Ford Ranger Odyssey Africa 2013 changes course following unrest in Northern Mozambique
- Ford Ranger Odyssey has been re-routed to avoid Northern Mozambique following reports of unrest in the region
- Expedition will now pass through Zambia and Botswana, entering Southern Mozambique from South Africa
- Safety of contestants and crew is absolute priority
PRETORIA, South Africa, 3 July 2013 – The Ford Ranger Odyssey Africa 2013 has been re-routed to avoid political clashes in Northern Mozambique.
The expedition, which was originally scheduled to pass through several towns in Mozambique, including Mocimboa de Praia, Pemba, Ilha de Mocambique and Quelimane, will now circumvent the North of the country and instead enter the South at the Mapai Limpopo River crossing in South Africa.
This means that Zimbabwe, which was originally also a part of the route, has been replaced with Zambia and Botswana.
“The decision to re-route the Odyssey was not easy,” says Ford Marketing Manager of Ford South Africa, Gavin Golightly. “But after careful consideration and numerous conversations with our contacts on the ground, the team felt that it would be in the interest of everyone’s safety to avoid the troubled areas of Mozambique. The safety of the contestants and crew is our absolute priority.”
The new route will take the 10 contestants and numerous crew members through Lusaka, Livingstone, Francistown, Pontdrift and Pafuri before entering Mozambique again at the Mapai Limpopo River crossing. The upcoming days in Botswana include challenging off-road sections that will once again put the vehicles and the contestants through their paces prior to heading into Mozambique.
Although the contestants are disappointed to be missing out on Northern Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the mood in the camp remains buoyant and everyone is really looking forward to Botswana. “When you set out on an expedition like this, you know that nothing is guaranteed,” continues Golightly. “Seeing how our contestants handle the unknown and unfamiliar is an important part of the evaluation and so far, we couldn’t have wished for a better group of people.”
Today the team is heading from Lusaka to Livingstone. The route will then continue south, concluding in South Africa on 14 July.
