Michael Knez from the United States is an environmental consultant at a firm based in Richmond, Virginia. Michael joins us as a volunteer at the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024 for his first RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts event. He graduated recently from James Madison University with a degree in Geology. Undoubtedly the camp will be hearing from Michael about the various geological formations in Mongolia during the race!
Elissa PELSMAEKERS
Belgium
Elissa Pelsmaekers is a student in biology from Belgium. Elissa joins her first RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts event at the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024 as a volunteer. Previously Elissa had competed in the Atacama Crossing 2023. It was there that she discovered her place among the adventurers and ultrarunners of RacingThePlanet. She says: "I feel like I have finally found a place where I can put my traits to good use, whether on the course or on the sidelines."
Mariona TRIOLA VILLAMBROSA
Event Manager
Spain
Mariona (Nona) Triola Villambrosa is an Event Manager from Girona, Spain. Nona joins as a volunteer for her first RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts event at the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024. She is passionate about trail running, mountain adventure, travelling, and extreme sports.
Victor CHENG
CEO
China
Yuan (Victor) Cheng of China knows all about the 4 Deserts Ultramarathon Series having been to over 15 RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts races as either a competitor or a volunteer. He is a member of the 4 Deserts Club and currently resides in Shanghai.
Jo SCOTT
Artist / Illustrator
United Kingdom
We are excited to welcome Jo Scott back to her sixth RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts ultramarathon. Jo also has lots of experience providing support for runners in other ultramarathons too - usually in colder and wetter conditions in the north of England. Jo is a full-time artist and illustrator who used to work with software providers for the arts and sporting industries, managing customers as diverse as the Tate Galleries and Silverstone Race Circuit. She has herself competed in triathlons and running events, and is a long-distance hiker. Jo designed the special poster given to finishers of the 4 Deserts Grand Slam (Plus) 2022, the Gobi March 2023, the Atacama Crossing 2023 and the upcoming race in Jordan. Jo will be the Volunteer Manager at the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024.
Jacqueline EASTRIDGE
Operations Manager
United States
4 Deserts Club member Jacqueline Eastridge returns to the volunteer team for Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024. Jacqueline is not only an impressive careerwoman and a successful endurance athlete but she most recently was Peace Corps volunteer in Mongolia followed by a teaching stint at an international school also in Mongolia. In addition to completing the 4 Deserts Ultramarathon Series, Jacqueline has finished RacingThePlanet: Iceland 2013, Primal Quest Race and the Trans Alpine Run as well as high altitude climbs in Switzerland, France and Germany and a 16-mile swim in Tampa Bay, Florida. She was a member of the Team USA Dragonboat Team which competed in the World Championships in Shanghai, China; Berlin, Germany; Sydney, Australia; and Szigid, Hungary. Fluent in English and German and adept at working in international locations and under pressure, Jacqueline will no doubt be a valuable team member this year again assisting with operations at the Gobi March.
Douglas KAMP
Software Development Manager
Australia
Douglas Kamp was born in Zimbabwe but was raised in Perth, Australia. He's lived in 5 countries (Zimbabwe, Australia, USA, Thailand and New Zealand) and visited even more. Doug enjoys taking himself out of his comfort zone, making the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024 the perfect place for his first experience as a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts volunteer. When not going on adventures, Doug works as a Software Development Manager in his home town of Perth.
Sanae KONDO
Retired
Japan
Sandy Kondo from Japan has volunteered at sixteen RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts ultramarathons - she also raced in RacingThePlanet: Jordan 2012and Madagascar 2014. Sandy worked for the South African Embassy in Tokyo before retiring in 2023 and has managed the RacingThePlanet office in Japan for more than ten years. She is a natural organizer with a flair for multi-tasking. Kind and generous, Sandy is one of our best known cheer-leaders and has assisted dozens of 4 Deserts and RacingThePlanet competitors in preparing for the races. She also works and volunteers at the Comrades Marathon in South Africa, Tokyo Marathon in Japan and, most importantly, multiple 4 Deserts / RacingThePlanet ultramarathons. In addition to the Gobi March 2024, Sandy will also join us in Antarctica for The Last Desert 2024, her second visit to the White Desert.
Ekaterina THEISEN
Russian Federation, Resident in Singapore
Ekaterina (Kate) Theisen joins us from Singapore for her first RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts event at the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024. Kate is originally from Russia and has spent quite a few years living abroad with her husband in locations such as Michigan and Virginia in the United States and Shanghai, China. Kate considers herself a very active person and loves taking part in sports such as hiking, cycling, and wakeboarding.
