Boa Vista
The Boa Vista Ultra-marathon is an extreme
race which covers the entire island of Boa Vista, one of the 10 islands which
make up the archipelago of Cape Verde, located just six hours by plane from
Europe. An island where dunes of fine white sand slope down and disappear into
the emerald green waters of the sea, in an infinite and mysterious cascade
which has something ancient about it.
The island of Boa Vista, Cape
Verde, Western Africa, is about 500 kilometres from the coast of Senegal. It
has been described as one of the last few paradises left on earth, the
meeting-place of two giants "The Desert and the Sea", and it is here that the
Boa Vista Ultra-marathon is held.
Getting there
Sleeping at the
airport
 |
Well getting there is fun. We took a flight to Munich to
meet up with Anke and Markus. We then took a flight to Lisbon and went into the
city to see the sights while we waited for our flight. We then flew on to Sol,
a four hour flight, arriving about midnight. Here we lay on the floor of the
airport and waited for the dawn. It was Kathy's first sleep on an airport
floor. We then boarded the flight for the island which lasts about 20 minutes
and we arrive at a very different island; more remote and natural.
Aerial view of Boa
Vista
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Boa Vista beach
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Catching fish
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The Race
Markus at the start
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The ultra-marathon is a non-stop race, on foot, in which
both individuals and teams may compete. Competitors are self-sufficient for
their food and for finding the direction (for the most part, the route is
marked out), and are free to choose their rate of progress, over a distance of
150 km, to be covered in a maximum time of 60 hours (with a gate at the 75th km
to be passed within 30 hours).
Anke at registration
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Each competitor is obliged to bring with
them a rucksack containing food, a sleeping bag, and the compulsory material
required under the regulations. The organisers provides a road-book and a map
showing the route, and will set up control points and checkpoints, at intervals
of 15 km at most, where competitors will receive water and can rest. The race
is followed by a medical team, which is in constant touch with the organisers
by radio.
Markus with his kit
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The race for the most part is a run around the island.
The run from the start in the main town of Sal Rei, to checkpoint 1 is
overland. About halfway you come to the coast which is marked by a wreck of a
tanker.
The wreck
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The hulk breaking up
 |
This huge hulk is beached close to shore and the sea is
gradually pulverising it to rust. At Checkpoint 1 you move inland going
south-east to checkpoint 2. Here you cross the desert which is pure white and
very beautiful on a clear day. At Checkpoint 2 by and old disused factory you
turn on to the beach and the sand turns yellow and you run around the shore
line for the rest of the day.
The pure white
desert of Boa Vista
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The pure white
desert of Boa Vista
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The pure white
desert of Boa Vista
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The pure white
desert of Boa Vista
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Markus, Francesca
and me in the desert
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Dead turtles are
very common
 |
Lonely palm tree in
the desert
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Chimney at
checkpoint 2
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Sand turning yellow
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Leaving Checkpoint 2
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Crabs
|
In the evening the turtles and crabs pass your feet as
they make their way to the shore. Its deserted here very very few people have
been here. No locals live here and there are few roads to get to the shore. Its
a privilege just to be there. At this point there were three of us together;
Markus, Francesca and myself. At checkpoint no 6 Francesca dropped out and the
two of us decided to move on. Checkpoint 7 is a lighthouse set up on the top of
a high promontory which looks out across the Atlantic towards Africa whilst
giving fantastic views across the east coast of the island.
Turtles
 |
This southern part
of the island is very remote
 |
Landscape between
checkpoints 4 and 6
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Evening on the shore
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The three of us
 |
Girls taking water
up to the lighthouse at checkpoint 7
 |
.
View from the
Lighthouse at checkpoint 7
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Steve at checkpoint
7
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Boa Vista Sunset
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The race changed at checkpoint 9; from here there is a
50km cobbled road to the finish. At night this is plain unforgiving and this
section is a hard slog to the finish. I suffered hallucinations during the
night and the two of us had to keep checking each other as we worked our way
across the landscape at night. . This still remains one of the most gruelling
sections of any race I have had to complete.
This man (the
guitarist) ate all my food at CP9
 |
50K of this cobbled
road is hard
 |
Slogging it out to
the finish Markus shares his blisters with us.
 |
Markus and I at the
finish with Piergiorgio
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Us completing the
race
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The Boa Vista
Ultra-marathon really does offer you the chance to taste adventure, sensations
on the limit of human experience, and an awareness of new cultures in a natural
environment of priceless value. It's a rare opportunity to go to an island
where there are few visitors and to see the island in its natural state. But
this won't remain so for long developers are sure to come in the
future.
Finished at 3am and
shattered
 |
The awards ceremony
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The awards ceremony
|
Anke (1st woman)
with 1st male and 2nd woman
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Map of the Course
