Mini Dakar Rally Event in April

[reads90]

Ok sat reading the weekend Courier Mial here in Brisbane . I see that they are doing a mini Dakar in Europe . It will be held in April between 20-26. Most of it will be held across 3000k's across Hungary and Romania.

Entry is free to those that entered last months cancel rally . BMW, Mitsubishi, VW, Schlesser and KTM have all expressed interest in competing.

This was going to be part of a Dakar series which was due to start in 2009 but was brought forward after canceling this years event.

They (as the Ausie paper always do ) are going on about Aussie people and , They are going on about Mark Eland who was born in Brisbane and is was doing the dakar in a Desert Warrior ,which they have a rather nice pick of in the paper

Then they go on about the change to south america but we already know that And sorry if you already knew about this event

And fact of the day

Mitsubishi is the most successful with 12 winnings, followed by Citroen and Peugeot on Four, Porsche, Range Rover (well Land Rover really ) and Schlesser on two and one each for VW , Mercedes and Renault

[streaky]

Just wait a few days and all will be reveiled. I returned from the Saudi Event last night and we had quite a few talks with the FIA officials there about the same subject.

We also heard that the new 'Dakar' endurance event will be held throughout South America. Thats not confirmed yet though.

[reads90]

Just wait a few days and all will be reveiled. I returned from the Saudi Event last night and we had quite a few talks with the FIA officials there about the same subject.

We also heard that the new 'Dakar' endurance event will be held throughout South America. Thats not confirmed yet though.

Well according to this paper it is all offical that is in south america with priority going to people who were in the 2008 event (or at least signed up for the 2008 event)

Also said that the event was "Visiting" south America and not quiting Africa Qutoe from the rally director Etienne Lavigne

The have not confiemed what it will be called next year but will be 6000k and 9000 k of speical stages, including the Atacama Desert

They are talking about the main counties being Argentina and Chile

Ok this is taken from the paper webb site

"GOODBYE Sahara, hello Atacama. The Dakar Rally's first-ever move from north Africa to South America has been confirmed.

Etienne Lavigne, director of the world's premier rally, said the 2009 Dakar will be run from January 3-18 in Argentina and Chile.

Although the exact route was still being worked out, it will start and finish in Buenos Aires, traverse 9,000km with actual racing over nearly 6,000km, with one rest day in Valparaiso, Chile.

"The adventure of discovering new territory will make the competition even more exciting," Lavigne promised at a news conference with Patrice Clerc of the Amaury Sport Organisation that runs the rally.

"The Atacama desert, Patagonia and the Andes" will provide daunting obstacles, he said.

"There will also be sand as that's something typical of the Dakar Rally. In Argentina and Chile we are certain to find all the ingredients that make up the Dakar."

Last month's rally was cancelled for the first time in its 30-year history because of a threat of a terrorist attack.

Eight of the 15 stages were to have been in Mauritania, where al-Qaida-linked militants killed a family of French tourists on December 24.

The French government warned about safety and Dakar organisers canceled it 24 hours before it was to start.

South America quickly offered to become an alternative host, promising better security, with built-in experience from running its own rallies.

Lavigne stressed the race will return to Africa when it can.

More than 50 countries will be represented by the cars, trucks and motorcycles taking part and many of the vehicles will be sent by ship from Europe, Clerc said.

About 500 competitors signed up for the 2008 race and Lavigne said he expects that many again next year, promising everything would be done to ensure that teams hit by this year's cancellation are able to race in 2009.

Argentina President Cristina Fernandez said after meeting the organisers she was proud her country would play host.

"This is an event of great international prestige," she said.

Excitement also built in Chile.

Gonzalo Pena, acting mayor of Copiapo near the Atacama desert, said he hoped the route runs close to his city even if organisational challenges would tax his municipality.

"If they do run it here, that will be very good for our region," he said.

Showcasing the Atacama, the world's driest desert, would give his region a huge tourism boost, he added.

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