Camel Trophy
Encyclopedia
The Camel Trophy was a vehicle oriented competition that was held between 1980 and 2000, and was best known for its use of Land Rover vehicles over challenging terrain.
, Papua New Guinea
, Zaire
, Brazil
, Borneo
, Australia
, Madagascar
(the first north-south crossing) and Sulawesi
before returning to the Amazon. These grueling tests of human endurance brought together teams from around the world in the hope of triumphing in some of the most treacherous off-road conditions imaginable. Team work and camaraderie were crucial. The competitive element came in a series of "Special Tasks," such as winching and timed driving routes, in which the national teams competed against each other.
In the 1990s, the Camel Trophy headed to Siberia
and the USSR, followed by Tanzania
, Burundi
, Guyana
, Argentina
, Paraguay
, Chile
(the "Road to Hell" event), Belize
, Mexico
, Guatemala
, El Salvador
, Honduras
(controversially serving 500 out-of-season lobster at a dinner), Kalimantan
(a thousand miles and 18 rollovers to celebrate the first crossing of the island 100 years previously) and Mongolia
. But the Camel Trophy didn't just change venue. Over the years, the event evolved from a mud-plugging expedition to involve elements of adventure sport, such as kayaking
, mountain biking
and winter sports. Teams were selected by each competing nation in competitions held nationally, designed to test the athletic, engineering and driving prowess of potential candidates.
Although the events had an impact on the environment through which they traveled, there were ways in which the Camel Trophy benefited the local society or environment. In 1993, for example, the teams worked through the night to build an environmental monitoring station in the jungle so biologists could accurately study the flora and fauna of an area which had barely been explored previously. In all the events, the convoy's progress reopened roads and tracks which had fallen into disuse and frequently rebuilt bridges and repaired sections of damaged tracks.
In 1998, the Camel Trophy returned to Argentina
and Chile
for the penultimate Tierra del Fuego
event. The Land Rover Freelander
made its debut and was used to speed the competitors six thousand miles across the remote and snowy environment. Outdoor pursuits dominated the event. Shortly afterwards, Land Rover, a major sponsor, felt that the Camel Trophy was moving away from adventure and exploration and a news release indicated they would not sponsor future events. This ultimately lead to the cancellation of the 1999 event which was planned for Peru.
"We have enjoyed a unique relationship with the Camel Trophy event over almost two decades and it has played a major role in sustaining the image of Land Rover as the manufacturer of the best 4x4's in the world. However, with the changing character of the event it will no longer provide us with an active demonstration of Land Rover's brand essence - limitless capability. We wish Camel Trophy every success with their new format. As for Land Rover, future activities will concentrate on our customer base with the emphasis very much on rugged off-road adventure."
Martin Runnacles, Rover Group Marketing Director
In 2000, the Camel Trophy returned with a new style of event. It developed the spirit of the Tierra del Fuego event and the Camel
brand but with the 32 competitors exploring Tonga
and Samoa
in RIB
powerboats. This event was the single most successful Camel Trophy event as both a sporting activity and a Camel PR and marketing exercise. Unfortunately, at this time the international brands of RJ Reynolds (which included Worldwide Brand Inc, the owners of the CT brand) were in the process of being sold to Japan Tobacco Inc. JTI subsequently chose to change direction and instead concentrate on the Camel Active fashion brand. It was to be the last Camel Trophy event.
-equipped German
teams exploring the Amazon
. After that first event, the organisers turned to Land Rover
and over the course of the next twenty years, all of the Land Rover vehicle range were used. Range Rover
, Series III, Defender, Discovery
and Freelander vehicles all appeared in the distinctive "sandglow" colour scheme.
The vehicles were heavily modified by Land Rover Special Vehicles with a range of expedition, recovery and safety equipment, including:
Generally speaking, except for support and specialist vehicles, the Land Rovers were only used for one event. Some competitors purchased their vehicles and many remained in the host country. Consequently, those vehicles that returned to the UK
were highly sought after as they were low mileage - but they were "Camel Trophy miles". They were stripped of most of their equipment by Land Rover before they were released and restoring the vehicles to their original condition is expensive and time-consuming.
