About RacingThePlanet
The History
RacingThePlanet was founded by American Mary K Gadams and commenced operations from its base in Hong Kong in 2002. The first race under its banner was the Gobi March held in September 2003 near Dunhuang, China – and introduced trail running races to China. The next race to be added to the series was the Atacama Crossing in Chile which took place in July 2004 followed by the first Sahara Race in Egypt in September 2005, while The Last Desert in Antarctica was inaugurated in January 2006.
These races combine to create the annual 4 Deserts series, which is now widely recognized as the most prestigious outdoor series in the world.
In February 2008, a fifth event was added to the RacingThePlanet calendar. This race, of similar format, moves to a different location each year, with the first event having been held among the rice terraces of Sapa in northwest Vietnam, the second in 2009 in the Fish River Canyon and Skeleton Coast of Namibia -- the 2010 edition will be held in Outback of Australia, and in 2011 the race will move onto Nepal.
The Mission
- To challenge individuals to go beyond their athletic frontiers through three world class sporting events: the 4 Deserts series, a fifth 'roving' race, and the RacingThePlanet 100, while exploring the most remote landscapes and ancient cultures on the planet.
- To provide the knowledge, innovative products and services to enable all aspiring individuals to succeed in RacingThePlanet events and to inspire them with a life enhancing experience.
- To document and contribute to improving the lives of ethnic minorities and tribes in the areas we explore, and to encourage and support competitors to raise funds for their charities.
The Charities
RacingThePlanet supports charities and initiatives in the areas where its races are held. To date, RacingThePlanet has raised more than US$500,000 to support Operation Smile missions in Vietnam, Egypt and China. In addition, RacingThePlanet has donated books, computers and sports equipment to local schools in Xinjiang Province, China and Windhoek, Namibia. Recently, RacingThePlanet raised US$45,000 to support earthquake victims in Sichuan, China through its Gobi March event. RacingThePlanet competitors have raised millions of US dollars for hundreds of charities around the world.
The Company
Headquartered in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, RacingThePlanet has a worldwide presence through its 11 representative offices in Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, South Africa and Spain.
Aside from the core activity of organizing highly regarded endurance footraces, RacingThePlanet's business units include its online outdoor product store, film production, product R&D partnerships and its own line of branded merchandise.
The company employs 20 full time staff in Hong Kong, 160 contractors worldwide and over 100 volunteers annually at its events.
The Events
RacingThePlanet is a unique category of rough country footraces that take place over seven days and some 250 kilometers in remote and culturally rich locations around the world.
Competitors must carry all their own equipment and food; they are only provided with water and a place in a tent each day, but are supported by professional medical and operations teams.
RacingThePlanet is international; the events typically involve competitors from over 20 different countries who are able to mingle around the campfires and in their geographically mixed tents.
RacingThePlanet and 4 Deserts entries are capped at around 200 to ensure that the races retain their unique character, and to minimize the impact of our presence. The locations we visit are remote, pristine and sparsely populated. Solitude is a highly regarded aspect of our events.
Currently the events consist of the 4 Deserts, a series which encompasses the Gobi Desert in China, the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Sahara Desert in Egypt and Antarctica, and a fifth event that roves to a new location each year.
Time Magazine recently ranked the 4 Deserts #2 on its list of the world's top endurance competitions.
In 2010, RacingThePlanet will launch a new series of equally challenging, inspiring and remote 100km single stage footraces: RacingThePlanet 100. The inaugural event will take place in the brutal Taklamakan Desert in China's Xinjiang province – known by locals as the Sea of Death.
For more information about our races please visit our website: www.racingtheplanet.com.
The Store
RacingThePlanet provides the best outdoor equipment, clothing and nutrition through its rapidly growing online store.
The RacingThePlanet and 4 Deserts races provide the ultimate testing ground for endurance racing, outdoor, and rugged technology products.
The expertise and knowledge gathered by RacingThePlanet and our participants enables us to credibly identify the most reliable, useful, innovative and lightweight outdoor products available and ship them worldwide.
With selections made and guidance given by considering activity, terrain and climate, RacingThePlanet's international online store is the top resource for endurance racers and outdoor enthusiasts in the world (products are shipped from warehouses in both Hong Kong and the UK).
To visit our international store click here, and to visit our European store, click here.
The Timeline
| 2002 |
|
| 2003 |
|
| 2004 |
|
| 2005 |
|
| 2006 |
|
| 2007 |
|
| 2008 |
|
| 2009 |
|
Job Openings
There are currently no job openings.
Volunteers
RacingThePlanet accepts more than 100 volunteers annually to support its footraces around the world. If you'd like to apply for one of the highly coveted volunteer positions, please click here to learn more, and click here to complete an online application.