has just returned from a scouting trip to The Outback in Australia. View the magnificent photos and video clips from our visit here.
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We expect to close registration for RacingThePlanet: Australia in just a few months.
Quick Facts about Namibia:
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After Mongolia, Namibia is the least densely populated country in the world (2.5 persons per km²).
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Summer temperatures in the area can reach 40°C during the summer, and in the winter, frosts are common.
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The Namib Desert is considered one of the oldest deserts in the world, having endured arid or semi-arid conditions for at least 55 million years after the Atacama Desert.
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The Namib Desert is a broad expanse of hyper-arid gravel plains and dunes that stretches along the entire coastline, which varies in width between 100 to many hundreds of kilometres. Areas within the Namib include the Skeleton Coast and the Kaokoveld in the north and the extensive Namib Sand Sea along the central coast.
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The name of the Namib Desert, formed from immense sand dunes and a lunar landscape, derives from a word of the Nama language that means "immense".
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Although the Namib Desert is largely unpopulated and inaccessible, there are year-round settlements at Sesriem, close to the famous Sossusvlei and a huge group of sand dunes, which at up to 340 meters high are among the tallest sand dunes in the world.
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The Namib desert dunes have developed during many million years. It's believed that the origin of these dunes is due to the great amount of sand transported, in million years, from the Orange river in the Atlantic Ocean.
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The Fish River Canyon, the location of part of RacingThePlanet: Namibia, is the second largest canyon in the world.
The course:
Namibia 2009 will take place in southern Namibia encompassing the famed Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world, which is up to 550 meters deep in several areas. The course will begin around Keetmanshoop, in a desert region across ankle twisting boulders, stones and soft sand in an area which contains one of the toughest trails in southern Africa. Competitors will traverse mountain ranges and into the Wegdraai Valley, into slot canyons, over the Hunsberg Mountain Range into the Arimas Valley. Competitors will cross the Rekvlakte sand flats ending in the town of Luderitz, but not before facing the Skeleton Coast and 30 meter high sand dunes.
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Q1: What is RacingThePlanet: Namibia 2009?
A1: : It is a seven-day, six-stage, 250-kilometer footrace across southern Namibia.
Q2: Is RacingThePlanet: Namibia 2009 an ultramarathon, adventure race, expedition race or some kind of extreme race?
A2: No, it is an endurance event, with a very similar format to the Tour de France, except by foot and self-supported.
Q3: Why was this location chosen for RacingThePlanet: Namibia 2009?
A3: RacingThePlanet seeks a new and remote location in the world for each event. The area is chosen for its rich flora, fauna, culture and challenging and diverse terrain. The location may be anywhere from islands to deserts to mountains to jungles.
Q4: Do I have to complete one or more of the 4 Deserts first?
A4: No, you do not. Anyone may apply for a place in a RacingThePlanet event.
Q5: What is the format of RacingThePlanet: Namibia 2009?
A5: RacingThePlanet follows the same signature format of the 4 Deserts, a self-supported footrace. However, the event does not necessarily take place in a desert; the event is also over seven days.
Q6: Where do competitors sleep each night?
A6: At the end of each stage, you will meet your fellow competitors and staff in an incredible campsite with a view of the stars and the moon unlike you have seen before. You will be assigned to a tent within the campsite which will sleep up to ten. The tent will be your home for the week. You will also have a warm fire in the morning and at night to boil water and cook.
Q7: Who typically competes in a RacingThePlanet event?
A7: The typical competitor is a working professional, a high achiever – someone who believes in maximizing every opportunity in life. Our competitors generally work full time, some have families, many do a lot of community service and all lead a healthy lifestyle. Our competitors consist of medical doctors, professors, investment bankers, small business owners, actor, actresses, entrepreneurs, journalists, top athletes and coaches, military professionals, managers and stay-at-home moms and dads. We have many father/son, father/daughter, mother/son and brother/sister competitors.
Q8: I don’t think I can run 250 kilometers, can I still make the cutoff times?
A8: The event is set up to allow for generous cutoff times. The leaders run the whole course, and many walk the whole course.
Q9: How much training will be required?
A9: Our competitors are busy professionals – we don't expect them to train all the time. Many complete the event with minimal training, some want to win and thus train a lot. Each competitor has his or her own goal. We simply want everyone to finish.
Q10: Why do you limit the number of competitors in each event to a relatively small number?
A10: RacingThePlanet events are a unique, special experience. Solitude leads to a different type of challenge and it can be a very spiritual experience.
Q11: What is special about RacingThePlanet: Namibia 2009?
A11: Each event highlights an indigenous culture in the region with the hope of preserving the culture for generations to come. In RacingThePlanet: Vietnam 2008 you will experience friendship and warmth of a variety of ethnic cultures.
Q12: What is the best part of the event?
A12: Many say it's the competitors themselves – that they leave the event with a new set of friends from all over the world. Many call on these new friends in business later or just to have dinner when passing through someone's hometown. Some have even met their future spouse!
Q13: Can I run for a charity?
A13: Absolutely – we encourage it. Many of our competitors have raised significant amounts of money for charities all over the world.
Q14: My ultimate goal is to complete The Last Desert in Antarctica. Does RacingThePlanet: Namibia counts towards the qualifications?
A14: No. The Last Desert is only open to those who have completed the "three deserts" which include the Gobi March in China, the Atacama Crossing in Chile and the Sahara Race in Egypt. RacingThePlanet: Vietnam does not count towards those qualifications.
Q15: Any last words to describe RacingThePlanet: Namibia?
A15: Life enhancing for all, life changing for many.
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