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.
Thursday, 30 October 2008
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
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.
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.
Monday, 27 October 2008
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.
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.
Sunday, 26 October 2008
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.
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.
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Final Scrutineering
Today was another busy day!
The morning was taken up with a photo session down on Jumeirah Beach under the watchful eye of the Burj Al Arab. Alessia (one of our support team and our official photographer) was assisted by Sharon (the other member of our support team). 70 photos later and several changes of sponsor provided shirts and caps and the photos session was complete. A selection of photos can be viewed on the website.
We then regrouped in the afternoon at the UAE Desert Challenge Headquarters at the Dubai International Marine Club for final Scrutineering. Here it was necessary to pass the Official Noise Test and to have our Sentinel, GPS and Iritrack systems tested. All our Bike and Riding Gear Scrutineering had been completed at Gecko Motorcycles the previous day so this was supposed to be a walk in the park.
A number of the bigger more powerful bikes apparently failed the Official Noise Test and ‘modifications’ had to be made to enable them to achieve a noise level below the acceptable limit. Fortunately we were all just inside the limit and did not require any ‘modifications’. (It was surprising though as the noise made by a number of the cars appeared to be well above the maximum limit for the bikes – hopefully that makes them easier for us to hear when they come barreling up behind us. We also got our first up close and personal view of some of the trucks – which was motivation enough to stay ahead of them!)
Paul, Steve and Jonathan’s bikes passed the Sentinel, GPS and Iritrack system tests without problems and they subsequently received the coveted SAFE stickers for their bike and helmet that signal that they have passed all the requirements of Scrutineering and are now clear to compete in the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge.
We could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but that was when Murphy’s Law kicked in.
The testing of the GPS and Iritrack systems went fine on my bike, but the test of the Sentinel system failed. Checks confirmed that it was not getting any power. A number of checks were carried out but the route of the problem could not be determined. With the help of a fellow rider (Peter Rutter) we rewired the power supply for the Sentinel system from the head light supply to the GPS supply (direct off the battery). This fixed the problem to pass scrutineering but meant that the bike needed to go back to Gecko Motorcycles to clean up the wiring. Thanks very much to Peter for his assistance!
I finally completed the Scrutineering as the second last bike out of the tent. However, we were all just happy to have passed all the mandatory safety checks. This represents the final tick in the box before we officially start the race.
The bikes were then loaded back onto the trailers and driven away ready for the Prologue stage on Sunday at the Jebel Ali Race track. My bike was dropped off at Gecko motorcycles that evening so the wiring could be cleaned up in the morning in time for the Prologue in the afternoon.
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.
The morning was taken up with a photo session down on Jumeirah Beach under the watchful eye of the Burj Al Arab. Alessia (one of our support team and our official photographer) was assisted by Sharon (the other member of our support team). 70 photos later and several changes of sponsor provided shirts and caps and the photos session was complete. A selection of photos can be viewed on the website.
We then regrouped in the afternoon at the UAE Desert Challenge Headquarters at the Dubai International Marine Club for final Scrutineering. Here it was necessary to pass the Official Noise Test and to have our Sentinel, GPS and Iritrack systems tested. All our Bike and Riding Gear Scrutineering had been completed at Gecko Motorcycles the previous day so this was supposed to be a walk in the park.
A number of the bigger more powerful bikes apparently failed the Official Noise Test and ‘modifications’ had to be made to enable them to achieve a noise level below the acceptable limit. Fortunately we were all just inside the limit and did not require any ‘modifications’. (It was surprising though as the noise made by a number of the cars appeared to be well above the maximum limit for the bikes – hopefully that makes them easier for us to hear when they come barreling up behind us. We also got our first up close and personal view of some of the trucks – which was motivation enough to stay ahead of them!)
Paul, Steve and Jonathan’s bikes passed the Sentinel, GPS and Iritrack system tests without problems and they subsequently received the coveted SAFE stickers for their bike and helmet that signal that they have passed all the requirements of Scrutineering and are now clear to compete in the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge.
We could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but that was when Murphy’s Law kicked in.
