What happens when you bring 100 people from around the world to cross seven Emirates of the United Arab Emirates for the Laureus Challenge 2022 Presented by Sierra Space to raise money for the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation? Great things happened, and they exceeded all my expectations. I could have never imagined a casual chat skiing in Colorado last April with my friend Michael McDermott from Sierra Space would result so swiftly in 100 people braving 36°C weather, crossing 100km of deserts and Wadis of the UAE.
Sierra Space came on board as our primary supporter of this endeavour. They believe the synergy between people stepping out of their comfort zones and crossing deserts aligned with the ethos of space exploration and adventure aboard their orbital Dream Chaser, which is scheduled to take earthlings into space by 2026.
Work began in earnest in June 2022 for a mid-November challenge. The amazing Lucy Bennett-Baggs from Force For Good got cracking on the logistics, a massive feat with only four months to prepare. Logistics across seven Emirates are complicated due to camping and walking permits required for each location. I got cracking on assuring we found 100 interesting and adventurous people worldwide to participate.
I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the impressive Minister of the Economy and Tourism for Dubai, His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri; I got incredible support for the challenge. He and his team threw their weight behind the challenge, whose dates happened to coincide with an already busy November in the UAE. Other events included the F1, the Gumball Rally, the Rugby Sevens and the World Cup.
November came quickly, and soon we were all convened at the uber-cool SLS hotel in Dubai for our welcome drinks before setting off for the desert. The 100 people from all over the world included those from the technology, health care, space finance, and music industries as well as reality TV stars and, of course, our incredible Laureus Sport for Good Ambassadors Sir Chris Hoy, Bryan Habana, Steve Waugh and Nawal El Moutawakel. Steve Lindsey led the Sierra Space representation; he is a five-time commander of the space shuttle. It made for a very dynamic group of people out to change the world through the power of sport and the pioneering of space.
The first-night kick-off was a sensory overload of Middle Eastern experiences, including a jeep ride across the dunes to a falcon show, henna hand painting, and our welcome dinner with the world's best magic show by DMC, AKA Drummond Money Coutts.
The adventure started the next day; we hiked for hours under a scorching sun across the desert in the sweltering heat. Blisters became the biggest issue as a few people succumbed to the pain in their feet. For our break, we huddled under a solitary tree for shelter, and finally, after eight hours of walking in groups of 25, we made it to our first camp.
The next two days were spent hiking in the Wadi's dried-up river beds and mountainous terrain. We covered a fair amount of vertical during our longest day consisting of 32 km, which we completed in ten hours. Everyone was assigned to a team of 25 people. Each team, Blue, Purple, Red and Green, developed their own personalities and esprit de corp over the four-day 100km experience.
Prior challenges in Africa and Nepal demonstrated that team strategy works to create incredible bonds during these four days of adversity. The fifth team, nicknamed "Team Beige", was for anyone who travelled camp to camp, whether it be from injury or just a desire to be part of the experience; a couple of friends wanted to join for the camp conversations.
My vision was for this challenge to be an active exchange of ideas and for everyone to bond over an incredible physical feat for charity. After the 32 km day of relentless heat, we were treated by a swimming pool in camp. I had one of those special life moments, sitting drinking a beer in the desert at sunset with an incredible group having just walked for ten hours. This makes me tick; I love those moments when you could freeze the memory.
Hiking up the mountain with torches to catch the majestic sunrise at 4 am was a spectacular start to the final day. The challenge's final stretch was in deep sand, heading over dunes in overwhelming heat. My feet were killing me: four lost toenails and trainers filled with sand.
But as we approached the end of our 100km desert challenge, I could feel the emotion welling up in me. Our whole team held hands as we crossed the finish line knowing that through our pain, sweat and tears, we had raised more than US$350,000 for the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation. Using sport as a platform, this epic experience enabled us to help change the lives of others.
Headed to a hotel in Ras Al Khaimah, a much-needed shower beckoned before heading into the desert for our White Party at the beautiful Sonora Camp. The cocktails took the pain away from our feet, and we danced and celebrated our incredible journey and the friendships we made.
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