NAMIB RACE (NAMIBIA)
250km / 155 mile, 6-Stage Ultramarathon

ULTRALITE (NAMIBIA)

16 - 22 August 2026

DAYS TO GO

RACE INFO

RTP Home

Kosima BüSING

Purchasing Manager

Namibia

Ken ALDERDICE

Checkpoint Captain

United Kingdom, Resident in Northern Ireland

Mabasa MUBATAPASANGO

Network Engineer

Zimbabwe, Resident in Namibia

Doreen HOFFMAN

Attorney

United States

Mads PEDERSEN

Project manager (Construction)

Denmark

Geraldine CHELIUS

Veterinary Nurse

Namibia

Kunavathy RAJANDRAN

Project Manager

Malaysia, Resident in Australia

Sandy KONDO

Japan

Caroline DENT

Australia

Janka DOLEZAL

Germany

Gerhard VETIRA

Sales consultant

Namibia

Devin BISSKY DZIADYK

Economist

Canada

Yanel AMELINEAU

Student

France

Monique JANSEN

Free Lance Marketing Consultant

Netherlands, Resident in Spain

Liam REYNOLDS

Student

South Africa, Resident in Hong Kong

Jack KLINE

Master's Student/Researcher

Canada, Resident in South Africa

Eveline SUZE

Retired

Namibia

Wendy HARDING

Realtor

South Africa

John WILLIAMSON

COURSE TEAM (Self-Employed)

South Africa

Mazodashe MUKUNA

Digital Marketing Strategist

Zimbabwe

Michelle SUNKEL

Professor / Social Worker

United States

Liza SAMSON

South Africa

Ruth ALDERDICE

Operations Administrator

United Kingdom, Resident in Canada

Glen MOONEY

Engineer

Canada, Resident in Belgium

Linda KAPEMBEZA

Entreprenuer/ Podcaster

Zimbabwe, Resident in Japan

Alex CASELLES

Journaliste

France

Kosima BüSING

Purchasing Manager

Namibia

Kosima Büsing is an outdoor enthusiast Namibia who is rightly proud of her beautiful country . Now living in Windhoek, the dunes, dry riverbeds, cold Atlantic and the bushveld were her playground growing up and she loves sharing it with people.

The Namib Race is Kosima's third RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon as a volunteer and she take on the role of Checkpoint Captain. She has previously been a huge help at the Namib Race 2026 and the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2025.

Being in the middle of nowhere is where she finds her peace and recharges her batteries to face the daily grind back in the city. Nature is her favorite place in the world and she enjoys volunteering tremendously. When not in the office, she is in the bush either hiking or trail running. She is also a keen bird watcher and will always have a pair of binoculars close at hand. When exploring a new area, she also researches the endemic birds she is likely to find. Kosima is a Purchasing Manager at OBECO in Windhoek.

Ken ALDERDICE

Checkpoint Captain

United Kingdom, Resident in Northern Ireland

Raymond (Ken) Alderdice is a former insurance broker from Ireland. In 1974, at the age of 16, he started working and after 44+ years, he retired in 2018. Ken was looking for adventure during his retirement days and came across the Atacama Crossing on TV, and he thought that RacingThePlanet would be a really good place to start. He made his debut as a volunteer at the Gobi March (Mongolia) in 2019 and now joins his 8th RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts at the Namib Race 2026 where he will be Checkpoint Capatain. He will also be joined by his daughter, Ruth who is volunteering at her first race.

The Namib Race, and Namibia, hold a special place for Ken who has been instrumental in supporting the Sandwich Tour including raising money to replace the run-down community centre with a solid physical structure.

Ken has previously been valueable member of the volunteer team at the Gobi March 2019, the Namib Race 2021, 2022 and 2024, and the Atacama Crossing 2023 and 2025 and The 20-Year Race (Jordan) 2024.
Inspired by the competitors he met at races, he lost 10 kg, got fit and made it to the start of the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024, and a number of other stage races.

Ken is a keen traveller who loves the outdoors. He has been skiing every year since 1987 and plays golf all year round. You can also spot Ken sailing or doing volunteer work with disabled people. Ken says: "I want to see places that I wouldn't normally travel to and RacingThePlanet allows me to do that!"

Mabasa MUBATAPASANGO

Network Engineer

Zimbabwe, Resident in Namibia

Mabasa from Zimbabwe lives in Swakopmund Namibia. The Sahara Race (Namibia ) 2017 changed him from being a serious food lover to becoming a dedicated athlete, The journey led him to discover a unique mindset, endurance and commitment which helped him take on the Namib Race in 2021 where he finished 8th overall.