The testing of the GPS and Iritrack systems went fine on my bike, but the test of the Sentinel system failed. Checks confirmed that it was not getting any power. A number of checks were carried out but the route of the problem could not be determined. With the help of a fellow rider (Peter Rutter) we rewired the power supply for the Sentinel system from the head light supply to the GPS supply (direct off the battery). This fixed the problem to pass scrutineering but meant that the bike needed to go back to Gecko Motorcycles to clean up the wiring. Thanks very much to Peter for his assistance!
I finally completed the Scrutineering as the second last bike out of the tent. However, we were all just happy to have passed all the mandatory safety checks. This represents the final tick in the box before we officially start the race.
The bikes were then loaded back onto the trailers and driven away ready for the Prologue stage on Sunday at the Jebel Ali Race track. My bike was dropped off at Gecko motorcycles that evening so the wiring could be cleaned up in the morning in time for the Prologue in the afternoon.
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.
Friday, 24 October 2008
Administration / Scrutineering
Today was a busy day!
We arrived at Dubai international Marine Club at 08:00 am. The morning was consumed with carrying out all the administrative paperwork at the UAE Desert Challenge headquarters at the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi. It was necessary for the whole team to be present to ensure that all the entry forms were accurate and that the necessary insurance was in place for each rider (including permanent disability and death). It was a case of organized chaos – though credit to the organizers, once we got moving we were out of there pretty quickly.
In return we received our official race numbers and official sponsors stickers. Keep an eye out for the following competitors -
Name / No.
Jonathan Quan / 45
Paul Anselmo / 46
Sean Curnow / 47
Steve you / 48
Then it was off to Gecko motorcycles (who were also responsible for building our bikes) where scrutineering was being carried out for local motorbike riders. (The scrutineering for the foreign riders, cars and trucks is being carried out at the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Hotel the following day).
Scrutineering: This is where race officials check that the bikes and riders kit comply with all the race regulations focusing primarily on all the necessary safety measures. All identification and official race advertising stickers must be in place on the machine when it is submitted to the scrutineers.
During scrutineering competitors must present the following equipment for inspection:
• Helmet & Riding kit
• GPS, Sentinel & Iritrack
• Signaling kit
• Additional water ration / Camelback
• Mobile telephone
• Medical kit (recommended but not compulsory)
Safety is the primary concern of the UAE Desert Challenge organization. All competitors riding kit especially the helmet is checked for safety. Each machine is also carefully inspected for mechanical safety and integrity.
We had a minor hiccup with the wiring on the bikes. Unfortunately they were setup for the newer version of the Iritrack System (which basically tells the race officials exactly where we are at anytime). However, when we received our Iritrack units we discovered they were the older version with two power cables (a primary and a backup). All credit to Gecko Motorcycles as they went about the business of rewiring all the bikes to accommodate the older type units.
The good news is we all passed the initial scrutineering.
The bikes were then loaded back onto the trailers and driven away ready for the final scrutineering session at the Dubai International marine Club primarily to check for noise and close out and issues that were identified today.
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.
We arrived at Dubai international Marine Club at 08:00 am. The morning was consumed with carrying out all the administrative paperwork at the UAE Desert Challenge headquarters at the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi. It was necessary for the whole team to be present to ensure that all the entry forms were accurate and that the necessary insurance was in place for each rider (including permanent disability and death). It was a case of organized chaos – though credit to the organizers, once we got moving we were out of there pretty quickly.
In return we received our official race numbers and official sponsors stickers. Keep an eye out for the following competitors -
Name / No.
Jonathan Quan / 45
Paul Anselmo / 46
Sean Curnow / 47
Steve you / 48
Then it was off to Gecko motorcycles (who were also responsible for building our bikes) where scrutineering was being carried out for local motorbike riders. (The scrutineering for the foreign riders, cars and trucks is being carried out at the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Hotel the following day).
Scrutineering: This is where race officials check that the bikes and riders kit comply with all the race regulations focusing primarily on all the necessary safety measures. All identification and official race advertising stickers must be in place on the machine when it is submitted to the scrutineers.
