FATBOY Stamp Admitted and Ready to Start! Ambassador Wishing Good Luck to Kolomý
Following yesterday ´s administrative and technical test procedures nothing stands in the way of Martin Kolomý ´s sixth participation in the most demanding rally of the world - Rally Dakar 2015. The TATRA 815 BUGGYRA racing special is locked in the parc fermé until this afternoon when all the race trucks will be released for the ceremonial opening of the competition in Casa Rosada square in the centre of Buenos Aires.
"These are formalities but they take a whole day. All preparations for the admission to competition procedures take place in Europe. Here the organizers mainly check whether all has been duly paid,“ Describes Martin Kolomý progress of the administrative procedures before start with exaggeration. "A.S.O. (the organizer of the Dakar Rally) is a very professional organisation which is also demonstrated by the progress of the admission procedure. To comply with all the various conditions every participant, whether a pilot or a mechanic or a journalist, must undergo a process of chase for countless stamps,“ explains the team manager Jan Kalivoda today ´s accreditation process. "I know it sounds funny but this is what it is. Organisation of the procedure is simplified for everybody and so you walk from counter to counter like a fool, mechanically doing all the operations to comply with all the requirements for registration, fees, duty, various navigation and control systems etc. with the final approval stamp in your certificate as the result of all this. And as soon as you collect them all you are the winner. But there is no other ay if you organize a competition with thousands of participants.“
The Dakar village used as the first background for all participants and offering them extensive associated programme for visitors, has this year been located in the Tecnopolis exhibition centre near the Buenos Aires city centre. Even the Czech ambassador in Argentina Petr Kopřiva with family did not miss the show and visited the background of the TATRA Buggyra Racing team on invitation of the Czech Tourism agency on Friday afternoon. "In cooperation with the non-profit organisation Czech Tourism we promote the Czech Republic abroad and I am glad Mr. Ambassador found time to come wish us good luck in the competition, which is really needed in Dakar," said Kalivoda.
After the admission procedure the admitted pilots will undergo the obligatory briefing, for the extensive starting list organised in the largest hall of the local Auditorium and scheduled for Saturday 1 pm local time. Then just the ceremonial opening of the competition attended by crowds of enthusiastic local fans will remain to be held. "It is always a big social event, not only for the fans and the actors in all categories of the competition but also for all other participants who can present themselves in a several-hour long broadcast in the best viewing time. Just the trucks, due to their size, are not allowed on stage, unfortunately,“ regretted Martin Kolomý. "When one day they make a stage for the trucks too then Robbie ´s fame will fade,“ was a hypothetical threat to the American showman Robbie Gordon in the words of the Tatra pilot.
"Today we will have dinner together to strengthen the team spirit and from tomorrow every team member will start doing his individual tasks, which will separate us for the rest of the Dakar time. So today we will collect strength and tomorrow we will start,“ closed Kolomý on Friday late afternoon the whole period of preparation for the start of 37th year of the hardest rally of the world, whose "live" part will begin on Sunday 4 January.
