NEWS UPDATE - NO.9

Sean Curnow: Welcome to the ninth update for the UAE Charity Challenge Team. It has been a while since we have issued an update – but we are proud to announce that we have recently completed our charitable commitment to our sponsors for 2009.

CHARITY

The Dubai Centre for Special Needs

The Dubai Centre for Special Needs is an established, non-profit organisation dedicated to providing the highest standard of specialised education, therapy and vocational training, for children with various disabilities. Since 1983 the centre has been largely dependant on the generosity of the local community and corporates for financial aid and other support services. Their aim is to provide each and every one of the students the key to a positive life, thereby “Lighting the path to a brighter future”.

“During one of our visits to the DCSN, we were made aware of the issues they are having with the current traffic congestion in Dubai / Sharjah - especially for kids that are coming from Sharjah. The first pick up is at 6:30am in Sharjah with the kids (and their minders) not getting to the DCSN until just after 9am. These are kids with serious special needs and this situation is really unacceptable. To fix the problem, the DCSN was after an additional bus to split up the existing route in Sharjah and subsequently the time the kids will be taking to get to the DCSN every morning”.

On the 16th November 2008 the UAE Charity Challenge team visited the Dubai Centre for Special Needs. Through the support of our sponsors for 2008, we presented the DCSN with a cheque for AED 185,400 for the purchase of a NEW Mitsubishi Rosa bus to split up the Sharjah pickup route and improve the life of some of the kids at the DCSN. It was a great day out. The team stayed behind for well over an hour as many of the kids wanted an opportunity to sit on the motorbikes used to compete in the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge – and everyone did.

The Malaria Consortium

The Malaria Consortium is an international organisation working primarily in Africa and Asia on communicable disease control. Malaria Consortium International’s head office is in London, UK and the Africa Regional Office and Uganda country programme offices are in Kampala, Uganda. The Uganda office has been active since 2003, supporting a large and diverse country programme. Malaria Consortium Uganda works closely with the Ministry of Health (MoH), academic institutions and a range of partners, and is involved in all aspects of malaria control from policy and strategy development to implementation, monitoring and evaluation and operational research.

The Malaria Consortium Uganda has implemented malaria control interventions in every district of the country, with the scale of operation ranging from targeted operations to national delivery. This experience of LLIN distributions perfectly matched the needs of the UAE Charity Challenge team in achieving their objective of distributing LLIN to the people living on the shores of Lake Albert.

On the 14th May 2008 an initial 2 person team (Eugene Mugisha and Mitra Feldman) from the Malaria Consortium travelled out to the target areas on the edge of Lake Albert to carry out a detailed assessment of the population distribution and existing LLIN coverage. Over a 2 day period they met with various local community leaders and discussed the planned LLIN distribution. On returning to Kampala, the Malaria Consortium prepared a custom LLIN distribution, education and monitoring programme for the target area which was presented to and subsequently approved by the UAE Charity Challenge team.

Heritage Oil & Gas generously stepped in to coordinate and finance the Assessment Visit which included flights to Lake Albert as well as ground transportation and accommodation for Malaria Consortium personnel whilst on site.

On the 27th June 2008 a 3 person team (Eugene Mugisha, Agnes Ssubi and Medord Rukaari) from the Malaria Consortium travelled out to the target areas on the edge of Lake Albert to carry out the LLIN distribution and education programme. Over a period of 10 days a total of 5,800 LLIN were distributed to 10 villages in the Buhuka Parish area. Every person that received a LLIN was also trained in its proper use and washing instructions. In addition, two UPDF military camps also received Nets for every person on camp. (Note: A copy of the Official Distribution Report is included in the Charity Page on the website)

Heritage Oil & Gas once again generously stepped in to coordinate and finance the logistics associated with the Distribution Programme which included –

• Flights to Lake Albert, ground transportation and accommodation for Malaria Consortium personnel whilst on site.
• Transportation of the 2.8 Tonnes of LLIN from Kampala to the edge of Lake Albert
• Lake and land transportation for distributing nets to each of the 10 Villages in the Buhuka Paris area. (Est. Population: 10,203)

A unique logistical challenge associated with this particular LLIN distribution and education programme was that a number of the villages in the Buhuka Paris area are only accessible by water. Heritage Oil & Gas subsequently offered the use of one of their seismic boats to ensure these villages were no overlooked and received their allocation of LLIN’s.