Tom ADAIR
Self employed
Canada
Visiting the Gobi has been on Tom Adair's bucket list for a while. The Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024 will be Tom's second time joining a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts event, this time as a volunteer after completing the Sahara Race in 2009. Tom will be supporting his son, Jake, as he attempts to complete the race.
Felix ALLEN
Gambler
United Kingdom
Felix Allen is a professional gambler from the United Kingdom. He joins the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024 as a volunteer, though he completed the Gobi March (China) as a competitor in 2015. Felix also ran in the Atacama Crossing 2014 and the Namib Race 2017, so he is familiar with RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts races. Felix says he wonders if he is solar powered, as the desert heat doesn't bother him. He is excited to see and support a race from the other side as a volunteer.
Yo TAKEUCHI
Japan
Yo Takeuchi of Japan returns to the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024 as a volunteer, after having completed the race in 2023. Yo has worked as an engineer at an IT company for 20 years, and currently lives in Tokyo. He has lived abroad as well, spending 5 years in Bangkok, Thailand, and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, for 3 years. Yo is excited to experience the Gobi March again and get a new perspective as a volunteer.
Samantha JACKSON
Executive Assistant
United Kingdom
Samantha (Sam) Jackson from the United Kingdom joins the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024 volunteer team for her first RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts race. She was inspired to join after her son, Charlie, volunteered in the 2023 edition. Sam has over 30 years experience as an Executive Assistant. Sam is a keen athlete and enjoys meeting people from across the world, and looks forward to supporting the Gobi March.
Wendy HARDING
Realtor
South Africa
Wendy Harding joins us from South Africa for her first RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts event at the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024. She has been fascinated with RacingThePlanet events for many years and is excited to finally join one as a volunteer. She is also supporting her husband, Mark, as he competes in the Gobi March.
Christopher BREON
Teacher
United States
Chris is a teacher from the United States. He is no stranger to being in austere conditions as he served in the U.S. military and has spent many nights out in the field with minimal creature comforts. He has also worked as a consultant in Vietnam exploring eco-tourism possibilities in remote locations. Chris will be joining us on the the volunteer teams at the Namib Race (Namibia) 2024 and the Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024.
Andrea ANDREWS
Dietitian
Chile, Resident in Australia
Andrea Andrews from Chile is a clinical Dietitian and a mum of two who lives in Australia. Her first RacingThePlanet event was in 2010 when she volunteered for the Atacama Crossing which she says is "the most spectacular race I have ever been a part of and most importantly in my home country". She came to that race with her husband who was competing. She never expected to have such an amazing time, and was hooked. She went on to volunteer in 2011 for the roving race in Nepal and in 2015 she decided to see what it was like from the competitor side and competed in the roving race in Ecuador which she describes as "an epic challenge and a humbling experience to get to complete this kind of race". In 2017, 11 months after having her beautiful baby girl she completed the Patagonia roving race, wanting to break the stereotype that new mothers were not able to be adventurous "it was an amazing challenge and my best race so far". She put her volunteering on hold when she had a second baby but avidly followed the races from her couch with massive FOMO and decided that she would definitely be joining the team again.
Andrea loved competing but is coming back this time as a volunteer. Her favourite part of the race is the checkpoint and camp life and the camaraderie formed by the volunteer team. We welcome her back to her fifth RacingThePlanet event - having volunteered twice, once at the Atacama Crossing, and twice as a racer. She is most looking forward to getting to know everyone and find out why they are here.
Ben GADAMS
Media Analyst
United States
Iryna ZHAYVORONOK SOFILKANICH
Lawyer
Ukraine, Resident in Spain
Iryna Zhayvoronok Sofilkanich is from Ukraine but has lived in Spain for more than 20 years and currently lives in Tenerife having grown up between Poland, Argentina and Barcelona. She loves travelling around the world which she has done since she was a child and speaks 8(!) languages including English, Spanish, French and Italian very well - saying she is happy to learn a new one if needed! The Gobi March (Mongolia) 2024 is Iryna's first experience at a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts ultramarathon - her "very sporty" husband is racing for the first time and is so excited for the race that Iryna wanted to join him and other friends who are competitors. She is a fast learner, easy going, first-aid qualified and will be a great help at the race.
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