Australasian Safari 2012 entries roll in

Less than four weeks after organisers announced a new course for Australia’s toughest off-road event from September 21, the Australasian Safari 2012 has already attracted a number of quality entries, including everything from Thai celebrities to a Californian off-road racing star.

So far, the entry list for this year’s 3000km, seven-day off-road event in Western Australia includes competitors from the USA, Thailand, the Netherlands, Germany and South Africa.

The strong international interest extends to both sides of North America, with New York’s Jason Adams set to join another first-time Safari bike competitor Quinn Cody from California.

Cody, who was named rookie of the year after finishing ninth outright in the 2011 Dakar Rally’s moto category, will ride for the CPW KTM. He has a number of significant international wins under his belt, including the Ensenada to La Paz Baja 1000 in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011; the Baja 500 in 2010 and 2011, and the 2010 Vegas to Reno off-road race.

The Californian, who is the only racer in the decades-long history of the Vegas to Reno event to win as a solo rider, said he was excited about the prospect of taking on the Australian Outback.

“I’m looking forward to the new challenge of racing in Australia. I really have no idea what to expect from the terrain and competition, but I will give it my best and hope for a good finish,” he said.

Young Thai singer and TV star Kiatkamol Lata will compete in his first Safari, alongside teammate Rachan Trairat, who tackled the race for the first time last year. Both will be competing in the Isuzu D-Max.

 “I am looking forward to competing in the event against professional drivers, at the same time introduce the beauty of Thai cultures and customs.

“I hope to finish the race and make lots of friends while competing and also to strengthen the good relationship between Australia and Asia through motorsport,” said Kiatkamol, who become famous in the Australian Idol-style TV show True Visions Academy Fantasia.

Tenacious German female rider Tina Meier will compete aboard a TE310 Husqvarna. The four-times Dakar pilot will come to Australia directly from the Breslau Rallye in Poland and the Transanatolia Rally Raid in Turkey. She has been keen to race in the Safari since three-time Safari competitor Annie Seel told her about the event.

“Annie told me how good this race is and because it is a very nice way to explore a country - on a bike together with your friends.  My goal for the event is the same as usual: make it safe each day and to the finish and complete the whole race in a good position,” she said.

First-time Safari riders from the Netherlands will be Alex van Ginkel and Simon Schimmel, while fellow countrymen Antal Vershuuren and Gerjan Lippink will participate in the Adventure Tour – the non-competitive version of the event. All four are participating in a series of European off-road events leading into the Safari.

South Africans Glen Grundy, Brett Cummings and South Africa Seniors National champion Guy Henley will form Team South Africa GHR Honda. Grundy is familiar with the event, having crashed out of the second to last leg of last year’s Safari.

“The Australasian Safari experience was brilliant and a very steep learning curve,” he said. “The road book navigation, multi-day racing and liaison staging, all made it very interesting.

“There was no excuse for my momentary lapse of talent and crashing is part of what happens in off-road racing. To heal and learn and come back another day is what it really is about. We had a great time in Australia... and we’re looking forward to coming back,” he said.

More than 100 competitors will take part in this year’s Australasian Safari, which runs from September 21 to 29 over a new coastal route that travels north to Geraldton, through the Wheatbelt and Murchison to Carnarvon, before finishing back at Geraldton. Entries close on August 31.

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