Running a marathon at the time of the first
modern Olympic games was the kind of serious challenge open
to only a handful of exceptional athletes. Nowadays it’s
quite common to see 20, 30 or even 40 thousand runners lined
up at the start of some marathons. Whereas 20 years ago,
the 23
participants in the first MARATHON DES SABLES were considered
slightly bonkers, now people are queuing up to join. It’s
a fact, more and more runners want to take part in the MDS.
The only problem is, if only for environmental reasons,
it’s unthinkable to have such numbers crossing the
desert. Should we
therefore make the race more difficult so as to deter the
vague impulses of the weaker candidates ?
The race has of course become more difficult over the last
20 years, but always within limits. We’ve added
twenty or so extra kilometres here and there, cut-off times
for some stages and a bit more uneven terrain, but nothing
that would fundamentally change the initial concept of the
race.
Over the years, the race has become the kind of reference
runners want on their
sporting CVs. Although every year has its itinerary, those
who finish the course can announce it with due pride and
emotion. The MDS is a race in a league of its own and must
remain the way history has shaped it.
We often hear about the myth of MDS. It’s founded as
much on the sheer feats of the winners as the experiences
of thousands of anonymous runners. Each participant comes
to take up a personal challenge in which he/she will have
invested considerable energy. This is most probably why pulling
out is genuinely heart-rending. Everyone pushes their limits
to the full to reach the finish line in the shortest time.
When you come to run the MDS, you know that you’re
in for an adventure and that this is no ordinary race: there
is a before and after the MARATHON DES SABLES.
We wish you
all a very happy new year and hope 2005 will bring all peoples
closer together.
AOI.
Message from the race director Since we have received a lot of application files at AOI
and since we have reached the maximum of
competitors allowed on the MARATHON DES SABLES, we are forced
to stop taking registrations.
I do understand your arguments, but for some very important logistical reasons
(i.e. flights, accommodation, technical and medical support) we have to refuse
more than 200 French and foreign competitors.
For those of you who have been
training so hard for so long and who've just
found a sponsor I know how disappointing it
can be, but I would like to remind you all
that we did advise you on several occasions
not to wait for the dead line
before registering.
• In the editorial of the brochure published
in July I was encouraging competitors to send urgently
their registration files as we knew that the 20th
edition would
attract a lot of people.
• In the special edition of the Sahara News, we also mentioned that people
should urgently send their reservation files before the 31st of October, but
that this depended on the number of available places (see Art.25 of the race
regulations).
• It was also possible to get a race number through a reservation system
set up
via internet as from June by paying an initial deposit of 300 €. Many of
you chose this option.
Unfortunately, it is now too late to be part of the 20th MARATHON DES SABLES.
All the team is very sorry not to be able to satisfy each and every one of you,
but it is unfortunately impossible to accept any more competitors. On behalf
of AOI I would like to say how much I regret this.
However, I sincerely hope that you will be with us in 2006, for the start of
the third decade of saharan adventures or for the launch of the new DESERT CUP
2005
Thank you all for putting your trust in us.
Race director
Patrick Bauer.
Competitors
on 19th MDS
Select your photos and order your CD rom using your race
number
Includes : 50 photos giving
overall view of the race, landscape etc.
CD rom : PC & Mac
Enlargements up to 30x40
Cost : 95 euros See
landscape - Competitors
photos For
more information click here
Future competitors
Prepare your sponsor fil,
organise a photo exhibition for your sponsors, before taking
part in the MDS…
Look at the 50 photos giving
overall view of the race in 2004
CD rom : PC & Mac
Enlargements up to 30x40
Cost : 60 euros See
landscape For
more information click here
MARATHON DES SABLES
WEEK END
from 14 to 18 april 2005
Due to the particular rules and location
of the
race (food self-sufficiency, desert, safety concerns
etc.) no competitor may be accompanied. In order however to allow families, friends
and sponsors to be at the finish line of the last two stages of MDS, a big weekend
has been organised along with a dedicated back-up team. This trip is organised
separately from the MARATHON DES SABLES (different flights and hotels from those
of competitors).
For more information : TERRES D'AVENTURE - Michèle -
Tel : +33 (0)1 53
73 76 76
ATLANTIDE ORGANISATION Internationale
BP 98 - 10003 TROYES Cedex - FRANCE
Tél. : (33) 03 25 76 57 77 / Fax : (33) 03 25 76 87 75
E-Mail : aoi@darbaroud.com - WEB
: http://www.darbaroud.com
Sahara News n° 74 realized by CIMBALY International
Pépé et Marie - Webmaster : Cimbaly
TEAMS OZ Construction : A BTP company represented by O.
ZAMBAUX (F), S. ZAMBAUX (F), M. ZANDONA (F) and E.
BOCHONS (SP). SPIE SCGPM Champagne : BTP company that’s teamed
up with a chain of bakers from Rennes: L CAMBON (F),
J-P TILLARD (F) et C. BONAMY (F). Les Amis de Bamba : Pascale MOLLA (F) and
C. QUETIER (F) have kept in touch with people living
in the Bandiagara escarpment in Mali. Linda DUCLAUX
(F), F. ROUSSEL (F) and F. BARBIER (F) are running
MDS in the name of this friendship. Cabries : C. ILIOU (F)), B. MAGNAN (F) and L.
