Will 2010 be the last year for the Dakar in South America? Organisers have hinted the race to go back to Africa in 2012... but where in Africa? North, West, East, or South? Or will the success of the Silk Way dictate otherwise? And what about 2011? East Europe or in the United Arab Emirates? or will we continue to explore South America and include Brasil, Bolivia etc http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090224/SPORT/789642184/1040/NONE Who is next?...and perhaps a more challenging question is: What will be the determining criteria??? History The original 5x5 concept by Jean-Claude Bertrand, the creator of cross country rallies back in 76-77 called for 5 continents: Africa, America, Europe, Asia, and ... Australia. Born from the legendary Bandama rally in the Ivory Coast (West Africa) where in one year no paticipants were able to cross the finish line, the rally, Cote d'Ivoire-Cote d'Azur or, Abidjan-Nice, or also named "Cote-Cote" begins on 25 December 1976. The race is 8,600 kms long and 38 motorbikes start the adventure that must last until the 11th of January. The first special, Abidjan-Niamey is 1,725 kms long and must be completed in a maximum time of 31 hours. But this is not the longest stage. Tamanrasset to Fez is 2,700 kms long. All of which without practically any assistance. Watch the video... Navigation is done with a manual compass! The dreams for Jean-Claude Bertrand was to create a 10,000 to 15,000 kms race where most of it was through compass navigation, this was "The Adventure". Thierry Sabine participated in 1977, got lost and nearly died. Thierry's life was saved by Jean-Claude who then offered him a job to help him map the route. Thierry began to understand and appreciate Africa. In 1978, while Jean-Claude ran out of steam trying to launch the American edition, Thierry created the Paris-Dakar Rally. Thierry lost his life in an Helicopter crash during the 1986 edition. The race continued to be organised by his father Gilbert with Patrick Verdoy and Rene Metge - (winner of the Dakar in 81, 84, 86 and now in charge of the Africa Race) until 1994, when he sold to the group Amaury Sport Organisation. Rene organised also the 1992 Rallye Raid Paris-Moscou-Pékin and the 2008 Transorientale Rally (Paris-Saint Petersbourg-Beijing). In 1994, Auriol (who started the Africa Race concept in 2008 after ASO cancelled the 2008 Edition) joined Dakar organizer ASO and became race director of the event he won for three times (81, 83, 88) and the first winner of both bike and car category. He headed the event until the 2004 edition, when he was replaced by Patrick Zaniroli. Patrick will work for twelve years at ASO until March 2005 to begin other projects. In August 2005, Patrick begins the TransAfricaine Classic, the first regularity rally from Paris to Dakar that begins in November 2006. A race for Amateurs where professional may participates(!) (e.g. the original Paris-Dakar Rally Concept). In 2009-2010, The Adventure finally moved to South America...but where to next?
The UAE is an interesting destination, but is it ONLY going to be in the UAE, or will it spread scross more of the Middle East (e.g. Saudi Arabia, Oman)?!?
i'm guessing it will remain in South America for the foreseeable future. It seems to work well down there and the countries it runs in like having it for the most part. But only time will tell.
A move to the Aussie outback would seem doable, stable politics, sand, suitable terrain, etc.......just a thought.
Would be interesting to see a debate on "how & why" ASO will decide on a location in '11 and '12 Racers choices Viewers choices Corporate sponsors Government contribution ???
ther is no way possible it would come to Australia ,as big as Australia is ,all land is either owned or governed by one body or another . it is impossible to get stage distances long enough to be worhty of calling the race 'Dakar ". the Australian Safari struggles to get any stages long enough to test anyones endurance out . they have to have 2 or 3 stages a day to get enough km's as competitive. the Dakar usually only has 1 stage a day ,300 -600 km . plus it would cost the Euro's a packet to get them and all their equipment here. they have no concern for other nationalities if they want to do the Dakar ,but i could'nt see them rushing to get to Australia.
totally agree the location is irrelevent, it is the event itself that embodies the "Dakar" rallye...........longest, hardest, biggest etc etc people that are hung up on north west africa are missing the point
Plus having off-piste stages is next to totally impossible due to both land access restrictions and the landscape itself, the vegetation even in the biggest deserts here has a lot more vegetation than north africa or south america deserts do. Its a lot like Argentina was on the first couple of days of the 2009 Dakar, thick scrub. Thats why the Safari is all on existing tracks and is all roadbook navigation with no GPS, the GPS is redundant.
hmmm...would be interesting to see what Neveu and Ickx say about that if ASO wants to play in their sand box!
No desert like "ATACAMA DESERT" We are glad to have a new Dakar-Atacama Rally here in Chile. Regards.
it would be great to have the Dakar extended into Peru too. all the coast is a desert. it is a sea of dunes. all are invited!!!! come
The Dakar in South America is beautiful, no doubt about that! And i hope to see more events there! Australia would be cool place too. But to me the Dakar's place is in Africa! Of course it's still an incredible race, but not the original, sort of. It's like moving the 24 hours of Le Mans to Magny-cours... It's cool they were able to continue the Dakar using another continent, but I do hope it will be able to go back to africa.
A bit like the Monaco F1 GP not in Monaco... I like that idea, "Dakar Series" anywhere in the world at competitive (local currency) prices to entice local riders in the type of events with long 1,000+kms stages, but the MOTHER EVENT "Dakar Rally" in Africa.
2011 starting in Dakar heading east then south to Cape Town with a finish at the southern tip of Africa will definitely get my vote, as opposed to replicating existing events such as Tunisia, Egypt or Patagonia Atacama.
To capetown? awesome, Oh yes Henno van Bergeijk is going to enter the 2011 Dakar on his '78 XT 500 again
