Few days before the end of the 1st preferential rates, registrations continue on arriving at the office of the SONANGOL AFRICA ECO RACE. Among them, two famous French TV presenters/producers have confirmed their participation. While the competitor department is working hard registering the entry forms, Ren METGE is travelling through Europe to present the rally.
ONLY 13 DAYS LEFT FOR THE FIRST RATES
This year, a particular effort was made on these first rates. The organization has not increase the price per person which thus remained identical to last year: 6600per person for the race and 5000per person for the raid or assistance.
Dont wait, these prices wont be available any more after June 30th. Send back from now on your entry forms!
FOCUS ON VINCENT LAGAF AND ALEXANDRE DEBANNE
Vincent LAGAF is a very popular TV presenter but also humorist; he is one of the two French TV celebrities who will compete in the event. We have interviewed him, as tohis motivation:
I have decided to participate to the SONANGOL AFRICA ECO RACE for several reasons. First of all because with Robin, my son, we have the same passion for motorsports and I love the idea of sharing this adventure with him. We did a lot of kilometers with a SSV in Tunisia, Morocco and recently in Romania and he begins to have a serious swerve. Note that I will not spend the entire rally in the right seat and I will take the relay. A father and son crew who share the handle stands out for sure !
The second reason is that we are in the same team as my friend Alexandre DEBANNE with whom we have already shared few adventures. Alex has a serious experience in African rallies and I look forward to race with him. After that, the challenge of driving a SSV to Dakar is very exciting and even if we participate without any pretentions, we will try to win the category. Finally, I know Jean Louis SCHLESSER for 25 years and this is a dream to drive on the same tracks as the Professor. Of course, I'm a fan of the driver but also and especially the character. Although he is sometimes considered to have a forged personality, he is first of all a great champion who perfectly knows the discipline. Just like Ren METGE, which we know all the qualities and who will act as the race director. Moreover, Jean Louis and Rene remind me of two old "Muppet Show" characters and I cant wait to see them together on the SONANGOL AFRICA ECO RACE 2014.
TRUCK FLASH
After Elisabete JACINTOs confirmation in her MAN Truck with OLEOBAN colors, Tomas TOMECEK and his TATRA are coming back, more motivated than ever: "First of all, I love Africa, its a diversified landscape with wide open spaces. And the arrival of the mythical Lac Rose ...It's just beautiful! Only the SONANGOL AFRICA ECO RACE can give us back such feelings! On the sporting side, I intend to fight and get back on the top step of the podium."
Miklos KOVACS on SCANIA just wrote us : We are counting days to the departure of SONANGOL AFRICA ECO RACE 2014! This January the rally was unforgettable once again, as always, we loved every single minute of it. At that time we had a few set-up problems with the new SCANIA race truck, but we learned a lot and hope that our competitiveness will be much better. The SONANGOL AFRICA ECO RACE is a big family, we are very proud to be part of it and in the next edition, we will try to raise our flags as high as possible!".
Other trucks are in the process of confirming their participation. To be followed very soon ...
BELGIUM IN FORCE
Held on Tuesday, June 11th in the early evening in the beautiful Automobilia, the Automobile Museum in Brussels, the presentation of the SONANGOL AFRICA ECO RACE 2014 was a resounding success. Among the teams, we recognized some of the great African rally lovers like for instance the Art of Speed team with Jacky LOOMANS, but also many other individuals.
In the crowd, some newcomers also, among whom, in particular, the team Feryn Dakar Sport which should make its big return in Africa on this 6th edition. During this information evening, Ren METGE, the race director, spoke about several novelties for 2014. To begin with the dates of the administrative and technical inspections on December 29th, always in Europe as well as on several aspects of the route. In Mauritania, 80% of the track will be new said Ren METGE whos speech was punctuated by several video projections with always magnificent images of Africa's biggest rally of the year. With nearly 40 vehicles entered in January, Belgium was the first foreign representation of the SONANGOL AFRICA ECO RACE. And, according to our information, following this new presentation, our Belgian friends should still be more at the start with also, like last year, racing trucks ...
NETHERLAND GETS MORE AND MORE INVOLVED
Last year, racing in a car, Harmen VAN PUTTEN explained everything about his adventure: "My car was not necessarily fast, but we did win the 4x4 Modified Diesel category. When I started in rallies, Hans STACEY recommended me to drive as fast as I could see. With this advice, I'm still here and I love my old Land Cruiser HDJ80!"
Guillaume MARTENS, bike pilot last year, joined the meeting with a video message from Albania, where he was racing. For me, the SONANGOL AFRICA ECO RACE was a real adventure and a surprise. Last year after three stages, I was the first bike and that scared me but it was a fantastic feeling at the same time. Finishing on the podium behind Martin FONTYN was rewarding and I will be back this year for more!
Leendert LEKKERKERKER, also at the presentation, said : I have had a great experience with my single seater buggy, with which I have participated three times in the Raid category. This year, I hope to return with MEMOTOURS as a team and see if my experience pays off in the race.
SERVICES ALL INCLUDING
As we have already mentioned, this year, the SONANGOL AFRICA ECO RACE wants to help as much as they can, participants in their preparations. That is why the organization gives the opportunity to those who want, to take care, according to their budgets, of their hotel and accomodation bookings, flight tickets, as well as the formalities for their Mauritanian visa. All these services will be proposed after entering the event. These formulas are proposed in order to release participants of these logistical troubles and therefore concentrate fully on their adventure.