The UAE Charity Challenge team would like to thank Heritage Oil & Gas and all its personnel that were involved in ensuring that the LLIN Distribution Programme was carried out seamlessly.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our corporate and personal sponsors for their financial support which has made all this possible.

Fig 1 – Map showing villages covered during the LLIN Distribution programme in the Buhuka Parish area

Fig 2 – Busigi Village

Fig 3 – Kenyanja Village

Fig 4 – Usasa Village

MEDIA

Wednesday 19th November 2008 / 7 Days – An article appeared in 7 Days newspaper covering the presentation of the cheque for 185,400 AED to the Dubai Centre for Special Needs. A copy of the article can be viewed on the 7 Days website at the following URL - Rallying round in support

SPONSORSHIP

2010 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge

The UAE Charity Challenge team is getting ready to kick off its fund raising activities for 2010. We are looking to better our fundraising efforts clear in the knowledge that the current Financial Crisis means that simply matching our previous achievement will be a tough ask.

WEBSITE

Matt Wilson (Wilson Griffin Design) continues to carry out his volunteer work keeping the website up to date and making improvements. Changes for the Month of August are as follows -

• The 9th News Update has been added to the ‘NEWS’ page
• A complete revamp of the UAE Charity Challenge website is on the table in preparation for our latest challenge– the 2010 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
• Photos of the DSCN Cheque presentation will been added to the ‘GALLERY’ page
• Photos of the Malaria Consortium Distribution Programme will be added to the ‘GALLERY’ page

Day 6 / SS-5 & SS-6 (bought to you by Heritage Oil & Gas)

The lads emerged from their tents a half hour earlier today at 5:00 am due to the early start. As usual, Sharon & Alessia had again organized breakfast and the team sat down to fuel up before our final days riding. There was a real sense of anticipation at the breakfast table. Whilst today was the longest day of the challenge – it was also the last and the guys could almost see themselves crossing finish line. The previous day where there was only muted conversation was replaced with talk of how good a cold beer would taste when we arrived back at the official finish line at the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi hotel. Spirits were high!

After a quick toilet break it was off to the UAE CC tent to kit up and get ready to go. This definitely was Ground Hog Day.

We again picked up our bikes from the Gecko Motorcycles service tent. The bikes had come through the fifth day relatively unscathed. However, in addition to the routine service, the Gecko mechanics changed out all the heavy duty chains as the previous 4 days of hard riding had unacceptably stretched the existing chains. The first competitor left the Moreeb Bivouac at 5:30am for the run to the start of SS-5- it was still dark.

The days riding started with a 119km liaison section on tarmac roads from the Moreeb Bivouac to the start of the 5th Special Stage (SS5 - Hertz). We were given 1hr 40min to complete this section – plenty of time and time to refuel. The sun came up over the massive Liwa dune set as we rode out which was a great sight to see.

SS-5 was a challenging 119km run covering a mixture of terrain including tracks of varying quality and soft dunes. It was more technical than we expected but still a relatively fast run. SS-5 was highlighted by 4 single hazards, 15 double hazards and 1 triple hazards. The last section leading into the end of the stage was a gravel road with sand spits intruding over it which was particularly tough. JQ came to grief over one of these sand spits and the impact bent his handle bars. Fortunately he was OK. (He then proceeded to ride the remaining days riding with bent handle bars!)

There was only one PC (Passage Controls) during SS-5 where riders could take on additional water if required (we chose not to on this occasion). Importantly there was no refueling point – so the riders had to ensure that they had enough fuel at the start of SS-5 (having already completed the 119km liaison – hence the refuel).
We then had another 78km liaison section on tarmac roads from the end of SS-5 to the start of the 6th and final Special Stage (SS6 - Emarat). We were given 1hr to complete this section – just enough time to get there without a refuel.

