Having already held the last two rallies in Latin America, the organizers of the Dakar Rally have again picked Chile and Argentina as the site of the 2011 version of this major sporting event. This decision came as the result of the particularly good relations between the two countries, the challenges of the local countryside, and the enthusiasm of the Chilean and Argentinean people for the previous events.
Gabriel Ruiz-Tagle, the Chilean sports minister, stressed the importance of the 2011 Dakar Rally for the country’s image in the rest of the world – especially after last February’s earthquake, as the country works to motivate itself. “This rally will help us to look ahead, and to show that Chile is not afraid of challenges,” said Ruiz-Tagle to the daily newspaper El Mercurio.
The rally will take place between January 2nd and 15th, 2011, and will wind through Argentina and Chile.
