The event organisers, Racing the Planet will be updating their website with the latest news from the event on a pretty regular basis – probably several times each day. You can either go to www.4deserts.com/atacamacrossing and read the news on the panel to the right of the page or… …you can sign up for Breaking News so that the latest developments come directly to your inbox by going here .
You will otherwise get all the latest updates for the day and more info about the projects here on the Laureus blog.
On March 6th we will line up at the start of the Atacama Crossing (www.4deserts.com/atacamacrossing), a seven-day 250km foot race through the driest desert on earth. The Atacama Desert is 15 million years old and 50 times more arid than California’s Death Valley. The race is self-supported so we will be running with backpacks containing all our food, clothing and safety equipment. Only water, tents and medical support are supplied by the race organisers. The table below shows the distances covered on each stage of the race.
It was always going to be a hard task to top last year’s awards. Like an action sportsman or women, the challenge is to create something bigger, better or more dangerous, and preferably all three. Well what can I say, Abu Dhabi got the lot! Right from day one, this year’s event really seemed to have stepped up a gear with some of the biggest names in football performing their tricks of the trade right by the beach, and sand-boarding in the desert with the legend that is Tony Hawk.
Oscar winning actor Kevin Spacey was once again our master of ceremonies and what a ceremony, right from the start. We were expecting acting with both Spacey and Morgan Freeman on stage… but singing! I’ve a feeling the opening of the awards is destined to be an internet hit.
There were two very special awards with Colin Montgomerie collecting the Laureus Spirit of Sport Award on behalf of the European Ryder Cup Team and a wonderful package (featuring a tribute from David Beckham) reminding us of the genius of Zinedine Zidane, just before he collected the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award. Add to that Rafael Nadal finally lifting the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award, after several years of dominance from his rival Roger Federer, and hopefully you’ll appreciate just what a special night it was.
The only difficulty for the team will be matching 2011’s awards. At least they have a year to dream up something even more spectacular.
Dawn Fraser has a new member of her fan club – me. Having just spent fifteen minutes in the multi-Olympic winner’s company I emerged with a glow and it wasn’t from the Abu Dhabi sunshine. Hearing her stories of amazing sporting achievement and her work on Laureus projects such as the Magic Bus in Mumbai and her own baby, Australia’s Indigenous Sport Programme, certainly brought a smile to my day. Talking of babies, have you heard the one about Morgan Freeman, the baby and the leather jacket? Well Dawn reveals all in the interview which you’ll be able to hear tomorrow by searching for Laureus Podcasts in itunes!
Meanwhile, all the talk in the Emirates Palace has turned towards tonight’s welcome party. Just who’ll be walking the red carpet? I’ll let you know tomorrow as Abu Dhabi and the world of sport gears up for the Laureus World Sports Awards 2011.
As I board the plane at London Heathrow Airport I could hear whispers from behind the curtains. The cabin crew had heard there were some famous sportsmen and women on the flight! Arriving back in Abu Dhabi the sense of excitement was not just in the air, all the talk is of Monday’s awards and who else would be visiting the capital of the UAE.
I checked into the hotel last night just in time to catch one of the craziest games of rugby I have ever seen, France versus Scotland in the RBS Six Nations, so first thing on my schedule today is to seek out some of the game’s biggest names to get their view (Sean Fitzpatrick, Hugo Porta and Michael Lynagh among others). And that’s the wonderful thing about the awards – you’re only ever a few feet away from some of sports biggest names and they’re more than willing to talk to you about the thing that binds us all – the power of sport, not just to entertain us, but also to be a force for good. I can’t wait for the cabin crew to find out Morgan Freeman is on board!
