DerekJ Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Bad news but understandable given the situation.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/world_rally/7171426.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Correct decision by the organisers, I reckon."The Dakar is a symbol and nothing can destroy symbols. The cancellation of the 2008 edition does not endanger the future of the Dakar." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I remember going to watch the first editions roll onto the ferry at Sète. It was an amateur "adventure" in those days. You bought a 500 Yam, fitted motocross tyres and a big plastic tank and off you went. I think it was the 2nd or 3rd year I saw a Rolls on the quai side with a hole cut in the bonnet to allow the exhaust system out to follow the edge of the windscreen and over the top of the roof. I always wanted to do it in a Renault 4 F6 with a 2 litre engine fitted. Got a few people interested in chasing sponsors and a guy willing to navigate for me but I still lived in England in those days and nothing came of it.After a few years the big manufacturers caught on and it became a race between who could spend the most money on developing a 450bhp special and I lost interest in it.It's also taken it's toll in innocent bystander's lives and probably won't be missed by the ordinary people strung along it's route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 So, a sporting event starting in Europe and ending in Daker cannot now cross an independent African country because of the fear of what? Rebels, protesters or Islamic nutters. Whichever, it is a victory for anarchy and extremism and diminishes us all a little. Imagine how shocked we would all be is the Belgians did the same? [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 [quote user="woolybanana"]So, a sporting event starting in Europe and ending in Daker cannot now cross an independent African country because of the fear of what? Rebels, protesters or Islamic nutters. Whichever, it is a victory for anarchy and extremism and diminishes us all a little. Imagine how shocked we would all be is the Belgians did the same? [6][/quote]Read this and the original link Wooly and it makes sense to cancel. The threats have been made and it's impossible to protect all the competitors. It's the right decision in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Yes it probably had to be cancelled for the sake of the people involved but it means the nutters have won. Next year what will happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 [quote user="woolybanana"]Yes it probably had to be cancelled for the sake of the people involved but it means the nutters have won. Next year what will happen?[/quote]Who knows, I've expressed the way I'd deal with these people on here before but some PC-P sneakily complained and it was removed, so I'll have to keep schtum........................[:@] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 [quote user="Bugbear"] ..... so I'll have to keep schtum........................[:@][/quote]One of your New Year's resolutions?(we live in hope.....[:P]) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 [quote user="Sunday Driver"][quote user="Bugbear"] ..... so I'll have to keep schtum........................[:@][/quote]One of your New Year's resolutions?(we live in hope.....[:P])[/quote]That hurts..................................[:(]and after all that praise I gave you, I'm going now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekJ Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 I feel particularly sorry for the small teams and one man bands who have entered. I don't know what the position is regarding their entry fees (which are very high) but I presume they'll get them back. What they won't get back is all the other costs though, vehicle/bike purchase/build preparation, spares, flights, shipping etc etc.I spoke with Nick Plumb last year and I seem to remember saying that his cost (for a bike entry) was in the region of £50k.Still, at the end of the day I think the organisers were between a rock and a hard place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesFlamands Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 I think there is the possibility that this will be the end of the Dakar. I don't know what the situation is with regard to return of entry fees or insurance pay outs for loss of revenue in the event of the rally being cancelled but the big companies (Mitsubishi, Nissan, BMW etc.) who have spent millions just getting to Lisbon are unlikely to commit to doing the same next year unless ASO can guarantee that the rally will run. I'm sure that this year's disaster will cost ASO a lot of money even if they are insured for this eventuality, so they need every entry they can get next year to cover set up costs, massive security commitments and potential uninsurable losses (nobody will be able to get cancellation insurance next year so ASO will have to cover it)I'm sure it would have been possible to delay the start for 48 hours and try and arrange a limited rally - Lisbon-Marrakesh-Lisbon for example (probably finishiing a few days early) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Pity they did not have a route planned round the Libyan desert. Much more fun and only Touaregs there taking potshots for fun.Al Kieda must be larfing though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Le rallye Dakar 2009 se déroulera en Argentine et au Chili Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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