A CHARD student is set to take on a mammoth eight-week, 10,000-mile challenge, driving from the UK across the Mongolian steppes for charity.
Ben Ives, 23, a former Holyrood pupil and now a student at University of Wales Trinity St David in Swansea, is in a four-man team who will cross 20 countries and more than a third of the earth’s surface starting on July 16.
The group, named the Swiftly Corroding Chassis Bashers, will line up in their 15-year-old Suzuki Swift, which they bought for just £100, alongside the other entrants into The Mongol Rally at Goodwood, Chichester.
Around eight weeks later, the team - which consists of fellow Swansea students Ryan Cording, 21, Stuart Faulkner, 24, and Tolgahan Yaman, 25 - hopes to cross the finish line in Ulan-Ude, Russia.
Ben said: “This summer I will graduating from UWTSD Swansea and driving 10,000 miles across the deserts and mountains of Central Asia and Europe, in a 15-year-old car, bought for £100.
“Referred to as the greatest motoring adventure on the planet, The Mongol Rally ushers teams’ best attempt to traverse over a third of the Earth’s surface, all in the name of charity. Along with university mates, we will cover over 20 countries with the aim to raise a minimum of £1,000 for the Cool Earth charity.”
The Swiftly Corroding Chassis Bashers are set to cross France, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Mongolia.
Although it is not part of The Mongol Rally, the team will then be driving home, taking the total time to around 10 weeks, their miles crossed to more than 15,000, and adding Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Netherlands to their international tour.
Ben added: “Ryan has always been interested in taking part in the event. However in September, we were sat in our living room lounging around, and stumbled upon a Mongol Rally video. We turned to each other said ‘shall we do it?’”
To support them, visit coolearth.org/campaigns/13400/swiftly-corroding-chassis-bashers-mongol-rally-2017.
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