Atacama Crossing (Chile) 2014

Preparing for the Atacama Crossing

News Release / 06.10.2014

There was an air of excitement and energy pervading the quaint town of San Pedro de Atacama this morning as 163 competitors from 36 countries came together in this final day before the 10th anniversary edition of the Atacama Crossing opens.
 
Many had been here for several days, experiencing Chilean life and dining in the local restaurants. “It was my first time experiencing chocolate sauce on steak, a heavenly combination!” said Ireland's Ruthann Sheahan.
 
“San Pedro is an incredibly chilled out and very welcoming place,” said British competitor Paul Smith who is based in Singapore where he works as a lawyer. “It’s a good place to put your feet up for a couple of days before running across the desert.”
 
Gathering around the glistening pool of the Hotel de San Pedro this morning, 4 Deserts Founder Mary Gadams led the competitor briefing with Samantha Fanshawe and Alina Prendville of the 4 Deserts offering more information on the coming week’s racing. It was a scene of keen anticipation, with competitors eager to get out into the wilderness and start the challenge.
 
Special mention was made of several competitors in this year’s race including the blind athlete Vladmi dos Santos of Brail who is taking part in the Atacama Crossing for a second time, this time with his guide Erin Leighty of the United States. There was also mention of the 23 people taking on the 4 Deserts Grand Slam, an attempt to finish all of the desert races in one calendar year.
 
Once the briefing ended it was time for the competitor check in, where bags were checked for all mandatory items. The lightest pack of the day belonged to Sweden’s Edward Hult who works for EF Education First in the United States; his bag weighed in at a mere 5.5-kilograms. At the other end of the scales was Hirotomo Yoshizawa, an engineer from Toyko and first-time 4 Deserts competitor, who had the heaviest pack at 15-kilograms.
 
By the afternoon, competitors were boarding buses and heading out on a two-hour journey through stunning desert scenery with vast mountain ranges and river crossings. The sun had been out all day in clear skies with temperatures opening in the morning at 30 Celsius and rising to 38 degrees in the sun by noon.
 
By the time everyone arrived at the first campsite, the temperatures had cooled significantly to 20 Celsius. Tonight’s first campsite is named Rio Grand and lies at the altitude of 3,300 meters in the Arcoiris Valley—named after its rainbow-colored hills spanning iron red, sulfur yellow, blue green and gypsum white.
 
The mood at the camp has been happy and upbeat, with competitors taking photographs of themselves against the backdrop of the 100-meter peaks in all four directions. Right now, they are at the highest point of the course—and throughout the week will be gradually descending in altitude. 

Tomorrow’s opening stage, Navigation by Rock, is a 36.2-kilometer course opening with a difficult opening section of undulating terrain before moving through more moderate sections of rolling hills and a dry gorge. Competitors will experience a total elevation gain of 245 meters and an elevation loss of 973 meters throughout the day. The stage begins at 8am.

You can follow all the live reports at www.4deserts.com/atacamacrossing

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