Dakar

Race2Recovery Documentary Heading For British Eurosport

1 Mins read

A half-hour documentary on the Race2Recovery team’s assault on the Dakar Rally 2014 will debut on British Eurosport this Saturday (May 3) at 7:30pm.

Dakar Rally 2014: Race2Recovery is a sequel to the critically acclaimed Dakar Rally: Frontline to Finish Line and follows a team of amputee and seriously injured servicemen as they take on the toughest rally on the planet.

The 2013 Dakar Rally saw Race2Recovery become the first team of amputees to ever complete the event, and 2014 saw them return to do it all over again. The 2014 event saw them have to take on 9000km of Argentinian and Chilean terrain, ranging from giant sand dunes to the Atacama Desert and the top of the Andes.

Every year the event pushes man and machine to the absolute limit, but for the Race2Recovery team there was an added challenge with both of the team’s Wildcat cars, and their race truck, contain an amputee serviceman as part of the crew. Philip ‘Barney’ Gillespie made history in 2013 when he became the first amputee to complete the Dakar partnering Major Matt O’Hare. This year he returned alongside Team Director Ben Gott, while team founder Tony Harris was out to complete the event, after being excluded on stage 2 of the 2013 rally, and become the first amputee driver to complete the rally. Daniel ‘Baz’ Whittingham also made his competition debut in 2014, having been a part of the 2013 support crew.

“It’s been an incredible journey from the battlefield to the Dakar,” said Whittingham during the event, who lost his left leg after he was blown up as part of a bomb disposal unit in Afghanistan in 2009. “I was told I’d never walk again but here I am taking part in the world’s toughest rally. Just being part of Race2Recovery has helped all of us in our rehabilitation and we hope that we’ve demonstrated to others that with teamwork and determination, you can overcome almost anything.”

“Eurosport has a proud history of broadcasting the Dakar Rally and the Race2Recovery team epitomises the spirit of this extraordinary event,” said Managing Director of British Eurosport, David Kerr. “We’re delighted to be working with Gaucho Productions again and to bring this story to life.”

883 posts

About author
Based in Mid-Wales, James joined TCF at the start of the 2013 season, covering a range of disciplines, predominantly Motorcycle Road Racing and NASCAR. Follow him on Twitter @JCCharman
Articles
Related posts
DakarHistoric Rally

Barbora Holicka, Duckar to fly again at Dakar Classic in 2025

2 Mins read
Barbora Holická’s 1979 Citroën 2CV, nicknamed “Duckar” for the large rubber duck on the side and programme to support duck raising programmes, will return to the Dakar Classic next January with Lucie Engová.
DakarHistoric Rally

Ultimate Rally Classic to take place in fall 2025

1 Mins read
The Ultimate Rally Classic by TL’O for vehicles built between 1976 and 2000 will run from late October to early November 2025, starting in France and ending in Morocco.
Dakar

Christine GZ abandoning 2025 Dakar Rally entry due to budget

1 Mins read
After making her Dakar Rally début in January, Christine GZ does not have enough funding to return to the race in 2025.