Race Coverage

Race Coverage

RACE Coverage

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The Ones to Watch at the Namib Race 2021

The 2021 edition of the Namib Race starts on Sunday 24 October in the Namib Desert which will take racers through two national parks, and along sections of the Skeleton Coast.
 
This year is exceptional with a smaller field but is bursting with interesting racers from all over the world with unique backgrounds, making their way along this iconic desert race in the fifth edition of the Namib Race.
 
The race takes competitors across the full spectrum that a desert has to offer. This includes running into the Namibian ‘Moon Valley’, traversing salt pans, crossing a nearby ostrich farm, passing salt lakes which are home to flamingos, and running over the infamous dunes of the Namib desert and into dry riverbeds where a hint of water gives way to lush green vegetation.
 
There is going to be some battles at the front of the field with a lot of strong athletes.
 
FOR THE MEN
  • Joaquim Alvarez Gifreu (Kim) from France returns to his second RacingThePlanet Ultra after finishing 8th at RacingThePlanet: Georgia less than two months ago! 
  • Radmir Bikmetov from Russia returns for his second RacingThePlanet Ultra after finishing 8th at the Gobi March 2019
  • Ben Dame from Germany returns to his sixth race with RacingThePlanet, including the Atacama Crossing 2016 where he placed 3rd overall, the Gobi March (China) 2017 where he came in 2nd and the Namib race in 2018 where Ben finished in 9th place.
  • Frode Lein from Norway will join the 4 Deserts Club when he completes the Namib Race, and has completed four races previously with RacingThePlanet, most recently placing 4th at The Last Desert 2016.

Others to watch for include
 
With such an open field there are many others who could be in the Top 10.
  • Ahmed Al Katheeri from UAE is joining his first RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultra and is set to make a push for the Grand Slam
  • Jeff Pelletier from Canada is joining his first RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultra, he is an avid trail runner.
  • Rob Ripley from USA is joining his first RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultra as a racer but is very familiar with the series as he is normally a race doctor.
FOR THE WOMEN
 
An impressive 31% of the field of women which is well above the average for our sport – and it’s a strong field of women!
  • Kasia Glowacka from Poland joins her fourth RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultra most recently RacingThePlanet Georgia 2021 where she placed 5th female
  • Beth Whitman from USA joins the Namib Race fresh off RacingThePlanet: Georgia where she placed 8th and she is working her way towards the Grand Slam Plus (a feat only accomplished by eight people)
We also have a feeling that Gabriella Mathison from Norway will do extremely well and is one to watch as she joins the race with a difficult background and an incredible willpower.
 
 
 
INTERESTING COMPETITORS
 
Not everyone is in with a chance of a top spot, but that doesn’t make them any less interesting. There are twenty-two countries represented including Brazil, Norway, Russia and Zimbabwe. The most represented countries are the United States and Germany.
  • The oldest competitor Jack Fierstadt from USA is 61 years old. He has completed eight RacingThePlanet Ultras (so far).
  • The youngest competitor is 19-year-old Hayeong Jang from South Korea. She is part of the Grand Slam contenders!
  • Mabasa Mubatapasango based in Namibia and from Zimbabwe began volunteering with RacingThePlanet in 2016, got hooked and turned himself into an athlete ready to take on the race!
We are very happy to welcome back three 4 Deserts Club members:
  • Atul Patki from India has not only completed all 4 Deserts but did it in one calendar year completing the Grand Slam in 2014!
  • Vladmi Virgilio from Brazil joined the 4 Deserts Club in 2018 when he completed The Last Desert (Antarctica) Vladmi is an accomplished blind runner who doesn’t let anything get in his way of experiencing the world!
  • Carlos Dias from Brazil has completed the 4 Desert Series on has joined a total of 10 races with RacingThePlanet.
Just one team will join the Namib Race 2021. Team LifeXchange which represents the charity LifeXchange helping ordinary people achieve their potential. The team members are Amelia Henning and Cobus Oosthuizen from South Africa and Bronwynne Bird from UK.