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Portraits
Laurie
Andrews (465) and Michele Jensen (500), positive
Helder
Alexandre Sousa Ferreira (613), surprising
Desert
Team 22 (328, 329, 330, 331,332), focused
Ian
Sharman (821), motivated
Shigemi
Hazama (631), hilarious
Gilles
Diehl (141), modest
Mohamad
Ahansal (1), under pressure
Al
Aqra’ Salameh (71), ambitious
Jorge
Aubeso Martinez (622), zen
Touda
Didi (6), determined
Ryan
Gregory (526), hollywoodian
Sylvie
Alcala Bournat (187), serene
Stéphane
Lesoin (207), reliable
Louis
Cornevin (48), passionate
David
and Mark Simon (531 and 532), together
Paddy
Haddock (892), fishy |
COMPETITORS'
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Cancer Research UK
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Passion Trophy
Noma Facing Africa
AICR
ING Chances for Children
Fred Hollows Foundation
RUN 4 CHILDREN
Competitors list - 2008
Blackfriars’s School
OFFICIAL
PARTNERS
KIA MOTORS
NEW BALANCE
THEOLIA
Buff
ONMT
Sidi Ali
transavia.com
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| 03/04/2008 - Echos |
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Science fiction
Frenchman Christian Ginter (21), running his 21st
MDS, looked at himself in the side mirror of a
land-rover this afternoon and explained: « that’s
what I’ll look like in ten years time ».
Nirvana
All competitors were pleasantly surprised to be
given a nice and cold bottle of Pepsi. As far
as we know, no-one turned it down.
Character
André Balthazard (229), MDS old hand, was
true to his reputation. Every night he treats himself
to a cigar and, on this « rest day »,
he had his traditional Grand Marnier pancakes.
Please note that our aesthete also guides Didier
Benguigui (230), who is very nearly blind, all
through the race.
Sweet
Samir Akhdar (2) was happy to note his water bottle
had been adorned with hand-drawn little hearts.
A gesture from one of the race officials at the
check points who likes to customise her favourite
runners’ bottles.
Rodin
Our scene takes place at night, towards the end
of the long heat. Frenchman Bernard Le Maire,
also called Dédé (261), is struggling.
His pace is extremely slow. Behind him, literally
on his heels, is race official Peter. Suddenly
Dédé stops in his tracks, in the
middle of nowhere, in full darkness. Peter is
about to ask what the matter is, when Dédé says
: « I’m thinking ». Peter still
hasn’t recovered.
Menu
For Alain Ricarant (169) and girlfriend Martine
Metris (170), the real nightmare here is neither
the heat, not the dunes, nor even apocalyptic
distances. No, the real nightmare is lyophilised
food. When they get back, after a couscous in
Ouarzazate, they’re counting on a good
old steak and fries, and on Martine’s colleagues
to make their best cakes. If they haven’t
started baking, they’d better start.
Hommage
The last competitors to complete the 75 km stage
arrived about 20 hours after the lead of the
race. Yet they passed the finish line under much
more triumphal cheer that the top runners since
literally everybody, runners and organisation
alike, gathered to greet them – there were
even bagpipes! The enduring heroes are called
Didier Gilson (248), from Belgium, and Kumi Murakami
(627), from Japan, and they made it side by side.
Hats
off
He probably didn’t want to have carried
shampoo for nothing: Jacques Dufour (206) is
one of the
very few runners to have thought it necessary to
spend some of his water to wash his hair.
Casting
Rory Coleman (689), pretty much a myth on our website
as well as in the area, wishes to inform his
daughter that he has found a husband for her,
under his own tent. So will she please get ready.
Daddy’s happy and taking care of the rest.
Cartoon
Spaniard Josef Ajram (558)’s tatoos are all
the more astonishing as he’s a broker. Every
time he completes a race (ultra marathon, triathlon…)
he has the logo of the event tattooed somewhere.
We doubt his long and lean body will be enough
to hold all this information. |
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