Marathon des Sables and Desert Cup - December 2000 - N°43
Hello everyone.
You only have to see how many magazines or programmes on TV are devoted to adventure sport to realise there's great interest in this type of event. In less than 15 years, it has gone from being a limited-public activity to a real social phenomenon.
As one of the pioneers, we've been able to acquire the necessary experience over the years to keep a close eye on the way we've evolved. The MARATHON DES SABLES has gradually gained renown worldwide and people on all continents now dream of participating in
the Moroccan classic. This reputation is based on two criteria: the difficulty of the race and the reliability of the organisation. For the race, rest assured, it will always be more difficult than you imagine. As for the organisation, the breadth of the race regulations is testimony to our vigilance though this in no way stops us from smiling and listening to the runners.
For this 16th edition, we have deliberately chosen to restrict the number of enrolments in order to preserve a certain quality of human relations in our caravane. Everything is in place to allow competitors to live out their OWN race. Then it all depends on one's attitude. Even if it means losing many places in the sacrosanct rankings, will one competitor wait for another who might need their morale boosting? Despite being tired, will the competitor make an effort to help someone else in the tent prepare their meal when the latter arrives even more tired? At check-points, will the competitor be one for whom nothing is right, or will he/she smile at the volunteer when asked to show the id number to be sure of identifying him/her correctly? Is everyone prepared to turn small problems into adventures? We really hope so because this is the spirit we're happy to see reign during the week. It's been going on for 15 years and we'll do all we can to make sure it continues.
Wishing you all a very happy new year and happy reading for those who'll have their nose in the MARATHON DES SABLES book.
AOI

MEDICAL FILE AND ELECTROCARDIOGRAM
Some competitors have already sent AOI one or the other or both of these medical documents. They cannot be taken into account as they have to be dated the month preceding the start of the race and presented on the technical control day in Morocco (see ART. 25 of regulations). You will therefore have to return for another medical visit and electrocardiogram if you have made this mistake.
Imperative : the medical certificate to be completed is the one in the enrolment file sent to you by AOI.

Download the order form in PDF format

SOLAR PUMPING STATION
Transforming the desert into a Norman prairie, by drawing water from the depths of the earth is a utopian idea. However, installing water supply points for populations that have decided to remain there, is simply solidarity. Today, two thirds of the rural population of Morocco, in particular those living in the
sub-Saharan areas, have no drinking water and 87% have no electricity. Yet reliable technical solutions exist that respect local resources. Among them, pumping, using solar energy, enables drinking water to be supplied to strategic points for the population, i.e. near housing or in herd-crossing areas. The aim of the project is to install a solar pumping station, capable of supplying approximately 20m3 per day of drinking water to the Moroccan desert, that is to say, the needs of 3000 people and their livestock.
For the fourth time, Gilles Flamant (F), together with Jean-Pierre Vozel (F), working with AOI, Total Energie, and The Direction Régionale Hydraulique du Maroc, are going to do all they can to make life easier for the inhabitants of the desert. SPONSOR THE PROJECT AND BUY A FEW CUBIC METRESOF SOLAR WATER : Sold at a token
price of FF 12 per m3 (2 euros), everyone can sponsor this marvellous project by sharing in purchasing a solar pumping station, that will be installed on the 16th MDS axis. All the useful information to take part in the operation can be found on the following Internet site : www.imp.cnrs.fr/utilisateurs/flamant/


ATLANTIDE ORGANISATION Internationale
BP 98 - 10003 TROYES Cedex - FRANCE
Phone. : (33) 03 25 76 57 77 / Fax : (33) 03 25 76 87 75
E-Mail : infos@aoicimbaly.com - WEB : http://www.aoicimbaly.com
Sahara News number 43 realized by CIMBALY International - Pépé and Marie

Sahara News n°43 - www.aoicimbaly.com - Webmaster : Neuromedias

 


In the name of love !
You can run for all kinds of reasons and love is one of the most valid. P. LE GAL (F) is doing it for his son Bastoun, B. LAPOTARE (F) in homage to his belated wife and G. DAMOUR (F) to accompany his partner and prove he loves her enough to follow her into the depths of the desert.

Daggers drawn
4 times in the Top 10 including twice in third place, Cathy TIBBETS (USA) is back on the MDS for the 5th time. Ever cheerful, she'll be aiming for victory. She has an original hobby: knife-throwing...
We can't wait for a demonstration.

Mission reconnaissance
When asked why he runs the MDS, Mr. Jung Hun PARK (KR) says he doesn't yet know, but that at the finish line he will certainly have the answer. He is also happy to be the first Korean to participate in the race and hopes to be followed by many others.

The book
From Patrick BAUER's solo expedition to the victory of the AHANSAL brothers in the year-2000 edition, live out 15 years of MDS adventure. Discover the most mythic of adventure races in stages, with interviews and anecdotes from competitors and organisers. Hundreds of superb photos illustrate this 250-page tome. Available in bookshops or directly from the editor. Contact the publishers SPE: (33) 01 45 67 63 03

Need advice ?
Jean-Pierre POIDEVIN (F) who knows the MDS well and has just run the DESERT CUP is sharing his experience on his web-site. Before surfing over the dunes, surf on the net:
http://perso.club-internet.fr /jppmds/Mds.htm

Marathon Des Sables
Berber weekend
from 05 to 09 April 2001
For more information and details, contact:
TERRES D'AVENTURE - Caroline Matuga
Phone : (33) 01 53 73 77 70
Fax : (33) 01 43 29 96 31

Team enrolments
Dunes d'espoir : with 17 French members, it's the biggest team to be enrolled on MDS. By bringing along 2 handicapped children in adapted wheelchairs on this 16th edition, they want to break down barriers and make a dream a reality. All our encouragement goes to E. DELPECH, P. DUBOIS, JC. ESPARON, P. FRAS, C. LAURENT, A. MARTIN, JP. MARTIN, E. PIQUET, F. PIRES, G. POHYLSKI, J. ROYER, P. ROZOY, F. VERDIE, JW. UBINO and T. PLANTIER.
Argwen 22 : H. NICOULAUD (F) has not been back since 1992. With G. RENAUD (F) and H. MACE (F) at his side, he's eager to rediscover the desert. 22 is the number of the Côtes d'Armor "département" which, as we all know, is in Brittany.
Beti Gazte : M. SALLABERRY (F), L. SALINIER (F) and P. LOUGE (F) are all doctors and are coming to see if they can run for such a long time. Like many others, preparing their equipment and working out meals forces them to think out a group strategy. Forming a team is motivating them more than anything.
ESIEA 1: Having taken part in the 15th MDS, A. DEVAUX (F) returns in a team with two young students mad about running. P. CABRERA (F) and E. CARCASSONNE (F) should find more than enough to satisfy their passion. Between them they clock up just 61 years.


Jordan Telecom
We sincerely thank Jordan Telecom who has bet on the DESERT CUP for communication. We worked together closely for the first time this year and everyone hopes the 2 names will long remain associated. The company is successfully installing its mobile telephone system throughout Jordan.

Mr Ambassador
His Excellency Mr. Bernard Emié is the French Ambassador for Jordan, but we must recognise he is also ambassador for the DESERT CUP in this wonderful country. His laudatory speech at the prize-giving ceremony went straight to the heart. We wish to thank him for his invaluable support.

Jogging international (French magazine)
The January edition of our partner JOGGING INTERNATIONAL magazine will dedicate a full report to the DESERT CUP 2000 Jordan Telecom. You will also find a special page on the rankings by category.