In the desert, you never go past anyone without greeting
them or enquiring about their health. This spirit also
comes quite naturally to runners on the MARATHON DES
SABLES where solidarity is a given on this human caravan.
Mutual encouragement comes before rivalry and this
is how it should remain. Even if there’s fierce
competition on the course, this only has meaning when
accompanied by respect for a certain code of conduct.
In just a few days time, we’ll all be in Morocco for the 20th
MARATHON DES SABLES. All the competitors will have put in a lot of
effort to get there so it’d be good to get the most out of
the event and arrive stress-free. Near on 800 competitors, from all
over the world, will be coming together. Many will have waited a
long time for this moment and prepared accordingly. It’s now
time to slow down so you can be as relaxed as possible at the start.
For the week leading up to the event, rest should be at the top of
your training programme. Hours dedicated to running now give way
to hours of reading, cinema, siestas and everything that will help
distract you from thinking about running.
ATLANTIDE ORGANISATION Internationale is thrilled to be able to share this week
with you. There will undoubtedly be emotional moments.. and that in itself will
come as a surprise for some of you. The course looks set to be thrilling with
varied prognostics as to the final rankings. We can’t wait. Can you ?
AOI.
Next Edition from 08
to 18 april 2005
SURVIVAL KIT
New distress flares will be handed out to competitors.
They weigh 360g, and are very effective. Add to
14g of salt.
ANTI DOPING TEST
The fight against doping is of vital importance
for everyone's well-being.
In line with International Athletics Federation
(IAAF) norms, tests for doping will be carried
out this year. As a result, each competitor
taking medication will have to provide details
of his/her treatment and the relevant prescription.
For competitors registered with a national federation,
the results will be transmitted to national
and international authorities with possible
sanctions if the candidate tests positive.
In the event of a competitor testing positive
the MARATHON DES SABLES anti-doping commission
will make all decisions ranging from warning
to immediate disqualification according to the
severity of the "products" found to
have been used.
PHOTOS / VIDEO
Note!!! video-recorders such as DVCAM or mini DV are strictly
forbidden during the race unless you have special authorisation
and official accreditation from the organisation. Only digital
or regular cameras are permitted and are authorised exclusively
for private use by participants and support staff on the 20th
MARATHON DES SABLES.
There is no way for competitors to recharge batteries during
the race.
To request special authorisation or official accreditation,
please email aoi@darbaroud.com.
IDENTIFICATION MARKS / RACE NUMBERS
The race stewards will be strict over the positioning and legibility
of your race numbers. The breast plate (20 x 24 cm) showing your
number must be worn on the chest and not on the stomach or lower
abdomen (Art. 8 and 9). It must not be folded or hidden by straps
(straps must go under race number).
Note: failure to position your race number correctly
may result in disqualification from the race (Art.
27 and 28).
You should start thinking now about where to put your publicity logos on tee
shirts and back packs. The areas you can use are the collar, stomach, sleeves,
cap, shorts, back pack etc.
CLICK,
CLICK
As usual Robert MOLEDA (F) will be on site from 09 to 16
April to capture competitors' feats on film.
A CD rom with photos of the 20th MDS will be produced during
the race and on sale from May onwards. It will include photos
of each individual runner (can be viewed on internet along
with order form as from May)
MARATHON
DES SABLES PROGRAM
“ special competitor” 4 charter flights have been reserved from Paris
08 APRIL 2005
08
AVRIL 2005
• The time at which you must be
at ROISSY CHARLES DE GAULLE airport will be communicated to
you by post.
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.
• You must have a valid passport and your luggage with you
• Handing out of tickets at the appropriate desk
• Weighing of luggage: 20 Kgs maximum per person
• 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 (330 km - 5 hours),
lunch-packe ; Arrival at 1st bivouac, dinner and night at bivouac
09
AVRIL 2005
• Breakfast at bivouac; administrative,
technical and medical checks.
Following checks: free day, lunch and dinner at bivouac.
from
10 to 16
APRIL 2005
THE RACE • Beginning of self sufficiency in food: from
breakfast 11 April breakfast to breakfast 16 April.
16
APRIL 2005
END OF THE RACE
•
Bus transfer to hotel in Ouarzazate , lunch paquet; collecting
of personal affaires, dinner and night at hotel (1/2 pension)
17
APRIL 2005
• Breakfast at hotel.
•
10H00 to 17H00 - distribution of Tee-shirt MDS - MARATHON DES
SABLES shop to Hotel Bélère
•
Free time, lunch not provided;
•
17H00 prize giving ceremony - coktail Hotel Bélère
•
Dinner and night at hotel (1/2 pension)
18
APRIL 2005
•
Breakfast at hotel. Free time the morning, lunch not provided
•
Transfer in from hotel to Ouarzazate airport. Departure flight
Arrival Paris (see your flight ticket).
TV REPORTAGE - PRESS - WEB
Watch
out : any last minute changes to scheduling are beyond our
control
CIMBALY International will be providing the world’s television
channels with 20 minutes of daily video footage. Pictures will
be transmitted by satellite from 10 to 16 April and follow the
evolution of the race.
The chosen images will aim to give an overview of each day’s
stage. A few figures : The team : 11 people, 1 coach equipped with 2 editing
suites - 1 satellite dish - 1 helicopter - 5 vehicles
The techncial means available and the level of autonomy mean that
images can be sent at any time and links ensured with the newsrooms.