His first experience with RacingThePlanet was in 2017 when he joined the camp team and set up the internet connections. He never imagined that he would fall in love with running. He thought it was insane! At that time, he was a self-confessed food lover, weighing in at 110kg. It took witnessing the Namib Race to change his mindset and through his hard work and dedication, has transformed himself in to an athlete. He was a volunteer for the Namib Race in 2018 and 2019 and then took on a challenge to lose weight and do the race himself. He lost 30kg, putting in place a strict training plan, and he fulfilled his dream to participate in the race as a competitor when he completed the Namib Race in 2021 where he finished in 8th place overall! and the Atacama Crossing 2022, marking his first time travelling outside of Africa. The Namib Race 2026 is Mabasa's sixth time volunteering and eighth experience at a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts event overall. Although he plans to take on the Gobi March as a competitor before the Namib Race.

Doreen HOFFMAN

Attorney

United States

Doreen Hoffman is an attorney from the United States. She is an ultramarathon and Ironman athlete who started her RacingThePlanet journey at the Sahara Race (Egypt) 2006. Doreen went on to join the Gobi March (China) 2008, RacingThePlanet: Iceland 2013, the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2019, Namib Race (Namibia) 2022 and The Last Desert (Antarctica) 2022. She also volunteered at the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2023. An all-round sportswoman, when she joined the 4 Deserts Club she said: "Anything that gets me outside is welcomed in my life!". We are delighted to welcome Doreen to the volunteer team for the Atacama Crossing 2025.

Mads PEDERSEN

Project manager (Construction)

Denmark

Mads is a "can do anything guy!" He is known as "Multi Mads" because he can make anything work! A former military, scout for 25 years Mads is a project manager in the construction industry in Denmark. He does a lot of volunteer work with festivals and most recently at a week-long charity bicycle race. He enjoys running and is a former marathon runner. The Namib Race 2026 is Mads first time at a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon.

Geraldine CHELIUS

Veterinary Nurse

Namibia

Geraldine is a qualified and experienced Veterinary Nurse from Swakopmund, Namibia. She has a strong background in animal care, teamwork and working in demanding, real-world environments. Her professional role requires calm decision-making under pressure, attention to detail and a strong sense of responsibility, working long hours, structured procedures and supporting teams where reliability, clear communication and trust are essential. These are all qualities that are ideal for volunteers at RacingThePlanet events. The Namib Race 2026 is her first time at a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon but with these skills, as well as her practical, resilient and service-oriented nature she will a huge help to competitors and the management team contributing wherever support is needed.

Kunavathy RAJANDRAN

Project Manager

Malaysia, Resident in Australia

Kuna Rajandran loves the outdoors, travelling, reading and photography. She is from Malaysia, but lives in Western Australia as a Project Manager for BHP. Kuna joins a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon for the sixth time at the Namib Race 2026. Her first RacingThePlanet experience was a volunteer at the Gobi March (China) 2017 where she absolutely fell in love with the team and the sport. She then volunteered at the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2018, raced at RacingThePlanet: New Zealand 2019 and volunteered again at RacingThePlanet: Lapland 202 and Jordan 2024. We look forward to welcoming her back on the volunteer team where is always available to fix techinical issues as well as a huge support to the race and each competitor.

Sandy KONDO

Japan

Sandy Kondo from Japan has volunteered at nearly twenty RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Races - she also raced in RacingThePlanet: Jordan 2012 and Madagascar 2014. Sandy worked for the South African Embassy in Tokyo before retiring in 2023 and has managed the RacingThePlanet office in Japan for more than ten years. She is a natural organizer with a flair for multi-tasking.
Kind and generous, Sandy is one of our best known cheer-leaders and has assisted dozens of 4 Deserts and RacingThePlanet competitors in preparing for the races. She also works and volunteers at the Comrades Marathon in South Africa, Tokyo Marathon in Japan and, most importantly, multiple 4 Deserts / RacingThePlanet events.

Caroline DENT

Australia

Caroline is an outdoor enthusiast with a passion for travel and adventure from Australia. She worked in London for 20+ years, but now finds herself on a farm in Tasmania - enjoying all the little island has to offer. She has completed two RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathons as a competitor (the Atacama Crossing 2012 and RacingThePlanet: Sri Lanka 2016) and was a volunteer at RacingThePlanet: Patagonia 2017. Now, nearly 10 years later she excited come back once more and help make the Namib Race 2026 a special experience for the competitors.