SS-6 was a testing 167km run covering a mixture of terrain including tracks of varying quality, some soft dunes and a final section of predominantly camel grass. SS-6 was highlighted by 23 single hazards, 14 double hazards and 2 triple hazards. The last 10km was particularly tough. You could almost smell the finish and we then rode through this section of desert that was soft rolling dunes covered with camel grass. It was like riding a bucking bronco for 10km and trying to steer between the bigger humps. There was only one PC (Passage Controls) during SS-6 where riders could take on additional water if required. However, once again there was no refueling point – so the riders had to ensure that they had enough fuel at the start of SS-6 (having already completed the 78km liaison).

The final stage of the 2008 Desert Challenge was a 47km liaison section on tarmac roads from the end of SS-6 back to the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Hotel in Dubai. This was a chance to relax and reflect on the huge personal achievements for all of the riders as well as that of the UAE CC Team in raising nearly 90,000 USD for charity.
Cruising side by side along the road in the final liaison section we were passed by cars beeping their horns and passengers waving at us. It really was an incredible feeling.

As we rode into the car park of the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Hotel we were greeted by our Support team – Sharon and Alessia and also by my partner Ginnie. It was all smiles now (and maybe a few tears).

The feeling around the team is pure exhilaration. The lads are broken but made it. We managed to get all four bikes to the finish line – the ultimate result for the team, the individuals and most importantly our sponsors.

Final scrutineering took place to ensure that no modifications had been made to the bikes – no issues here.

Then it was time to ascend the Official 2008 UAE Desert Challenge Finishing Ramp for the perfect photo opportunity to capture a huge personal achievement and most importantly take possession of the official 2008 UAE Desert Challenge Medal – given to all those competitors that manage to finish one of the toughest endurance races on the planet.

The final times and positions for the UAE CC Team at the end of SS-6 are as follows –

Name / Time / Position
Steve You / 28:35:47 / 12
Paul Anselmo / 33:56:20 / 15
Sean Curnow/ 34:01:15 / 16
Jonathan Quan / 34:07:02 / 17
For full details of the entire field – please see the official UAE Desert Challenge Website (www.uaedesertchallenge.com)

And then it was over!

It had been an amazing year. Just getting to the start line was tough enough – chasing after sponsorship, training in the gym every week, riding in the desert on weekends, attending UAE CC meetings every month, liaising with the media, coordinating all the logistics, managing the administration – the list goes on. Everyone played there role and there is a real sense of achievement that 7 ordinary people came together and have managed to achieve so much.

We made some new friends in the desert including ‘flip-flop Rob’. Alan Roberts has been touring the world on his motor bike for almost 2 years. He came to Dubai and decided to compete in the UAE Desert Challenge. With only a few hours of riding experience in the dunes he managed to achieve second overall in the 450 class – a huge achievement given the quality of the field. It seems where training and experience may have been lacking it was made up for by sheer talent. We nick named him ‘flip-flop Rob’ as he could always be found in his ‘flip-flops’ hanging around our tents after a day’s riding. Like a typical Aussie seagull he also magically appeared around the time food was being served. We wish him well in his travels as he rides his way back to Australia- ‘island hoping along the way’.


But listen? Can you hear it? The 2009 Desert Challenge is calling!!

Please see our Photo Gallery for photos of the UAE Charity Challenge Team. These will be updated on a daily basis.
For detailed information on the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge please see the official UAE Desert Challenge website at www.uaedesertchallenge.com.

Day 5 / SS-4 (bought to you by Oil Search)

The lads slowly emerged from their tents at around 5:15 am –things were definitely slower this morning and the moans and groans from bumps and bruises were definitely spreading. Sharon & Alessia had again organized breakfast and the team sat down to fuel up before another days riding. It was interesting to watch how an endurance race of this type had the ability to turn a morning person into – NOT a morning person. After a quick toilet break it was off to the UAE CC tent to kit up and get ready to go. This was Ground Hog Day.

We again picked up our bikes from the Gecko Motorcycles service tent. In addition to the regular service we had the clutches and rear tires on all four bikes replaced as a precaution during the night. My bike also needed to have the Iritrack and GPS fittings replaced as they were damaged during a fall the previous day. Unfortunately only the GPS antennae had been replaced and so I madly scrambled around in the morning to get the Iritrack technical people to sort the Iritrack – which they did in time for the start.

The competitors began leaving the Moreeb Bivouac at 6:15am for the short run to the start of SS-4. The start was delayed 15min as the sun was not up and the liaison was so short.

