Monday, February 11, 2008

SOUTH AMERICA TOO HOST DAKAR RALLY !

Argentina and Chile will host the 2009 Dakar Rally, after this year's race was cancelled because of safety concerns.
The 2008 rally was called off in January after four French tourists were murdered in Mauritania on 24 December.
The event's organisers, the Amaury Sport Organisation, said there had been "direct threats against the race issued by terrorist groups".
Next year's Dakar Rally, which has been going since 1979, will start and finish in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.
It will feature 6,000km of special stages over a 9,000km-long course, details of which are set to be unveiled in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.
"Signing-up priority will be given to the Dakar 2008 competitors," said Etienne Lavigne, director of the Dakar Rally.
Competitors will be able to sign up for the race from 15 May.
Dominique Serieys, head of Mitsubishi Motorsport, the sporting subsidiary of the Japanese manufacturer unbeaten on the Dakar since 2001, said the announcement that the 2009 edition would go ahead in South America was timely.
"It's good news, one month after the cancellation of the 2008 rally," said Serieys.
"Mitsuibishi will announce its decision at the end of February or beginning of March. In principle we're very interested.
"It was necessary to take a break in Africa given the geopolitical context there. The fact the resumption is on a new continent is good news.
"We've already taken part in the Atacama Rally and the Las Pampas Rally. Chile and Argentina are countries where there are great varieties of terrain.
"Bearing in mind we don't know the exact details of Dakar 2009, I would think it will make for a very difficult course. But that's great, we want a testing course."
BBC SPORTS REPORT.

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