During scrutineering competitors must present the following equipment for inspection:
• Helmet & Riding kit
• GPS, Sentinel & Iritrack
• Signaling kit
• Additional water ration / Camelback
• Mobile telephone
• Medical kit (recommended but not compulsory)
Safety is the primary concern of the UAE Desert Challenge organization. All competitors riding kit especially the helmet is checked for safety. Each machine is also carefully inspected for mechanical safety and integrity.
We had a minor hiccup with the wiring on the bikes. Unfortunately they were setup for the newer version of the Iritrack System (which basically tells the race officials exactly where we are at anytime). However, when we received our Iritrack units we discovered they were the older version with two power cables (a primary and a backup). All credit to Gecko Motorcycles as they went about the business of rewiring all the bikes to accommodate the older type units.
The good news is we all passed the initial scrutineering.
The bikes were then loaded back onto the trailers and driven away ready for the final scrutineering session at the Dubai International marine Club primarily to check for noise and close out and issues that were identified today.
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.
Saturday, 11 October 2008
NEWS UPDATE - NO.8
Sean Curnow: Welcome to the eighth update for the UAE Charity Challenge Team.
CHARITY
The Dubai Centre for Special Needs reopened its doors in September and the students are back. We have recently approached the DCSN to get a quotation on the Toyota Coaster bus that we are looking to fund as part of our charitable work for this year.
Our charitable project in Uganda is continuing to take shape. My trip to Uganda scheduled of September/October as part of my work commitments with one of our Platinum Sponsors (Heritage Oil & Gas) has been delayed. However, we have been in touch with representatives of the World Health Organisation and are still waiting to hear back from the Ugandan Ministry of Health representative for the Malaria Control Programme.
More to come on both of these subjects in the November update!
TRAINING
The month of September has seen temperature start to drop to something bearable and in the later part of the month we have even been able to get out for some afternoon rides.
The UAE CC team continue to train out in the desert every weekend.
Gecko motorcycles have continued to support the UAE CC by inviting the UAE CC team along to join in training runs using the Garmin GPS units that reflect the various race conditions we could see on a day to day basis.
Thanks again to Gecko for their continued support!
SPONSORSHIP
It has been a huge month for the UAE CC in terms of securing further sponsorship. In the month of September we managed to secure two Gold and four Silver Sponsors. In addition to this one of our Silver Sponsors (Reed Hycalog) upgraded their sponsorship level to Gold through their sister company NOV Brandt.
Schlumberger and the IADC have joined the UAE CC as a Gold sponsors.
Schlumberger is a global leader in Oil and Gas Services. We wear our badge of "Most Global Company on Earth" with pride, as we employ over 80,000 people from 140 nationalities to cover our operations in nearly 100 countries. Schlumberger spends substantially more than any other comparable company on R&D, which allows us to continually provide our customers with the latest technology and solutions. We supply services in the following Segments: Reservoir Evaluation (Wireline Logging), Drilling and Measurements (LWD/MWD/DD), Well Services (Cementing, Pumping, Stimulation, Coiled Tubing), Well Testing (incl Surface, Downhole, Subsea, Data Acquisition, Perforating and Slickline), IPM (Project Management), SIS (Information Solutions). Western Geco provides seismic acquisition and interpretation, and other groups such as Carbon Services and Water Services offer support and expertise in various related fields. Our industry-best internal support systems, like QHSE and Logistics, etc allow us to provide these services to our customers in the safest and most expedient way possible.
Since 1940, the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) has exclusively represented the worldwide oil and gas drilling industry. IADC strives to secure responsible standards, practices, legislation and regulations that provide for safe, efficient and environmentally sound drilling operations worldwide.
The IADC's resources offer diverse benefits to its membership of drilling contractors, producers and associates. Membership is open to any company involved in oil and gas exploration and production, well servicing, oil field manufacturing and other rig site services. Through conferences, training seminars and a comprehensive network of technical publications, IADC continually fosters education and communications within the upstream petroleum industry. IADC has a global reach operating wherever its members operate...in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.
