TEHRAN – A number of national and international runners will compete in the 3rd Iranian Silk Road Ultramarathon to be held across Iran’s UNESCO-registered Lut Desert, known as one of the hottest places on earth.

A total of 18 runners from Italy, Germany, South Africa, Japan, New Zealand and Iran are scheduled to attend the event which will be held from September 29 to October 7.

Seven years of satellite temperature data analyzed by NASA has shown that the Lut Desert is the hottest spot on Earth. Based on the research, it was hottest during 5 of the 7 years, and had the highest temperature overall: 70.7°C in 2005.

“Undoubtedly, holding such events makes the region more popular,” Mehr quoted Kerman province’s tourism chief Gholamreza Farrokhi as saying on Sunday.

“This tourism event will be commenced from Mahan Air’s campsite which is located in Malekabad village of Shahdad [District], and will pass through Shafiabad castle, valley of Dolphins, Gandom Beryan, Rudshour, Howz-e Nader caravanserai and will end in Zavar village; a course of 250 kilometers.”

Farrokhi went on to say that some 40 tour guides, off-road associates, and native people will be engaging the event.

According to organizers, the race is scheduled in two formats: the “Integral 250 km” that comprises 6 stages of 35/45 km per day with a long section of 70 km, and the “Lite 150 km” that is composed of 6 stages of 20/30 km per day with a long section of 40 km.

Athletes who run the Lite will have the advantage of being directly transported to the first checkpoint to run the daily stage. The two races, however, will share the same path, the same tented camps and will have the same time duration.

At the end of each stage the athletes will arrive at tented camp that will host them for the night. Athletes of 250 km will run from 8:30 am to 3pm approximately, from field to field.

The race will take place in total safety, with medical and nursing staff present at checkpoints about every 10 kilometers path and tented camps. At checkpoints will also feature an assistant who will take the split time of the runners.

The big and sprawling Kerman province has been a cultural melting pot since antiquity, blending Persians with subcontinental tribe dwellers. It is home to myriad historical sites and scenic landscapes such as Bazaar-e Sartasari, Jabalieh Dome, Ganjali Khan Bathhouse, Malek Jameh Mosque and Shahdad desert to name a few.

AFM/MQ/MG