A Totally Different MTB Race March 01-04 2023 Timna Park, Southern Arava

 

SAMARATHON 2023

 

 

The Samarathon, celebrating its ninth edition in 2023, is a desert mountain bike race with an abundance of single-tracks. This is one of the most unique and beautiful stage races in the world, taking place in the desert - an extreme, arid and isolated environment – making it one of the most challenging for the rider's equipment, body and mind. The race takes place at the beginning of March, at the end of winter, amidst the blooming desert, when riding conditions are perfect and temperatures are ideal.

Riders world-wide enjoy perfect weather during Samarathon, savoring a rare balance between a relaxed desert atmosphere and tough riding upon ancient singles historically sketched out by camel convoys, and adapted for cyclists by some of the world's best trail planners.

The 2023 edition will take place on March 1-4, 2023 lasting three full cycling stages and passing through Eilot regional council in the southern Arava region. However, the duration of the event is 4 days and not 3, since the riders' village and its services will open to the general public as early as Wednesday 1.3.23 to allow for local and convenient accommodation for the early start in Keturah on Thursday morning.

 

● 1.3.23, Wednesday – opening of riders' village in Elifaz along with participation kit distribution stations opening to the general public starting at 2:00 p.m. Receiving rooms at the pre-booked accommodations (Neot Semadar, Yahel, Lotan, Keturah, Elifaz, Eilot) commencing at 3:00 p.m.

● 2.3.23, Thursday - Stage 1 Keturah circular - 84 km; 1,120 m cumulative climb; 55% singles.

● 3.3.23, Friday - Stage 2 Point to Point from Keturah to Elifaz - 79 km; 1,150 m cumulative climb; 45% singles.

● 4.3.23, Saturday - Stage 3 – Elifaz circular - 51 km; 750 m cumulative climb; 65% singles.

 

Important highlights and updates for the 2023 edition:

Differences between a full couples Samarathon and a single-day solo Samarathon

The Samarathon core is the full couples race including the three stages consecutively. This is the only race providing leading shirts for each category, ranking at the set-off point, cumulative ranking and trophies and winner title of Samarathon 2023 (general winners, in the general classification).

The single-day Samarathon races are 3 separate competitions, for single riders, not for couples, held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday upon the full Samarathon trk. Single-day participants are not required to have a partner. A winners' ceremony will be held daily according to different age categories, however, no cumulative ranking from day to day will take place. The single-day start race will take place from a separate box, approximately 15 minutes after the full Samarathon sets off. Single-day registration includes race participation only, and a light lunch at the end. A race shirt, accommodation and nutrition packages can be purchased separately. It is possible and even recommended to register and participate in the three single-day races consecutively, and in fact to solo-ride the entire 2023 Samarathon, however there will be no solo cumulative ranking, solo overall winners, etc. This is a recommended method of participation for cases such as employees who are unable to arrive mid-week and plan to participate during Friday and Saturday; or traditional Jews planning to participate on Thursday and Friday in order to make it home in time for Shabbat etc.

 

An independent prologue in the field

The first stage of Samarathon 2023 on Thursday morning is a full stage 84 km long, hence, the set-off is relatively early at 08:30 am. In order to avoid long waits at the set-off boxes for the purpose of assuring a good spot at the start line, we will simplify the set-off procedure and will allow participants to conduct an independent field prologue via STRAVA application.

These days we are working on and preparing a proficient prologue loop in the central region of Israel (Ben Shemen forest area - Canada Park). During January and February, the loop file will be released to the public at which time it will be available to ride and upload the result to the application. At the end of the prologue period we will divide the pairs of riders into three boxes according to their results. Riders who do not complete a prologue ride on the aforementioned date will be allocated to box C. Single-day riders are not required to complete the prologue ride as their set-off time is not classified.

Training program for amateur riders

A 3-month training program for enthusiasts who wish to successfully complete the full 2023 edition will be published via the website. The program was written by Andy Levy, a TEAM 443 coach and long-time Samarathon participant.

Pre-distribution of participants' kits will take place at selected "matzman-merutz" distribution points - the possibility to receive kits at the store closest to your place of residence and ahead of time, greatly simplifies the event's morning process. Instead of arriving very early, queuing in lines and adding pressure prior to set-off time - participant's numbers, timing chip, gifts, and bracelet will be allocated in advance. Recommended!

Riders' village this year is hosted by Kibbutz Elifaz

Some of our past participants are familiar with the supreme rural hospitality at Elifaz. Elifaz is the closest kibbutz to Timna Park and its excellent singles system. Similar to the 2021 Corona edition hosted by Kibbutz Yahel, again, the entire Kibbutz along with its members agreed to host the Samarathon – meals taking place in the dining room, a covered and lighted campsite including multiple toilets and showers, an available shop service, swimming pool, dedicated ceremony stage on the main lawn and more. Expect the most beautiful and pampering riders' village in the history of the Samarathon.

Unique and new competitive categories

The women's category will be split into women up to the age of 39 and women aged 40+, to ensure that riders of advanced ages will not have to race pedals with energetic young women such as Naama Noyman, the national champion in Olympic cross country or Lianne Witkin, the national champion in the mountain bike marathon.

