FINAL Stage 15: Dakar - Dakar

PATRICIA WINS 3RD PLACE, DAKAR 2007 LADIES

Another Dakar completed and the 3rd place position - well done Patricia !

French organisation ensured free champagne was available close to the finish !

Two engine rebuilds and a lot of sleepless nights - well done to Bernie as well !

Well done Rally Raid........Well done Patricia
and Well done ASO for remembering to chill the champagne !

FINAL UPDATE FROM DAVID - January 21 2007

That's it folks, hope you enjoyed the reports.

Thanks to all of Patricia's sponsors who made her Rally possible.

Thanks to everyone that donated to Kidscape (you still can, if you have been
too mesmerised by journalistic brilliance, to remember up until now !!
Go to www.justgiving.com/PatriciaWatson-Miller

And thanks to everyone who sent messages of support (and hugs) during the Rally - they were much appreciated - Patricia loves you all !!

Stage 14: Tambacounda to Dakar

Daily Updates from David on Patricia's progress in the Dakar Rally

Photo: Patricia setting off for the final stage to Lac Rose

FROM DAVID: January 21 2007

(connection 124km, special 225km, connection 227km)

Patricia arrived safely in Dakar yesterday, although the talk of all the riders was the madness of the local traffic. Local cars were having sport trying to bump the Rally cars and bikes as they weaved through the city.

Yesterday's celebrations were a little muted as 2 people died on the stage. A photographer died after hanging out of his car window to take a photograph and when his car crashed, he was killed. This mirrors an incident involving a photographer in Portugal. Neither were wearing seatbelts.

Also yesterday, a rider died after getting off his bike on the final run through Dakar and then having a heart attack. Tragically, his parents were waiting for him to arrive at the finish line. The cruelty of the Rally. This brings to 4, the number of deaths this year.

Marc Coma, who was leading the Rally (motorcycles) until 2 days ago, got lost, went fast to catch up and hit a tree. He is now in hospital with head injuries but will be OK.

Hopefully, today's short stage around Lac Rose will be less newsworthy and we will simply be reporting on celebrations in the next and final report.

Patricia is in good spirits, relieved to have arrived in Dakar. Bernie looks exhausted, dirtier and more unshaven than when I left him 2 weeks ago. Werner is in good spirits but disappointed he had to pull out. Tom Classen is euphoric after coming 4th 2 days running, which is a stunning performance for a privateer versus all the professional teams.

Stage 13: Kayes to Tambacounda

Daily Updates from David on Patricia's progress in the Dakar Rally

Photo: Why is Patricia carrying a tree on her bike?

From David: January 19 2007

(connection 180 km, special 260 km, connection 18km)

Well, I have managed to get online here in Dakar. I'm impressed that the hotel has broadband because they do not yet have any roads with tarmac on, street lights, or much else.....and is it the traditional Senagalese welcome to be jumped on by 100 taxi drivers as you come out of the airport???

I have had a very limited debrief on yesterdays stage from Patricia - mainly because she called me at 6am this morning and I was still asleep. The unedited version of the debrief on yesterdays stage is as follows "Yes, it was fine". Other evidence backs up this succinct description, as she came in 69th for the days stage - another excellent placing. We can only assume the new engine performed well.

I am sure I will receive a much fuller description of today's stage, as I will meet Patricia face-to-face when she arrives in Dakar. Hopefully I will be able to get on line again and send another update.

Today's stage, as they head towards Dakar, is a connection of 124km, special 225km, connection 227km. Tomorrow, the final day, is an "out and back" from Dakar around the Lac Rose.

Stage 12: "somewhere sandy" to Kayes

Daily Updates from David on Patricia's progress in the Dakar Rally

Photo: Less camels, more trees, but still plenty of sand.....

From David: January 18 2007

(connection 372 km, special 257 km, connection 117 km)

Yesterday's stage passed without major incident for Patricia, although her engine had been rebuilt the night before. Unfortunately, the rebuild did not prove sustainable and last night a new engine had been acquired from KTM and was being installed in her bike.

When I spoke to Patricia last evening, passports were being stamped ready for todays stage, which includes the passage into Mali.

Patricia believed that after yesterday's stage 12, she was 3rd placed amongst the ladies. The 4th placed person is closing each day on her, as she has an earlier starting position, and therefore spends slightly less time arguing with the overtaking cars and trucks ! Patricia had a great stage yesterday, coming in 64th in the whole field - certainly her best stage position this Dakar, and I think, her best ever.

Werner is in good spirits, and the pain is being help at bay by his equine tranquilisers.

Once again, I do apologise in advance if I fail to maintain these reports once in Dakar from this evening (Friday). If you wish to follow Dakar's progress - you have three options:

1. Watch Eurosport each evening - live coverage, repeated through the night

2. Go to www.eurosport.co.uk and look under "motorsports"

3. Go to www.dakar.com , where with a little effort you can track the progress of each competitor live each day.

Patricia is raising money for Kidscape as she undertakes the Rally. Kidscape is a charity committed to keeping children safe from abuse. If you would like to make a donation, please go to Patricia's Just Giving website at www.justgiving.com/PatriciaWatson-Miller .... for those that have already donated, thank you ..... and for those of you that are about to do so, thank you as well ...... go on then...... click on the link and do a good deed today for those kids that need your support.

I'm now off to pack my bags for Dakar - must remember knotted handkerchief, bucket, spade and camel stun-gun.

Stage 11: Nema to "somewhere sandy"

Daily Updates from David on Patricia's progress in the Dakar Rally







Photo: The Bivouac: or "base-camp" - this small village is packed into planes and moved every day ...... 15 times ..... impressive stuff.


FROM DAVID: January 17 2007

(connection 256 km, special 0km, connection 0km)

Today was a "connection" day i.e. no Special Section - which means it was the next best thing to a rest day.

I have not heard from Patricia this evening - either her battery ran out on the satellite phone, or she was too busy being a TV star - as she appeared live on Eurosport (UK) tonight ! Eurosport UK seemed to be quite "adoptive" of her as pseudo-British, given she lives and works in the UK !!

Patricia was being very positive on camera, although her fingers looked a bit sore. Interestingly, they interviewed (10 seconds each!) all the leading bunch of female riders, and it would seem that all the girls are still in the rally i.e. no pull-outs - I presume that must mean they are better riders than the average male rider, or more sensible riders, or something. I will withhold any further comment on this observation, for fear of offending any men .....

Ludivine Puy is leading the ladies, but we have no further details at this stage on subsequent positions.

Tomorrow is a 250km special section, with some considerable navigational challenges along the way.

I hope to get one more report out to you tomorrow night, before I leave for Dakar early on Friday to join the welcoming party as the rally arrives there on Saturday.

I do apologise in advance if I fail to maintain the reports once in Dakar - that will be for one of two reasons:

1. I cannot get online to see the results or to send any emails - I'm not sure of the state of Senagalise telecommunications until I arrive!

2. My PC has been eaten by a camel and I am chasing it across the desert, with the hump

If either of the above occur, but you wish to follow Dakar's progress anyway - you have three options:

1. Watch Eurosport each evening - live coverage, repeated through the night

2. Go to www.eurosport.co.uk and look under "motorsports"

3. Go to www.dakar.com , where with a little effort you can track the progress of each competitor live each day.

The rally arrives in Dakar on Saturday, with the final "loop" on Sunday. We fly back Monday, so YOU WILL recieve a wrap up email on Tuesday.....meanwhile I will do my best to maintain normal service.

Stage 10: Nema to Nema

Daily Updates From David on Patricia's Progress in the Dakar Rally

Photo: Special Stage 9 : More sand.... and Patricia, of course.
It looks like the same dune I sent a photo of yesterday - is that photographer cheating on us?

FROM DAVID: January 16 2007

(connection 0km, special 360km, connection 0km, total 360km)

Update on yesterday - a shorter day, only 360 km. Patricia was safely back at camp by 5 p.m. The main challenge yesterday was to avoid getting run over by cars and trucks - as the route was along a track with high sides, so there was no-where to go when they came up behind you. Several bikers were nudged out of the way in a less than subtle way.

Patricia is referring to the Camp doctor as a Magician - her wrists were much better yesterday.

Unfortunately, the fall that Werner took a few days ago, and which was not aassisted by horse painkillers, turned out to be a broken shoulder when X-rayed yesterday - he is now out of the race, travelling to Dakar in the back of a truck. This event is addictive, so I wonder if he will be back for more next year...

The severity of the challenge on the machines and people is indicated by the RallyRaid team survival statistics: of 10 bikes that left Lisbon, 4 remain in the rally. Of 6 cars that started, 2 remain. The truck is still hanging on in there.

Today (Wed) there is no special section - simply a few hundred kilometers of road link to the next camp. The chance for a later start, a more civilised ride and an early arrival at camp, to refuel ready for the final few days.

Stage 9: Tichit to Nema

Daily Updates From David on Patricia's progress in the Dakar Rally.

Photo: Patricia on Special Stage 8: More sand....and its getting softer....
.....they call the sand "fache fache" when you sink up to your handlebars...
....I suspect it is often called something else when that actually happens !!

FROM DAVID: January 15 2007

(connection 0km, special 494km, connection 3km, total 497km)

Update on yesterday - Patricia completed another long day successfully, arriving in camp just before dark - which was a great achievement.

There was much stony ground during the day, which meant her wrists were very painful by the time she arrived, and the doctor has bandaged one up for her.

Werner had a bit of a fall the day before yestereday and is in quite a bit of pain. Tom (and Patricia) are trying to persuade him to take the equine (horse) painkillers that Tom brings along (supplied by Tom's wife Sonia who works in a veterinary surgeons). Apparently they do wonders, but side effects include a tendency to start talking to the camels.

Looking ahead to Tuesday (today): Nema to Nema; connection 0km, special 360 km, connection 0km. Today is the day that was shortened in advance by the Organisation, due to political unrest in Muaritania. So to quote Patricia " the special is only 360km". Most people don't go that far when they go on holiday !!