Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge
26 Teams in the Starting Blocks ...
08.12.2007
All day long a bright, scorching sun raged down upon the field of 26 teams, hailing from 16 different nations, as they underwent their first ordeal of the competition. The tension was palpable as they took possession of their course maps and then went on to complete the obligatory technical checks so necessary for the success of this demanding sport. The Royal Meridien Hotel in Abu Dhabi, was transformed into a veritable R and D facility, as the teams familiarized themselves for the first time with the brand new, two-seater sea kayaks, factory equipped with state of the art sails and keel, that they will use during the first 2 days of the of the competition. It was also an opportunity to get acquainted with the new MTBs, also made available by the organization, for the trails and roads south of Abu Dhabi during the second phase of the race.
A final day of preparation, marked by the traditional technical verifications, where the equipment and technical skills of each athlete were checked one last time before the race begins tomorrow at 9 am. It is also the time for last minute questions and clarifications. No matter how experienced the athlete, a recurring concern arises every time: what is likely to happen on the long run through the desert from the 3rd day of the race? The length of the stage, the heat, dehydration and orienteering through this kind of landscape are all issues that require addressing and seem to preoccupy the teams.
But before they face the arid expanses, the athletes will discover the first “aquatic� dimension of this Emirate of a thousand facets. The first section consists of a long journey by sea kayak that will take the teams Abu Dhabi to Mirfa, 118km along the Al Dhabeia coast. Across the translucent waters of the Arabian Gulf, the teams will weave their way among some of the 200 islands constituting the archipelago, accompanied in their efforts by a varied aquatic wildlife including dolphins, manta rays and turtles). The main challenge is finding a bearing in an almost entirely flat environment without landmarks, especially where the shallow waters make the risk of hitting a sandbar very real and the ensuing difficulties a real problem for the teams.
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