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With a 220 kilometre stage the 4^th edition of the Budapest-Bamako came to an end on Saturday. Although the Go-Go Bamako team was ahead before the final stage they received a 20 point penalty for excessive speeding and consequently fell back to second place. This year’s winner is the Hungarian “Bamako with Dacia” team, who completed previous editions of the rally with an old Dacia, but decided to go for #1 this year, so they entered the competition with a Toyota Land Cruiser. The three-time champion Slovakian couple completes the podium, even though the navigator suffered a rather serious injury at the first, three-day super-stage of the race.

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After a night spent together in Kiffa, the pack of the Budapest-Bamako split into three groups. Because of broken down cars and nerves on the edge, many teams in both categories expressed their wish of taking a shorter, paved route to the Mali capital of Bamako. 

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Due to the weather and security reasons, the organizers decided to use the alternative racing route on Monday's stage of the Budapest-Bamako. “Because of the sandstorm, the military plane couldn't have followed the pack along the Western-Sahara – Mauritania border", said chief organizer, Andrew Szabó. The teams, therefore, had to make their way to the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott and complete their challenges on a few off-road sections near the road controlled by the army. By 2am, 57 of the 108 racing teams arrived to the camp in Atar, while the rest of the pack stayed behind in the capital to prepare their cars for the remaining days of the race.

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Only 55 teams set off from Foum Zgid to Assa on Stage 5 of the Budapest-Bamako. Difficulties from the previous stage of the Great African Run decimated the pack, more than half of the 130 teams didn’t arrive until the morning briefing.

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Yesterday morning, the fortunate teams were the ones that made it to the pit stop at the feet of the Erg Chebbi sand dunes. Unfortunately, the three-day super-marathon stage and terrible weather in the Atlas Mountains proved to be too much for a number of units. Most of the peloton got through the mountains in a snowstorm, but those who arrived late were welcomed by Moroccan police officers, who closed down the only road leading through them. Most of these teams had to spend their first African night in their cars in a snowstorm. The newcomers to the Budapest Bamako are now founding out the hard way that nearly anything can happen in Africa.

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Today’s stage between Merzouga and Foum Zgid is one of the toughest on the entire race. In case there are people out there wondering whether or not they should join the competition next year, here’s a look the itinerary of Stage 5, which just shows that the Great African Run is no walk in the park.

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By the time the three-day supermarathon stage ends on Monday, we'll know whether the Slovakian title defenders and three-time champs are in it to win it this year as well. Meanwhile, check out the Suzuki Samurais of the two Travel Channel teams, The Green Knights and From Holland with Love.

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The 2009 edition of the Great African Run is now underway. Racing and Touring, madmen, daredevils and serious competitors. Follow the next 16 days with The Budapest Times Online. Just before the start Kevin Jackson caught up with The "A" Team and a multicultural group from Belgium. 

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After last year's incredible success of the K-Team, it's no surprise that The Travel Channel decided to send two groups, a boy team and a girl team, to the Sahara this year. The teams competing against other racers, but mainly against each other in this latest edition of The Battle of the Sexes are the "Green Knights" from England and "From Holland with Love", obviously from the Netherlands. As a charity effort, the boy-team, Rob and Chris will deliver solar panels to Africa, to help locals better utilize their most precious resource, the Sun. The girl-team, Amarja and Nynke has more than a hundred bicycles waiting for them in the Mali capital, which they"ll give to one of the local women-only charities. Check out their competition videos and look back soon to see videos of the two Suzuki Samurai trucks they were given with the responsibility of transforming the rides to their own taste.

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After organisers of the Paris-Dakar  rally decided to cancel last year’s race due to terror threats and move the competition to South America, the Budapest-Bamako, or B2, quickly became one of the most important tourism events for many African nations. Granted, with only 42 participants in its first year (2006), the B2 started out as a bit of a joke compared to the world famous Dakar. But in the wake of the Paris-Dakar’s demise, organisers are admittedly trying to turn the Budapest-Bamako into the heir apparent of the multi-million dollar media frenzy.

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Budapest-Bamako 2009 recon mission to Morocco, Mauritania, Mali through Draa Valley, Assa, Smara, Western Sahara, Laayoune, Dakhla, Mauritania, Atar, Tidjikja, Nouakchott, Kiffa, Mali, Nioro, Korera Kore, Bamako.

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A video tribute to last year's winners of the Travel Channel's Bamako competition Kevin and Kevin a.k.a. the K-Team and their Polski Fiat, Philip

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In 2005 an odd group of 40 cars and motorcycles left Budapest for West Africa to experience the adventure that was the exclusive realm of professional rally teams. By 2009 the marathon rally raid attracted over 400 people in 160 vehicles. Four years after the original event, the B2 is by far the largest off-road race from Europe to Africa. We caught up with the founder of the event, Andrew G. Szabo who just returned from a  three week recon mission from West Africa.  

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Preparations have been completed for the demanding, two-week marathon rally, the Budapest-Bamako. After the withdrawal of the Dakar Rally from Africa, the Budapest-Bamako is now the largest off-road, endurance race in the region covering two continents,  eight countries and nearly 10,000 kilometeres.  Teams have to complete the route from the heart of Europe to West Africa, driving on harsh desert terrain in the Sahara and several difficult stages in the African bush. "This will be our most difficult rally to date." - said Andrew G. Szabo the founder of the event.

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