THOMACHOT (F) all live in Cabries and are being supported
by their village. ASPTT Valence : D. ZANI (F), C. MARIONNEAU (F) and
C. AMALRIC (F) are from the South of France. Exxon Mobil Runners : S.
HEMARD (F) and J. QUEFFELEC (F) have the experience
to shell up their
new team-mates O. DELAUNE (F) and C. VENTORIM
OLIVEIRA (BZ). Legendre Bretagne Ultra : BTP company from Brittany
with A. VALLEE (F), three times in the top ten, J.
SERAZIN (F) 6th in 2002, A. SICOT (F) and P. BALARD
(F) 10th and 12th respectively in 2003. Gwenediz : Just shows being diabetic is no barrier
to doing sport. M. O. OLIVIERO (F) is taking up the
challenge of his doctor D. BONTEMPS (F). He’ll
be joined by G. HUELLOU (F). Team Trek : with G. SIRE (F), H. SANZ (F), L. BURGAT
(F) and S. RATIA (F) ; all three are mad about
endurance racing. Impossedables Runners : First participated in 2003.
M. MARLE (F), vice-president of the French Athletics
Federation, along with P. VEILLARS (F), J. SHEHR
(F), J. CHESNET (F), Y. ROMAIN (F) and T. MARLE (F) Together : C. COOKE (GB) and P. SOUKAL (CZ) are travelling
from the Czech Republic and C. WAKEFIELD (DK) from
Denmark, to run the 20th MDS. Ertips Salomon : G. DIEHL (F) has twice been in third
place on MDS ; M. GRILLO (F), S. BONAUDO (F), A. LOZANO
(F) and D. PASQUIO (F) also have the ability to be
amongst the winners. Africa Vienne 1 : Y. JALLAIS (F), R. BERGEON (Champion
of France in 1994). D. LACAUTRE (F) and E. BARROS (P). Africa Vienne 2 : with F.
VACOSSIN (F) and C. PARADOT (F), D. RENAUD (F) and
D. ROBUCHON (F). Cho la Dune : The performances of C. ESCOTS (F) make
him a good outsider along with T. CORBARIEU (F) and
N. DOUSSET (F). Handicap Marathon : D. ANGLISTER (F), H. OGIER (F),
P. NOEL (F), E. NOUSBAUM (F) and C. HUGON (F) are joiniong
forces to raise money for disabled children at "La
Gentilhommière" school in Marnes la Coquette. Les Fous du Roy : F. MENDIBOURE (F), P. ALVEROLA (F)
and P. ESCANDE (F) are running to pay for a dog for
the blind. Renaître/Traumatisme crânien : Odile MONTEILS
(F), G. ROUSSEAU (F) and J. J. JOUGLAR (F) are running
to raise awareness about Associations for families
dealing with head injuries. Run Escapade Réunion/A2R : after participating
in 2003, Y. LEGROUX (F) is back with S. LESAGE (F)
and B. LEBON (F) from the Reunion island. Canal Réunion/A2R : Geneviève
TAVENEAU- LALIRE (F), S. LARDENOIS (F), P. DOINEAU
(F) and D.
GRONDIN (F) make up the second team from the Reunion
island. Les Elles du desert : A 100% female (and very feminine)
team. Sylvie CADIERNO (F), Isabelle DEFFEZ (F) and
Brigitte POTTIN (F) are running together for the 4th
time. They’re joined by Niandi CARMONT (F). Fennecs Haute Normandie 1 : A. and E. PHILIP (F) are
teaming up with N. AUTRET (F). Fennecs Haute Normandie
2 : D. PEUDUPIN (F) Y. LEGENDRE (F) and J. CINET (F).
For info : "Les
Fennecs de Haute-Normandie" is a humanitarian
association. Marseillais a la Plage : A 9-member team, some of
whom have already run MDS ; with S. BEN YAHYA (F),
J.M.
POURTAL (F), Marie-George GUILLIEN-ANDRE (F), Valentine
SPERDUTO (F), G. SPERDUTO (F), M. GOSSET (F), Danièle
GIORDANO (F), G. BURLE (F) and Elisabeth CHUYEN (F) A Toute Vapeur : Some are old hands, others greehorns
; with Michèle MERCHAT (F), G. GIBASSIER (F),
G. POQUET (F), P. FOURNIER (F), T. LE MARCHAND (F),
E. CHOISY (F), E. MAILLET (F), R. BRESCHIGLIANO (F)
and P. DARDELET (F).
NEW OFFICE
From now on, Mr. James JANG (K) is in charge of enrolments
from Korea, China and Taiwan. That means representing
around 1,350,000,000 inhabitants. Taken as a percentage
of equivalent enrolments for France or Great Britain,
we’d have to organise 11 MDS just for that
one office. Makes your head spin !
FOR INFO
The MDS itinerary always had its share of difficulties
accentuated by heat and/or strong winds. The 20th
edition will be no exception to the rule so you should
expect the challenge to merit the occasion. However,
don’t believe all you hear : there will not
be a 100km stage.
PARTY TIME !
Whether before, during or after the course, we have
a few surprises in store but as you know any surprise
worth the name will not be divulged until the last
moment. So you’ll have to be patient.
DESERT CUP 2005
The DESERT CUP will not take place in 2004 but there's
no question of it disappearing for good. Lovers of
non-stop races are invited to a race in November/December
2005 (dates to be confirmed) that will rival the beauty
and challenge of the Jordanian and Malian editions.
We're currently in negotiations over where the race
will be held.