Important! A category including a separate leading shirt, daily trophies, cumulative ranking trophies, etc. will be opened at a minimum of 4 pairs in each category. Why 4? Because this is the minimum number needed to generate competitiveness in the category. Otherwise, every rider knows in advance that he/she will have a place on the podium, even if he/she barely moved on the track... If we do not reach the required minimum, the category will be united with the closest one to it age-wise.

Male category aged 50+ will be split into two categories: Grand Masters aged 50-59, and Super Grand Masters for male couples aged 60+.

And last but not least: mixed couples will also be split in categories - mixed up to the age of 39 and mixed aged 40 and over!

 

20 new kilometers of fine desert singles, uncompromisingly construction by Samar Desert Adventure will be introduced, which even Samarathon veterans have not yet ridden.

Again, this year, the Eilot Regional Council, along with significant financial assistance from KKL-JNF, paved 3 new single-track sections, totaling over 20 km. Those familiar with the Southern Arava region cycling trails, or those who participated in the past editions of the Samarathon, have witnessed the evolution and continuous long-term investment in this southern trail system. The budgets, construction and 5-year plan, are slowly connecting all the settlements of the region in a dense network of regional riding gems. What is the vision? Turning the Southern Arava into a world known vast and unique cycling park similar to Moab in Utah, United States in just a few years.

Plenty of regional accommodation options with a wide range of prices are available - from BYO camping tent in the spacious and well-invested campsite in the Riders' Village in Elifaz, through upgraded "Moringa" tents and caravans/trailers in Timna Park, four-bedrooms in the surrounding Southern Arava settlements to the most luxurious double rooms (in Eilot, Elifaz, Keturah, Lotan, Yahel, Neot Semadar and Timna Park).

 

The Samarathon is a unique mountain bike marathon race taking place entirely in the Southern Arava region and is based on some of the best trail infrastructures in the world. 55% of the riding trails in the competition are unique desert single-tracks, carefully designed and built with great thought and investment, some based on ancient routes of camel convoys that traded along the perfume route for hundreds of years, and some dedicated creations for off-road riders.

The Samarathon routes take the participant through glorious pieces of landscape and some of the most beautiful and unique geological icons in the world. Prominent international competitors and cycling journalists from the most respected magazines and websites in the world defined the single-tracks in the Eilot Council and Timna Park regions, where the Samarathon takes place, as some of the most beautiful in the world, and the southern Arava region as a top ten riding destination.

 

The core of the Samarathon event is the "Ride". Everything else is an outlining décor. Although colorful, beautiful, accentuating, rustling, and pampering – still, just décor. The heart from which we start planning and building the next edition is a jaw-dropping ride that will amaze you, and blow your mind, technically, scenically and physically. The daily loop must be non-trivial, such that you will want to return and ride it again on your own or with your riding gang. For the past four years, we have been revealing new and glorious cycling sections at every Samarathon, alongside riding existing and well-known icons throughout the country and the world, such as the two singles of Timna Park, the Mount Berekh single (part of the Israel Bicycle Trail) and more. The average percentage of singles in the Samarathon - 55% in the 2023 Samarathon - is the highest in the marathon competitions in Israel, and among the highest in the world.

Stages are medium in length yet hard and tough. 215 km over 3 days is just a bit over 70 km per day. Doesn't sound like much, does it? But in the desert, not everything is measured in numbers. Rough roads, strong winds, lack of shade and inability to hide from the sun, rain or wind. Everything is exposed, the stones and rocks are sharp and hard. That is why it is customary to say that a kilometer in the desert is longer than a kilometer anywhere else... The higher percentage of singles also dictates a lower average pace compared to a fast ride on dirt roads. Therefore, we made sure to plan stages at medium distances, leaving participants with maximum and ideal recovery time, more time to enjoy activities in the riders' village, and remember that this is also a desert cycling vacation with your close friends, and not just a "race".

Mountain bikes, singe-tracks and beer... It was not us who invented the bond between completing a hard ride and sipping a cold beer on a hot day, but we certainly delved deeper into the concept and specialized in it. In our riders' village, you will find comfortable and shaded resting areas, several types of Israeli crafted beer on tap, a first glass OTH and if you crave for more, you will enjoy very fair prices. We have yoga, stretching and gaga instructors conducting daily workshops in the heart of the desert. And of course, we will keep up the Samarathon tradition with a live performance on Friday evening immediately after dinner.

Ride Hard, Live Harder - the event motto written on the participants shirts - distills the unique spirit of the Samarathon and is actually the DNA essence of the event. On the one hand, one of the most professional and harsh mountain bike races in the world, on the other hand, at the end of each stage, you will experience a change in your state of mind and connect to the liberating and wonderful desert vibe of the Arava and Timna Park. Resting, stretching, yoga, good food, cold beer (starting at twenty past four), live performance, lounge areas, massage complex and more.

So, let's go desert and single-track lovers,

 

See you at the set-off line on March 2, 2023!

Sign up

 

Find a teammate

Train hard 
Enjoy some beers 

And we will see you at the starting line on March 02 2023!