Dubai Reigning Arabian Motorcycle Champion Mohammad Al Balooshi will make history Sunday when he becomes the first UAE national to take part in the motorcycle class of the famous Dakar Rally - one of the toughest endurance races in the world.
Sporting the number 67, Al Balooshi will be making his debut in the 33rd staging of the rally on behalf of the KTM-UAE Rally Team, which has a developed a four-year ‘Road to Dakar' program with the eventual objective of entering a full, UAE-based team into the race.
Speaking from the rally's base camp in the Argentinian coastal city of Mar Del Plata, Al Balooshi said: "Despite the 36-hour trip here, I've been feeling great. I've never felt as excited as I did when I arrived here.
"The Dakar Rally is the talk of the country, with signs and adverts everywhere. The Argentinians have been so friendly and enthusiastic, with everyone wanting to talk about the race and how excited they are to see it begin.
"The weather has also been surprisingly good. I came prepared for extreme cold, which I know we are still likely to encounter during the fourth stage of the race when we start gaining altitude in the mountains."
While he is competing as the sole representative of the KTM-UAE Rally Team, Balooshi will benefit from having the KTM Factory Rally Team on-site to provide comprehensive support for him and his KTM 450 RALLY bike throughout the course of the grueling race.
In addition to Al Balooshi, one of the UAE's most talented cross-country rally crews will also take part in the competition. Abdulla Al Heraiz and his co-driver Khalid Al-Kendi will be there for the second successive year after finishing a respectable 26th out of 55 finishers in 2011.
The 2012 Dakar Rally is being hosted in South America for the fourth consecutive year. Starting on new year's day in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, and ending on January 15 in Lima, Peru, the race consists of 14 rounds in total - five in Argentina, five in Chile and four in Peru - and will take in a total of more than 9,000km.
"Despite this being my first time competing in this race, I've worked hard to prepare for the thrills and excitement that come with facing this challenge," said Al Balooshi.
"Obviously I come from a desert background, but when it comes to this year's Dakar, we're talking about three countries that take you through a variety of terrain unlike anything I've experienced in the UAE."
Balooshi, who has won three Arab Championships, two Gulf Championships and nine UAE Championships, added: "This race will be a unique experience for me. While I've won a number of championships back home, when it comes to Dakar, there's no pressure from the team for me to climb the podium.
"Especially considering it's my first participation and I'm up against legends like last year's champion, Marc Coma, and triple Dakar winner Cyril Despres. But I always strive for the best when competing against top names in any event."
Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE President Mohammad Bin Sulayem said: "I consider Al Balooshi as one of the most capable athletes in the country - he takes good care of his health and fitness and continually expands his knowledge and abilities, which resulted in him winning the Arab championship three times in a row. I wish he always receives support as a full-time member of the KTM team.
"As for Abdullah and Khalid, I'm very positive they will do an amazing job and finish in a much better place than last year due to their experience with this race.
"Preparation for Dakar is not easy because it is a very demanding event, but we can rely on these youngsters to get good results because they are hard workers and I believe they will represent the country and the Arab world very well."
Al Balooshi is able to represent the UAE and Arab world in this year's Dakar Rally thanks to the support of numerous partners, including KTM-UAE, Red Bull, Geodis Wilson, Volkswagen, FibraFoil and the Al Shafar Group.
Tim Trenker, Managing Partner of KTM-UAE, said: "The Dakar Rally is an amazing opportunity for Al Balooshi and the KTM-UAE team to show the world that the UAE can produce champions capable of competing on an international level alongside the likes of Coma and Despres.
"We have no doubts in Mohammad's abilities as a rider, and are delighted to have the support of an equally dedicated team of sponsors to help him complete this journey."