News
05/01/2007
Scouts in real wacky races
Few people would dare cross England in a car worth less than £1000, but three UK Scouts are halfway through a 4000m race in an old banger costing just £100.
Currently somewhere in Morocco, Rob, Matt and Rich hope to win the Plymouth to Banjul Challenge 2007. But with over 200 cars competing and extremely strict rules, success can mean being the team with lady luck on their side. The rules state that every car must be a left hand drive car and have a value of under £100. Teams can only spend a maximum of £15 doing it up before attempting the race from Plymouth down and across the Sahara Desert. 'Team Desert Scouts', as they are registered for the race, used their money wisely to buy a Dukes of Hazzard style horn. They have just three weeks to complete the race, which takes in France, Andorra, Spain, Morocco before reaching the desert. They have reached the halfway point and unsurprisingly a number of cars have broken down, blown up or simply fallen apart.
The intrepid trio left Plymouth on Boxing Day. If they make it to the end of the three-week race, the car will be auctioned off to raise money for local charities. And while the car is only worth £100 in the UK, in the Gambia it could be worth up to £1000.
Less than a week into the race and Team Desert Scouts had already experienced a few setbacks: Rob had his passport stolen and someone mistakenly filled up their car with diesel instead of petrol, which meant they had to strip down the whole engine, slowing them down for two days.
Before they left, Rob, a Hampshire Scout Leader said ‘We’re very excited. Not only are we facing an incredible drive across the mountains and desert but we’re doing it in a clapped out bangar!’
The team are doing the challenge to mark Scouting’s Centenary. They will also be raising money for a Winchester children’s hospice.