In 2003, competitors representing sixteen nations helped Land Rover fill that gap. Surprisingly, the inaugural Land Rover G4 Challenge contained many of the elements of Camel Trophy 1998, which Land Rover had reportedly been disappointed with. The "ultimate global adventure" was a test of skill, stamina and mental agility in four separate stages, each in a different time zone. The prize: a top-of-the-range Freelander or Range Rover
. In true Camel Trophy style, the winner Rudi Thoelen, declined a Range Rover, and opted for two Defenders instead.
The 2006 Land Rover G4 Challenge promised to be tougher than the inaugural event and delivered a more vehicle-based focus. The competitors, working in bi-national teams faced thousands of miles of vehicle-based activity in Thailand
, Laos
, Brazil
and Bolivia
.
The 2008-9 G4 Challenge, supporting the Red Cross and based in Mongolia was cancelled in December 2008 in the middle of the selection stages due to the current global economic downturn. Land Rover were forced to end the event as a cost saving-measure to allow them to focus on product launches in 2009.
The Events
The Camel Trophy began in 1980 with a crossing of the Transamazonica highway, subsequent events have been called "the Olympics of 4x4". They were all about adventure and exploration. Over the next eight years, the expeditions crossed SumatraSumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
(the first north-south crossing) and Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
before returning to the Amazon. These grueling tests of human endurance brought together teams from around the world in the hope of triumphing in some of the most treacherous off-road conditions imaginable. Team work and camaraderie were crucial. The competitive element came in a series of "Special Tasks," such as winching and timed driving routes, in which the national teams competed against each other.
In the 1990s, the Camel Trophy headed to Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and the USSR, followed by Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
, Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
(the "Road to Hell" event), Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
(controversially serving 500 out-of-season lobster at a dinner), Kalimantan
Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
(a thousand miles and 18 rollovers to celebrate the first crossing of the island 100 years previously) and Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. But the Camel Trophy didn't just change venue. Over the years, the event evolved from a mud-plugging expedition to involve elements of adventure sport, such as kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
and winter sports. Teams were selected by each competing nation in competitions held nationally, designed to test the athletic, engineering and driving prowess of potential candidates.
Although the events had an impact on the environment through which they traveled, there were ways in which the Camel Trophy benefited the local society or environment. In 1993, for example, the teams worked through the night to build an environmental monitoring station in the jungle so biologists could accurately study the flora and fauna of an area which had barely been explored previously. In all the events, the convoy's progress reopened roads and tracks which had fallen into disuse and frequently rebuilt bridges and repaired sections of damaged tracks.
In 1998, the Camel Trophy returned to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
for the penultimate Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape...
event. The Land Rover Freelander
Land Rover Freelander
The Land Rover Freelander is a compact crossover SUV made by Land Rover.The current generation is sold as the LR2 in North America and as the Freelander 2 in Europe...
made its debut and was used to speed the competitors six thousand miles across the remote and snowy environment. Outdoor pursuits dominated the event. Shortly afterwards, Land Rover, a major sponsor, felt that the Camel Trophy was moving away from adventure and exploration and a news release indicated they would not sponsor future events. This ultimately lead to the cancellation of the 1999 event which was planned for Peru.
"We have enjoyed a unique relationship with the Camel Trophy event over almost two decades and it has played a major role in sustaining the image of Land Rover as the manufacturer of the best 4x4's in the world. However, with the changing character of the event it will no longer provide us with an active demonstration of Land Rover's brand essence - limitless capability. We wish Camel Trophy every success with their new format. As for Land Rover, future activities will concentrate on our customer base with the emphasis very much on rugged off-road adventure."
