144 competitors have completed registration and are heading to the starting line of RacingThePlanet: Jordan 2012. Participants are in bright spirits. Natalia Watkins of Hong Kong said, "I'm excited, I always look forward to getting the first stage done." Canadian Darren Nichols said he has never before been to the Middle East and is eager to see the desert. Competitors are now on their way to Camp 1 in the legendary Wadi Rum where beautiful rock formations and red tinged sand dunes dot the landscape. At the start line of Stage 1, Hamish Travers of New Zealand will begin the event with the field's lightest backpack at 5.5 kilograms. Canada's Stan Lee will carry the heaviest backpack with a total weight of 15 kilograms.

The Regency Palace Hotel in Amman was buzzing today as RacingThePlanet: Jordan 2012 competitors arrived throughout the day and volunteer and medical teams completed preparations for the upcoming week in the desert. Priority check in was held in the evening for 4 Deserts Club members who spent the time completing the mandatory equipment check and catching up with old friends. Canada's Stan Lee weighed in with the heaviest backpack of the evening at 15 kilograms. This was no surprise; while other competitors rely on freeze-dried meals throughout the week, Stan is famous for his typical load of canned food and drinks. Other competitors were eager to get started and expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to run through the deserts of Jordan. When asked how he felt about competing in Wadi Rum, 4 Deserts Club member and Cypriot Devrim Celal joked, "I'm really excited... but you know I don't like sand, right?" Competitors will attend a competitor briefing tomorrow (Saturday) morning and complete competitor check-in before departing for Camp 1 in Wadi Rum around 12:00 noon.

The Official Press Release for RacingThePlanet: Jordan 2012 is now available in the 4 Deserts Pressroom: "A cast of 150 competitors from 38 countries will be gathering in Jordan’s legendary Wadi Rum this weekend for the highly anticipated RacingThePlanet: Jordan 2012, also known as the “roving race...” (Continue reading at http://www.4deserts.com/rtp4dtp.php?SID=2&SBID=PDETAIL&id=87)

The roving race in 2012 is RacingThePlanet: Jordan which will start on 13 May 2012.

The day's last competitors have reached the Stage 1 finish line at RacingThePlanet: Jordan. Korean Eun Hwa Lee completed the stage at 17:30:42 with fellow Koreans Jisung Yoo and Hee Kyoung Chun close behind at 17:31:08. Three competitors withdrew from the competition during the day: Lebanon's Alain Wehbi stopped at Checkpoint 2 in good spirits but with a recurring knee injury. Other withdrawals were James Pethigal of the United States and Germany's Inan Koesker. Commenting on the course, competitor Martin Moisen from Denmark said, "It was great, but tough. The first twenty kilometers was runnable; the last section from Checkpoint 2 to Checkpoint 3 was way too soft, but it was an amazing course." Fellow competitor Zenia Inselmann agreed. Responding to inquiries on his red nose, Canada's Darren Nichols reported that he had a "man cold." He further explained, "it's really just a regular cold... but men tend to whine."

Stage 1 saw an all Italian sweep with Sahara Race champion Paolo Barghini and Katia Figini both of Italy taking first place in RacingThePlanet: Jordan, the annual "roving race." Hong Kong-based Peter Lee took second and Rafael Fuchsgruber of Germany took third. Lucy Marriott of Hong Kong, Paul Skipworth of Scotland, Alasdair Morrison of Scotland, Karen Wei of Hong Kong, Margaret Krempff of Australia and Blain Davis of Canada all did well today. Alain Wehbi of Lebanon, James Pethigal of the US, and Inan Koesker of Germany all withdrew today. They are safely back at camp. Today's temperatures reached 28C and there was a breeze on many sections of the course. Competitors were treated to dozens of camels grazing along the course. Tomorrow's stage begins at 7 am. We apologize for any delay in updates but the BGAN satellites were processing uploads very slowly today. Results will be posted shortly.

Paolo Barghini of Italy has won Stage 1 of RacingThePlanet: Jordan 2012. In the women’s division, Katia Figini of Italy won Stage 1, followed by Lucy Marriott of Hong Kong in second place. At 11:45 am, already 61 competitors had passed through the checkpoint. There was an early withdrawal when #74 Inan Koesker of Germany withdrew shortly before CP1 with a muscle cramp. Inan is now resting back at camp. RacingThePlanet veteran David Smale said “I was in Jordan ten years ago, and I have always wanted to come back to see Wadi Rum in the light. As long as I make two stages, I will be happy.” Temperatures are around 32C with a strong wind.