The days riding started with a short 6.5km liaison section on tarmac roads from the Moreeb Bivouac to the start of the 4th Special Stage (SS4 - ADNOC). We were given 10 min to complete this which again turned out to be plenty of time.

SS-4 was a demanding 315km route covering a mixture of terrain. If any day was designed to break us it seemed that this was the day. The first 100km was through the massive Liwa dune set. This was very tough and very technical. We passed a number of bikes that had been gobbled up in the numerous bowls that skirted the route through. The section between PC3 and PC 4 was also extremely tough with what seemed like and endless sea of soft undulating dunes with drop offs and bowls everywhere. It was another really tough day in the desert. We all at some point found ourselves digging our bikes out of soft sand dunes or picking them up after a fall.

In all there we four PC’s (Passage Controls) during SS-4 where riders could take on additional water if required. PC3 (service / refueling point) at the 155km mark came as a welcome opportunity to stop, refuel, eat, replenish the camel back and relax for a few minutes. Once again we were met by the Support Team and they had food waiting.

SS-4 was highlighted by 21 single hazards, 32 double hazards and 4 triple hazards.

The first of the cars caught up to us at around the 80km mark into the stage. Fatigue was the overriding factor at this point and the thought crossed my mind that in some strange way it would have been nice to get hit by one of the cars – at least it meant we could stop riding.

The good news is that all the team made it safely to the end of SS-4 without any problems and within the Maximum Time Limit.

The days riding finished with 122km liaison section on tarmac roads from the end of SS-4 back to the Bivouac at Moreeb Hill.

Here we again met up with our Support team – Sharon and Alessia. The girls were ready for us with food and electrolyte / protein drinks. It was only 3:30pm in the afternoon so we had time to relax, eat and get showered before the Driver Briefing at 19:00 pm.

The times and positions for the UAE CC Team at the end of SS-4 are as follows –

Name / Time / Cumulative / Position / Overall
Steve You / 05:10:59 / 24:16:01 / 13 / 15
Paul Anselmo / 06:43:08 / 27:06:32 / 21 / 17
Sean Curnow/ 06:44:19 / 27:11:53 / 22 / 18
Jonathan Quan / 06:44:57 / 27:14:26 / 23 / 19
For full details of the entire field – please see the official UAE Desert Challenge Website (www.uaedesertchallenge.com)

Today saw a bike catch fire in the dunes. The rider was picked up by the sweep team and then actually rode along with the sweep team for the remainder of the day.

The feeling around the team is really good – we can almost see the finish line. The lads are still smiling (sort of) but it is clear that fatigue is playing a major role and the bumps and bruises from four days of extreme riding without a break are having an effect. However, the mental attitude still remains strong and the team is continuing to go about its business to try and get all four bikes (and riders) across the finish line.

At 4:30 pm we were issued our Road Books for the next official race day along with the modification sheet. We went back to our official UAE CC tent and marked up our road books before loading them into the units on the bikes.

The Driver Briefing for the next day’s riding was then held at 19:00 pm. The last days riding was going to be the longest day of the challenge. It was also going to include 2 Special Stages and a start time 30min earlier. With the prospect of 2 Special Stages and an earlier morning wakeup call it was off to sleep for he last and longest day of the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge - speak to you tomorrow!

Please see our Photo Gallery for photos of the UAE Charity Challenge Team. These will be updated on a daily basis.
For detailed information on the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge please see the official UAE Desert Challenge website at www.uaedesertchallenge.com.

Day 4 / SS-3 (bought to you by Iteco)

The lads began to emerge from their tents at around 5:30 am – though things did seem a little slower than the previous day. We had cut things a little fine the previous morning so we gave ourselves an additional 15min to get ready and get some food into us. Sharon & Alessia had again organized breakfast and the team sat down to fuel up before another days riding. After a quick toilet break it was off to the UAE CC tent to kit up and get ready to go. This was beginning to feel like Ground Hog Day.

We again picked up our bikes from the Gecko Motorcycles service tent. The bikes had come through the third day unscathed so it was again simply a need to perform a routine service to prepare them for Day 4. The competitors again started leaving the Moreeb Bivouac at 6:00am. Paul had a small problem with loose wiring on his light which needed a quick fix before he could head off.