Martin Runnacles, Rover Group Marketing Director
In 2000, the Camel Trophy returned with a new style of event. It developed the spirit of the Tierra del Fuego event and the Camel
Camel (cigarette)
Camel is a brand of cigarettes that was introduced by American company R.J. Reynolds Tobacco in the summer of 1913. Most current Camel cigarettes contain a blend of Turkish tobacco and Virginia tobacco. Early in 2008 the blend was changed as was the package design.-History:In 1913, R.J...
brand but with the 32 competitors exploring Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
and Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
in RIB
Rib
In vertebrate anatomy, ribs are the long curved bones which form the rib cage. In most vertebrates, ribs surround the chest, enabling the lungs to expand and thus facilitate breathing by expanding the chest cavity. They serve to protect the lungs, heart, and other internal organs of the thorax...
powerboats. This event was the single most successful Camel Trophy event as both a sporting activity and a Camel PR and marketing exercise. Unfortunately, at this time the international brands of RJ Reynolds (which included Worldwide Brand Inc, the owners of the CT brand) were in the process of being sold to Japan Tobacco Inc. JTI subsequently chose to change direction and instead concentrate on the Camel Active fashion brand. It was to be the last Camel Trophy event.
The Vehicles
The Camel Trophy originated in 1980 with three JeepJeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
-equipped German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
teams exploring the Amazon
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
. After that first event, the organisers turned to Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
and over the course of the next twenty years, all of the Land Rover vehicle range were used. Range Rover
Range Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
, Series III, Defender, Discovery
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery was introduced into the United Kingdom in 1989. The company code-named the vehicle "Project Jay". The new model was based on the chassis and drivetrain of the more upmarket Range Rover, but with a lower price aimed at a larger market segment and intended to compete with Japanese...
and Freelander vehicles all appeared in the distinctive "sandglow" colour scheme.
The vehicles were heavily modified by Land Rover Special Vehicles with a range of expedition, recovery and safety equipment, including:
- Safety Devices roll cages
- Under body protection and steering guards
- Modified electrical systems
- Winches
- Dixon Bate tow hitches and recovery points
- Mantec snorkels
- Transmission breathers
- Michelin XCL or BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tyres
- Upgraded suspension and transmission components
- Auxiliary fuel tanks
- Webasto fuel burning heaters
- Brownchurch / Safety Devices roof racks
- Hella driving, spot, fog, convoy and work lamps
- Brownchurch Bull bars and bush wires
- Flag poles
- Event plaques, decals and sponsor logos (including Camel Trophy Adventure Wear/Bags/Boots/Watches, Lee Cougan, Perception, SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Scott USAScott USAThe Swiss company SCOTT Sports SA is a producer of bicycles, winter equipments, motorsports gear and sportswear.In 1958, engineer and skier Ed Scott from Sun Valley, Idaho invented a ski pole made of aluminium, which compared favorably to those made of bamboo or steel. On the basis of this...
, Safety Devices, Land RoverLand RoverLand Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
, FjällrävenFjällräven-External links:**...
, Warn, Malaysia AirlinesMalaysia AirlinesMalaysian Airline System Berhad , DBA Malaysia Airlines , is the government-owned flag carrier of Malaysia. Malaysia Airlines operates flights from its home base, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and its eastern hub in Kota Kinabalu. It has its headquarters on the grounds of Sultan Abdul Aziz...
, Superwinch, ShellRoyal Dutch ShellRoyal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
, Avon) - Expedition tools, Jerry cans, Pelican cases, Zarges boxes, high lift or New Concept air jacks, sand ladders, axes, ropes, drawbars, spades
- Garmin, Terratrip and other navigation and communication equipment
Generally speaking, except for support and specialist vehicles, the Land Rovers were only used for one event. Some competitors purchased their vehicles and many remained in the host country. Consequently, those vehicles that returned to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
were highly sought after as they were low mileage - but they were "Camel Trophy miles". They were stripped of most of their equipment by Land Rover before they were released and restoring the vehicles to their original condition is expensive and time-consuming.