Stage 2 is now complete with Emily Weller being the final competitor to cross the finish line -- Emily just made the cutoff time of 6 pm. Tomorrow's stage is expected to be 36.9 kilometers which will take competitors through a canyon, camel racing track and salt lake. Competitors can also expect more soft sand before heading toward Twaissah Village. Stage 3 will start at 7 am. Full results, photos, videos and a stage update will be posted shortly.

At 12:06 at CP3, 73 competitors are now through the checkpoint with many already at camp. The upset of the day happened between CP3 and CP4 when Lucy Marriott of Hong Kong passed women’s leader Katia Figini of Italy to take Stage 2. The last five competitors to pass through CP3 included John Williamson of South Africa, Giles Scott of the UK, Andrew Perkins of Australia, Glen Browne of New Zealand and Martin Moisen of Denmark. John Williamson said “It’s much easier following footsteps in the sand in front of you.” The temperatures are reaching 30C and the sun is overhead.

Eighty-six competitors have now passed through Checkpoint 2 on Stage 2 of RacingThePlanet: Jordan 2012. Charla Heimer of the United States passed through at 10:15:39 saying, “I compare ultrarunning to giving birth – when you’re there you say you’ll never do it again, and then you sign up for another. I guess you could say it’s worth all the pain.” Japan’s Terumasa Mori later arrived into the checkpoint in 67th position at 10:19:18 and shared a similar sentiment: “Seriously, I love the course but I hate the sand.” When we reminded him that he was, in fact, a 4 Deserts Club member with multiple desert runs under his belt, he responded, “Yeah, I thought I had retired, but now I’m here.” John Williamson of South Africa then joked, ”I may be giving up surfing to stay away from all the sand.” Checkpoint 1 is now closed and the morning clouds have lifted to bring out a rapidly warming day.

Paolo Barghini and Katia Figini both of Italy lead Stage 2 after 20 kilometers. Jude Ryan a resident of Hong Kong said "I know I say this every time, but seriously I think this is the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen." Already, three more have withdrawn including Brian Jones of Canada, Manabu Yamaoshi of Japan and William Wood, a resident of Bermuda. Two tourists wandered into the camp, both long-time residents of Perth, Australia. They said "How cool is this!"

Competitors set out at 7 am this morning for Stage 2, a 35.6 kilometer run through Wadi Rum. The sky is overcast but otherwise temperatures are expected to be around 30C. Four competitors withdrew yesterday. Competitors were in good spirits but found Stage 1 tough, mostly because they were tired from long flights. Former Olympic wrestler Gabriel Szerda of Australia, who also competed in RacingThePlanet: Australia 2010, came in fifth yesterday. He said he competes to raise money for charity and raised nearly US$150,000 through his last RacingThePlanet event. We'll be sending breaking news updates throughout the day.

All RacingThePlanet: Jordan 2012 competitors have reached the Stage 3 finish line located at Sunset Paradise Camp. The final three competitors to cross the line were the United Kingdom's Colin Lyall and South Korea's Eun Hwa Lee and Junhyeok Yang together at 6pm. Two competitors withdrew from the event today: Usama Malik of the United States due to a pre-existing ITB injury and Emily Weller of the United Kingdom due to blisters. Christopher Lewis is relaxing at what he calls a "beautiful camp" while other competitors type emails in the Cybertent and gather around the campfire for dinner and relaxation. Stage 4 will begin promptly at 7am tomorrow morning.

105 competitors have now arrived to Camp 3, called Sunset Paradise. The most recent to arrive was David Smale of the United Kingdom at 14:59:20. Australia's Margaret Krempff, who finished the day at 14:18:18 said, "I am absolutely loving it. The course is breathtaking, especially seeing the Bedouin encampments. I am also getting used to the sand." During today's stage, competitors exit the Wadi Rum Desert and enter the Kharaza Desert of Jordan. Checkpoint 3 is now closed, so all competitors still on the course are now headed to camp.

Paolo Barghini of Italy took Stage 3, his third consecutive stage. Germany's Rafael Fuchsgruber and Hong Kong's Peter Lee came in just one minute behind in 3:46. Italy's Katia Figini held off another challenge from Lucy Marriott of Hong Kong to finish in 4:29. Natalia Sierant of Poland came in third in the women's division. Today's stage took competitors through winding rock mountains, a camel racetrack and a salt lake before ending with a 10 kilometer slog through soft sand to the campsite. Two brothers, Jim Heaslop and Rob Heaslop, both of Australia, ran apart all day but reconnected 300 meters from the finish line deciding to finish Stage 3 together. CP1 saw a large gathering of Hong Kong residents with many running in a cluster through the desert including Brenda and Martyn Sawyer, Cynthia Lao, Karen Wei, David Ogilvie, Nicola Ogilvie and Irene Chu. There have been no withdrawals today with most competitors now through the second checkpoint.