The days riding started with a 54km liaison section on tarmac roads from the Moreeb Bivouac to the start of the 3rd Special Stage (SS3 - Nissan). We were given 45 min to complete this which again turned out to be plenty of time and we refueled on the way. Morning fog was still present in the low lying valleys between the massive dune sets which actually made the ride quite pleasant.

SS-3 was a massive 341km route covering nearly all off-piste riding. The first 70km was particularly tough in sections with Paul, Jonathan and myself all coming to grief at various points. It was during one of these crashes that Steve became separated from the group and he ended up riding the special by himself.

Jonathan, Paul and I managed to stay together for the entire special stage. It was a really tough day in the desert. We all at some point found ourselves digging our bikes out of soft sand dunes that had simply swallowed them up.
There we four PC’s (Passage Controls) during SS-3 where riders could take on additional water if required. PC2 (service / refueling point) at the 168km mark came as a welcome opportunity to stop, refuel, eat, replenish the camel back and relax for a few minutes. We met up with the support team at PC2 and PC3. Alessia and Sharon were simply awesome – as we rode in they had food waiting, premixed isotonic drinks for our camel backs and bottles of water to drink (or pour over yourself) – it does not seem like much but to us it was 7 star service.

The last 70 km through the massive Liwa dune set was pure hell. The bikes and cars in front of us had turned the planned route into a rutted mess as if the terrain was not hard enough to navigate. We spoke to several riders who also had difficulties through this section and it seems like everyone dropped their bike at least once.

SS-3 was highlighted by 22 single hazards, 18 double hazards and 2 triple hazards.

The first of the cars caught up to us at around the 80km mark into the stage. The fear was still there but this was being dampened by the fatigue that was creeping in to all of the UAE CC Riders. The Kamaz truck caught us at around the 180km mark. It was a close call as Jonathan had just dropped his bike in a massive bowl. Literally seconds after getting it up and going again – he turned around to see the truck come over the crest and land down in the spot where he had dropped the bike.

The good news is that all the team made it safely to the end of SS-3 without any problems and within the Maximum Time Limit. The SS-3 again finished back at the Moreeb Bivouac so there was no liaison section to worry about at the end of the Super Special Stage. In all we had been on the bikes just under 9 hrs (including the liaison) which was basically the same as the previous day.

We dropped the bikes off with the Gecko Service Crew and then headed for camp.

Here we again met up with our Support team – Sharon and Alessia. The girls were ready for us with food and electrolyte / protein drinks. It was only 3:30pm in the afternoon so we had time to relax, eat and get showered before the Driver Briefing at 19:00 pm.

The times and positions for the UAE CC Team at the end of SS-3 are as follows –

Name / Time / Cumulative / Position / Overall
Steve You / 06:29:27 / 19:05:02 / 14 / 17
Paul Anselmo / 07:44:46 / 20:23:24 / 21 / 20
Sean Curnow/ 07:45:50 / 20:27:34 / 23 / 21
Jonathan Quan / 07:45:13 / 20:29:29 / 22 / 22
For full details of the entire field – please see the official UAE Desert Challenge Website (www.uaedesertchallenge.com)

Today saw the field dwindle by 6 more bikes. However, speaking to the helicopter rescue team it appears that they had a quiet day, so these are probably all due to mechanical failure rather than serious injuries.
The feeling around the team is still good. The lads are still smiling but it is clear that fatigue is starting to play a significant role. The bumps and bruises from three days of extreme riding without a break are also having an effect. However, the mental attitude still remains strong and the team is continuing to go about its business to try and get all four bikes (and riders) across the finish line.

At 4:30 pm we were issued our Road Books for the next official race day along with the modification sheet. We went back to our official UAE CC tent and marked up our road books before loading them into the units on the bikes.

The Driver Briefing for the next day’s riding was then held at 19:00 pm Then it was back to the camp for a feed before heading off to sleep for a 5:30 am wakeup call to do it all over again - speak to you tomorrow!

Please see our Photo Gallery for photos of the UAE Charity Challenge Team. These will be updated on a daily basis.
For detailed information on the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge please see the official UAE Desert Challenge website at www.uaedesertchallenge.com.

