The Ultimate Banger Challenge: Plymouth-Banjul

The rich have the Paris-Dakar Rally, an often-criticized race, where professionals compete to drive from Europe to Dakar, Senegal.

For the not-so-rich, there is the Plymouth-Banjul Challenge, unofficially dubbed the “Ultimate Banger Challenge”, a 3,000-mile-long course from Plymouth, United Kingdom, to Banjul, Gambia. Participants are not allowed to drive expensive and well-equipped vehicles. With a maximum vehicle price of 100 British pounds, participants must rely on much more than vehicular bells and whistles to survive.

According to organizer Julian Nowill, “If you have lots of money and a sense of adventure then the Paris-Dakar Rally could be your cup of tea…. If you have a sense of adventure but relatively little cash, then the Plymouth-Banjul Challenge might be up your street!”

The Plymouth-Banjul 2008 application form should be posted no later than April 8, according to the website. Ten group runs are planned for 2008, mostly in December and January, with one early run planned for October (early enough for a trip on the Niger). Routes are planned to end in Banjul, Gambia or Timbuktu, Mali.

The challenge, in its sixth year, is completely unsupported; participants must rely on their own skills, quick-thinking, and instincts (as well as the goodwill of other teams and locals) for their survival. The challenge (explicitly stated not to be a race), does not provide any services (mechanical, medical, legal, or otherwise). Also, rather ominously, the website notes that they will not be responsible for repatriating bodies.

When teams reach their final destination, the cars will be auctioned off to benefit Gambian charities. The 2006 auction raised over 138,000 British pounds for charity. The Plymouth-Banjul Challenge is not the only such run with a charity requirement.

The Budapest-Bamako Great African Run, an alternative rally entering its fourth year, follows a route from Budapest, Hungary, to Bamako, Mali. Assisting local communities is also a requirement of this race, with each team required to sponsor a village along the way, bringing medicine, clothes, toys, and other useful items to the residents.