The Race2Recovery Rally team – a group of disabled servicemen backed by Land Rover – has become the first disabled team to finish the Dakar Rally.
In the space of just eighteen months, the Race2Recovery team has gone from a handful of disabled servicemen to a fully fledged Dakar Rally Team with 28 people, four Wildcats and a bunch of support vehicles including a pile of Discoveries for transporting the support team and equipment.
Setting aside the injuries that caused their disabilities, the Race2Recovery Team has worked miracles to get to the point of being a credible rally outfit and take on the Dakar to raise funds for Tedworth House – a recovery centre for wounded service personnel – and to prove there’s a real life to be lived.
As if the challenge of getting to the point of being able to take on the Dakar wasn’t enough, the Race2Recovery team has had to cope with huge adversity through the 6,000 mile, 15 day Dakar, with not just the attrition of three of the four Wildcats (a disqualification, a mechanical retirement and a crash retirement), but the knowledge that one of their support vehicles was involved in a head-on crash that killed two and injured seven.
But the Wildcat driven by Major Matt O’Hare and Corporal Phillip Gillespie managed to cross the line in Santiago, making them the first ever disabled team to finish the Dakar – no mean feat when you realise a third of all cars that start the Dakar don’t finish.
Phillip Gillespie (pictured left with Major Matt O’Hare) – a leg amputee as a result of injuries sustained in Afghanistan – said:
We have found out first-hand why they call the Dakar Rally the hardest race in the world.
It has pushed every single one us to our limits and beyond. To be able to stand here at the finish line and say we achieved what we set out to achieve, to become the first ever disability team to complete the Dakar Rally, feels magical. Our team motto is ‘beyond injury – achieving the extraordinary’ and we’ve done just that.
I hope that we’ve been able to inspire people who may be facing difficulties through injury or illness. The support we’ve received from everyone – our sponsors, supporters, families, friends, the military and complete strangers – has been amazing and is testament to the ability and dedication of this team.
As well as the support the Race2Recovery Team received from Land Rover, they’ve also had Royal support, with a grant from the Endeavour Fund set up by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, and received a message of congratulations from Prince William on their achievement:
Catherine and I have heard the wonderful news about your success today – many, many congratulations.
We know it was not easy, but you have today become true record holders as the first ever disability team to complete what is one of the world’s toughest challenges.
What you have achieved was a triumph of perseverance and teamwork, and you have shown the world what true valour looks like. We hope you get some rest now, and, please, no driving like that on our roads when you’re back!
As inspiring and heart-warming a success story as the Paralympics in the summer.Well done, one and all.
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