Can't wait!

Can't wait!

Tuesday 8 January 2008

Well it’s all over or at least it is for now…




We are all absolutely gutted. After a HUGE amount of effort – particularly on the part of the French Team – we had managed to get an amazing pair of Buggies ready for the biggest adventure of our lives. Then with less than 24 hrs to go they tell us it’s all over.

What more is there to say?

What memories – very stressful, amazing dreams, some fear, above all else an enormous excitement and met some good people, but in the end enormous disappointment.

Here are just a few of the images that will help me remember what might have been.

Here is a link to all of our pictures should you feel the urge
http://picasaweb.google.com/Troelshen/TheDakarOurTripToLisbon

Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive throughout the last 4 months and thanks for all the messages received since the news broke.

What next ??????














Why was it cancelled

Facts
- 24th December – 4 French Tourists shot
- 26th December – 3 Mauritanian soldiers shot
- Thurs 3rd Jan - apparently (although can’t find official confirmation) 7 Mauritanian Soldiers shot as they were setting up a safe area for one of the Dakar Stop-overs
- al-Qa’eda threat to attack the Dakar race – somewhere – not only in Mauritania

With these ASO (the organising committee) felt they could not ensure the safety of the competitors and organisors.

Other Factors which I think may have influenced
- the top teams would have been expressing huge concern as it would be their drivers who were driving in the lead cars. How can they ensure they are protected – Don’t forget these are Rally World Champions like Carlos Sainz. Why should they be taking the risks, after all this is just a job for them.

- For the top teams as well as for everyone else we are taking hundreds of mechanics and helpers into potentially dangerous areas. How can we be responsible for putting these guys lives at risk.

Should it have gone ahead?
Could we just have done Portugal, Spain and then 2 laps of Morocco. Maybe. But apparently the al-Qa’eda threat was a blanket threat against the Dakar with no specification that the risk was confined to Mauritania.

BUT what really grates is that there was no Plan B, Plan C or Plan D. The fact is that hundreds of teams have invested millions of pounds and there has to be an alternative. From ASo's perspective that is not acceptable.

I think if you had asked the competitors then it would have gone ahead because:
1. we were all caught up in the excitement of the whole thing (probably not a great reason),
2. the nature of the people who take part in the Dakar is such that they would have taken the risks, and finally
3. we can’t let the terrorists win!

Glad I didn’t have to make the decision BUT allowing the terrorists to win is not the right answer!

Saturday 5 January 2008

From the Journal in Newcastle this morning 05.01.08!


Troels and Mark in the Danish - Motorsport Newspaper 02.01.08




GUTTED!!!

Coverage in the press re cancellation of the 2008 Dakar rally.


World news links 4 -5 th January 2008

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/01/04/dakar-rally.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080105/wl_africa_afp/automotorallydakar_080105144052;_ylt=AtQ_t9QFF_IUjmFKzmkwTXCXsdEF
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7172939.stm

Britains news links - 4 -5 th January 2008


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/01/04/umdaka104.xml
http://sport.independent.co.uk/motor_racing/article3310018.ece
http://www.guardian.co.uk/france/story/0,,2235742,00.html
http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Dakar-Rally-is-alQaeda-victim.3643433.jp
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/world_rally/7171426.stm

French news links 4 -5 th January 2008

http://www.france24.com/france24Public/en/news/africa.html
http://www.lequipe.fr/Formule1/breves2008/20080104_123109Dev.html
http://www.lequipe.fr/Formule1/breves2008/20080102_185437Dev.html
http://www.lequipe.fr/Formule1/breves2008/20080104_130933Dev.html
Danish news links re cancellation - there are many more.

http://sporten.tv2.dk/article.php/id-9902410.html?rss
http://www.bt.dk/article/20080104/sport08/801040356/
http://www.dr.dk/Sporten/Oevrig_sport/2008/01/04/115800.htm
http://www.berlingske.dk/article/20080104/sport/701040035/
http://jp.dk/sport/article1219762.ece
http://avisen.dk/dakar-rally-er-aflyst-grund-terror-040108.aspx
http://www.dr.dk/NETTV/Update/2008/01/04/20080104130503.htm

Discussions / forums re cancelations

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=480245&i=20
http://forums.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=24735&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=
http://www.airliners.net/discussions/non_aviation/print.main?id=1794388


Motor Links
http://www.raid-live.com/dakar/en/index.shtml
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/motorsport/dakar/


Great pictures from mitsubishi from 5th jan

http://www.mitsubishi-dakar.com/global/daily_update

Friday 4 January 2008

Dakar 2008 cancelled at last moment!!!

Just in case someone has not yet heard, the Dakar has been cancelled this year due to security fears in Mauritania. The teams are completely gutted after all of the hard work that has been put into the preparations, both mental, physical and fiscal!!! I am sure Troels will have more to say when he gets back, and I would also put money on there being a good party in Lisbon tonight...

Au revoir

Thursday 3 January 2008

It's all kicking off in Lisbon...




The Omega teams have had a great day in Lisbon with lots of testing being carried out on the cars and their occupants. All is going according to plan, including the 'getting out of the car via the opposite window in as few seconds as possible' test which apparently even Troels passed. Anyway, enough words, here are a couple of pics of the cars (and trucks) in pristine condition (for the moment) in Lisbon......




Live web chat with Troels and the team in Lisbon!!

The notification below is from Troels in Lisbon, where the car is 'in verification'. Troels has asked me (Graham) to keep this blog up-to-date for the next couple of weeks! I spoke to him earlier today (Thursday), and oh boy, is he looking forward to it....

'We are in lisbon and are doing a live website interview tonight at 18.30 uk time and maybe some other times too. We will be live on the internet for anyone who has registered on the team omega site http://www.sportpau.com/. Once registered you will then get access to an extra menu on which you'll see live web chat. Click on that and you will see us on live video and can ask any questions you like on a chat screen. Should be fun, ask as many questions as you like, the more the merrier.....'