IADC’s Southern Arabian Peninsula Chapter includes member companies operating in the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Yemen. The Chapter provides both a technical forum for addressing regional challenges and a social network for professionals in the drilling and related industries. The Chapter also supports worthwhile charitable organizations and activities.
Life Healthcare Group, International Tubular Services Middle East, NOV Rig Solutions and Halliburton Sperry Sun have joined the UAE CC as Silver sponsors.
The LIFE Healthcare Group is a retail chain of: Pharmacies, Nutrition Centers and Cosmetic Outlets that was established in 1989. Its 19 years foray into the world of healthcare has transformed it into a leading retailer of medicine and medical equipment in the UAE. And today, it is a household name for emergency and daily medical need. LIFE Healthcare Group with its professional approach has reached many impeccable standards and service attitude fetched exponential growth and is ranked No.1 in sales. To provide perfect Health Protection, Health Promotion, and Clinical Quality Service, each store has unique and different services that augment the needs of the customers of a particular area.
International Tubular Services was founded in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1986 and developed into a fast-growing provider of drilling equipment and services to the oil and gas industry. ITS have a reputation for commitment, quality and delivery of cost-effective solutions. ITS has a wide global footprint and exposure to the major hydrocarbon basins. ITS operates from over 20 facilities strategically located worldwide, active in more than 50 countries with a highly-skilled workforce comprising over 900 employees. ITS provides a wide range of oilfield equipment crucial to the success of various stages of drilling operations.
ITS works closely with oil and gas exploration companies, drilling contractors and oilfield service firms and are now widely recognized as a first choice for services in Rental and Sales, Fishing, Casing / Tubular Running and Manufacturing & Repair. ITS have a complete service to cater for all your drilling operations and our people are always thinking of new ways to improve our services – it’s our competitive advantage
National Oilwell Varco is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and sale of equipment and components used in oil and gas drilling and production, the provision of oilfield inspection and other services, and supply chain integration services to the upstream oil and gas industry.
Halliburton Sperry Drilling Services is a global supplier of reliable, innovative, and highly technical drilling and formation evaluation services to the oil and gas drilling industry. Throughout its 75 year history, Sperry has sustained a spirit of innovation, determination, curiosity, and integrity.
Sperry Drilling Services' range of products & services include Directional Drilling & Surveying, Measurement-While-Drilling/Logging-While-Drilling Services, Multilateral Systems, Surface Data Logging (SDL) and Underbalanced Applications
We welcome Schlumberger, IADC, Duty Free, Life Healthcare Group, International Tubular Services Middle East, NOV Rig Solutions and Halliburton Sperry Sun to the UAE CC team and thank them for their charitable support.
We currently have just less than 460,000 AED in committed sponsorship from our corporate and individual sponsors. We are now closing our corporate sponsorship for 2008 to allow us to get team shirts and banners printed with the logos of all our various sponsors. However, our individual sponsorship will stay open right to the end of the race.
We look to have fallen just short of our target of 500,000 AED. However, I know that the UAE CC team takes great pride in the level of sponsorship we have been able to muster in our inaugural year.
As always, we would like to thank our corporate sponsors for their support and all those people who have contributed personal donations to the UAE CC. (see your names listed in the Sponsors page)
TECHNICAL
Gecko Motorcycles continues to carry out the necessary modifications in stage to get the bikes ready for the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge.
With only 3 weeks remain until D-day, and the bikes are now fully kitted out looking like proper rally machines. One of the major jobs was to finish all of the electrical wiring, connecting the navigation and lighting equipment to the wiring harness. Brake lights, fog lights, GPS connector, Sentinel, and road book all had to be hooked correctly. Any mistake in this wiring, especially concerning the navigation equipment could end up in a very interesting race indeed.
As we had mentioned in our previous update the navigation equipment had to be setup in the last few weeks in order to avoid and expensive damage during training. The possibilities of this became quite obvious when we picked up the bikes fully modified with the front faring with all its brackets and supports protruding up a good 15 inches above the handlebars directly in front of the riders face. The front faring is quite simply a plastic extension inserted above the headlamp which serves as a shield for the fragile equipment located directly behind it. Its primary role will be to deflect any rocks, wind, sand etc which could cause any damage. However, in the very likely event of a front end crash where the bike nosedives in soft sand the rider could quite possibly cause quite significant damage to himself and the entire navigational setup.
