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A Course of 3 Dimensions

Chris Archer / 09.12.2007

Just as the inhabitants of Abu Dhabi are about to discover the somewhat unpredictable pleasures of adventure racing, so the 26 teams will sample the ecological and geological delights of this country along a course that juxtaposes the 3 dimensions of sea, sun and slope.

Tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock the teams will start on an exciting and deceptively demanding 404km journey. The saga begins with a long, 118km sea-kayaking section; more than a quarter of the overall distance. The teams will be seeking a route around and among several of the tiny islands dotted along the Al Dhabeia coast and will have to choose the right one from the outset, at the risk of experiencing a number of navigational problems through a very flat, featureless landscape with hardly any landmarks to help them.

The teams will not be able to paddle at night and so will have to stop at sunset at around 18:00. They will then spend the night on one of the island Check Points before setting off again the next day at sunrise, around 06:00. A total of 9 CPs will be placed along the 18km section, including one on the beach of the Emirates Palace, a hyper-luxurious hotel complex, and another on the shores of the Ras Kahf Island and the finish Mirfa.

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