135 competitors set off just minutes ago on Stage 3 which is 36.9 kilometers. Competitors will race through more sand in between deep canyon walls before hitting a camel racing track and salt lake. Competitors will exit the Wadi Rum desert and enter Twaissah Village and the Kharaza desert.

A three-hour sandstorm, which turned camp dark with strong winds of sand from the nearby Wadi Ahaimer Canyon, has now passed. Camp has gone quiet as the winds have receded and competitors have retreated to their Bedouin tents. Preparations for the 89.4-kilometer long stage, called The Long March on the Turkish Road, started early this afternoon. Competitors prepared their backpacks and discussed strategy for the stage, which begins at 7am tomorrow. Both the men's and women's competition are close, with Itaians Paolo Barghini and Katia Figini fighting to hold onto their leads in the overall men's and women's categories, respectively. Results through Stage 4 are now posted online.

131 competitors completed Stage 4 at Wadi Ahaimer Camp at the top of Wadi Ahaimer Canyon. It was a tough day for most as the heat picked up and the landscape offered little to provide shade along the way. Particularly gruelling was a long sandy hill to Checkpoint 2. The campsite is now experiencing a sandstorm which has halted satellite communications from camp. Final results for the stage will be posted as soon as possible.

Paolo Barghini of Italy captured his fourth consecutive stage today. Peter Lee of Hong Kong and Rafael Fuchsgruber were just minutes behind the leader in second and third place, respectively. In the women's division there was a tie between Lucy Marriott of Hong Kong and Katia Figini of Italy finishing in 4:36:32. Just 29 competitors are still on Stage 4. There were two withdrawals today: Gary Cambridge and Darren Nichols, both of Canada -- they are resting back at camp. Paolo Barghini said 'Thank you to RacingThePlanet for inspiring me to give up my life as a medical doctor to pursue my passion.' Belinda Holdswoth said 'It was a fantastic, beautiful day, but I just saw the canyon we will traverse and it looks too much like the Fish River Canyon in Namibia!!!'

Paolo Barghini has again crossed the finish line in first place. He finished Stage 4 at 11:01, followed by Peter Lee at 11:03, Rafael Fuchsgruber at 11:04, and Gabriel Szerda at 11:19. All looked strong and were in good spirits. Peter joked that it was like a run in the park. "The Campsites are really scenic here, amazing backdrops." In Gabriel's opinion, today was not too tough. Meanwhile, Checkpoint 2 is waiting for two final competitors to arrive. The day is hot and competitors have struggled up the soft sand hills leading to the checkpoint. Cynthia Lao of the United States was the most recent to arrive saying, "That was quite a hill!". Marco Vola of Italy laughed and said, "I'm without energy. I'm old. Old and tired." Japanese competitor Hiroaki Ozuru didn't seem bothered, saying "I'm looking good!". Two competitors have withdrawn at Checkpoint 2: Gary Cambridge and Darren Nichols, both of Canada.

Stage 4 got underway at 7 am today. There was a surprise entrant into the field: a Bedouin driver, Mousa Amllal, will run a stage with the competitors. There are 133 starters today. Stage 4 is 39.3 kilometers and takes competitors across more sand and rolling hills to finish just above the Wadi Ahaimer Canyon. Cynthia Lao of the US said "I am ready, but not looking forward to the heat." Gordon Oldham of Hong Kong just smiled and said "Great." Many competitors were limping around the campsite but excited to have made it to Stage 4.

Camp 6 "Bedouin Campsite" was all smiles today as the last competitors crossed the finish line just before 2pm. The camp drum was beating and tents cleared out as competitors came to the line to cheer on the final arrivals. Incredibly, there were no withdrawals on The Long March, the longest stage of the event at 87.6 kilometers, which included long stretches of hills and difficult terrain. Cynthia Lao of the United States said, "I'm glad it's over." Sandy Kondo of Japan, who was the final competitor to cross the line in 30 hours and 49 minutes said, "Even though it was very difficult, it was very enjoyable. (Women's leader) Katia Figini is in my same tent, so it is like heads and tails... I really appreciate everyone's support. The sweepers were so patient and the Bedouins with the camels cheered for me and sang to me the whole way."

At 9:41 am, 117 competitors have now arrived at camp. Brenda and Martyn Sawyer arrived holding hands with Alasdair Morrison. Brenda was teary eyed as she crossed the finish line. The last few competitors to arrived included Natasha Fanshawe of the United Kingdom, David Ogilvie of the United Kingdom, Nicola Ogilvie of the United Kingdom, Morten Hellberg of Denmark and Carlos Dias of Brazil. Competitors faced fierce winds throughout the night along with steep ascents. All competitors are expected to complete Stage 5.

