Well that’s it Dakar 2011 is over and while I make IB6844 my home fore the next 10 hours I figured this would be a good place to write.
The last few days felt good, I lost my phone on a bus which really annoyed me, especially as I knew it was on our transfer bus from San Juan to the Airport. We had had a particularly dreadful nights sleep after gales had wipped through the bivouac. My tent suffered just structural damage but others weren’t so lucky, especially those ‘real Dakar’ heroes who chose just to sleep under the stars. We were walking Zombies the next day and my 3 minute reaction time was not enough to stop the bus driver taking off with iPhone, grrr .
Programme wise I managed to get ASO to send a second feed once we knew about the cars result (they came in 2 hours late). This was reluctantly organized but a lifesaver for sure. Carlos Sainz rally aspirations evaporated as I was on air, no chace to show what happened in the original feed. Hopefully a lesson learned.
Bivouac life relaxed the last couple of days, I hung about making the features and living the Bivouac by night. I was a bit confused why the camera crews enjoy it so much but now I understand. There is so much life, people fighting to keep cars and drivers in the rally and those who return in the night hours always have a great story to tell. Mattais Kahle who was 9th at the time in the cars, lost all electrics 15kms into one of the longest stages and was towed for 800kms before arriving in the Bivouac at 2 in the morning. We were there to get the interview. The most amazing thing is he completed the whole stage and only lost two hours!
It was that night I most appreciated the Dakar adventures. The race at the front was a forgone conclusion, VW and KTM but every day we would hear of incredible stories behind. Sadly, with only 6 roving camera on stage and the Editors reluctance to show ‘stories’ rather than pretty pictures, we very rarely are able to convey these amazing feats.
The final stage finished 200kms outside of Buenos Aires and provided the real end to the rally, competitors covered in mud, helmets scratched, overall covered in dust, their cars showing war wounds. Everyone knew when they crossed the finish line, they completed the Dakar. Once more there was huge emotion for the winners, Nasser Al Attiyah is normally pretty smiley, but he was glowing. Marc Coma had been there before but a new team mate made sure he shed a few tears. Then there was a few dozen competitors, glad it was over, fed up with the experience, like they’d been dragged along and forced to do it. Yes they hadn’t been competitive but they had complete a Dakar, and seen some spellbinding sights. Mark Miller and Alain Duclos were two such people.
After that the real emotion followed, less than half the entrants finished the rally and so for those using less competitive machinery, finishing was truly an achievement and the emotion was nothing like I have ever felt, Le Mans times ten.
Its for that reason I was quite skeptical about the podium ceremony the day after. Red Bull held their party on Saturday between the finish and podium and we all had a night in a hotel room. Our bodies and minds said Dakar was over. We had to make a programme as well and the editors were not in a good state. Having not been informed of the departure time to the party, I missed out, but still felt dreadful having slept for 5 hours more than my usual 5.
I must say I was wrong. La Rural put on a real party atmosphere and while the raw emotion had gone and the Podiums seemed slightly out of place in the centre of Sand school, everyone seemed to have a good time, and what more, with every boss I could imagine watching the feed, I totally nailed it!
Next year the Rally will also take in Brazil, Paraguay and Peru, and like a Dakar Adventure, I cant wait to explore.
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