Taking on Mongol Rally in a '92 Toyota Starlet
THIS summer will see an Irish trio, including Shrule man Kevin Duffy, competing in the greatest motoring adventure on the planet, all in a bid to raise much needed funds for Aoibheann’s Pink Tie foundation, who provide aid for children with cancer.
Irish representatives Straight Sideways comprises of Craig O’Rourke (Wicklow), Ronan O’Neill (Wicklow) and Kevin Duffy (Mayo), who are all commencing (and hopefully completing) this journey of a lifetime in their trusted 1992 Toyota Starlet, which they picked up on Done Deal for €500.
The Mongol Rally thunders 10,000 miles across the mountains, desert and steppe of Europe and Asia. There’s no back-up, no support and no set route. It is about getting lost, using your neglected wits, raising shedloads of cash for charity and scraping into the finish line with your vehicle in tatters.
Team lead for Straight Sideways, Craig O’Rourke, said: “Our biggest challenge right now is raising funds for our chosen charity - we’re aiming to raise €20,000. The reason we picked Aoibheann’s Pink Tie is that we know the money raised is going directly to families who need support. We just hope some families can benefit from this crazy adventure.”
Mick Rochford of Aoibheann’s Pink Tie said: “We are delighted that the guys have chosen to support Aoibheann’s Pink Tie, the national children’s cancer charity. We wish them a safe and memorable trip on the Mongol Rally!”
The charity was set up by Mick and Jimmy Norman in 2010 after Jimmy lost his eight-year-old daughter Aoibheann to a rare form of cancer. Set up in Aoibheann’s memory, the charity has helped hundreds of families since the charity was founded by providing financial and practical support.
Once the funds have been raised, the next challenge will be to get across the finish line in Russia, of which the trio don’t seem to have any worries about.
“We’ve full faith that our trusty Starlet will get us across the finish line,” is their shared view.
To donate to the Straight Sideways mission to help Aoibheann’s Pink Tie Foundation please click www.idonate.ie/straightsideways.