Pic: Ben Dubbeld
“People were telling me I was crazy doing Dakar for
the first time in the Malle Moto class,” laughs Newcastle’s
James Ferguson, taking part as a ‘rookie’ in the hardest
of all Dakar classes, Malle Moto. A class that sees all
competitors taking part on their own, no team help,
no support crew, these guys are often referred to as the
maddest of the mad. Perhaps James is.
“I never really listened to people who said it was hard,
I just always thought it was something I’d have to expe-
rience for myself and judge how hard it was,” he contin-
ued.
Ben Young, another ‘rookie’ on two wheels, chose to
be supported by a team yet found he preferred to race on
his own. The Duust team gave him full support yet Ben
says, “I like to ride rallies on my own and do the naviga-
tion and riding by myself”.
Australia’s third ‘rookie’, Adelaide resident, John
Maragozidis aboard his Yamaha Raptor, technically not a
motorcycle, yet the principle is the same.
“This was my first Dakar,” laughs John.
“There is so much to absorb and work out,” he went
on. “My biggest short coming was my lack of way point
navigational skills.”
You see, despite support crew and event organisers,
Dakar competitors must do all their own navigation. It’s
Pic: Charly Lopez / ASO
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