Some questions answered

Philip Young tackles some of the frequently-asked-questions…

Why are you doing this?
Because it’s not been done before – not since the Algerian Motor-sport Federation ran a rally from Algiers to Cape Town has there been an event that kept all the wheels on the ground, its ground-breaking. We like doing things that are new, and having organised 12 events in Africa, driving events like London Dakar, and several Safari Events, this is an itch that been gnawing away for some time.

Why is the Gulf Oils Award and Scholarship only for modern cars?
Because the event has been given some sponsorship help to encourage younger drivers, and also, the aim here to enhance the challenge – driving to Cape Town in a small car against the clock is something that has not been done before.

How do you know a small car can complete the route?
We don’t. We do think it will be a tough, demanding, difficult challenge. We will know a lot more after our route survey next January, when all those interested will receive a detailed newsletter, and have pictures and a report on conditions on our website.

What conditions do we prepare for?
Crossing the Sahara will be on known roads and defined tracks, that appear on the Michelin maps, and will have in addition GPS waypoints. Cameroon, Gabon, and Congo, will mostly be dirt tracks, tarmac won’t appear until the middle of Angola. Pools of water and mud can be expected – we are naturally hoping our weather window gives us a dry run, but we all have to expect the unexpected. Nobody is saying this is easy – but motorbikes are doing it, so if one-wheel-drive can manage, we will.

How safe is it?
All long-distance rallies come with some risk. We are ensuring we have a route that doesn’t go near any war-zones, or trouble spots, currently all the borders are open, overland bikers and expeditions are driving our route. We have three options for getting across the Sahara to the West Side of Africa, which means that until we have finalised the route survey, we can not announce the final plan just yet. Given the options, we are confident we can make it work.

What are the costs, apart from the entry fee?
There will be your fuel, day to day living expenses and return shipping & travel costs after the event. Visas are not cheap – with around a dozen countries, you should budget around £750 per person. You need a fairly new passport with lots of pages clean, and six months of life left in it after the end of the event, that’s important. A carnet-de-passage document from the RAC Travel Dept. is around £250. Hotels and camp sites are not included in the entry fee – we might have to book some in advance, certainly the Cape Town hotel as that’s where we are planning a memorable party. A guide to the entry fees, scholarship discount and prize fund are in the rules section >> Read more ...

What your entry-fee provides:

• Participation in a special ground-breaking event, a true “first”….
• Detailed route-book, based on our route-survey…
• The support of a highly-experienced rally organisation…
• Unique Start venue from Big Ben at the Houses of Parliament…
• Pre-start banquet in Westminster, big send-off from New Year’s Eve spectators…
• Support of a fully qualified , experienced medical team…
• Group-discount and organisation support for a Carnet-de-Passage…
  
• Regular Checkpoints manned by experienced rally marshals…
• Government permits, support and welcome-events…
• Security-support and local escorts for Sahara sections…
• Competitive timed sections organised by local motor-clubs…
• Security of a dedicated light-aircraft accompanying the event...
  
• Hotels at 5 specified re-groups, (with twin-bed room and meals)…
• Recommended list of official rest-stop hotels and camp-sites…
• Results Classification, progress reports, updated on the official website…
• Ferry ticket for car and crew members, (English Channel and Mediterranean)…
• Comprehensive first-aid kit for each car, to the Rally Doctor’s specification…
• Rally Doctor’s pre-event Health Notes…and First-Aid briefing…
  
• Support of the event’s official visa-agency…
• GPS waypoints and comprehensive map-list…
• Newsletters and pre-event preparation support…
• Gala prizegiving dinner celebration party, and trophies…
• Twin-room hotel accommodation at Cape Town hotel…
• Official event photographers…
• Support of event’s official shipping agency…
• Official London-Cape Town Rally branded clothing…
• Finishers Medals, 2 rally-plates per car, and door number panels…
• Pre-event preparation advice and support from a full-time Rally Office…

Are the ferries included in the entry fee?
Yes. You cross the Channel and cross the Mediterranean from Genoa, and these tickets are provided.

