So the most difficult and greatest sporting event in the world has been canceled due to security issues caused by terrorist threats. The 29-year old Dakar Rally (formerly called the Paris-Dakar Rally) is a three-week long race across the tougest terrain in Africa. The 2008 course would have started in Lisbon, Portugal and ended in Dakar, Senegal which is the western-most tip of the African Continent. The rally would have covered almost 6,000 total miles–more than 3,000 of which would have been “special stages” where competitors race against the clock and their fellow rallyists.

There are several classes of vehicles ranging from motorcycles and ATVs, purpose-built buggies and cars, to full-sized trucks/lorries. 550 competitors were slated to start today, and indeed had even finished Scrutineering (safety and technical inspections).

The cancellation was triggered after the murder of four French tourists (two adults and two children) were murdered in Mauritania on Christmas Eve. Authorities in Mauritania claim that the murders were carried out by an Algerian-based al Queda terror cell, that was also linked to the killing of several soldiers last week.

The organizers of the event state that “The cancellation of the 2008 edition does not endanger the future of the Dakar.”

This entry was posted on Friday, January 4th, 2008 at 12:40 pm and is filed under Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.