The GPS (Global Positioning system) will serve as a directional device which literally points us in the direction of the next waypoint. However, riders must remember that the GPS will point them in a straight line and does not take into account all the possible hazards between point A and point B. This is where the Road Book comes into play. Put simply, this gadget is no more than a roll of paper handed out the night before by race organizers which is fixed onto the handlebars and contains written instructions and warnings about the track ahead. The riders must manually unwind and frequently adjust it according to the GPS coordinates throughout the ride. The Sentinel is another ingenious bit of kit. Its primary and only concern is for rider safety. One of the biggest dangers with this race is vehicle collisions, especially between the lighter – more exposed motorbikes and the faster/heavier cars and trucks. As the bikers always start the day ahead of everyone there is always a risk that the cars and trucks will catch up, passing the riders at superior speeds and sometimes resulting in what could be a fatal collision. The Sentinel is a system by which the passing vehicle sounds an alarm in the vehicle ahead, warning him of the upcoming overtaking manoeuvre. Even though this early warning system is welcomed by all riders, it is not full proof. Sometimes the passing vehicle is travelling at such high speeds that by the rime the rider has heard the alarm the vehicle has already passed them.
The heavy duty bash plates do exactly as their name suggests. With all the additional weight on these bikes, combined with hundreds of kilometres of punishing terrain, the bikes will at some point be subjected to big knocks under the chassis where the fragile engine casing and cooling systems are located. Simply put, these bash plates are made of thick steel positioned under the chassis protecting all the vital machinery from potential hits from rocks, tree’s and the like.
Emergency water tanks are compulsory for all bike riders and are located in two positions. The first is placed in front of the engine block, whereas the second is located under the rear mudguard. Each of these holds 1 to 2 litres of water and is intended for the rider to eventually drink or to use for any other purpose as a last resort in the event of an emergency in the desert.
Finally, each of our bikes has had a complete top end rebuild to the engine. Pistons, cam shafts, seals…etc has all been replaced a few weeks ahead of the final race. We know that these bikes are reliable, but by doing this we are greatly limiting our chances of a mechanical failure. Each of our bikes have been pushed hard during summer months and with more than 70hrs logged per bike some wear and tear is unavoidable.
So the bikes are now complete!!!
VOLUNTEER WORK
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 September are as follows -
· The 8th News Update has been added to the ‘NEWS’ page
· The ‘Sponsors’ Page will be updated with all our latest sponsors.
CHARITY
The Dubai Centre for Special Needs reopened its doors in September and the students are back. We have recently approached the DCSN to get a quotation on the Toyota Coaster bus that we are looking to fund as part of our charitable work for this year.
Our charitable project in Uganda is continuing to take shape. My trip to Uganda scheduled of September/October as part of my work commitments with one of our Platinum Sponsors (Heritage Oil & Gas) has been delayed. However, we have been in touch with representatives of the World Health Organisation and are still waiting to hear back from the Ugandan Ministry of Health representative for the Malaria Control Programme.
More to come on both of these subjects in the November update!
TRAINING
The month of September has seen temperature start to drop to something bearable and in the later part of the month we have even been able to get out for some afternoon rides.
The UAE CC team continue to train out in the desert every weekend.
Gecko motorcycles have continued to support the UAE CC by inviting the UAE CC team along to join in training runs using the Garmin GPS units that reflect the various race conditions we could see on a day to day basis.
Thanks again to Gecko for their continued support!
SPONSORSHIP
It has been a huge month for the UAE CC in terms of securing further sponsorship. In the month of September we managed to secure two Gold and four Silver Sponsors. In addition to this one of our Silver Sponsors (Reed Hycalog) upgraded their sponsorship level to Gold through their sister company NOV Brandt.
Schlumberger and the IADC have joined the UAE CC as a Gold sponsors.