Day 3 / SS-2 (bought to you by NOV Grant Prideco)

The lads began to emerge from their tents at around 5:45 am. By now the support team (Sharon & Alessia) had already been up for a half hour getting breakfast ready. It was still dark and the bumps and bruises picked up from the previous days riding were now in full voice.

The morning was basically – eat some breakfast, visit Mother Nature, get your camel back packed and filled, get your riding kit on and go.

We picked up our bikes from the Gecko Motorcycles service tent. The bikes had come through the second day unscathed so it was simply a need to perform a routine service to prepare them for Day 3. The competitors started leaving the Moreeb Bivouac at 6:00am.

The days riding started with an 81km liaison section on tarmac roads from the Moreeb Bivouac to the start of the 2nd Special Stage (SS2 - Nakheel). We were given 1-1/4 hr to complete this which again turned out to be plenty of time and allowed time for a quick refuel.

Then it was back to reality. SS-2 was a 297km route covering primarily off-piste terrain. It was a mix of fast rolling dunes broken up with challenging technical sections. The last section after PC 4 was steep dunes and hard baked sahbka. It was a tough day at the office with numerous technical sections and a service / refueling stage at the 132km mark. Here we took on fuel, ate some food and replenished out camel backs. There we four PC’s (Passage Controls) during SS-2 where riders could take on additional water if required – which we did!

SS-2 was highlighted by ten single hazards, eighteen double hazards and three triple hazards.

The first of the cars caught up to us at around the 85km mark into the stage. You would think that the experience from the previous day would have better prepared us for the experience of having the cars hurtle past you seemingly out of control – but unfortunately that does not apply. If anything – the knowing simply makes it worse.

We followed the leading truck today for several kilometers through a technical section immediately after PC2. Watching a truck navigate the dunes at high speed is really something to see. As soon as we hit a flat section this behemoth was away and that’s the last we saw of it.

We saw several cars in trouble today. The technical sections had some massive slip faces and deep bowls that caught out several of the drivers.

The stage was particularly demanding and Jonathan called it a day at the last PC (PC4) suffering from a mixture of dehydration and fatigue. With the last section being through a massive dune set, Jonathan decided it was better to live and fight another day. He accumulates a time penalty for failing to finish the last section – but importantly is still in the race.

The good news is that Steve, Paul and myself made it safely to the end of SS-2 without any problems and within the Maximum Time Limit. The SS-2 actually finished back at the Moreeb Bivouac so there was no liaison section worry about at the end of the Super Special Stage. We dropped the bikes off with the Gecko Service Crew and then headed for camp.

Here we again met up with our Support team – Sharon and Alessia. The girls were ready for us with food and electrolyte / protein drinks. It was only 3:30pm in the afternoon so we had time to relax, eat, get showered and even get in a short sleep the Driver Briefing at 07:00 pm.

The times and positions for the UAE CC Team at the end of SS-2 are as follows –

Name / Time / Cumulative / Position / Overall (450 Category)
Steve You / 07:27:50 / 12:35:35 / 23 / 20
Paul Anselmo / 07:26:20 / 12:38:38 / 22 / 22
Sean Curnow/ 7:25:49 / 12:41:44 / 21 / 21
Jonathan Quan / 7:34:15 / 13:11:29 / 24 / 23
For full details of the entire field – please see the official UAE Desert Challenge Website (www.uaedesertchallenge.com)

Today we were also reminded of the dangers of the race. Three fellow riders were air lifted to hospital with injuries. One with what sounded like a serious back injury.

The feeling around the team is good. The lads are still smiling but the reality of the task ahead is setting in. We still have three very tough days ahead of us and already signs of fatigue are appearing. But the mental attitude is still first class and the team is going about its business to try and get all four bikes (and riders) across the finish line.

At 4:30 pm we were issued our Road Books for the next official race day along with the modification sheet. We went back to our official UAE CC tent and marked up our road books before loading them into the units on the bikes.

The Driver Briefing for the next day’s riding was then held at 19:00 pm Then it was back to the camp for dinner and then off to sleep for a 5:45 am wakeup call to do it all over again - speak to you tomorrow!
Please see our Photo Gallery for photos of the UAE Charity Challenge Team. These will be updated on a daily basis.
For detailed information on the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge please see the official UAE Desert Challenge website at www.uaedesertchallenge.com.

