Camel Trophy



The Event

The eighteenth annual Camel Trophy Adventure will take place May 13-31, 1997, in Mongolia, where two-person teams from around the world will participate in the ultimate quest for adventure.

Open to anyone with a sense of adventure and a willingness to explore the unknown, Camel Trophy is a three-week journey of personal challenges, international camaraderie and cultural exploration. More than 1.5 million applicants vie each year for the chance to take part in "The Legend in Adventure."

Unlike many past events, Camel Trophy '97 will travel to a temperate, rather than tropical, climate. Teams will drive identically-prepared Land Rover Discoverys through approximately 2,400 kms (1,440 miles) of rugged, unpredictable terrain, ranging from the heavily forested mountainous region in the north, to the sand dunes of the Gobi Desert in the south. The variation will be extreme, from the frozen Lake Khovsgol with temperatures of -10 degrees C (14 degrees F), to the Gobi where temperatures will soar to 40 degrees C (104 degrees F).

The relatively uninhabited countryside of this landlocked Central Asian nation is unspoiled with breathtaking scenery and a blend of contrasts. Bordered by China, Russia and Kazakhstan, Mongolia's landmass is three times the size of France, with a population of only 2.4 million -- 25% of whom live in the capital city of Ulaan Baatar.

Starting and finishing in Ulaan Baatar, the event will also visit eight competition sites which have been established along the route. Teams will be given GPS coordinates for each of the eight sites and, traveling in small groups of at least three vehicles, will plot their own way from point to point along existing tracks and trails, stopping whenever possible to meet the local people, experience Mongolian hospitality and appreciate the natural beauty of this expansive land.

Competitions will take place every two to three days during the event, and will be based on four disciplines: Driving, Orienteering, Mountain Biking and Kayaking. Teams will be awarded points based on their results in each competition (20 points for 1st place, 19 points for 2nd,...1 point for 20th), and at the conclusion of the event, the team with the highest point total will be awarded the overall Camel Trophy Award.

Trophies will also be presented to the winning teams in each of the individual disciplines. The most coveted of all prizes, however, is the Team Spirit Award, which will be won by the team that is judged by participants to have the best combination of capability and compatibility. The Award Ceremony will take place in Genghis Khan's ancient capital city of Karakorum.

In 1997, the men and women of the twenty participating Camel Trophy teams will represent Austria, the Canary Islands, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, the U.K. and the U.S.

Camel Trophy is sponsored by Worldwide Brands, Inc., marketer of Camel Trophy adventure gear and clothing and by Land Rover, manufacturer of premium British-built four-wheel drive vehicles. Land Rover North America, Inc., is a member of the Rover Group of companies, importing vehicles manufactured by Land Rover, Solihull, England. The Rover Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG.