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Collin Matiza Sports Editor
ASHLEY Thixton is warming up himself to what is probably going to be the biggest challenge in his sporting career.
Thixton, a local motocross champion rider, has decided to throw himself into the “deep end” by entering next year’s Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
The 46th edition of the Dakar Rally, which is also the toughest Rally in the world, is set to take place from January 5 to 19, 2024, from Al’ Ula to Yanbu in Saudi Arabia.
And Thixton, who is known locally more as a motocross rider than a motor rally competitor, has already entered and has been accepted to compete in the motorbike section of next year’s Dakar Rally.
This will be the first time that the 30-year-old motorbike rider will be taking part in the Dakar Rally.
It’s a tough world out there when it comes to racing in the Dakar Rally . . . it will all be blood, sweat and tears during 15 days of racing in the Saudi dunes but Thixton yesterday told Zimpapers Sports that his preparations for this big global event are well on course. He is calm and collected; and he just can’t wait for the 2024 Dakar Rally to rev off on January 5.
Thixton said he has been putting in around 14 hours of training a week both on and off the bike.
“Preparations haven’t stopped and they still remain the same going forward. We are still training around 14 hours a week off the bike training and then when work permits, we are riding on the weekends,” Thixton said. Inorder for him to compete in next year’s Dakar Rally, Thixton needs to raise US$100 000 and so far he has managed to raise US$42 000.
“The total amount raised so far is US42 000 and we are still US$58 000 outstanding so it’s just under half way. We have recently been approached by some very keen sponsors and I hope that will contribute to the remaining funds required,” Thixton said.
He is looking at leaving for Saudi Arabia on January 1, four days before the 2024 Dakar Rally gets underway in the Middle East country.
“From my camp the feeling is really good. They are extremely supportive of me so that makes it so much easier to keep the ball rolling.
“A big thank you must go to all my sponsors and my local community that have gotten me this far.
“I would like to thank ICC Paints, RK Fuels, Ace Air and Ambulance, Amalinda Collection, Migym, Wicket family and Grand Air Charters for their contribution towards my trip to Saudi Arabia for the 2024 Dakar Rally.”
At next year’s Dakar Rally, Thixton will be aiming to become the second Zimba-bwean motorbike rider to finish The Dakar Rally after Graeme Sharp who managed to last the full distance in 2020.
The rally’s fifth edition in Saudi Arabia will be held from January 5 to 19, 2024, starting in the thousand-year-old city of AlUla, crossing the country in the direc-tion of the Empty Quarter and finishing in Yanbu on the shores of the Red Sea.
“The challenge will be just as daunting as last January”, warns race director David Castera, who promises the competitors massive stretches of dunes where naviga-tion difficulties will accompany the technical challenges of crossing them.
A new stage format has also been created: on the “48H CHRONO STAGE”, there will be a time limit for stopping (4pm) before setting off again the next day (7am) to complete the route.”
Following a demanding edition that revealed the competitors’ capacity for re-sistance this year, the tone of the Dakar 2024 will be just as respectful of their ex-pectations in terms of a challenge.
The route, which will cover an equivalent distance of 5 000 kilometres of special stages, continues the exploration of Saudi territory, with 60% of all-new sections.
A total of nine bivouacs will be set up on a large swathe running west-east, criss-crossing the route in both directions to a final finish in Yanbu, on the shores of the Red Sea.
This is a new stage format, contested over two days with the constraints of a mara-thon stage, although competitors are permitted to help each other during the even-ing.
But this time, there will be no choice of canteen or repair companions, as the driv-ers and crews will be spread out over eight different bivouacs.
When the clocks strike 4pm, all vehicles will be required to stop at the next bivou-ac they come across.
With no connection and therefore no visibility of their rivals’ performances, the competitors will camp and set off again at 7am the following day to complete the remaining section of the route. The tally will be counted after around 600 kilome-tres of special stag
Online Reporter