News / Two local teams enter Mongol Rally
THURSDAY will see the departure of not one but two teams from Shetland leaving the isles facing the daunting prospect of driving around 11,000 miles all the way to Ulan Bator, in Mongolia.
The Mongol Rally could be described as one of the last adventures left for real lads, a journey into the unknown that attracts between 300 and 400 entries from across Europe every year.
Crossing 16 countries, including hundreds of miles of desert in around six weeks is nothing for the light-hearted, yet something Lerwick lads Andrew Hawick, Kevin Williamson and Stuart Cameron will be endeavouring to complete the journey in a tiny Malaysian car, a Perodua Kenari.
The second team throwing their towel into the ring is Team Shetland, made up of Richard Rowland, from Vaila, and Skerries man Richard Price, incidentally the oldest team in the whole race.
The two Richards travel in an S-registered former ambulance vehicle, renamed Florence, which – on arrival – they intend to donate to the Mongolian authorities.
The official start for the British teams is on 23 July from the Goodwood Circuit, in East Sussex. The rest starts from Prague, in the Czech Republic.
Asked about his inspiration behind the move, Richard Rowlands said: “Mountaineers climb mountains, because they are there; I’m going on the rally because I’m here.”
Andrew Hawick, from rivals WTF is a Perodua added: “I still can’t believe it is happening. Until we are on the boat and then sitting in the car driving down to Goodwood it will not sink in.”
The two teams are bound to face some pretty tough challenges along the way, including crossing the former Soviet republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
One of the biggest unknowns apparently is how to book a place on the ferry crossing the Caspian Sea.
During the year long preparation both teams have been highly successful in raising funds for charity.
Team Shetland has already raised over £9,000 for the Christina Noble Children Foundation, which assists and nurtures street and destitute children in Mongolia, the RNLI and local charity Mind Your Head.
This is being topped – at the moment – by the £15,000 WTF is a Perodua has raised so far for the Christina Noble Children Foundation, RNLI and Shetland Befriending Scheme.
Once on their way, the teams’ progress can be followed at the websites www.facebook.com/pages/Mongol-Rally-2011-Shetland-to-Mongolia-team-WTF-is-a-perodua/165248546848711?sk=app_2309869772 and at www.teamshetland.com
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