Pair seek support for desert dash

Richard Kay and Shawn McKellar hope to take part in the Mongol Rally if they can get sponsorship in the next fortnight. Photo by Craig Baxter.

It is a sales pitch two Dunedin men hope will help them raise $10,000 in sponsorship within two weeks to allow them to compete in an adventure dash across Europe to Mongolia.

The 14,000km Mongol Rally aims to raise money for charities as well as provide plenty of adventure for its participants, who are permitted to drive only vehicles with engines no bigger than 1200cc and no older than 10 years, unless it is a former emergency services vehicle.

Richard Kay (33), his London-based brother Michael (31), Shawn McKellar (32) and Martin Fraser (31), also based in London, have been registering for every rally after seeing a documentary on American celebrity Jack Osborne participating, but it was only this year that they were accepted.

"We thought is was an innovative or exciting way to give to charity rather than just putting a coin in a bucket," Mr Kay said.

Now they were seeking a major sponsor to get Mr Kay and Mr Kellar to London and to find a vehicle to do the rally, which had been described as one of the world's toughest.

"There's a bit of danger involved. You can't take it light-heartedly. There is a lot of risk. If you get in trouble you are on your own," Mr McKellar said.

There was no set route for the rally, which starts in July.

Past participants had travelled as far north as the Arctic Circle or as far south as Iran, over about four weeks before finishing in Ulan Bator.

In previous years, only about half the participants finished the race after overcoming problems such as being robbed at knifepoint, chased by armed bandits or spending time in jail.

Their wives thought they were "nuts but they know we'll pull it off", Mr Kay said.

They had some travelling and 4WD experience but were not mechanically minded.

They would work things out as they went.

The pair were seeking sponsorship through internet auction and social networking sites and had emailed some companies they thought might be interested, he said.

Each team was required to raise a minimum of 1000 ($NZ2152) for charity.

This year the rally will raise money for a Mongolian young people's protection organisation, the Mercy Corps which helps rural nomadic Mongolian families, and the Christina Noble Children's Foundation.

rebecca.fox@odt.co.nz