At 5:54 am, 102 competitors have now arrived at Camp 6 which is perched high on a cliff overlooking Petra which will be the final checkpoint tomorrow. The last 10 competitors to arrive were Maria Greco of Italy, Renzo Moltraisio of Italy, David Smale of the United Kingdom, Chris Hancock of the United Kingdom, Fabrio Morio of Italy, Lorenzo Doris of Italy, Gordon Oldham of the United Kingdom, Violette Muryn of Poland, Simone Bishop of South Africa and Natalia Watkins of the United Kingdom. Competitors have arrived full of dust and in a state of exhaustion but exhilarated with the knowledge that they have conquered the race. David Smale of the United Kingdom said as he crossed the finish line: 'It was a stage full of highs and lows -- I was almost in tears, but I am so happy now.' No competitors have withdrawn yet on Stage 5, an 87 kilometer stage. Full results, pictures and videos will be posted over the coming hours.

At 11:30pm, 47 competitors are now to Camp 6, having completed the 87 kilometer stage. The last 10 to arrive included: Paul Fotheringham of the United Kingdom, Cameron Lawes of the United Kingdom, Sophie Collett of the United Kingdom, Blain Davis of Canada, Christine Horner of Canada, Marco Vola of Italy, Terumasa Mori of Japan, Rob Heaslop of Australia, Martin Moisen of Denmark and Meg Heaslop of Australia. Gabriel Sverda of Australia and Hamish Travers of New Zealand both arrived at Camp 6 in the top ten. They remarked that the stage took everything out of them; they had nothing left. There have been no withdrawals today and almost all competitors are now at CP6. The sky is now pitch black with only the stars and green glowsticks for the competitors to follow as they make their way to camp.

Germany's Rafael Fuchsgruber pulled ahead to win The Long Stage of RacingThePlanet: Jordan in 11 hours and 9 minutes, just one minute ahead of overall leader Paolo Barghini of Italy. The United Kingdom's Peter Lee and Australian Gabiel Szerda finished the stage in mutual third position in 11 hours and 18 minutes. Katia Figini of Italy won the women's division in 11 hours and 38 minutes. The sun has just set beyond the mountains of Israel, which can be viewed from large sections of the course. Dusk brings relief to competitors that have spent the full day in the sun.

The leaders have now passed Checkpoint 7 on The Long March. Paolo Barghini, whose birthday is today, lead the course coming into the checkpoint at 15:11:46. Earlier in the day, volunteers at CP5 sang Happy Birthday to him. Hearing the congratulationsa he said, "I'd rather be at home with my son today." Ryan Dipede of Canada commented that the leg from CP4 to CP5 was the hardest he has ever done. Many competitors are enjoying the 700m climb to the checkpoint. Natalia Sierant of Poland said she really enjoyed the climb on the Turkish road and liked the change in terrain. Jude Ryan and Gabriel Szerda, currently running together in third position, said they thought the scenery of today's stage was amazing. Germany's Rafael Fuchsgruber is currently in second position, while the United Kingdom's Peter Lee is in fifth position. Katia Figini is leading the women's race.

Stage 5, The Long March, began this morning at 7 am. Competitors will run through a 20 kilometer gorge as they make their way to Petra. The gorge contains narrow canyon walls. According to the local Bedouin, no one has run through the gorge before -- another RacingThePlanet first! The total distance is 86.7 kilometers. After CP1, Paolo Barghini of Italy leads the field. Stay tuned for more breaking news throughout the day and night.

All competitors have reached the Stage 6 finish line in front of The Treasury in ancient Petra. Cynthia Lao was the last to cross the finish to loud cheers and applause. It's a celebratory atmosphere. Marco Vola of Italy said, "This is one the best races I've ever done, one of the most difficult and unforgettable. I'm ready to do it all over again." Japanese Terumasa Mori said, "I'm glad I did it. Now I'm retiring for a year and I'll come back for Iceland." About the finish, Emily Weller said "I was in tears. It was the most amazing walking." Special recognition goes to Colin Lyall of the United Kingdom who finished his first event of three attempts with RacingThePlanet. Of finishing, Colin said, "I can't think of words to describe it. It's probably the most gruelling, challenging, difficult and rewarding thing I've ever done. And the pain is very quickly forgotten."

Competitors have started the final stage of RacingThePlanet: Jordan at 6:20 this morning. Today's "victory lap" is 5.6 kilometers and includes a final section through The Siq with the finish in front of the famed Treasury in the ancient city of Petra. The United Kingdom's Natalia Watkins said, "It's a beautiful morning for a run, and I'm so excited to see Petra." The clear skies and cool morning are perfect conditions for the final stage. Many friends and family members await the competitors at the finish line.