What happens to my entry fee if the event cannot run for some unforseen reason?
You get a refund, all the terms are set out on the entry form, which is a binding agreement.

What does a carnet do?
It allows you to import on a temporary basis a car for crossing a country without paying their import-duties and taxes, you are exempt from that because its an official document that confirms you are in transit. If you leave the car behind, for any reason, they can claim the import duty, via the issuing organisation – for British crews that’s the RAC Travel Dept – it’s an internationally recognised book of portfolios, they are filled in, torn out, having been stamped, and kept by each border, your counterfoils confirm you have been in, and out, of each country, when you get back home, the book shows you have finally left and the car has been re-exported, so, you are not liable for any duty anywhere en-route. You have to have a bank guarantee, or, an insurance, to confirm you are worth 50 per cent of the value of the car – the value here is the “trade in” price a garage would value your car at, the RAC know what cars are worth and work out what your liability would be. You don’t have to put all this money down up front, just confirm to the RAC that you could pay it, if you left the car behind and a government wanted the import-tax, usually 50 per cent of the value of the car. All the borders of our route recognise the Carnet, so, it’s a great help in crossing borders.

How do I get an entry?
NOTE: We regret that the entry list to all Categories has now closed
Fill in the form and send it to the Entries Secretary providing as much information as possible. If you don’t know what car you are planning to enter, for example, put down what it’s likely to be… if you change your mind, let the Entries Secretary know by email, or in writing, so details can be kept up to date. The entry list will appear on this website.

How do I prepare?
The car will need under body protection, and as much ground clearance as possible, and things like stronger tyres – check out our book, “How to Build a Successful Low-Cost Rally Car”, published by Veloce, also available from the Rally Office, (£15). The booklet “How To Win A Road-Rally” by Alan Smith (£6) is a useful guide on how rally timing works… competing on shorter events nearer home is useful experience, and any experience gained could be really beneficial.

Who can take part?
Anyone who thinks they have what it takes to crack the most adventurous side of Africa… there are no age limits other than that both crew members need to holders of full driving licences and reasonably fit. The event is run along similar lines to the classic long distance rallies of the past, and you need to be self-sufficient. You need to be able to converse with locals, and you need to be prepared to camp – all crews need a tent and two sleeping bags.

How do I find my way?
You need to be reasonably content to use a map and must be proficient in finding waypoints with GPS – we will provide a Route-Book. Basically it’s down to you to find the marshals who run the various checkpoints that are quite often at rest stops in overnight hotels or camp-sites, but, at times, in lonely and remote spots out on the road. The navigator, on long distance events, is as important as the driver in terms of contributing to success.

How do I get home?
We have appointed CARS UK to help with shipping home, they will meet crews at Cape Town docks and assist in the paper-work, carnets being cleared, and can ship a car to any country. Equally, for those who want to ship a car to the UK for the Start, they can also assist in getting the car speedily through customs in the UK. You can not leave a car anywhere along the route without incurring import duty – it’s cheaper to ship it home.

Is there a Rally Doctor?
Yes, we also produce with his help a detailed set of Health Notes, listing inoculations, and specifying the contents of a first-aid kit, along with advice on how to stay healthy. All crews should have a satellite phone, and the Rally Doctor will be available to take calls, as well as meeting up with the event at intervals. We are endeavouring to ensure the security benefits of a chartereed aircraft to follow the event with one of the rally doctors accompanied by a rally official and a photographer. This plane is an African “bush plane” capable of landing virtually anywhere. There are two Rally Doctors headed up by Dr. Paul Rees.

Why not travel down East side of Africa?
At the moment the eastern route can not take more than six cars at a time over the Nile out of southern Egypt. That is a major hurdle, and yes, we have organised several events in Eastern and Southern Africa, but, it’s physically not possible unless we limit things to a handful of cars. The Western side of Africa is the most challenging route – and this is all about a challenge.

What if I’ve got more questions?
E-mail the Rally Office, or, call us – mornings (UK time) are best. See the Contact us page