Schlumberger is a global leader in Oil and Gas Services. We wear our badge of "Most Global Company on Earth" with pride, as we employ over 80,000 people from 140 nationalities to cover our operations in nearly 100 countries. Schlumberger spends substantially more than any other comparable company on R&D, which allows us to continually provide our customers with the latest technology and solutions. We supply services in the following Segments: Reservoir Evaluation (Wireline Logging), Drilling and Measurements (LWD/MWD/DD), Well Services (Cementing, Pumping, Stimulation, Coiled Tubing), Well Testing (incl Surface, Downhole, Subsea, Data Acquisition, Perforating and Slickline), IPM (Project Management), SIS (Information Solutions). Western Geco provides seismic acquisition and interpretation, and other groups such as Carbon Services and Water Services offer support and expertise in various related fields. Our industry-best internal support systems, like QHSE and Logistics, etc allow us to provide these services to our customers in the safest and most expedient way possible.
Since 1940, the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) has exclusively represented the worldwide oil and gas drilling industry. IADC strives to secure responsible standards, practices, legislation and regulations that provide for safe, efficient and environmentally sound drilling operations worldwide.
The IADC's resources offer diverse benefits to its membership of drilling contractors, producers and associates. Membership is open to any company involved in oil and gas exploration and production, well servicing, oil field manufacturing and other rig site services. Through conferences, training seminars and a comprehensive network of technical publications, IADC continually fosters education and communications within the upstream petroleum industry. IADC has a global reach operating wherever its members operate...in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.
IADC’s Southern Arabian Peninsula Chapter includes member companies operating in the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Yemen. The Chapter provides both a technical forum for addressing regional challenges and a social network for professionals in the drilling and related industries. The Chapter also supports worthwhile charitable organizations and activities.
Life Healthcare Group, International Tubular Services Middle East, NOV Rig Solutions and Halliburton Sperry Sun have joined the UAE CC as Silver sponsors.
The LIFE Healthcare Group is a retail chain of: Pharmacies, Nutrition Centers and Cosmetic Outlets that was established in 1989. Its 19 years foray into the world of healthcare has transformed it into a leading retailer of medicine and medical equipment in the UAE. And today, it is a household name for emergency and daily medical need. LIFE Healthcare Group with its professional approach has reached many impeccable standards and service attitude fetched exponential growth and is ranked No.1 in sales. To provide perfect Health Protection, Health Promotion, and Clinical Quality Service, each store has unique and different services that augment the needs of the customers of a particular area.
International Tubular Services was founded in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1986 and developed into a fast-growing provider of drilling equipment and services to the oil and gas industry. ITS have a reputation for commitment, quality and delivery of cost-effective solutions. ITS has a wide global footprint and exposure to the major hydrocarbon basins. ITS operates from over 20 facilities strategically located worldwide, active in more than 50 countries with a highly-skilled workforce comprising over 900 employees. ITS provides a wide range of oilfield equipment crucial to the success of various stages of drilling operations.
ITS works closely with oil and gas exploration companies, drilling contractors and oilfield service firms and are now widely recognized as a first choice for services in Rental and Sales, Fishing, Casing / Tubular Running and Manufacturing & Repair. ITS have a complete service to cater for all your drilling operations and our people are always thinking of new ways to improve our services – it’s our competitive advantage
National Oilwell Varco is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and sale of equipment and components used in oil and gas drilling and production, the provision of oilfield inspection and other services, and supply chain integration services to the upstream oil and gas industry.
Halliburton Sperry Drilling Services is a global supplier of reliable, innovative, and highly technical drilling and formation evaluation services to the oil and gas drilling industry. Throughout its 75 year history, Sperry has sustained a spirit of innovation, determination, curiosity, and integrity.
Sperry Drilling Services' range of products & services include Directional Drilling & Surveying, Measurement-While-Drilling/Logging-While-Drilling Services, Multilateral Systems, Surface Data Logging (SDL) and Underbalanced Applications
We welcome Schlumberger, IADC, Duty Free, Life Healthcare Group, International Tubular Services Middle East, NOV Rig Solutions and Halliburton Sperry Sun to the UAE CC team and thank them for their charitable support.
