RacingThePlanet: Australia 2010 Fundraiser

Imagine running 250 kilometers in seven days ... across the world's largest cold winter desert ... over mountains, grasslands, salt flats and sand dunes. That's what the Prendiville team did in 2008, and they're back at it again this year! This April they'll be racing across the Kimberley in support of the ground-breaking research being conducted at the Scott Kirkbride Melanoma Research Centre.

Total Funds Raised: $39,000

The Challenge

RacingThePlanet: Australia 2010 is a seven-day, six-stage, 250-kilometer footrace across the Kimberley region of Western Australia. RacingThePlanet is the roving 'fifth event' of the 4 Deserts series, a unique worldwide endurance series which encompasses the Gobi Desert in China, the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Sahara Desert in Egypt, and Antarctica.

Competitors are required to be fully self-supported throughout the event, which means they must carry all the food, gear and clothing they will need to complete the course. The only assistance provided is water, tents and medical assistance.

The race will take competitors through some of the most dramatic and culturally important landscapes of The Kimberley. Competitors will pass through one section called "The Maze" which will require them to swim and scramble their way through pure Kimberley rock.

The Team

In 2005, the Prendiville family entered the record books as the largest group of siblings to swim the English Channel, and raised more than $3,500 for the Scott Kirkbride Melanoma Research Centre in the process.

In 2008, Garry, Patrick, Michael and Jamie Prendiville, along with family friends Bill Biffin and Mark Dawson, raced 250 kilometers in seven days across the Gobi Desert of northwest China, raising an incredible $28,750 more for the SKMRC.

After a well-earned break they're at it once again, and are determined to exceed their previous efforts in every way. Competing this time will be Jamie, Garry, John, Mark, Michael, Patrick, Jeremy and Christian Prendiville, along with family friends Bill Biffin and Kate Pataki.

Together they'll race across the Kimberley, and once again will be raising awareness and funds for the SKMRC.

