Race2Recovery: Wounded vets to compete in Dakar Rally

The 2013 Dakar Rally will include five teams of disabled veterans in its 575-entry roster. An organization called Race2Recovery will enter 24 men and women, most veterans of the US and British armed forces and most of them wounded in battle. They'll take to the wilderness of South America with the rest of the competitors on Jan. 5 for the annual rally.

According to the charity, “Race2Recovery was started when a team of wounded soldiers was inspired to take up cross-country racing to raise money for a service charity that helped them during their recovery. Spurred on by Row2Recovery, Race2Recovery wanted to be part of the hugely successful effort to inspire other service personnel and the wider disabled or disadvantaged community by doing something great.”

The team consists of UK Captain Tony Harris who hopes to be one of the first amputee drivers to complete an international rally; his co-driver is Corporal Tom Neathway, a triple amputee. The team manager is Warrant Officer Class 1 Andrew Taylor, who sustained back injuries after a suicide bombing in Afghanistan.

Corporal Gareth Paterson of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers will manage the team's race equipment while mechanic Sean Whatley will keep the vehicles running. Captain Matt O'Hare will also drive with partner Phillip Gillespie, who lost his leg in battle.

Pierre de Frenne and Cathy Derousseaux are part of the group, as team principal and co-driver respectively. Injured United States servicemen include Marine Staff Sargent Mark Zambon, who lost both legs in an IED blast and countryman Corporal Tim Read.

Non-military members include mechanic Dave Reece, veteran racers Ben Gott, Chris Ratter and Justin Burchall.

Race2Recovery will field five vehicles, four Land Rover Defender-based Wildcats in the T1 category, as well as a Renault Kerax truck in the T4 category. Two 8x8 support trucks will support the team with tools, spares and bivouac equipment.

Recently, 11 of the team members drove an eight-hour stint from Marrakech, Morocco through the Atlas Mountains and on to the Algerian frontier. The competitors camped out overnight, like they will do during Dakar, and found out how snow, sand and dust affected their artificial limbs.

The team has already had their share of publicity. In addition to appearing on BBC's Top Gear, a five-part documentary series following them will debut on British TV this Christmas.

The 6,000-mile Dakar Rally starts in Lima, Peru and winds southward to Cordoba, Argentina, then back up through the Atacama Desert before heading south again to the podium in Santiago, Chile.

Go to Race2Recovery.com for more information and to donate to the cause.

By Jake Lingeman