List of Events and Vehicles used
| Year | Location | Team Vehicles | Support Vehicles |
| 1980 | TransAmazonica | Ford U50's (License built Jeep CJ5's) | |
| 1981 | Sumatra Sumatra Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538... |
Range Rover | Range Rover |
| 1982 | Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands... |
Range Rover | Range Rover |
| 1983 | Zaire Zaire The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In... |
Land Rover Series III 88" | Series III 109" |
| 1984 | Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... |
Land Rover One-Ten | One Ten |
| 1985 | Borneo Borneo Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia.... |
Ninety | One Ten |
| 1986 | Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
Ninety | One Ten |
| 1987 | Madagascar Madagascar The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa... |
Range Rover TD | Range Rover TD |
| 1988 | Sulawesi Sulawesi Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to... |
One Ten | One Ten |
| 1989 | The Amazon Amazon Rainforest The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America... |
One Ten | One Ten |
| 1990 | Siberia Siberia Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th... USSR |
Discovery 200tdi (3-door) | One Ten & 127" |
| 1991 | Tanzania Tanzania The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state... Burundi Burundi Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura... |
Discovery 200tdi | One Ten |
| 1992 | Guyana Guyana Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British... |
Discovery 200tdi | Defender 110 200tdi |
| 1993 | Sabah Sabah Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south... -Malaysia |
Discovery 200tdi | Defender 110 200tdi |
| 1994 | Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... Paraguay Paraguay Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the... Chile Chile Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far... |
Discovery 200tdi | Defender 110 200tdi |
| 1995 | Mundo Maya | Discovery 300tdi | Defender 110 300tdi |
| 1996 | Kalimantan Kalimantan In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo.... |
Discovery 300tdi | Defender 110 300tdi |
| 1997 | Mongolia Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest... |
Discovery 300tdi | Defender 110 300tdi |
| 1998 | Tierra del Fuego Tierra del Fuego Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape... |
Freelander | Defender 110 300tdi |
| 1999 | Peru Peru Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.... |
||
| 2000 | Tonga Tonga Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific... -Samoa Samoa Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in... |
Ribtec 655 | Honda CRV and Defender 110 HCPU |
Event Results
Over the 18 year period in which the Camel Trophy featured Land Rover vehicles, Italy ultimately won the Camel Trophy three times - in 1982, 84 and 87. The Netherlands, France, Germany and Turkey all won the Camel Trophy twice.| Year | Camel Trophy Winners | Winning Competitors' Names | Team Spirit Award | Special Tasks Award | Land Rover Award |
| 1980 | N/A | Klaus Karttna-Dircks and Uwe Machel | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1981 | West Germany | Christian Swoboda and Knuth Mentel | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1982 | Italy | Casare Geraudo and Giuliano Giongo | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1983 | The Netherlands | Henk Bont and Frank Heij | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1984 | Italy | Maurizo Lavi and Alfredo Redaelli | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1985 | Germany | Heinz Kallin and Bernd Strohdach | Brazil | N/A | N/A |
| 1986 | France | Jaques Mambre and Michel Courvallet | Australia | N/A | N/A |
| 1987 | Italy | Mauro Miele and Vincenzo Tota | Spain | N/A | N/A |
| 1988 | Turkey | Galip Gurel and Ali Deveci | UK | N/A | N/A |
| 1989 | UK | Bob Ives and Joe Ives | Belgium | N/A | N/A |
| 1990 | The Netherlands | Rob Kamps and Stijn Luyx | Canary Islands | N/A | N/A |
| 1991 | Turkey | Menderes Utku and Bulent Ozler | Turkey | Austria | N/A |
| 1992 | Switzerland | Alwin Arnold and Urs Bruggisser | USA | France | N/A |
| 1993 | USA | Tim Hensley and Michael Hussey | Canary Islands | France | N/A |
| 1994 | Spain | Carlos Martinez and Jorge Corella | South Africa | Spain | N/A |
| 1995 | Czech Republic | Zdenek Nemec and Marek Rocejdl | Russia | Czech Republic | N/A |
| 1996 | Greece | Miltos Farmakis and Nikos Solirchos | South Africa | Russia | Greece |
| 1997 | Austria | Stefan Auer and Albnecht Thousing | Sweden | N/A | N/A |
| 1998 | France | William Michael and Marc Challamel | South Africa | N/A | Spain |
The Camel Trophy's successor: 'The G4 Challenge'
The demise of the Camel Trophy left a gap.In 2003, competitors representing sixteen nations helped Land Rover fill that gap. Surprisingly, the inaugural Land Rover G4 Challenge contained many of the elements of Camel Trophy 1998, which Land Rover had reportedly been disappointed with. The "ultimate global adventure" was a test of skill, stamina and mental agility in four separate stages, each in a different time zone. The prize: a top-of-the-range Freelander or Range Rover
Range Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
. In true Camel Trophy style, the winner Rudi Thoelen, declined a Range Rover, and opted for two Defenders instead.