Janka DOLEZAL

Germany

German volunteer Janka Dolezal is a life coach who helps people to heal their childhood trauma and live a prosperous life. The Namib Race 2026 is her fourteenth time at a RacingThePlanet Ultramarathon - and all since 2022! She has previously been on the volunteer team at the Namib Race 2022 and 2024; RacingThePlanet: Lapland 2022; the Atacama Crossing (Chile) 2022, 2023 and 2025; the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2023, 2024 and 2025; RacingThePlanet: The 20-Year-Race (Jordan); The Last Desert (Antarctica) 2024, RacingThePlanet: Greece 2025 and is set to be the Gobi March and The Last Desert this year as well. We think she may be addicted. Her partner, Ivan, completed the 4 Deserts Grand Slam Plus 2025, but won't be at the Namib Race this year. Janka is full of energy, funny, positive, strong, supportive, and not afraid of really hard work.

Gerhard VETIRA

Sales consultant

Namibia

Gerhard Is a sales consultant at Virgin Active gym in Windhoek Namibia. For Gehard fitness isn't just a job, it's his passion. Whether it's hitting the gym, trying new workouts or exploring the latest fitness trends he is all about getting involved - moving and feeling great. The Namib Race 2026 is Gerhard's first time at a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Event. He was inspired to come and volunteer by competitor Elke who has volunteered before is member of his gym.

Devin BISSKY DZIADYK

Economist

Canada

Devin joins his first RacingThePlanet experience at the Namib Race 2026 from Canada. He has been following his partner's journey and now gets to join her and experience it for himself. An economist at work, but passioniate about the outdoors at home. Devin has extensive experience with week long canoe trips in northern Canada, likes camping, is good with his hands, and once got a job for being "the candidate we'd most like to have a beer with".

Yanel AMELINEAU

Student

France

Yanel Amelineau is from France and is a student, fluent in both French and English. He will be joining the Namib Race 2026 as an intern, marking his second RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon experience as a volunteer.
Yanel is excited to be part of the team, contribute behind the scenes, and gain hands-on experience in an international, fast-paced environment while supporting competitors throughout the race.

Monique JANSEN

Free Lance Marketing Consultant

Netherlands, Resident in Spain

After having followed RacingThePlanet closely for several years Monique finally found the moment to make it to a race and enjoy the multi-stage race spirit at the Atacama Crossing 2025. Now, just a year later she is back for her second time on the volunteer team at the Namib Race 2026 where her husband, Javier, is the course manager. Monique works as a freelance marketing consultant but is a big athletics fan and practises sports almost daily - mostly running and hiking.

Liam REYNOLDS

Student

South Africa, Resident in Hong Kong

Liam is from South Africa but is truly an international citzen having lived in Australia and Hong Kong, and currently studying in the United Kingdom. He loves sport and the outdoors and has spent many weekends camping with his father in Hong Kong and has recently completed the National Cup rugby comeptition as well participating in tennis tournaments across Europe. The Namib Race 2026 is first time at a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts event, but with his parents and brother all racing, he knows what he is getting himself into! Being young, enthusiastic and willing to take on any task that is given to him are useful traits for the volunteer team.

Jack KLINE

Master's Student/Researcher

Canada, Resident in South Africa

Jack, from Toronto, Canada, grew up participating in and leading trips through the Canadian lakes, rivers, and mountains, on skis, by canoe and on foot and has also spent considerable time exploring the African continent, including Namibia by bicycle. Jack completed his studies in Montreal and worked in venture capital for a time, but his formal training is in health economics. He is currently back on the African continent studying in Cape Town, where his thesis focuses on mental health and substance abuse in a country that's become his second home. Jack's passion lies in exploration and the outdoors, and pushing the body and mind to its limits and is a meticulous planner when it comes to outdoor expeditions, while also understanding that when you're out there, the situation is the boss, and flexible thinking allows you to manifest your thorough preparation. He is a a certified wilderness first responder, a member of the Mountain Club of South Africa, and am in the process of becoming a certified field guide. I aim to complete a traverse of the Drakensberg mountain range next year, straddling the border of South Africa and Lesotho.
The Namib Race 2026 is Jack's first experience of a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon, but his his dream one day is to organise events like these all over Africa, in the interest of fostering a broader appreciation and understanding of the Continent, protecting its natural heritage, and providing opportunities for the communities that make this place special.

