Argentina - Chile
An Extreme Adventure Between Two Oceans
Chile
Higher, stronger
Chile is also the kingdom of superlatives: one will find there the longest range of mountains in the world with the highest volcano; as well as the most arid desert on the planet and the highest dunes that can exist. Such a frame can only ideally suit the toughest rally in the world that first of all calls for adventurers eager for wide open spaces. It is with that approach that the competitors will head towards Valparaiso, where other travellers like Jack London or in the imagination of Hugo Pratt, the famous Corto Maltese have set foot.
Before enjoying a rest day on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, the competitors will have to cross through the Andes Cordillera. This obstacle will probably force the race average speed to drop down. It will mainly give all unique images and memories. The energy drawn from these landscapes will anyhow be essential at the moment of entering the Atacama Desert. Having experience in dunes will be at least as useful as the ability to navigate. For the champions like for the others, there are serious risks of loosing minutes and hours in the Chilean sand.
The regions travelled through:
- Valparaiso
- Coquimbo
- Atacama
Long and slim. Chile's physiognomy, with limits stuck between the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Andes Mountains on the other, makes it one of the longest countries on the planet. With 4300 kilometres from north to south (close to a total of 5400 km of sea line!), Chile has no equivalent in the domain. On the other hand its width never exceeds 349 km and even drops down to around fifteen kilometres in the south. On this filiform territory all the types of climates are witnessed as well as depth. From the Atacama Desert, known as one of the most arid in the World to the top of the Ojos del Salado, the highest active volcano on the globe (6893 m), Chile offers a wide range of different landscapes. Concerning encounters, the variety is also impressive: one can easily meet lamas but also Emperor penguins!
Chile and sport
Not as much a king as for its neighbours, Chilean football can boast a third spot earned during the World Cup organised at home in 1962. The performances of the Colo-Colo club, winner of the Copa Libertadores, or of its expatriots in Europe Marcelo Salas and Ivan Zamorano, however give the country an excellent reputation.
Concerning the Olympics, a tennis pair offered the nation its very first gold medal thanks to Fernando Gonzalez and Nicolas Massu. Another Chilean player, Marcelo Rios, impressed when he became the number one player in the World ranking despite never managing to win a Grand Slam tournament.
In motorsports, it's on two wheels that the best Chilean representative performed. A talented enduro rider, Carlo De Gavardo mainly shined during the Dakar where he finished five times in the top 10, clinching third spot on the podium in 2001. Decided to switch to cars, he also started a career as a team manager. De Gavardo also showed the path to a talented prospect in the discipline, the winner of the 2006 off-road World Cup in the 450cc class, Francisco "Chaleco" Lopez.
On four wheels, the next Dakar has great chances of welcoming the most complete driver of the country: Eliseo Salazar who has already witnessed the circuits of the Formula One World championship, of Le Mans and of Indy Car, is now competing in the Chilean raly championship. He’s certainly eager to take on the Dakar…
Brief info…
Population: 16 150 000 inh.
Surface: 756 945 km2
Capital: Santiago de Chile (4 400 000 inh.)
Currency: Chilean Peso
Official language: Spanish
Main cities: Concepcion (1 320 000 inh.), Puente Alto (647 600), Vina del Mar (286 931), Antofagasta (296 905), Valparaiso (275 932)