Several tv teams will be present this year including Vidéolina
from Italy, RTM for Morocco. A team from TVE (Spain) is producing
a 13 minute report for the national Spanish channel’s top
programme "Informe semanal" covering national and international
events. The programme’s been running for 30 years. "Stade
2" for « France 2 » national channel and "Tout
le sport" for France 3 will also be sending crews over. Other
French and foreign channels plan to broadcast one or more subjects
during the race on their peak-time news programmes but cannot as
yet fix the times as this will depend on what news breaks. They
include TSR (Switzerland), RTL (Luxembourg), RAi (Italy), TV Catalunia
(Spain), ZDF (Germany), 2M (Morocco), LCI, Euronews, the prime-time
news on France 2 etc... Details of programming schedules to follow on www.darbaroud.com
JOGGING Internationale :reportage on the 20th MDS in the May or
June 2005 edition of the magazine
AFP : press communiqué sent every day from the bivouac (following
each stage).
Foreign print press : list being drawn up Details of print press to follow on www.darbaroud.com
Surfers can already consult the list of competitors.
Daily updates from 09 to 16 April: race route, press communiqués
and photos of the race, rankings, weather report, other info,...
(remember the time difference when consulting all information on
line (Morocco - 2H00)
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° 76 realized par CIMBALY International
Pépé et Marie - Webmaster : Cimbaly
PARTICIPANTS
To date, 792 participants are lined up this year,
including 112 women and 59 official teams.
For the 20th
edition, 37 nationalities will be represented :
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Canada,
China, Denmark, Equador, Fra nce, Germany, Great Britain,
Guatemala, Hungary, Italy, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea,
Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Mexico, Norway, New Zealand,
Portugal, Poland, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland,
The Netherlands, USA.
RETURN ON THE COACH
Every year some competitors are welcomed by family
and friends on the finish line and choose to return
to Ouarzazate by their own means of transport. In
this case, they are not covered by the organisation’s
insurance. AOI therefore accepts no responsibility
in the event of an accident
REPRESENTATIVES
ABROAD Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa
With 220 competitors enrolled via
our English correspondent THE BEST
OF MOROCCO, it’s the largest
contingent on the MDS. Spain, Portugal, Central and South
America
29 competitors from these countries,
enrolled through No Limit in Spain. USA
41 competitors make up the US delegation. Morocco
20 competitors from Morocco, several of whom could
make it onto the podium. Canada
Enrolled via Sylvain in Quebec.
TEAM RACING M &P Risk Agency : with 2 high level
competitors, this Italian team should cause a stir. M.
OLMO (I)
and M. GOZZANO (I) are accompanied by T. MASTRANGELO
(I) - another old hand on the MDS. Team Livigno : E. CASTELLANI
(I), M. COMPAGNONI (I) and F. POLINELLI (I) are all from
a ski station. These
mountaineerers can’t wait to move over from snow
to sand. Amatori Atletica Carrara : This Italian
team from Carrare has good strong runners : P. BARGHINI
(I),
M. PUNTELLI (I), A. CUCCO (I) and M. VANELLI (I). Eurosport : The team sporting the colours
of the tv channel, partner of MDS, is made up of Anke
MOLKENTHIN
(GER) our representative in Germany, L. EVENO (F) 14th
in 2004 and C. GINTER CTM : This Franco-Moroccan team
brings together excellent runners including M. AIT AMAR
(M) and H. OULMYR(M)
who’ve both already finished 3rd in the race.
L. AKHDAR (M) is often in the top ten and L. BENMRAD
(F) should be near. No Limit-Matador : made up of Nil
and Nestor BOHIGAS (SP) our Spanish representatives,
and R. SEGURA PANELLA
(SP). Spring 85-MPC Euromerson : Teresa BENET
GRAUPERA (SP), J.M. MASIP CASADO (SP), J. TERES COSTA
(SP) and
F.
TERES COSTA (SP)
494 : T. BARNARD (GB), A. SMITH (GB),
R. WOODWARD (GB) and S. BELL (GB). Adidas Ireland : E. COPPINGER (GB),
G. MORALEE (GB) and L. O'RIAIN (GB).
East Hull Harriers : Emma DAWBER
(GB), L. HUDSON (GB), D. ANNANDALE (GB). Fat Chance :
J. BUCKINGHAM (GB), P. HUMPHREYS (GB) and D. SMITH (GB). Holes,
Rips and Tears : S. ADAMS (GB), D.A. KELLY (GB)
and G. NORDMANN (GB).
Joshua Team : J. HAM (GB), M. JOHNSON (GB)
and A. TUSTIN (GB). NUOTC : Amelia POSKITT (GB), A. MORRIS
(GB), W. DAVIES (GB) and J. SHELTON (GB). Solid As Maroc : C. CHAMPION (GB), N.
DILWORTH (GB), D. WELLING (GB) and O. WELLING (GB).
Southall Seals : A. DIANA (GB), S.
DOONE (GB) and P. GRAY (GB). Team Extreme : T. KNIGHT
(GB), R. SPACKMAN (GB) and T. WHILE (GB). Three Unwise
Men : D. ROBERTSON (GB), D. ROBERTSON (GB) and
H.G. VAN CUTSEM (GB). Dreamchasers : Sandra MAC CALLUM (C),
Sheharabano Ali (USA) and T. SPENCER (USA). Team Sikura : R. PALAU(EQUA),
J. SUAREZ(EQUA), P. THULIN(EQUA) and P. TRUJILLO QUILES(EQUA).
