Competitor Entry Details

Date of next race: Novemeber 16th 2013

Location: Namibia, Africa

Terrain: Sand, Stone, Rock

Cost: £2000/€2400/$3200 over 3 stage payments

Deposit: £600 to secure your place

Race Itinerary: 250km, 5 Stages.

November 15th– Arrival of group flight and transfer to base camp

November 16th– Day in Base Camp for Medical and Survival Briefings

November 17th– Stage 1 – Start 6.30am – 43km – Stage Name: The Marathon

November 18th– Stage 2 – Start 7.30am – 55km – Stage Name: The Bushmen

November 19th – Stage 3 – Start 7.30am – 37km – Stage Name: The Heat

November 20st– Stage 4 – Start 6.00am – 100km – Stage Name: The Long One

November 21st - Rest Stage – Day in camp

November 22nd – Stage 5 – Start 6.30am – 15km – Stage Name:  The Bow

November 23rd – Transfer to airport and outbound travel

The entry fee is £2000 per person, we accept Euro payments at €2400 & USD at $3200.

To secure your place on The Desert Ultra please complete the online application form and pay your race deposit, once this has been received and processed you will be notified by e-mail.

The balance of £1400 (or discounted balance if applicable) is payable in 2 further stages with the last payment due 90 days before the start date of the race.

Discounted Entry:

We are delighted to be partnering the worlds leading Ultra Marathon resource www.ULTRAmarathonRunning.com and will be offering a special early booking discount on this race of 10% of the total entry fee, this discount is available to the first 50 competitors signing up before Novemeber 30th 2012, please complete the application form on that site to secure this discount - click here

Military/Ex-Military:

We offer each of our races to serving military and ex-military personnel with an 10% reduction on the usual entry fee to the first 25 places secured with a paid deposit.  The military places will be awarded on a first come first served basis, early booking is advised click here entering Military in the partner code box

Seniors Entry:

We offer each of our races to senior competitors (65 +) with a 5% reduction on the usual entry fee the the first 20 places secured with a paid deposit.  The seniors places will be awarded on a first come first served basis, early booking is advised click here entering Senior in the partner code box

Note: Discounted entry fees still require the deposit to be paid in full.  The discounted amounts will be deducted from the final installment due no later than 90 days prior to race.

Meet your Race Director, Wes Crutcher:

I have to say, I must be one of the luckiest guys on earth, I get to go to these wonderful locations and design a race for you to come and enjoy.  I was given the task of coming up with the toughest and most beautiful race locations in the world, and I think I have done just that.  For this race, The Desert Ultra we chose Africa and the awesome desert terrain of Namibia.  The Namib Desert offers a rugged and differing terrain, single track trails lead to sand dunes and on in to river beds and craters - every stage will provide it's own test.  We have worked tirelessly with local guides to achieve a race that goes beyond the ultimate, after all we're not the only desert race on the block.  For me just the word 'desert' can conjure up a whole host of different emotions and visions, and these tend to change from person to person, or runner to runner.  By choosing the Namib we were able to squeeze in all of these visions and dreams and probably more besides.  After all there are not many deserts that can offer Ibex, Springboks and Volcano's as points of interest along their routes.  My aim was to design a desert ultra race that competitors would ask themselves, "why would you do any other desert race, when the BTU Desert Ultra has all of this"?  I think and hope I've achieved this and that The Desert Ultra forms a part of your ultra running plans.  At the forefront of all of our races competitor safety is of prime concern and how we can best minimise risk whilst you're out competing or in camp.  We've achieved this by ensuring we have road access at various points along the route, helicopter evacuation support and by manning each of the checkpoints with at least one of our fifteen strong medical team.  Not just another Desert Race, this is The Beyond The Ultimate, Desert Ultra.

Find out what our competitors say: Click Here

What's included with your race entry fee?

• Limited Edition Technical Training T-Shirt
• Custom designed finishers medal
•  Complete digital photographs of entire race taken by Martin Paldan for you to keep forever
• Transfer from airport to base camp
  
• Transfer of luggage and storage of luggage during the race
• Shared accommodation at base camp (tents)
  
• Water whilst on the challenge
• Food after you have crossed the finish line
• Experienced race director
• Dedicated support team
• Medical staff from the UK
• Helicopter evacuation arrangement (insurance required)
• Local multi-lingual support staff
• After-party and overnight hotel stay before departure for onward journey home
  
• Full carbon sequestering of all our associated flights to and from the race - click here for more information

Our Cancellation Policy

Your race deposit is non-refundable but transferable to the next race of similar type, i.e. you may transfer from Desert Ultra to the next Desert Ultra.  As race organisers we may allow competitors to transfer to a different race, i.e. Desert Ultra to Mountain Ultra but this cannot be guaranteed and is left to the race organisers discretion in each case.  All other payments are fully refundable up to 90 days prior to the race at which time a full transfer to another race will be made available.

Africa 2013 - 250km Across the awesome Namibia Desert.

The Ultimate Desert Ultra. 250km across beautiful yet inhospitable desert terrain.  This is one tough desert race covering 250km in any climate and on any terrain is tough, but across a desert?  You will need to mentally and physically be prepared for what the desert will throw at you.  A premium is set on foot-care, sand will shred soles and heels if they are not adequately protected and cared for as the race progresses.  Water will of course be at a premium and will need managing carefully as your body sweats huge amounts of salty water to try and stay cool.  As with all of our Ultimate Ultras you will be self-sufficient carrying your own provisions such as food, water clothing and sleeping arrangements for the entire race, replenishing your 2.5 litres of water along the way at check points and base camps. Our Desert Ultra has been designed to test every part of your fitness, a true test of human endurance awaits our competitors. See race itinerary for a day by day account of this amazing event.