It should come as no surprise really that it is baking hot in the Namib Desert, but today really was a scorcher from the second we started off from Spitzkoppe Basecamp this morning at 0800. A veritable baptism of fire for the runners.
The course begins with a 14km stretch running straight at the Spitzkoppe Saddle, the gap between 2 low hills in the distance. The runners, feeling fresh, blasted their way across this stretch through the low scrub and thornbushes, some of which left permanent marks on our participants.
From the midpoint of the day onwards the sun was high and the temperature higher still. The course winds along an open gravel road with no hope of shade for miles around. It took it’s toll on the pack.
Despite the heat, our returning 2018 winner Kristina Madsen thrived and crossed the line in first position ahead of French runner Bernard Dufour. Jack Tunney, whose father Phil is also in the race, came in 3rd
All but 3 managed to make it to the finish line today. Those 3 who did not are all fine, if a little worse for wear, and may still rejoin the race in the morning.
Stage One results are below:
| Position | Race Number | Name | M/F | Finish Time | Time taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | Kristina Madsen | f | 13:28:00 | 05:28:00 |
| 2 | 3 | Bernard Dufour | m | 13:56:00 | 05:56:00 |
| 3 | 12 | Jack Tunney | m | 14:01:00 | 06:01:00 |
| 4 | 39 | Andreas Gast | M | 14:15:00 | 06:15:00 |
| 5 | 15 | Karl Alvarez | m | 14:16:00 | 06:16:00 |
| 6 | 5 | Christian Spangenberger | m | 15:02:00 | 07:02:00 |
| 7 | 35 | Simon Redman | m | 15:05:00 | 07:05:00 |
| 8 | 9 | David Clements | m | 16:02:00 | 08:02:00 |
| 9 | 6 | Christina Khinast | f | 16:05:00 | 08:05:00 |
| 10 | 11 | Gragorz Tusznio | m | 16:06:00 | 08:06:00 |
| 11 | 4 | Brian Bell | m | 16:15:00 | 08:15:00 |
| 12 | 7 | Craig Williams | m | 16:15:00 | 08:15:00 |
| 13 | 19 | Lee Quinn | m | 16:15:00 | 08:15:00 |
| 14 | 1 | Alex Linkenbach | m | 16:38:00 | 08:38:00 |
| 15 | 20 | Marcus Beale | m | 16:42:00 | 08:42:00 |
| 16 | 22 | Marie Louise Alemany | f | 16:45:00 | 08:45:00 |
| 17 | 38 | Vanessa Kellie | f | 16:45:00 | 08:45:00 |
| 18 | 25 | McKenzie Madison | m | 16:51:00 | 08:51:00 |
| 19 | 36 | Simon Wergan | m | 16:51:00 | 08:51:00 |
| 20 | 32 | Rafeal Lochowski | m | 17:21:00 | 09:21:00 |
| 21 | 28 | Olivia Keating | f | 17:24:00 | 09:24:00 |
| 22 | 10 | Dietmar Rosenau | m | 17:26:00 | 09:26:00 |
| 23 | 26 | Mia Thomsen | f | 17:28:00 | 09:28:00 |
| 24 | 37 | Stephen Murray | m | 17:28:00 | 09:28:00 |
| 25 | 34 | Silvia Czaja | f | 17:33:00 | 09:33:00 |
| 26 | 21 | Marianne Kleist | f | 17:35:00 | 09:35:00 |
| 27 | 29 | Peter Kleist | m | 17:35:00 | 09:35:00 |
| 28 | 8 | David Guetz | m | 17:51:00 | 09:51:00 |
| 29 | 14 | Johnathan Miller | m | 17:52:00 | 09:52:00 |
| 30 | 31 | Phillip Tunney | m | 17:55:00 | 09:55:00 |
| 31 | 2 | Alison Gay | f | 18:04:00 | 10:04:00 |
| 32 | 33 | Sherif Owadally | m | 18:07:00 | 10:07:00 |
| 33 | 17 | Kelly Lasley | f | 19:55:00 | 11:55:00 |
| 13 | Joe Askew | m | DNS | ||
| 16 | Kathryn Doherty | f | DNS | ||
| 23 | Mark Goosens | m | DNS | ||
| 24 | Mark Hamber | m | DNF | ||
| 27 | Mitchel Newth | m | DNF | ||
| 30 | Peter Godbehere | m | DNF |
