The Budapest Times » Budapest – Bamako

World’s Largest Trans-Sahara Rally, the Budapest-Bamako is endorsed by the Government of Hungary

attila — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:30:01 +0000

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.

With the ever-growing popularity of the
grueling, two week long rally, the Hungarian government has offered its
endorsement to the event. Both the Ministry of Local Governments and Regional
Development and the Foreign Ministry have assured organizers of their
support. “The Budapest-Bamako is an
outstanding initiative, which is capable of enhancing our country’s reputation.
In its own right, it can’t even compare to the Dakar Rally”, said Istvan
Ujhelyi undersecretary of the Ministry Of Local Governments and Regional
Development.

Often mentioned as the spiritual heir to
the Dakar Rally, the 2009 run will be tougher and more complex. For the first
time the run will take place on two different routes. Those in the touring
category will follow a simpler, but more entertaining route. “Racing teams
demanded more challenging conditions, while touring category teams wanted a
lighter, more relaxing experience”, said the creator of the event Andrew G.
Szabo. Teams in both categories will leave from Budapest on January 17 and cross the finish
line together 15 days later.

The racing category will traverse through
rocky pistes of Morocco,
golden sand dunes of Mauritania
and red clay roads of Mali
before arriving in Bamako. Apart from a 300km paved liason stage, teams
will have to drive on sand- and dirt roads from the Moroccan – Mauritanian border
to Bamako. “The
Dakar left us a
very big shoe to fill. It’s an honor to continue their traditions”, added Mr.
Szabo.

In spite of the enhanced racing category
and increased professionalism of the rally, organizers added a new category to
preserve the founding spirit of the Great African Run. The Bamako Spirit
category will allow 20 teams to join free of charge. These teams must travel in
cheap, old or otherwise amusing vehicles. By bringing exceptional amounts of
humanitarian aid, teams can also join Spirit category. Applications can be
submitted in the form of a 2 minute video.

In its fourth year, the Budapest-Bamako is
now both the largest Trans-Saharan race and the largest charity rally in Africa. This year over half a million Euros worth of
goods and services were donated to communities in Mauritania
and Mali
by the 400 participants. The event is the brainchild of Hungarian internet
entrepreneur, Andrew G. Szabo who launched the rally after not being able to
find an affordable alternative to the Dakar.

BUDAPEST-BAMAKO 2009

Start: 2009. January 17. Budapest

Finish: 2009. January 31. Bamako

Distance: 8314km

Daily Stages:

Budapest – Brescia
851 km

Brescia – Merzouga
2621 km (3 day super
marathon)

Merzouga – Foum
Zgid 410 km

Foum Zgid – Tadalt
450 km

Tadalt – Smara 437 km

Smara – Tropic Of
Cancer 770 km

TOC – Bou Lanoar 370 km

Bou Lanoar – Atar 480 km

Atar – Tidjikja 450 km

Tidjikja – Kiffa 400 km

Kiffa – Korera
Kore 450 km

Korera Kore -
Banamba 375 km

Banamba – Bamako 250 km

Additional Information:

www.BudapestBamako.org

Tel:+36-1-312-4671

The full, stage-by-stage English language coverage of this year’s Great African Run:

The 2008 Budapest-Bamako on The
Budapest Times

Budapest-Bamako rally off to a rolling start

attila — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 19:45:59 +0000

The 16-day Budapest-Bamako motor
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.

Chief organiser Andras G. Szabo said he felt a great deal
better on learning that the killers of a French family in Mauritania
had been apprehended, but still warned participants to be careful.

The rally will cover 8,760 kilometres and vehicles include
modern and old-style buses, including an articulated one. Also in
the race is a tiny Polski Fiat, built in Poland between 1973 and
2000, a Dacia, a Romanian Renault knockoff produced until about
2004, and an ice-cream van, loaded with toys, food, clothing, and
medications for African children. "I hope to be among the
finishers," said Peter Schnaider, driver of the ice-cream van.

Budapest deputy mayor Miklos Hagyo saw the teams off. It will
take four days to drive through Europe, and another twelve to cross
Africa to Bamako.

For daily coverage of the rally visit our Budapest-Bamako section at http://www.budapesttimes.hu/bamako

(Source:MTI)

Team Alfa-08 are off to Bamako with their Volvo bus

Kevin’s interview with Amanda Weavers, Marketing Manager of The Travel Channel

attila — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 19:34:07 +0000

3rd Budapest-Bamako racers get ready for start at Kossuth square

attila — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:23:07 +0000

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.

Title defenders Juraj Ulrich and Daniela Ulrichova have also arrived and so did The Travel Channel’s K-Team with their 25 year old Polski Fiat 126.

Watch Kevin and Kevin talk about how they won the chance to take part in this challenge and what their expectations are:

Everything is ready for the start – the organizer of the rallye said. After the anthems of Mali and Hungary, deputy mayor of Budapest Miklos Hagyo will start the race, he added.

What happened on the Budapest-Bamako in 2007

attila — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 21:36:22 +0000