Internationals to contest 2014 Safari

Dakar Challenge attracts internationals to 2014 Australasian Safari… 

The chance of winning a free entry to the 2015 Dakar has brought 23-year-old, Ian Blythe, all the way from the mountains of Colorado to the deserts of Western Australia for the last-ever Australasian Safari. Blythe, who’ll be riding a Kato-based CPW450RR, has every chance of an Outright win over teammate and four-time Baja 1000 winner, Quinn Cody, says Team Manager, Don McGrath.

Then from the other side of the world come Italians, Cesare Zaccettti, Claudio Zago and Ermanno Innocenti, in the aptly named AFRICA Dream Racing squad– clearly AFRICA is an acronym for “ANOTHER F@*KING RALLY I CAN’T AFFORD”. Only Cesare (KTM 500EXC) and Ermanno (Yamaha WRF450) will be contesting the Dakar Challenge, and the sandy tracks out west shouldn’t trouble two blokes who’ve mastered the Merzouga Rallye in Morocco.

Up against the Yankees and Eyeties for the invite to South America is the ADV Safari Team of Neil Orme (Honda CRF450X) and Matt Bates. Neil’s no stranger to danger having served in Afghanistan and finished two Safaris, whilst Matt is taking on the event on a relatively lightweight KTM 350EXC-F.

Shane Diener, who won the Dakar Challenge in 2013 with a third Outright in the Safari, is now looking for top spot on the podium. Teammate, and last year’s winner, Rod Faggotter, who gave Yamaha its first Safari win in 27 years, looks likely to double up, whilst Quinn Cody looks the best chance ever for an international rider to win the Safari.