LAST ROUTE: Yasuni ORELLANA - 5 DAYS LEFT!

Photos of Mario Burzio loan from the Yasuní ITT: Barizo mono payaso; colibrí Triquilidae; orquidea Huntleva lucida.

Photo: Patricio Terán, El Comercio: 

The 21x24 Challenge achieves its goal after two years.

This Saturday, September 8 we will mark the last 21 kilometers of a challenge that was born in 2010, with a Cause: to protect the Yasuní.

We were unable to open registrations for this route because the National Park admission is limited. 

22 runners will be present after following a process which includes: vaccinations, some documents, authorization from the Ministry of Environment and Repsol, and confirmation of their interest and ability to run the required distance.

The runners of the 21x24Challenge hope their efforts permeate the minds of hundreds of Ecuadorians. They will start to be concerned about oil exploitation into a unique and wonderful park, which is their property. This concern will spread like a virus and will awaken the conscience of public opinion towards Yasuní conservation.

The 21x24Challenge was born to change ignorance and indifference, towards knowledge and defense of this invaluable territory.

Have they succeeded?

The effort was worth it. Running 21 kilometers in every province of Ecuador has been risky, difficult, courageous, but also satisfactory, thanks to fellow runners in each place, its landscapes and trails suitable for athletic sport.

Fighting for a Cause like the conservation of a globally recognized ecological treasure, that guards the balance of life for future generations, is an important goal. This is just the beginning. There will be more challenges, more jogging, more lectures and activism efforts.

Resistance is a lot stronger now!

INFORMATION:

MEETING POINT: Yasuni Research Station, PUCE

TIME: 6:00 am

Race Start - TIME: 7:00 am: km 21 Maxxus road, Yasuni National Park

Arrival: Pompeya, Orellana

About the route:

1. Yasuní or "Holy Land", is a world biosphere reserve and has the highest biodiversity on the planet.

2. It is a tropical rainforest, a jungle of 982,000 hectares. It is located 250km southeast of Quito.

3. This last route of 21x24 Challenge is going to be run at the Maxxus road, within the Yasuní National Park.

4. The route is mostly flat. The km 21, where the challenge starts, is located in Kichwa territory. Runners are directed from there to Pompeya where the race ends.

5. Height: 300 to 500 meters. Temperature: 22 to 26 °C in the morning.

6. Climate zone: humid tropical forest

TRIPLE BORDER LINE, FULL OF CONFLICT

 Oil exploitation is among other problems in this conflicted area:  large-scale river transportation, mining, deforestation, species trafficking, overfishing, pollution by garbage, political conflicts, drug trafficking, colonization, rights of indigenous non being respected, countless complaints and deceptions towards and from the communities, lack of interest from state institutions...  and in the middle of this situation, innocent and confused people: Kichwa, Waorani, Tagaeri, Taromenanis, and hundreds of thousands of endangered species that support the global ecosystem.

SPONSORS:

Banco Solidario www.banco-solidario.com

Vivant www.azende.com

Alamo www.segurosalamo.com

Amazonia por la vida www.amazoniaporlavida.org

WE RUN FOR A CAUSE:

TO PROTECT LIFE IN THE YASUNI NATIONAL PARK

ONE OF THE LAST ECOLOGICAL RESERVES IN THE WORLD AND THE MOST BIODIVERSE