Thousands of adventure sport lovers now have a copy of the new MARATHON DES SABLES information brochure. For competitors who have already participated, it'll bring back a wealth of impressions: a mix of views, odours, comments, faces and many emotions which somehow seem to be miraculously free of all traces of pain...
As for those who can't wait to make their mark on the race, they will now, thanks to the brochure, be able to imagine themselves living out this week of adventure in the Southern Moroccan desert. To make the dream reality, there's just a registration file to complete and send us in time. Some of you are already ready to do it, but many will be waiting for answers from one or more sponsors. To be sure of a place it's preferable to enrol before the end of the reservation period, but all is not lost afterwards, it just depends on remaining available places. The same thing goes for the DESERT CUP 2002 Jordan Telecom: you still have time to enrol before 10 September either as an individual or in a team, via your country's relevant registration office.
Concerning participation in teams, the Forum section on the darbaroud.com site means you can, amongst other things, make contact with other competitors wishing to take up this very open challenge. It would be a pity not to take part due to lack of a team-mate.
Whether  in Petra preparing the course or in Amman where he has just given a press conference, Patrick BAUER and his team have felt just how enthusiastic the sponsors and media are. The words of encouragement and the support given by the authorities look set to make the 2002 edition a real success.
Before drinking tea with the Bedouins, it’s time to make the most of the holidays in clocking up those kilometres in your training. There will then be 2 months left to get fully prepared before confronting the difficulties of the DESERT CUP.
Enjoy your holidays and good luck with the training.
AOI

SURPRISING !
Whereas several women are already enrolled as individuals, some men say they cannot find a female team-mate to make up a team. The internet site darbaroud.com and its Forum can most probably sort out the situation, but a simple phone call to AOI could also save the day. In view of the rankings last year, it's clear you can take more than 36 hours to finish and still see your team up on the podium. Food for thought wouldn't you say?...

PASSPORT
You must check that your passport is currently valid (see expiry date which must be later than the date you return home). For those who must obtain a passport or get it renewed, it's better to get onto it straight away as a photocopy of the passport is compulsory in processing your registration.

LEAVING PETRA
Barely one kilometre into the race, the course enters the first siq* which is quite narrow and leads up to the Treasury. After the second siq, you then climb up the 570 steps to finally leave the site of Petra. You'd be well-advised to remember that it is very difficult, even impossible, to overtake as you climb up these steps.
*: Gorge

POINTS IN COMMON
J.M.P. ROUMEAU (F) has already run MDS and F. CHRISTIN (F) likes long distance racing. They are also both enrolled on the Desert Cup this year.
But it's in terms of their motivation that they have most in common, namely:"To beat cystic fibrosis". F. CHRISTIN will be thinking very strongly of his cousin Dominique to whom he dedicates his course.

FROM SAO PAULO
You can be a black belt in karate, do wind-surfing and be a keen runner. This is the case for Carlos Eduardo de A. LEFEVRE(BRAZIL) who is coming all the way from Brazil to run in the Jordanian desert. He's mad about long distance running and the race should put his limits to the test.

FROM EASTERN EUROPE
After participating several times in MDS, Zdenek PRIVRATSKY (CZ) will be present in Jordan. Often in the top 50 in the Moroccan race, he should be able to secure a good place in the Jordanian challenge.

FINISH LINE PHOTOS
The sandstorm unfortunately took its toll on the official MDS photographer's camera equipment which was tested to such a point that it ended up completely breaking down. As a result the photographer sadly could not take any photos at the final finish line. The ones you see on the internet site or in specialist press come from private photographers or the press and are not for sale.

INFORMATION
Even though CIMBALY internationale continues to work during August, the sending out of photos may take a little longer than usual, due to staff holidays. It will therefore take more than the normal 3 weeks for you to receive your photos.

MANY MANY THANKS
During the 17th MDS, whilst the storm was raging in the dunes of the big erg making it really difficult to advance, a certain competitor did not hesitate to help one of our race stewards whose quad had overturned. In the name of all the volunteers THANK YOU Mr. ABDELMALEK (F)!

READ THE REGULATIONS
The regulations are designed to ensure the race goes off well. Priority is given to safety and sporting ethics, but there are various logistic imperatives with strict timings which have to be respected, particularly in the mornings.
In order to avoid regrettable penalties, you should read and reread the regulations whose articles evolve over the years.

OFFICES ABROAD
German-speaking Swiss competitors should enrol with our German office where they will be welcomed by Anke MOLKHENTIN. French-speaking Swiss competitors should enrol in France via the AOI head office. Another change: Portuguese, Argentinean and Brazilian competitors can enrol from now on with our representative in Spain, Olivier SEPULCHRE.