Sahara Race close
One of the longest and most arduous ultra-marathons in the world will begin soon.
The Sahara Race is set to start at the end of the month in the Skeleton Coast Park.
Proved to be one of the longest and most arduous ultra-marathons in the world, the event will see rally riders battling for honours.
The course traverses through the harsh Namib Desert terrain across a 250-kilometre course which is divided into six stages held over seven days.
This includes running along the beach through seal colonies, salt pans and across the infamous dunes of the Namib Desert into dry riverbeds.
Racers will pass deserted oil and diamond mines and cross vast, red desert plains and hills.
The organisers of the Four Deserts event had to obtain special permissions to get access to the Torra Bay area in April and May.
Checkpoints are spaced at approximately 10-kilometre intervals, with the final checkpoint of the day being the finishing line and campsite.
At each checkpoint, competitors are supplied with 1.5 litres of water as well as shade and a place to rest.
Once all competitors have passed through the checkpoint, the point will be dismantled.
The course team will work around the clock to mark all 250 kilometres of the course.
The organisers will be using small pink flags to make the route as visible as possible. At dawn and dusk, glow sticks will be used to mark the course.
The glow sticks are meant to guide the way for competitors, offering maximum light while withstanding the heat and other harsh elements of the desert.
The event will be catering to the needs of more than 200 people in the Namib Desert.
Competitors are self-supporting and will have to carry all their own equipment and food over the course of the race.
Only water and a place in a tent are provided, as well as medical and operational support.
According to the Four Deserts website, a system of time penalties is instituted for any competitor seen littering.
Sweepers will follow behind the final competitors, removing course markers and remaining litter from the ground.
The home of the Sahara Race is Egypt, but the organisers of the Four Deserts event have moved this edition of the race due to the instability and safety concerns in North Africa and the Middle East.
The youngest competitor is 21-year-old Munho Cheon from South Korea.
The oldest competitor is 69-year-old Tadashi Murakami from Japan. Tadashi is a Four Deserts club member and he also participated in the Sahara Race in Namibia last year.
The winner is determined by the overall time taken to complete the six stages.
SPORT REPORTER
Proved to be one of the longest and most arduous ultra-marathons in the world, the event will see rally riders battling for honours.
The course traverses through the harsh Namib Desert terrain across a 250-kilometre course which is divided into six stages held over seven days.
This includes running along the beach through seal colonies, salt pans and across the infamous dunes of the Namib Desert into dry riverbeds.
Racers will pass deserted oil and diamond mines and cross vast, red desert plains and hills.
The organisers of the Four Deserts event had to obtain special permissions to get access to the Torra Bay area in April and May.
Checkpoints are spaced at approximately 10-kilometre intervals, with the final checkpoint of the day being the finishing line and campsite.
At each checkpoint, competitors are supplied with 1.5 litres of water as well as shade and a place to rest.
Once all competitors have passed through the checkpoint, the point will be dismantled.
The course team will work around the clock to mark all 250 kilometres of the course.
The organisers will be using small pink flags to make the route as visible as possible. At dawn and dusk, glow sticks will be used to mark the course.
The glow sticks are meant to guide the way for competitors, offering maximum light while withstanding the heat and other harsh elements of the desert.
The event will be catering to the needs of more than 200 people in the Namib Desert.
Competitors are self-supporting and will have to carry all their own equipment and food over the course of the race.
Only water and a place in a tent are provided, as well as medical and operational support.
According to the Four Deserts website, a system of time penalties is instituted for any competitor seen littering.
Sweepers will follow behind the final competitors, removing course markers and remaining litter from the ground.
The home of the Sahara Race is Egypt, but the organisers of the Four Deserts event have moved this edition of the race due to the instability and safety concerns in North Africa and the Middle East.
The youngest competitor is 21-year-old Munho Cheon from South Korea.
The oldest competitor is 69-year-old Tadashi Murakami from Japan. Tadashi is a Four Deserts club member and he also participated in the Sahara Race in Namibia last year.
The winner is determined by the overall time taken to complete the six stages.
SPORT REPORTER
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