ATACAMA CROSSING (CHILE)
250km / 155 mile, 6-Stage Ultramarathon

30 March - 5 April 2025

DAYS TO GO

Race Coverage

RACE Coverage

Atacama Crossing Home

Avinash PATIL, M.D.

Medical Director / Emergency Physician

United States

Julie WIDDISON, M.D.

Emergency Physician

United States

Jeremy BRUDEVOLD, M.D.

Emergency Medicine Physician

United States

Sara KRZYZANIAK, M.D.

Emergency Physician

United States

Allison FRIEDENBERG, M.D.

Pulmonary and critical care physician

United States

Avinash PATIL, M.D.

Medical Director / Emergency Physician

United States

Dr. Avinash Patil is the Medical Director for the Atacama Crossing 2025. He is an emergency medicine doctor at Stanford Medical Center in California who joins a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts medical team for the 20th time!

A graduate of the University of California Davis, Dr. Avi completed his residency at Washington University and undertook a fellowship at Loma Linda University in California. He currently practices at Santa Clara Medical Centre and Stanford Hospital. On more than one occasion Dr. Avi has received awards for his works in emergency medicine at Stanford University.

Dr. Avi has practiced medicine in India, the Solomon Islands, Honduras, Kenya, China and Ecuador. With more stamps in his passport than a travel writer and a side job as a whitewater raft guide, he sometimes seems more adrenalin junkie nomad than MD. But there is a serious side to this adventure seeker - he loves to share his passion of the outdoors.

He has previously worked on the medical at team, usually as the medical director at 19 races since 2010: Gobi March (China) 2010, 2015 and 2017, Gobi March (Mongolia) 2018, Sahara Race (Egypt) 2010, Sahara Race (Namibia) 2016, Atacama Crossing (Chile) 2010, 2012 and 2014, The Last Desert (Antarctica) 2012 and RacingThePlanet: Nepal 2011, Jordan 2012, Iceland 2013, Madagascar 2014, Ecuador 2015, Patagonia 2017, New Zealand 2019, Georgia 2021 and Lapland 2022.

Julie WIDDISON, M.D.

Emergency Physician

United States

Dr. Julie Widdison lives in Salt Lake City, Utah where she works for the University of Utah practicing emergency medicine. She attended medical school at the University of Utah and completed a residency in emergency medicine at Stanford University. The Atacama Crossing is Dr. Julie’s 13th race working on the medical team. She was previously on the medical team at the Atacama Crossing (2014, medical director-2018), Gobi March China (2015, medical director-2017), Gobi Race Mongolia 2018, Sahara Race Namibia (2016, medical director-2019), and roving races in Patagonia 2017, New Zealand 2019, Georgia 2021, the Last Desert (Antarctica) 2022 and the RacingThePlanet: The 20-Year Race (Jordan) 2024. Her husband Adam decided to join the medical team after completing the Sahara Race (Namibia) as a competitor in 2016 and will be racing for this second time at the Atacama Crossing.

Besides trying to keep up with her husband on the trails around the Wasatch Mountains, Dr. Julie enjoys skiing, mountain biking, road trips, and hanging out with their dogs Arlo and Louie.

Jeremy BRUDEVOLD, M.D.

Emergency Medicine Physician

United States

Dr. Jeremy Brudevold is an emergency medicine physician from North Dakota in the United States. He graduated from medical school at Kansas City University of Medicine, followed by an emergency medicine residency at the University of Kansas. While at KU he became a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine allowing him to combine his passion for medicine and the outdoors. Before studying medicine, Dr. Jeremy completed two degrees in Human Performance and Fitness (B.S.) as well as Psychology (B.S.) at North Dakota State University where he also played on the men's basketball team. His love of medicine and adventure has taken him around the world providing medical care at numerous events including cyclocross, surfing, Ironman triathlons (including Kona World Championships), mixed martial arts, marathons (including Boston), downhill skiing, snowboarding, boxing, cycling and rock climbing - he has also worked on the ski slopes in Jackson Hole WY and Big Sky MT. Outside of medicine, Dr. Jeremy is a pilot and operates a 600 acre farm with his wife and two children. The Atacama Crossing 2025 is Dr. Jeremy's second time at a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon having completed RacingThePlanet: Lapland 2022 as a competitor. He believes in providing medical care anywhere, anytime, every time.

Sara KRZYZANIAK, M.D.

Emergency Physician

United States

Dr. Sara Krzyzaniak is an emergency medicine physician at Stanford University Hospital with experience in ultra racing as both a racer (Westline Winder 50K, 2022) and medical support (High Lonesome 100mi 2021, 2022) and remote medical care.

She completed adouble major BA in Psychology & German Studies with a minor in Biology from Saint Louis University, and then her medicine degree at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine and her Emergency Medicine Residency at Denver Health.

The Atacama Crossing 2025 is her second time on a RacingThePlanet medical team have been a member of the great team at The 20-Year Race (Jordan) 2024.

Allison FRIEDENBERG, M.D.

Pulmonary and critical care physician

United States

Dr. Allison Friedenberg, M.D. is pulmonary and critical care physician at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in San Francisco but is originally from the mid-west. She graduated from medical school at the University of Wisconsin and completed her residency and Brown Fellowship in pulmonary and critical care at New York University. Dr. Allison is passionate about travel and outdoor exploration and has travelled extensively to many remote areas in the world including backpacking on the Isla de Navarino (the southern most trail in the world). She has been to 62 of the 63 National Parks in the United States and is always planning the next trip to the world's most beautiful places, preferably by hiking, backpacking, or biking as a means to explore. The Atacama Crossing 2025 is her first time on the medical team at a RacingThePlanet / 4 Deserts Ultramarathon.

ATACAMA CROSSING (CHILE)
250km / 155 mile, 6-Stage Ultramarathon

DAYS TO GO

Race Coverage

RACE Coverage

Avinash PATIL, M.D.

Medical Director / Emergency Physician

Julie WIDDISON, M.D.

Emergency Physician

Jeremy BRUDEVOLD, M.D.

Emergency Medicine Physician

Sara KRZYZANIAK, M.D.

Emergency Physician

Allison FRIEDENBERG, M.D.

Pulmonary and critical care physician

Avinash PATIL, M.D.

Medical Director / Emergency Physician

Julie WIDDISON, M.D.

Emergency Physician

Jeremy BRUDEVOLD, M.D.

Emergency Medicine Physician

Sara KRZYZANIAK, M.D.

Emergency Physician

Allison FRIEDENBERG, M.D.

Pulmonary and critical care physician

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ATACAMA CROSSING (CHILE) 250km / 155 mile, 6-Stage Ultramarathon

DAYS TO GO

Race Coverage

RACE Coverage

Avinash PATIL, M.D.

Medical Director / Emergency Physician

Julie WIDDISON, M.D.

Emergency Physician

Jeremy BRUDEVOLD, M.D.

Emergency Medicine Physician

Sara KRZYZANIAK, M.D.

Emergency Physician

Allison FRIEDENBERG, M.D.

Pulmonary and critical care physician

Avinash PATIL, M.D.

Medical Director / Emergency Physician

Julie WIDDISON, M.D.

Emergency Physician

Jeremy BRUDEVOLD, M.D.

Emergency Medicine Physician

Sara KRZYZANIAK, M.D.

Emergency Physician

Allison FRIEDENBERG, M.D.

Pulmonary and critical care physician

ATACAMA CROSSING (CHILE)
250km / 155 mile, 6-Stage Ultramarathon