Day 2 / SS-1 (bought to you by Baker Hughes)

The UAE CC Team joined up at our designated meeting point at 5:30 am and made the 1 hr journey from Dubai down to Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi in convoy. The mood was clearly one of nervous anticipation. The team has trained for almost a year to get to this point. Now we get to see whether our skills and endurance are up to the challenge. This is when the real rally starts.

The official race start begins with each rider making his way up the race Start Ramp to be announced to the spectators. Speaking to the team I know that all of us were feeling the adrenaline rush at this point.

The days riding started with a 53km liaison section on tarmac roads from Emirates Palace to the start of the 1st Special Stage (SS1 – Al Dafra, Abu Dhabi). We were given 1 hr to complete this which turned out to be plenty of time and allowed us to top up with fuel at one of the local petrol stations. It also allowed for a relaxing ride and an opportunity to deal with the initial adrenaline rush of rolling of the official Starting Ramp.

Liaison Section (aka Road Section): This is a non-competitive Section of the daily route that simply needs to be completed in an allotted/ target time to avoid a time penalty.

Special Stage: These are the official timed competitive sections of the Desert Challenge. The cumulative times required to complete the 6 Super Special Stages adds together to make up your official time for the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge.

Here things got serious. SS-1 was a 281km route covering primarily open desert and track. It was a predominantly high speed run with limited technical sections. There we three PC’s (Passage Controls) where riders could take on additional water if required. PC3 (service / refueling point) at the 180km mark came as a welcome opportunity to stop, refuel, eat, replenish the camel back and relax for a few minutes.

Mandatory Stop: The service/ refueling PC serves as an opportunity to refuel the bike and carry out any necessary maintenance. It is a mandatory 15min stop for all competitors so that no time is lost.

SS-1 was highlighted by 22 single hazards, 21 double hazards and 5 triple hazards. During the stage we passed a number of competitors that had come to grief on one of these hazards. One driver appeared to be seriously injured and was air lifted to hospital with suspected fractured vertebrae.

Hazards: These are points along the planned route where competitors need to take particular care. A single hazard can usually be negotiated with simply good technique. A double hazard requires you to slow down and maintain good technique. Whilst a triple hazard simply requires you to simply SLOW DOWN!!!

The first of the cars caught up to us at around the 60km mark into the stage. You cannot appreciate what it is like to have one of these cars cannonball past you. Blinding dust, loose rocks flying everywhere and the iritrack alarm screaming in your ear to warn you – as if the two tonnes of angry steel hurtling past you was not enough warning. The bad news – the first car simply means that there are more cars right behind it. We stopped counting the numbers of cars that passed us on the stage today. It was perfectly suited for cars today – but tomorrow that all changes.

The good news is that all the team made it safely to the end of SS-1 without any problems and within the Maximum Time Limit.

Maximum Time Limit: This is the time limit that each competitor must complete the liaison and super special stages to avoid incurring a time penalty.

The days riding finished with 119km liaison section on tarmac roads from the end of SS-1 to the Bivouac at Moreeb Hill. The Bivouac at Moreeb Hill was going to be home for the next three days. Here we again met up with our Support team – Sharon and Alessia. The girls had done an amazing job setting up the camp. It was only 6pm in the afternoon but already the blow up mattresses inside each of our tents looked were looking like a luxury suite in the Burj Al Arab. However, our immediate attention turned to the two most important priorities when finishing the days racing - refuel and rehydrate.

The times and positions for the UAE CC Team at the end of SS-1 are as follows –

Name / Time / Cumulative / Position / Overall
Steve You / 05:04:42 / 05:07:45 / 22 / 59
Jonathan Quan /05:06:18 / 05:10:01 / 24 / 61
Paul Anselmo / 05:09:08 / 05:12:18 / 25 / 62
Sean Curnow/ 05:13:00 / 05:15:55 / 26 / 63
For full details of the entire field – please see the official UAE Desert Challenge Website (www.uaedesertchallenge.com)

The feeling around the team is basically all smiles coupled with a real sense of achievement. We are here now, the adrenaline is gone and we have completed the second longest day on the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge. We know that there are much harder days to come and fatigue is going to play a bigger role with every passing day – but for now, the guys are just happy to have made it to this point and are justifiably feeling part of the rally.

