Sahara News N°39 - March 2000BB


Hello everyone!

First of all, the ATLANTIDE ORGANISATION team wishes to thank you for the trust you put in us. Once again this year we have had to refuse many enrolments due to the limited number of places. This will certainly leave some people feeling disappointed, but in limiting the numbers we are able to ensure two factors we consider important in the form of attention to human relationships and safety.




We are delighted to be welcoming 680 competitors from all over the world ready to take up the challenge. The level of international participation is now such that it exceeds the number coming from France. It should also be noted that teams are preparing seriously, taking on athletes from different countries in a bid to come out on top. Competition will therefore be of a very high level in all categories and winning will be a real feat. Knowing that his kind of infatuation can get out of hand, we have preferred to anticipate and put serious anti-drug testing in place. Competition will be fierce but it must remain dignified and preserve a certain frame of mind which gives anonymous walkers the chance to battle it out fairly with the most famous of competitors. The media don't miss a shot and many French and foreign television stations covering the race will allow running fans to keep up with the event. Surfers will also be well catered for thanks to our internet site where a map of the route detailing the various stages of the race, press releases, rankings, photos and sound will enable them to follow you and the race's development day by day ...
The start of the race is approaching fast: a big and wonderful adventure awaits us all, so it's rendezvous on 7th April.
Thanks to all of you for staying with us and we'll see you very soon indeed.
AOI



MEDICAL DOSSIER (see Art. 25, 27 and 28)
The compulsory medical
certificate and electrocardiogram absolutely must be
done in MARCH.

Failure to bring them to Morocco on 8 April will result in heavy penalties,
even exclusion from the race.

a7 APRIL 2000
3 charter flights have been reserved
RDV* at 06H00 (06.00 am) at airpor t:
ROISSY CHARLES DE GAULLE N°1- nevel departure Door 16 or 18
with your luggage and passport.
You will then be told which desk to go to for your flight.
In case of a possible change of terminal by ROYAL AIR MAROC, please be on time to ensure this change can be accommodated at the last minute.
• handing out of tickets at the appropriate desk
• weighing of luggage: 20 Kgs maximum per person
• take-off scheduled 07H30 (07.30 am) and 08H00, breakfast on board
• handing-out of road-book. Arrival at OUARZAZATE
Those not taking the plane with AOI
must be at Ouarzazate airport at 10h00 (10.00 am).
• Immediate transfer from Ouarzazate to bivouac (180 kms), lunch-packet; Arrival at 1st bivouac, dinner and night at bivouac.
a8 APRIL 2000
• Breakfast at bivouac; administrative, technical and medical checks. Following checks: free day, lunch and dinner at bivouac.
aFrom 9 to 15 APRIL 2000 - THE RACE
• Beginning of self sufficiency in food: from breakfast 4 April to breakfast 10 April inclusive.
a15 APRIL 2000 - END OF RACE
• Bus transfer to hotel in Ouarzazate (Belere and karam), lunch paquet; collecting of personal affaires, dinner and night at hotel.
a16 AVRIL 2000
• Breakfast at hotel. Free time, lunch not provided; gala dinner in evening, night at hotel.
a17 AVRIL 2000
• Breakfast at hotel. Free time the morning, lunch not provided.
AfternoonTransfer in from hotel to Ouarzazate airport. Take-off. Arrival in Paris at end of day planned for 22H00 (10.00 pm) and 23H00 (11.00 pm French time).

Last year Quokka Sports, world leader in "on-line" sporting information, ensured a world first in providing live coverage of the MDS (more than 500,000 connections!).
This year the www.aoicimbaly.com site created by Atlantide Organisation Internationale will allow surfers to follow the competitors' adventure live through words, sound and pictures and to exchange messages before, during and after the race.
Journalists present will be able to send and receive all types of information via e-mail on the www.aoicimbaly.com site through specifically-designed letter boxes.
www.aoicimbaly.com

Cimbaly International 2000- France- Webmaster : Neuromedias

 

PARTICIPANTS :
From athletes to globe trotters

They come from all types of socio-professional backgrounds with levels ranging from top international runners to the more modest rambler and nature lover in search of
great scenery and contemplation.
Whether attracted by the sporting feat, the desire to prove something to oneself, or simply to get away from it all, the MDS is a planet to be discovered in its own right.

DOC TROTTER
No top level race can be without the help of a medical team, dedicated to caring for competitors' health and boosting their moral. The climatic conditions, a hostile natural environment and the number of different languages spoken in the bivouac all contribute to the medics' immense task.
Foot surgeon Dr Gérard Peltre, specialist in emergency treatment and lover of extreme sports, is the man in charge. He created the organisation "Doc Trotter" in 1996 to bring medical assistance to remote areas. With impressive medical equipment, plus vehicles and independent radio communications made available by the organisation, the 30-strong medical team do a wonderful job...
"They do miracles with our feet..." say most of the competitors

WATER VERY PRECIOUS !
In conjunction with TOTAL ENERGIE and on the initiative of Gilles FLAMANT,engineer at CNRS and competitor in MDS, AOI is happy to participate in the setting-up of a 3rd photovoltaic pumping station near to the 1999 MDS itinerary.
The inauguration will take place during the event.

MEDIA
AITV, TV5, Eurosport, MCM Intern., RFO, France 2, France 3, 2M (Morocco), MDR (German), RAI Uno and RAI Sport (Italy), Carlton TV (GB), TV3 (Irland), TV3 (Switzerland), Discovery Channel et Outside TV (USA), RTL TV (Luxembourg) Antenna 3 (Spain), TBS (Japan),...
15 television channels will be on site. For the third consecutive year, CIMBALY Inter.(in charge of MDS production) will make satellite facilities available to television channels during the race.
Images of around 10 minutes summing up the race will be sent daily from the desert at approx. 14 hours GMT.

Press/Radio :
Jogging Inter., Triathlète Mag., Endurance, Le Mouv', Europe 2, RFI,...
Many other agreements are being set up.
Full list shortly to be available in our press column on:

PARTICIPANTS :
680 competitors are lined up this year, including 71 women and no less than 46 official teams.
For the 15th edition, 29 nationalities will be present:
ALGERIA, AUSTRALIA,
AUSTRIA, BELGIUM,
BRAZIL, CANADA,
DENMARK, EGYPT,
GERMANY, FRANCE,
INDIA, IRELAND,
ISRAEL, ITALY,
JAPAN, LEBANON,
LUXEMBOURG, MEXICO,
MOROCCO, PORTUGAL,
RUSSIA, SOUTH
AFRICA, SPAIN,
SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND,
TAIWAN, THE NETHERLANDS,
THE UNITED KINGDOM,
THE UNITED STATES..