The 2006 Land Rover G4 Challenge promised to be tougher than the inaugural event and delivered a more vehicle-based focus. The competitors, working in bi-national teams faced thousands of miles of vehicle-based activity in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
.
The 2008-9 G4 Challenge, supporting the Red Cross and based in Mongolia was cancelled in December 2008 in the middle of the selection stages due to the current global economic downturn. Land Rover were forced to end the event as a cost saving-measure to allow them to focus on product launches in 2009.
Odyssey: Driving Around the World TV Series and Land Rover CPO
By incorporating their Certified Pre-Owned Brand into Camel Trophy spirited events, Land Rover sponsored an around the world expedition and television series in 2005. It was produced into a travel adventure television series titled "Odyssey: Driving Around the World" which first aired on the National Geographic Adventure Channel worldwide. Seven people drove 41,000 miles through 26 countries for over a year. The expedition was a fundraiser for Parkinson's Disease and also raised money for several organizations along the route. It followed the Land Rover tradition of keeping modifications to the vehicles at a minimum. These vehicles are sought after in the Land Rover community as there were only 4 in the series. Three in the series, one as a film car.See also
- Camel (cigarette)Camel (cigarette)Camel is a brand of cigarettes that was introduced by American company R.J. Reynolds Tobacco in the summer of 1913. Most current Camel cigarettes contain a blend of Turkish tobacco and Virginia tobacco. Early in 2008 the blend was changed as was the package design.-History:In 1913, R.J...
- G4 Challenge
- Odyssey Driving Around the WorldOdyssey Driving Around the WorldODYSSEY: Driving Around the World is a documentary television series. It follows the 66,000 km driving expedition of seven Americans, including travel writer Rolf Potts. They depart from San Francisco and head south through 26 countries of North America, South America, Australia, and Asia,...
- Land Rover SeriesLand Rover SeriesThe Land Rover Series I, II, and III are off-road vehicles produced by the British manufacturer Land Rover that were inspired by the US-built Willys Jeep...
- Land Rover Defender
- Range Rover Classic
- Land Rover DiscoveryLand Rover DiscoveryThe Discovery was introduced into the United Kingdom in 1989. The company code-named the vehicle "Project Jay". The new model was based on the chassis and drivetrain of the more upmarket Range Rover, but with a lower price aimed at a larger market segment and intended to compete with Japanese...
- Land Rover FreelanderLand Rover FreelanderThe Land Rover Freelander is a compact crossover SUV made by Land Rover.The current generation is sold as the LR2 in North America and as the Freelander 2 in Europe...
External links
- Camel Trophy Forever - Brasil Photos, events, history, hobbies, articles ...
- Camel Trophy Video YouTube is a good source of free-to-view Camel Trophy footage.
- Camel Trophy Owners Club The Camel Trophy Owners Club intends to keep the Camel Trophy spirit alive!
- The Keynsham Camels A group of Camel Trophy enthusiasts from south west England
- Camel Trophy Portugal Photos, articles, vehicle replicas and events
- Camel Trophy Shop Camel Trophy memorabilia
- Camel Trophy DVD Re-release of the Camel Trophy events from 1990 to 1998 on DVD
- The Land Rover FAQ Camel Trophy Info - list of event results and vehicles used
- Camel Trophy Boats Sale of the original camel trophy boats used in the 2000 event. Good photos and info.
- Camel Trophy Netherlands A group of Camel trophy enthusiasts from the Netherlands.
- Camel Trophy Adventures - Bulgaria Camel Trophy Adventure Holidays in Bulgaria.
- Onze Defender Blog Private blog in Dutch
- Odyssey Driving Around the World Land Rover TV series