Eveline SUZE

Retired

Namibia

Eveline is from Windhoek, Namibia, but her love for people and learning new cultures has taken her around the world. She has been an Aupair in Northern Ireland, the United States and Germany living with families embracing their cultures and sharing her own. These experiences taught Eveline adaptability, cultural sensitivity and open mindedness.
The Namib Race 2026 is her first experience of a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon but she is a regular volunteer at Air Ambulance and Kunene Elephant Walk and EHRA/Elephant Human Relations Aid. Tasks have included building protective walls for communities to prevent human Elephant conflict. These experiences deepened her understanding of conservation in Namibia and strengthened her commitment to environmental protection and sustainable living.

Wendy HARDING

Realtor

South Africa

Wendy joins us from South Africa for her fourth RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts event at the Namib Race 2026. She has been a great volunteer at the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024 and Atacama Crossing 2025 before going on to complete RacingThePlanet: Greece 2025 as a competitor and is set to complete the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2026. Wendy has always been an outdoor, active person who loves an adventure. Hiking, cycling, road and trail running has always been part of her life. She is also a keen traveler, who has ventured to many parts of the world, exploring as she goes. A bubbly, friendly, happy person who likes to make conversation with just about anyone. Naturally a hard worker and quick learner who is always ready for a new tasks and challenges makes her a great asset to the volunteer team at any race. She had been fascinated by RacingThePlanet events for many years and has now become addicted.

John WILLIAMSON

COURSE TEAM (Self-Employed)

South Africa

South African John Williamson is an experienced endurance athlete who has completed the demanding Bull of Africa, a six-day non-stop adventure race in South Africa and at a national level in the Landrover G4 Challenge and Southern Storm stage race.

His first introduction to RacingThePlanet was as a volunteer at the Atacama Crossing (Chile) 2011 followed soon after at RacingThePlanet: Nepal 2011 before completing five races as a competitor: RacingThePlanet: Jordan 2012, Iceland 2013, Sri Lanka 2016, Gobi March (China) 2017 and RacingThePlanet: New Zealand 2019. He then moved to working on the course team at the Sahara Race (Namibia) 2016, Namib Race (Namibia) 2018, the Special Edition of RacingThePlanet (Georgia) 2022 and Gobi March (Mongolia) 2023. The Namib Race 2026 is Johns twelth time at RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon and eighth time as a volunteer - mostly on the course team.

He describes himself as never turning down a challenge which you can clearly see from his racing, volunteering and professional background.

Mazodashe MUKUNA

Digital Marketing Strategist

Zimbabwe

Mazo is a digital marketing strategist from Zimbabwe who is super enthusiastic about the world of running. His passion started five 5 years ago with road running during the Covid19 pandemic and he has stopped since, including participating for a just cause, like an Awareness Against Drugs and Substance Abuse road runs. For him it's beyond just exercise, it is a unique way of connecting different people from different parts of the globe to form a united global village, to share ideas and help each other grow, hence making the world a better place. Recently he has even been able to fuse running into his work by volunteering to cover Social media for some trail runs in Zimbabwe.
The Namib Race 2026 is Mazo's first experience of a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon.

Michelle SUNKEL

Professor / Social Worker

United States

Michelle is a clinical social worker and addiction counselor from Colorado in the United States who specializes in forensic social work, psychiatric assessments, crisis and emergency interventions, trauma, and policy. She is a passionate humanitarian, who has volunteered internationally across three continents—working on anti-human trafficking efforts, HIV/AIDS education, support, and interventions, communicable disease awareness and prevention, school-based social work, and assisting with animal sanctuaries.

An avid outdoor enthusiast, Michelle enjoys running, hiking, biking, scuba diving, kayaking, motorcycle riding, and exploring new destinations. The Namib Race 2026 is her third time on a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts course team bringing her expertise to these incredible global adventures. She has previously worked at RacingThe Planet: Georgia 2022 and the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2025.

Liza SAMSON

South Africa

Liza is from Cape Town, South Africa. The Namib Race 2026 is her second experience of a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon having come to RacingThePlanet: Greece 2025 as part of the Friends & Family Experience to meet her husband and run the final Stage together. She was inspired by her husbands race, and the RacingThePlanet environment to join as a volunteer for the full week in Namibia.

