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 | Merzouga Rally: Australia´s famous Biker Ben Grabham to drive in Morocco.
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From Australia to Dakar via Morocco. The Australian most recognized off-road rider will race in the Merzouga Rally before competing in the 2013 Rally Dakar.
Ben Grabham, aka 'Grabbo' is perhaps Australia's most recognised off-road rider. At the age of 16, he won his first World title aboard an XR250 at the International Six Day Enduro. Since then, Grabbo has won countless state enduro and sprint titles, as well as becoming a multi Australian flat-track champion.
Having also been the Australian 4-day Enduro outright winner in 2002/2003, Grabbo then ventured into Supermoto to take a couple of Aussie titles there as well. More recently Grabbo took to the desert to become the 4-time winner of the Finke Desert race, as well as a three-time winner of the Australasian Safari.
One of the most naturally gifted riders to ever come out of Australia, Grabbo can ride just about any motorcycle, in any race ... and win.
MR: First of all: How are you? How is going the recovery from the accident you had hidding a Kangaroo at 150kph?
Grabham: "My recovery is going well, it has been three months since the accident and so far I am healing up well. It's just a time thing now, waiting till my back is fully healed."
MR: Have you restart training?
Grabham: "I have started light training, small weights and slow cycling untill my back gets stronger that is all I am allowed to do."
MR: Let’s do a step behind. Can you tell us something about your sports career?
Grabham: "I have Won Australian Championships in Enduro,Long Track ,Rally ,Supermoto and Desert. I have also raced 7 ISDEs best results being 1st 250 4/stroke..."
MR: How is the Off Road scenario in Australia?
Grabham: "The offroad scene in Australia has some pretty good riders at the moment our enduros and desert races are going well. But we do not have many Rally events only really two or three events."
MR: What are the sports plan for this season?
Grabham: "My plans this year was to do less Enduros and more Desert and Rally events, but this all got put on hold when I hit a Kangaroo at 150 while racing the Condo 750 rally and I broke my back so now I am just waiting to heal up to get back racing."
MR: Why have you chosen Merzouga?
Grabham: "I have chosen to race the Merzouga as I plan on racing the 2013 Dakar and apart from the rallys I have done in Australia I have never raced any other rallys so I need to get as much experience as possible that might help me in the Dakar. At Merzouga I will be racing with the KTM 450 rally, this will be a good chance for me to have a race on this bike before Dakar."
MR: What are your expectations for the Merozuga Rally?
Grabham: "I will have probally only been back riding for a short period of time so I will be just looking to finish and learn as much as possible as I we do not use GPS here in Australia so this will be new to me."
MR: How have you heard about Merzouga?
Grabham: "Garry Connell who runs the Australian Husaberg rally team is my manager for Dakar and he suggested this would be a good race to do before Dakar."
MR: Is it your first time in Morocco? And In Africa?
Grabham: "This will be my first time to Morocco the closest I have been to Africa is Spain for the ISDE. So I am really looking forward to the experience and riding new terrain."
MR: What do you like about the off road in general and the rally in particular?
Grabham: "The main thing I like about Offroad and Rally is you get to ride the bike a lot over long distance and thats what I enjoy also getting to see lots of country people dont normally see."
MR: Are you coming alone or with some friends?
Grabham: "I will be coming with Garry Connell and my Mechanic."
2012/07/12 | 14:32 CET | ARTICLE: MR/HS/X-RAID
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