Peru will take center stage next year as 190 million fans from around the globe tune in to the 40th Dakar Rally, which has its start line in Lima.
Eduardo Ferreyros, Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, led the 2018 Dakar Rally’s official kickoff in Peru at the Municipality of Lima’s “Salón de los Espejos” [Hall of Mirrors].
The event was also attended by Lima’s mayor, Luis Castañeda, as well as representatives from the ministries of Environment, Culture, the Interior, and the Peruvian Institute of Sports (Spanish acronym: IPD).
Etienne Lavigne and Marc Coma, directors from the Amaury Sports Organization (ASO), which organizes the race, gave details about the route. After getting underway in Lima on January 6, the rally will pass through Pisco, San Juan de Marcona, Arequipa and Puno, before continuing on through Bolivia and Argentina.
“The Dakar Rally is back in our country, and we want this to be a celebration for all Peruvians. This race is a perfect opportunity to prove to the world that we can organize top-level sporting events, and to show the warmth of our people and diversity of our ecosystems. The coastal dunes, the Andean valleys and the high plateau of Puno will all be on display,” said Ferreyros.
Ferreyros also outlined some of the promotional activities surrounding the competition. From January 3-5, the general public is invited to the Dakar Village at the Pentagonito to experience the race's atmosphere firsthand just before it gets underway.
He also announced that the “Perú, Mucho Gusto” food fairs will be held in Pisco and Puno, giving spectators a chance to sample the best dishes from each region while waiting for the world’s premier rally to pass through. The food fairs will be held on January 6th and 7th on Pisco’s seaside promenade, and on January 10th and 11th at the Manco Cápac military base in Puno.
At the end of the event, the organizers introduced the Peruvian drivers and co-drivers that have entered the rally so far and who will win recognition for Peru throughout the competition.
RAISING AWARENESS
This year, the 2018 Dakar Rally was supported by a multi-agency committee led by Mincetur, with contributions from the ministries of Culture, Environment (SERNANP), Education (IPD), Interior and Defense.
The route of the rally-raid is the product of a joint effort and establishes no-go zones that to protect Peru’s natural, cultural and paleontological riches. They also designed a campaign that will air soon to encourage the general public watching the race in spectator areas to pick up and throw away trash and heed any signs along the route.
THE 2018 DAKAR’S ROUTE THROUGH PERU:
Stage One: January 6 / Lima - Pisco
Stage Two: January 7 / Pisco - Pisco
Stage Three: January 8 / Pisco - San Juan de Marcona
Stage Four: January 9 / San Juan de Marcona - San Juan de Marcona
Stage Five: January 10 / San Juan de Marcona - Arequipa
Stage Six: January 11 / Arequipa - La Paz (via Puno)