We currently have just less than 460,000 AED in committed sponsorship from our corporate and individual sponsors. We are now closing our corporate sponsorship for 2008 to allow us to get team shirts and banners printed with the logos of all our various sponsors. However, our individual sponsorship will stay open right to the end of the race.
We look to have fallen just short of our target of 500,000 AED. However, I know that the UAE CC team takes great pride in the level of sponsorship we have been able to muster in our inaugural year.
As always, we would like to thank our corporate sponsors for their support and all those people who have contributed personal donations to the UAE CC. (see your names listed in the Sponsors page)
TECHNICAL
Gecko Motorcycles continues to carry out the necessary modifications in stage to get the bikes ready for the 2008 UAE Desert Challenge.
With only 3 weeks remain until D-day, and the bikes are now fully kitted out looking like proper rally machines. One of the major jobs was to finish all of the electrical wiring, connecting the navigation and lighting equipment to the wiring harness. Brake lights, fog lights, GPS connector, Sentinel, and road book all had to be hooked correctly. Any mistake in this wiring, especially concerning the navigation equipment could end up in a very interesting race indeed.
As we had mentioned in our previous update the navigation equipment had to be setup in the last few weeks in order to avoid and expensive damage during training. The possibilities of this became quite obvious when we picked up the bikes fully modified with the front faring with all its brackets and supports protruding up a good 15 inches above the handlebars directly in front of the riders face. The front faring is quite simply a plastic extension inserted above the headlamp which serves as a shield for the fragile equipment located directly behind it. Its primary role will be to deflect any rocks, wind, sand etc which could cause any damage. However, in the very likely event of a front end crash where the bike nosedives in soft sand the rider could quite possibly cause quite significant damage to himself and the entire navigational setup.
The GPS (Global Positioning system) will serve as a directional device which literally points us in the direction of the next waypoint. However, riders must remember that the GPS will point them in a straight line and does not take into account all the possible hazards between point A and point B. This is where the Road Book comes into play. Put simply, this gadget is no more than a roll of paper handed out the night before by race organizers which is fixed onto the handlebars and contains written instructions and warnings about the track ahead. The riders must manually unwind and frequently adjust it according to the GPS coordinates throughout the ride. The Sentinel is another ingenious bit of kit. Its primary and only concern is for rider safety. One of the biggest dangers with this race is vehicle collisions, especially between the lighter – more exposed motorbikes and the faster/heavier cars and trucks. As the bikers always start the day ahead of everyone there is always a risk that the cars and trucks will catch up, passing the riders at superior speeds and sometimes resulting in what could be a fatal collision. The Sentinel is a system by which the passing vehicle sounds an alarm in the vehicle ahead, warning him of the upcoming overtaking manoeuvre. Even though this early warning system is welcomed by all riders, it is not full proof. Sometimes the passing vehicle is travelling at such high speeds that by the rime the rider has heard the alarm the vehicle has already passed them.
The heavy duty bash plates do exactly as their name suggests. With all the additional weight on these bikes, combined with hundreds of kilometres of punishing terrain, the bikes will at some point be subjected to big knocks under the chassis where the fragile engine casing and cooling systems are located. Simply put, these bash plates are made of thick steel positioned under the chassis protecting all the vital machinery from potential hits from rocks, tree’s and the like.
Emergency water tanks are compulsory for all bike riders and are located in two positions. The first is placed in front of the engine block, whereas the second is located under the rear mudguard. Each of these holds 1 to 2 litres of water and is intended for the rider to eventually drink or to use for any other purpose as a last resort in the event of an emergency in the desert.
Finally, each of our bikes has had a complete top end rebuild to the engine. Pistons, cam shafts, seals…etc has all been replaced a few weeks ahead of the final race. We know that these bikes are reliable, but by doing this we are greatly limiting our chances of a mechanical failure. Each of our bikes have been pushed hard during summer months and with more than 70hrs logged per bike some wear and tear is unavoidable.
So the bikes are now complete!!!
VOLUNTEER WORK
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 September are as follows -
· The 8th News Update has been added to the ‘NEWS’ page
· The ‘Sponsors’ Page will be updated with all our latest sponsors.
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