David Bensadoun and codriver Patrick Beaule (Desert Warrior) want to become the first Canadians to reach the finish line of the new Sourth American Dakar Rally in cars category.
Forty-one-year-old David Bensadoun of Montreal is a senior exective at Aldo Shoes. He’s the son of Aldo Bensadoun, the founder of the Aldo Group, who moved to Canada from Morocco in the 60’s.
David Bensadoun competed in selected rounds of the Canadian Touring Car Championship in the last two years. His codriver is 36-year-old Patrick Beaule, also from Montreal, the sales manager of motorcycle maker KTM.
Both men are taking part to their first Dakar Rally, with an only objective in mind : to reach Lima, Peru, on January 14th. If they do so, there here would be the first Canadian to accomplish the feat.
Bensadoun and Beaule started the race in Mar del Plata, Argentina, on Sunday, January 1st, aboard a Desert Warrior 4x4, powered by a 6-cylinder, 3-litre turbo diesel engine taken from a BMW X5.
“Now that I can financially afford it, my time has come but it hasn't been simple,” Bensadoun said.
“I had to get my FIA racing licence and learn how to drive in the dunes. My goal is to be the first Canadian in a car to finish the Dakar. I just want to finish. If we're last I'll drink a whole bottle of champagne. My main worry is the fesh-fesh. I have nightmares of fesh-fesh. It's funny because I've actually never seen any. We're also doing the Dakar to raise money for CANFAR. We hope to raise 500 000$ to fight against AIDES,” Bensadound added.
After the second stage on Monday, Bensadoun and Beaule stood in 78th position overall (180 cars were at the start in Mar del Plata), although they suffered turbo issues and two tire punctures.
Forty-one-year-old David Bensadoun of Montreal is a senior exective at Aldo Shoes. He’s the son of Aldo Bensadoun, the founder of the Aldo Group, who moved to Canada from Morocco in the 60’s.
David Bensadoun competed in selected rounds of the Canadian Touring Car Championship in the last two years. His codriver is 36-year-old Patrick Beaule, also from Montreal, the sales manager of motorcycle maker KTM.
Both men are taking part to their first Dakar Rally, with an only objective in mind : to reach Lima, Peru, on January 14th. If they do so, there here would be the first Canadian to accomplish the feat.
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| (Photo: ASC Public Relations) |
Bensadoun and Beaule started the race in Mar del Plata, Argentina, on Sunday, January 1st, aboard a Desert Warrior 4x4, powered by a 6-cylinder, 3-litre turbo diesel engine taken from a BMW X5.
“Now that I can financially afford it, my time has come but it hasn't been simple,” Bensadoun said.
 |
| (Photo: ASC Public Relations) |
“I had to get my FIA racing licence and learn how to drive in the dunes. My goal is to be the first Canadian in a car to finish the Dakar. I just want to finish. If we're last I'll drink a whole bottle of champagne. My main worry is the fesh-fesh. I have nightmares of fesh-fesh. It's funny because I've actually never seen any. We're also doing the Dakar to raise money for CANFAR. We hope to raise 500 000$ to fight against AIDES,” Bensadound added.
After the second stage on Monday, Bensadoun and Beaule stood in 78th position overall (180 cars were at the start in Mar del Plata), although they suffered turbo issues and two tire punctures.