Despite recent rumors, the Budapest-Bamako will
start from the Hungarian capital in 2009. Over 560 teams indicated interest in
the 2009 run, while 180 teams have already joined next year’s lineup.
Since the last pit
stop of the race was a bit of a detour on the way to Bamako,
most of the teams in the touring category decided to head straight to the
finish line located in the capital of Mali. Many of them even had the
time and the energy to stop in small villages along the way to spend some
quality time with locals and enjoy the real Africa
for the last time. Due to the incredibly tight competition, the racers didn’t
have this luxury. In fact, teams on the top of the board were so close to each
other that – with just two stages left to go – it was still a three-way race.
Thanks to
the generous and creative mechanics aboard the Volvo bus of the Budapest Public
Transportation Company, the VW Beetle, which was handed its death sentence on
the previous stage, is now back on the road again. The car is now one-wheel
drive and on its way to Bamako, piloted by Gyula Mezei, a VJ of Music
Television Hungary.
Parc Budapest and a Red, Yellow, and Green Colored Well.
Yesterday’s dawn saw the teams and their accompanying soldiers leaving the Saharan oasis of Tidjikja and embarking on the toughest stage in the history of the Budapest-Bamako. It was so tough in fact, that many of the racing teams decided to take an alternative route, which meant forgoing some of the geo-challenges and the points for successful solutions.
The racers of the Great African Run left the Mauritanian capital yesterday on route to the Saharan oasis of Tidjikja, only 750 kilometers away. Although paved roads lead to this charming little town from Nouakchott, all of the geo-challenges involved off-road sections in the rough desert.
The teams that spent
the night on B2-Beach woke up to find their tents covered in sand. During the
orientation held at 7 am, only 12 teams were there to pick up their tasks for
the shortest stage of this year’s Budapest-Bamako. The rest of the racers were either
stuck in the sand somewhere or were kept away from the beach by the tide that
surrounded the sand banks.
Banc D’arguin National
Park, Mauritania – The Budapest
Bamako participants might have had some concerns regarding their safety and their
welcome in Mauritania due to
the cancellation of the Dakar. These concerns, however, quickly
dissipated after they met the police commissioner of Nouadhibou and the
president of the Mauritanian Tourism Association. The top cop even spent the
night in the camp on the front seat of a Mercedes 220.
In order to avoid long waiting times at the
Moroccan border, most of the teams got off to an early start from the city of Dakhla. Others had to
visit a local mechanic before they were able to get on their way for the last 400 kilometers of Moroccan
controlled territory.
A beautiful sunrise warmly greeted the traveling visitors to
Planet Tatooine before their 650 kilometer (400 miles) run along the
coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It is an always inspiring, yet dangerous
journey, and there are still live landmines remaining in the ground
from the days of the dispute between Morocco and Mauritania over the
territory found in the Western Sahara.
Tata, Morocco – Tibor Villam and Tibor Molnar of team #122 had one obligation they needed to fulfill before getting back on the road for the next 480 kilometers of the race. The Western-Hungarian city of Tata sent their greetings along with some gifts to the Moroccan city bearing the same name. The mayor of the city and many of its residents dressed themselves in Hungarian folk attire and welcomed them with tea and a fantastic, folklore dance.
Tata, Morocco
– The racers got a taste of what the weather is like back home as they awoke to
freezing temperatures at 1,700
meters above sea level in the heart of the Atlas Mountains. At 7am, teams received their clues for
this 580 kilometer
(360 miles)
leg of the Great African Run. After the three day super stage, only 3 points
separated the Slovakian leaders from Team Sysman from Hungary. As one can imagine, these
two leading teams were more than anxious to get back on the trail.
Tinerhir, Morocco – The final 852 kms (530 miles) of the three
day run from Meyreuil to Tinerhir was also the first stage over North-African
terrain. Complicated immigration laws, bumpy, dirt roads and endless, narrow
stretches – where two cars can't pass each other at the same time – definitely
were significant drags on the racers. By 11pm, however, most of the teams had made
it to the pit stop in Tinerhir.
Nador, Morocco – When the ferry docked
in Nador shortly after 4pm, it was the moment everyone was waiting for. More
than a 100 teams prepared themselves for their first taste of African terrain. Despite
the trouble with their petrol pump back in Austria, Team Velorex was also
among the many racers using this packed ferry.
Three-day, 2,500 km Super Stage Now Underway Murcia, Spain
– The racers got off to an early start for the longest stage of the Great
African Run. A hefty 2,500
kilometers (1,550 miles), a ferry ride and the first bit of
African terrain must be covered before they can reach their next pit stop in Tinerhir, Morocco
on Wednesday.
Meyreuil, France - A tough 776 kilometers (480 miles) on Italian and
French highways was in store for racers on yesterday's stage of the Great
African Run. At the 7am briefing – held in pouring rain – teams were handed
their tasks. Among them was a geo-challenge involving Walker,
Texas Ranger and a treasure hunt near Fort Saint-Jean.
Venice, Italy - Rain, icy roads and
cheering supporters greeted racers on the first day of this year’s Great African Run. The
“warm-up” stage of 705
kilometers (440 miles) mostly featured paved roads and
highways. Teams in the racing category were faced with four geo-challenges.
The 16-day Budapest-Bamako rally got underway on Saturday although some 20 participants -
mostly from France and Spain - opted out after the Dakar rally was
cancelled because of terrorist threats.No threats were called in on the Budapest-Bamako run and the
contestants expect to roll into the Mali capital of Bamako in a bit
over two weeks.
Budapest - Bamako 2008 - The hottest party in the Sahara starts in Budapest
Despite the recent cancellation of the Dakar due to terror
threats and security concerns in Mauritania, 150 teams and more than 400 participants
from all over Europe will leave for the Sahara on Saturday from one of
Budapest's most famous landmarks, the Parliament. The third running of this
"low-budget Dakar" event will follow a route that makes its way
through Hungary, Austria, Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania and Mali.
Budapest, 11PM - About a hundred cars are already at the start, putting the final touches on their cars before the event gets underway at 8 AM. Founder and organizer of the event Andras Gal Szabo arrived around 9 PM and brought some good news with him. Police in Guinea-Bissau, West-Africa have arrested two Mauritanian citizens in connection with the murder of four French tourists in
Mauritania last month. The killing was one of the reasons the Dakar was cancelled.
Since the last pit
stop of the race was a bit of a detour on the way to 
Yesterday’s dawn saw the teams and their accompanying soldiers leaving the Saharan oasis of Tidjikja and embarking on the toughest stage in the history of the Budapest-Bamako. It was so tough in fact, that many of the racing teams decided to take an alternative route, which meant forgoing some of the geo-challenges and the points for successful solutions.
The racers of the Great African Run left the Mauritanian capital yesterday on route to the Saharan oasis of Tidjikja, only 750 kilometers away. Although paved roads lead to this charming little town from Nouakchott, all of the geo-challenges involved off-road sections in the rough desert. 
The teams that spent
the night on B2-Beach woke up to find their tents covered in sand. During the
orientation held at 7 am, only 12 teams were there to pick up their tasks for
the shortest stage of this year’s Budapest-Bamako. The rest of the racers were either
stuck in the sand somewhere or were kept away from the beach by the tide that
surrounded the sand banks.
Banc D’arguin National
Park, Mauritania – The Budapest
Bamako participants might have had some concerns regarding their safety and their
welcome in Mauritania due to
the cancellation of the Dakar. These concerns, however, quickly
dissipated after they met the police commissioner of Nouadhibou and the
president of the Mauritanian Tourism Association. The top cop even spent the
night in the camp on the front seat of a Mercedes 220. 
In order to avoid long waiting times at the
Moroccan border, most of the teams got off to an early start from the city of Dakhla. Others had to
visit a local mechanic before they were able to get on their way for the last 400 kilometers of Moroccan
controlled territory.
A beautiful sunrise warmly greeted the traveling visitors to
Planet Tatooine before their 650 kilometer (400 miles) run along the
coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It is an always inspiring, yet dangerous
journey, and there are still live landmines remaining in the ground
from the days of the dispute between Morocco and Mauritania over the
territory found in the Western Sahara.
Tata, Morocco – Tibor Villam and Tibor Molnar of team #122 had one obligation they needed to fulfill before getting back on the road for the next 480 kilometers of the race. The Western-Hungarian city of Tata sent their greetings along with some gifts to the Moroccan city bearing the same name. The mayor of the city and many of its residents dressed themselves in Hungarian folk attire and welcomed them with tea and a fantastic, folklore dance.
Tata, Morocco
– The racers got a taste of what the weather is like back home as they awoke to
freezing temperatures at 1,700
meters above sea level in the heart of the Atlas Mountains. At 7am, teams received their clues for
this 580 kilometer
(360 miles)
leg of the Great African Run. After the three day super stage, only 3 points
separated the Slovakian leaders from Team Sysman from Hungary. As one can imagine, these
two leading teams were more than anxious to get back on the trail.
Tinerhir, Morocco – The final 852 kms (530 miles) of the three
day run from Meyreuil to Tinerhir was also the first stage over North-African
terrain. Complicated immigration laws, bumpy, dirt roads and endless, narrow
stretches – where two cars can't pass each other at the same time – definitely
were significant drags on the racers. By 11pm, however, most of the teams had made
it to the pit stop in Tinerhir. 
Nador, Morocco – When the ferry docked
in Nador shortly after 4pm, it was the moment everyone was waiting for. More
than a 100 teams prepared themselves for their first taste of African terrain. Despite
the trouble with their petrol pump back in Austria, Team Velorex was also
among the many racers using this packed ferry.
Murcia, Spain
– The racers got off to an early start for the longest stage of the Great
African Run. A hefty 2,500
kilometers (1,550 miles), a ferry ride and the first bit of
African terrain must be covered before they can reach their next pit stop in Tinerhir, Morocco
on Wednesday. 
Meyreuil, France - A tough 776 kilometers (480 miles) on Italian and
French highways was in store for racers on yesterday's stage of the Great
African Run. At the 7am briefing – held in pouring rain – teams were handed
their tasks. Among them was a geo-challenge involving Walker,
Texas Ranger and a treasure hunt near Fort Saint-Jean.
Venice, Italy - Rain, icy roads and
cheering supporters greeted racers on the first day of this year’s Great African Run. The
“warm-up” stage of 705
kilometers (440 miles) mostly featured paved roads and
highways. Teams in the racing category were faced with four geo-challenges. 
The 16-day Budapest-Bamako rally got underway on Saturday although some 20 participants -
mostly from France and Spain - opted out after the Dakar rally was
cancelled because of terrorist threats.
Budapest, 11PM - About a hundred cars are already at the start, putting the final touches on their cars before the event gets underway at 8 AM. Founder and organizer of the event Andras Gal Szabo arrived around 9 PM and brought some good news with him. 
