Hello and welcome all Brandberg Backyarders!
Race day is drawing nearer and the excitement is growing! While you are getting in a final few training laps, we are getting ready to welcome you all to Uis and make sure that you have a successful and unforgettable race weekend. In this newsletter, we want to go over the schedule and a few pointers that were mentioned in the race entry, but may have been missed or gotten buried during all the excitement.
With only a little more than a week to go, we want to make sure you come to Uis properly armed and prepared to relax and enjoy your weekend to the fullest. Therefore, please remember the following.
Race Schedule
The event will take place on Saturday 23 July in Uis, with the start/finish area at Brandberg Rest Camp.
- Registration and race pack pick-up Friday 16h00 to 18h30 at Brandberg Rest Camp and on Saturday from 7 am to 9 am.
- Pre-race dinner (tickets only sold in advance, none on race weekend) at Brandberg Rest Camp Friday 22 July, 19h30.
- Race start (all events): Saturday 23 July at 10h00 (please note changed starting time).
- Saturday breakfast (pre-booking only) from 7 am.
- Event braai dinner (tickets only sold in advance, none on race weekend) at Brandberg Rest Camp, Saturday 23 July, 19h30 (included in ultra-runners’ entries).
- Sunday breakfast (pre-booking only) from 6 am.
- Event conclusion and prize giving at Brandberg Rest Camp after the last runner ran their last loop.
- No meal tickets will be available for purchase on the days of the event. A la carte light lunches will, however, be available for purchase at Brandberg Rest Camp for the duration of the event but only during normal operating hours.
Race Village Resources
- A common aid station will be available for actively participating runners, which will serve basic snacks like fruit, sandwiches and treats but won’t be sufficient to fuel a marathon or longer. Athletes are to make sure they have their own race food to sustain them throughout their race.
- Drinking water will be available at the aid station.
- (Hopefully) there will be an urn at the aid station with hot water throughout the day/night.
- There will be first aid and emergency medical response on standby.
- The swimming pool will be available to all (yes, Uis can get hot in Winter as well).
- There are several bathrooms in the main lodge, as well as the camping area with toilets and shower facilities.
Runners will be responsible for:
- Own race food sufficient to sustain them for the duration of their race. Saturday night’s dinner will be available for actively participating runners as well. Runners or their crew need to serve their own runners. Runners without a crew can buddy up with another runner’s crew.
- Own cups for use at the aid station. No disposable cups will be available at the aid station.
- Reflective clothing and headlamp with sufficient batteries for night loops. These are required gear for all ultra runners and will be checked during registration. No runner will be allowed out on the course without these proper safety requirements during night loops.
- Own gazebo, chairs/tables and crew for the duration of the race. A layout of the start/finish area will be available at check-in that will demarcate specific locations for gazebo-setup. Event staff will be limited and won’t be able to assist with filling bottles or serving meals to runners. It is suggested that runners without a crew should buddy up with other teams or self-support.
Important: No assistance can be provided to any runner while they are running a loop, (that
is, from the ringing of the cowbell until the runner has crossed the finish line after completing
the entire loop). Violation of this rule will subject a runner to disqualification and removal
from the race, (as determined by the race director).
- By now runners should have booked their own accommodation. Rooms and camping are available at Brandberg Rest Camp. The entire lodge is reserved for the event for that weekend, please contact them directly on 064-504 038 or brandberg@africaonline.com.na. Do not try to book online at booking(dot)com, it will show zero availability. Alternatively, check for other accommodation establishments on our website or contact the race director for recommendations at NamibiaUltraTrails@gmail.com.na
We hope that you are just as excited as we are by now! Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or requests, we will do our best to help or accommodate you.
See you soon!
Namibian Ultra Trails team