The Driver Briefing for the next day’s riding was held at 19:00 pm after which we picked up our Road Books for the next official race day along with the modification sheet. We went back to our official UAE CC tent and marked up our road books before loading them into the units on the bikes. The Gecko mechanics were busy servicing the bikes for the next day’s riding.

Then it was off to sleep for a 5:00 am wakeup call to do it all over again – gotta love it!

Please see our Photo Gallery for photos of the UAE Charity Challenge Team. These will be updated on a daily basis.
For detailed information on the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge please see the official UAE Desert Challenge website at www.uaedesertchallenge.com.

Day 1 / The Prologue (bought to you by Boma Pipe)

The first day is known as the Prologue. It is basically a spectator day where competitors race around a ±2km track once with the times determining the starting order for the following day, when the race really starts at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.

In the past the track used in the prologue has been specially constructed under the watchful eye of the Burj Al Arab. However, due to recent construction on the site the prologue has been moved to the Jebel Ali Motocross track. This is a very technically demanding track – tough for bikes, seemingly impossible for cars and absolutely no place for a truck.

The UAE CC Team met at Gecko Motorcycles and then headed with the Gecko Honda Team to the UAE Desert Challenge Headquarters at the Dubai International Marine Club for the Competitors Briefing.
The official Competitors Briefing was held at midday. Here we received a rundown on the Prologue schedule as well as the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge as a whole. We were also issued our Road Books for the first special stage along with the modification sheet.

Road Book: The road book is a long roll of paper that is effectively a list of instructions to enable the rider to complete the special stage. The road book is issued along with a sheet of modifications that is based on a reconnaissance carried out in the last 24-48 hrs by a car that has driven the entire route. These modifications need to be added to the road book before loading it into the road book holder on the bike.

It was then back to Gecko for some last minute checks before heading off for the Prologue.

We with the Gecko Honda team on the bikes for the 28km ride out to the Jebel Ali Motocross track. You can feel the nervous anticipation in the air. The guys have all made it to the start line – over coming injuries along the way.
The Jebel Ali Motocross Track is a technically demanding track with deep ruts in all corners, several jumps, technical sections and some 180° turns. Our nerves were not helped by the track having been redesigned in the last month. The good news is we were some of the first bikes on the track and importantly the bikes went before the cars and trucks. Any other way would have simply resulted in carnage.

The objective here was simple – get around in one piece and try not to injure yourself or damage the bike. It’s a long race and starting positions are not critical in our bid to complete the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge. The track was already torn up from an event held the previous week and the deep ruts that build up in all the tight corners make things tricky for even the experienced competitors in the field to get around.

The great news is that all the guys made it around in one piece with no injuries. Jonathan dropped his bike twice during his run but recovered quickly on both occasions.

Our starting positions are as follows –

Name / Time / Starting Position
Sean Curnow / 02:55:84 / 55
Steve You / 03:03:87 / 61
Paul Anselmo / 03:10:34 / 65
Jonathan Quan / 03:43:24 / 71

This sets things up nicely for the guys as we will be attempting to ride the race in pairs with Steve and Paul riding together and myself and Jonathan riding together.

The 34 km ride back from the Jebel Ali Motocross track back to Gecko Motorcycles was eventful. Steve suffered a rear tire puncture from a piece of metal on the road. It means that we will have to change out his rear wheel first thing in the morning before the ceremonial start at Emirates Palace.

We met back at my place and marked up our Road Books (with some tips from the seasoned professionals at Gecko) paying specific attention to the various hazard marked out for the next day’s riding. We then loaded the Road books into the bikes.

Then the team headed off some final packing and an early night’s sleep with the prospect of a 4:30am start and the start of the real 2008 Desert Challenge looming large.

Speak to you tomorrow!!

Please see our Photo Gallery for photos of the UAE Charity Challenge Team. These will be updated on a daily basis.
For detailed information on the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge please see the official UAE Desert Challenge website at www.uaedesertchallenge.com.