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Jesper Olson schreibt:
(...)
Now we're in the process of making the (hopefully :-) last preparations before the beginning of the World Run. Informations-wise the main news is that we have changed the route profile and the concept of the categories of participants.
You will find the details of the changes and the thourghts behind them below. The informations is also avaliable at our website at the Route & Runners sections.
(...)-- NEWS UPDATE --
As the beginning of the World Run by the 1-1 2004 finally moves closer, it's also time for the last adjustments:
After nearly 2.5 years of preparation and testing - mainly through the 2002 & 2003 trainingcamps and various international competetions - we have narrowed the team for the full distance around the Earth down to 2 persons:
Mr. Alexander Korotkov of Russia and myself, Jesper Kenn Olsen of Denmark.
At the training camp in Copenhagen in 2002 we had to realize that mr. John Currie of Canada didn't (yet) have what it takes to be ready for this kind of challege.
Also mr. Kelley of USA had to wait for a better oppotunity; this due to a long lasting knee-injury. We wish him a soon and safe return to ultrarunning - a runner of his capacity would be badly missed in the longest ultraraces !
As much as we would like to have these good runners amongst us, this situation makes things somewhat easier in ways of finance and logistics; beeing only to be 2 runners for the main parts of the run. And especially Alexander has proven impressive strength and determination at the route and distance test's during the training camps.
At many of the single stages, though, we have requests for participation, and we look much forward to meeting local ultrarunners this way - as we did in the Russian training camp earlier this year. Further we have been contacted by runners wishing to become part of the World Run Group for longer regional stages. At this point we have accepted the very experiensed mrs. Kazuko Kaihatsu of Japan (1. female in Cross USA, 2002; 2.female in Marathon des Sables 2001). She will join us in St.Petersburg and be part of the group untill we reach Japan.
Route Concept
After carefull consideration we have decidet to split the World Run Route into two parts: A "North Route" & a "South Route". The North Route is expected to be 26 000km's and goes from London - North Europe - Scandinavia - Russia - Japan - Australia (Colac 6-day race) - Canda - USA - Scotland, and back to London. The South Route is expected to be 24 000 km's and covers Southern Europe, The Middle East, Africa and South America. The South Route will be considered after the completion of the North Route.
The principal reason for dividing the route into two seperate parts is that we lately has heard persistent rumors of other attempts to be the first to complete a full documented run around the world.
By making sure that we first aim to complete what is considered as the 'normal' definition of a lap around the Earth (26 000 km's), we take on the "challenge of speed" that may come from other runners. Further we avoid the possibility of using 1-2 years 'extra' at the South Route before the first lap is completed.
Once the North Route is negotiated we can focus on the even more demanding South Route - should we have sponsors and appetite for it !
At the present point of time we are eagerly preparing the last details and getting ready for departure. Especially the 3 week training camp in Russia this year - where we tested parts of the World Run Route & overnight contacts - has given us confidence in our ability to take on this challenge.
For my own part I also was allmost pleased with my results in Copenhagen 6-day race later this year as organizer & participant (90km/day in avarage, 10 runner international field; www.worldrun.org/6-day).
- So; with 3 months to the start things begin to look interesting :-)
With my best wishes,
Jesper Olsen / www.worldrun.org