Ruth ALDERDICE

Operations Administrator

United Kingdom, Resident in Canada

Ruth has been following her dad's journey with RacingThePlanet since 2019 and has been inspired to join him for her first first-hand RacingThePlanet experience at the Namib Race 2026.
Originally from Northern Ireland, Ruth has live in Canada for 13 years where she works as an operations administrator for a Physician Recruitment Company. Travel and Tourism is in her blood having worked for mountain resorts both in Europe and Canada for over 19 years, in hospitality, operations, sales and marketing.

Glen MOONEY

Engineer

Canada, Resident in Belgium

Glen is an outdoor enthusiast with experience across multi-day canoeing, hiking, and back country skiing activities. He is accustomed to multi-day, hardship living in challenging physical conditions, as well as leading and supporting others in extreme environments (alpine, extreme cold, white water). Glen has himself completed multiple half marathons, a full marathon, multiple gran fondo (>160km) cycling events, and has supported athletes at multiple Ironman events. He looks forward to helping make Namib 2026 a great experience for all participants!
The Namib Race 2026 is his first time at a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon where his wife is racing.

Linda KAPEMBEZA

Entreprenuer/ Podcaster

Zimbabwe, Resident in Japan

Linda is a rail and ultra runner, podcaster, and running shop owner originally from Harare, Zimbabwe, having lived in Johannesburg, South Africa, for over 20 years before moving to Tokyo, Japan where she has live for nearly five years.
She the host of The Running Voyager, a podcast she launched in 2021 which features interviews with over 100 runners from all over the world, where she dives into personal stories, motivations, and experiences, because running is never just about running; there's always so much more to it. Originally her idea for the PodCast came from filmmaker and podcaster Billy Yang, whose style of sharing authentic runner narratives inspired her to create a space for voices from all over the world. Alongside running and the podcast, Linda is a teacher in Japan and has organised Trails in Motion film screenings in Tokyo to share trail running films with local audiences, and continues to run an online running store in Harare.
The Namib Race 2026 is Linda's first experience of a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon and we can't wait to meet her.

Alex CASELLES

Journaliste

France

Alex is a video journalist from France. He joins his first RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon at the Namib Race 2026 where, as well as being a memeber of the volunteer team, he will be filming 4 Deserts Grand Slammer Samah. He is passionate about sports and is a trail runner himself working towards a 60km race.

NAMIB RACE (NAMIBIA) 250km / 155 mile, 6-Stage Ultramarathon

ULTRALITE (NAMIBIA)

DAYS TO GO

RACE INFO

RACE INFO

Kosima BüSING

Purchasing Manager

Ken ALDERDICE

Checkpoint Captain

Mabasa MUBATAPASANGO

Network Engineer

Doreen HOFFMAN

Attorney

Mads PEDERSEN

Project manager (Construction)

Geraldine CHELIUS

Veterinary Nurse

Kunavathy RAJANDRAN

Project Manager

Sandy KONDO

Caroline DENT

Janka DOLEZAL

Gerhard VETIRA

Sales consultant

Devin BISSKY DZIADYK

Economist

Yanel AMELINEAU

Student

Monique JANSEN

Free Lance Marketing Consultant

Liam REYNOLDS

Student

Jack KLINE

Master's Student/Researcher

Eveline SUZE

Retired

Wendy HARDING

Realtor

John WILLIAMSON

COURSE TEAM (Self-Employed)

Mazodashe MUKUNA

Digital Marketing Strategist

Michelle SUNKEL

Professor / Social Worker

Liza SAMSON

Ruth ALDERDICE

Operations Administrator

Glen MOONEY

Engineer

Linda KAPEMBEZA

Entreprenuer/ Podcaster

Alex CASELLES

Journaliste

Kosima BüSING

Purchasing Manager

Ken ALDERDICE

Checkpoint Captain

Mabasa MUBATAPASANGO

Network Engineer

Doreen HOFFMAN

Attorney

Mads PEDERSEN

Project manager (Construction)

Geraldine CHELIUS

Veterinary Nurse

Kunavathy RAJANDRAN

Project Manager

Sandy KONDO

Caroline DENT

Janka DOLEZAL

Gerhard VETIRA

Sales consultant

Devin BISSKY DZIADYK

Economist

Yanel AMELINEAU

Student

Monique JANSEN

Free Lance Marketing Consultant

Liam REYNOLDS

Student

NAMIB RACE (NAMIBIA)
250km / 155 mile, 6-Stage Ultramarathon