For the first time, an Israeli team has completed the grueling the Paris-Dakar Rally - one of only 60 teams to do so, out of 140 that began - and finished in 43rd place. The race is an 18-day affair in which cars, bicycles and trucks compete separately to complete a course that is over 10,000 kilometers long. The route begins in Paris, continues through eastern Spain, across the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, and Mali, and ends in Senegal in western-most Africa.
The Israeli winners are Idan Cohen, 44, and his navigator Aviv Spector, 34, who drove a Mitsubishi Pajero. They were nearly driven out of the race after being stranded for 30 hours in the Sahara desert in Mauritania when their shock absorbers gave out. However, two other Israeli drivers - Itzik Brill, 41, and Hillel Segal, 55 - came to their aid, and Cohen and Spector were able to make up the slack by driving 2,600 kilometers in just over 24 hours and take part in the rest of the competition. Brill and Segal had to drop out because of engine failure. Both Cohen and Brill have received offers to drive for other teams in next year's competition, though Cohen already says that he is not likely to take part again, "as it is simply too difficult."
The Israeli winners are Idan Cohen, 44, and his navigator Aviv Spector, 34, who drove a Mitsubishi Pajero. They were nearly driven out of the race after being stranded for 30 hours in the Sahara desert in Mauritania when their shock absorbers gave out. However, two other Israeli drivers - Itzik Brill, 41, and Hillel Segal, 55 - came to their aid, and Cohen and Spector were able to make up the slack by driving 2,600 kilometers in just over 24 hours and take part in the rest of the competition. Brill and Segal had to drop out because of engine failure. Both Cohen and Brill have received offers to drive for other teams in next year's competition, though Cohen already says that he is not likely to take part again, "as it is simply too difficult."