Latest News   (also see the official breaking news)
January 2010	Aussies Stoked Over RacingThePlanet Walkabout
April 25th 2010 (Sunday)	Stage 1 is now complete! You can see all of the Stage 1 photos and read the Stage 1 update (be sure to click on the "Stage 1" button) on the race website. For a more personal account, you can read Jamie, Patrick, Garry and Bill's latest blog entries. A gruelling Stage 1 punished competitors with hot and humid conditions as they traversed almost 42km of tall spinifex and cane grass over a rocky landscape interspersed with flat sandy roads. 30L of IV fluids were administered on this first day, a record for any RacingThePlanet event. The leaderboard positions after the first Stage are Michael (17th competitor to cross the line), Bill (61), John (87), Garry (142), Mark (143), Christian (161), Jamie (165), Kate (171), Jeremy (175), and Pat (179). Photos: 1. The competitors have a pre-race briefing. 2. The morning before what will be a very long first day. 3. Jamie prepares for the race. 4. Bill will see a lot more of this countryside before the day is over. 5. Lined up at the start with the children of Darwul Remote Community School, who lead the competitors over the start line. 6. Kate (#138, on the right) is making good time. Videos: 1. Arriving at Camp 1. 2. Camp 1 before the start. 3. ANZAC Day & Camp 1. 4. The start of RacingThePlanet 2010. 5. Stage 1 Highlights (featuring Bill at ~2:50).
April 26th 2010 (Monday)	Stage 2 is now complete! You can see all of the Stage 2 photos and read the Stage 2 update (be sure to click on the "Stage 2" button) on the race website. The day started with news that Garry would not be starting, but we've since learned from his race blog that after consulting with Jamie and the course doctors, he decided to skip Stage 2 due to dehydration, low blood pressure and nausea. Bill has also updated his blog with details of the past two days. Stage 2 has been kinder to the competitors, thanks to overcast conditions, but culminated in a rain squall in the afternoon that caused havoc at the overnight campsite. The leaderboard positions after the first 2 Stages are Michael (20th ranked competitor), Bill (94), John (109), Mark (126), Christian (137), Jeremy (140), Jamie (146), Kate (149), and Pat (155). Garry is currently marked as having withdrawn, but if he rejoins the race he will continue as an unranked competitor. Photos: 1. The morning before what will be another very long day. 2. An example of today's terrain. Videos: 1. Stage 2 Highlights.
April 27th 2010 (Tuesday)	Stage 3 is now complete! You can see all of the Stage 3 photos and read the Stage 3 update (be sure to click on the "Stage 3" button) on the race website. Garry was able to rejoin the race, and has provided us with another great blog entry detailing Stage 3. We've also heard from Pat, who has provided us with an insight into how he and Kate have been doing. Stage 3's rock-strewn first section punished competitors physically, before long sections of sandy track and then open road tested their mental mettle. The leaderboard positions after the first 3 Stages are Michael (23rd ranked competitor), John (106), Bill (110), Jeremy (118), Mark (126), Christian (131), Jamie (135), Pat (137), and Kate (138). Garry rejoined the race and crossed the Stage 3 finish line with Pat in just under 10 hours. Photos: 1. Some of the spectacular and challenging terrain facing the competitors. 2. Christian (#150), Mark (#155) and Jamie (#152) take a well-earned breather. Videos: 1. Camp Talk. 2. Stage 3 Highlights (featuring Jeremy at ~0:41).
April 28th 2010 (Wednesday)	Stage 4 is now complete! You can see all of the Stage 4 photos and read the Stage 4 update (be sure to click on the "Stage 4" button) on the race website. For a more personal account, you can read Jamie, Garry and Bill's latest blog entries detailing Stage 4. Today's Emma Gorge and The Maze proved to be the highlight of the race so far, with competitors loving the swimming pools and the awesomely dramatic cliffs. There was a slight respite from the brutal heat that has characterized the earlier stages, with intermittent cloud cover, a light breeze and the sheer-walled canyons providing moments of shade. The leaderboard positions after the first 4 Stages are Michael (23rd ranked competitor), Jeremy (100), John (101), Bill (113), Mark (121), Christian (123), and Jamie (125). Pat and Kate decided not to do Stage 4, but may rejoin the race just as Garry did. Garry had another good leg, crossing the Stage 4 finish line in just over 9 hours. Videos: 1. Stage 4 startline. 2. Stage 4 in the Maze. 3. Camp at The Maze and Cybertent in The Maze.
April 29th 2010 (Thursday)	Stage 5 is 99.4 kilometers in length, with competitors allowed to sleep at the half-way checkpoint if they desire. For most, this Stage stretches over 2 days. Competitors set off at 6am for a swim through The Maze, a series of narrow canyons, with hot weather conditions and no clouds overhead. The 10.1km stretch from the start to the first checkpoint was widely regarded by competitors as the most demanding section of what many are calling the hardest RacingThePlanet event to date. Photos: 1. Mark navigates rocky terrain. 2. Mark navigates more rocky terrain. 3. Passing by Team Prendiville. Videos: 1. The Maze startline of Stage 5. 2. What a start. 3. The Long March: Checkpoint 2.
April 30th 2010 (Friday)	Stage 5 is now complete! You can see all of the Stage 5 photos and read the Stage 5 update (be sure to click on the "Stage 5" button) on the race website. As if the physical anguish of the first section was not enough, the stage ended with a monotonous 20.8km slog along the dusty, hard-packed Gibb River Road to test the mental fortitude of competitors. The leaderboard positions after the first 5 Stages are Michael (28th ranked competitor), John (91), Jeremy (104), Bill (112), Christian (115), and Jamie (116). Mark and Kate have withdrawn from the race, while Pat intends to return for the final Stage. Garry crossed the Stage 5 finish line together with Jeremy, Christian, Jamie and Bill in 34h11m35s, but will not be running tomorrow's Stage 6. Videos: 1. Catching the frontrunners.
May 1st 2010 (Saturday)	Stage 6, and therefore the 2010 RacingThePlanet: Australia, is now complete! You can see all of the Stage 6 photos and read the Stage 6 update (be sure to click on the "Stage 6" button) on the race website. The leaderboard positions across the finish line were Michael (27th ranked competitor), John (86), Jeremy (102), Bill (110), Christian (114), and Jamie (115). Pat completed Stage 6 with Jamie and Christian in just under 2 hours. Congratulations to the whole team on an amazing effort! Photos: 1. The team at the finish line. Videos: 1. Finish Line.
May 2nd 2010 (Sunday)	Competitors enjoyed a post-race awards banquet at El Questro's sister establishment Emma Gorge Resort on Saturday night. Amongst the awards for different placings and age groupings, Jamie was the recipient of one of two awards for Sportsmanship.