Rally Dakar, a wild experience

At TROOP, we have a culture of innovation, and with that come new challenges which we face with optimism and enthusiasm. And this has enabled us to succeed where others have failed. We have created a platform that is transforming the way organisations approach planning meetings using a unique metasearch capability that aggregates all data required to plan a meeting in minutes.

This culture of facing new challenges at TROOP goes across everything we do at work and play. And the best example to show this character is the one our Co-founder and CTO Leonard Cremer recently starred in when he participated in The Dakar. The Dakar Rally has long stood at the pinnacle of off-road motorsport challenges, earning a reputation as the world's toughest motor race, challenged only by the Isle of Man TT and the World Rally Championship.

Leonard has been rallying for 6 years in Africa, and following a successful season in 2021, the opportunity to participate in The Dakar arose. “I’ve always wanted to participate in the Dakar Rally; it’s the ultimate challenge in Rallying and one of those events that draws attention around the world. And when the opportunity presented itself, it was the most natural thing for me to accept the challenge ”, explains Cremer, who was co-pilot for Brian Baragwanath in this year's race.

Crossing almost 8,000km of mainly sand dunes and rocky terrain in the Saudi Arabian desert is not what most people would sign up for, but this was a once in a lifetime experience for Leonard and not to be missed.

A rally to remember

This was Leonard’s first time at The Dakar and there were over 70 competitors in their category, including many legends from the rallying world such as Carlos Sainz and Sebastian Loeb. He was co-pilot to Brian Barahwanath driving in Car 230 for the Century racing team, and after two weeks and 12 gruelling stages, they finished 14th in the car category and 3rd in the two wheel drive car category. “I am very happy with our results. This 44th edition will remain forever in my memory. Living The Dakar is priceless, we had some challenging moments, but we worked through them as a team and prevailed”, highlighted Leonard.

In fact, the way the Rally unfolds can be a lot like how a startup starts: “It’s a big unpredictable adventure. The whole Dakar Rally is like a startup; it’s a massive journey where we are not sure about how things are going to work out. There will be issues that you need to handle the best you can to make sure you get to the end goal. And that’s why teamwork is critical”, explains Leonard. “Most people see the driver and navigator, but during the Dakar, all members are critical to make sure the outcome is a success. And this is very true in a startup environment as well.”

The route, designed by ASO, promised great emotions in a totally unknown terrain for all the participants. Starting and finishing in Jeddah, Leonard and Brian drove 42 hours 24 minutes and the feeling of crossing the finish line “was incredible”. “Belonging to a team so well-prepared and with so much experience has made this trip amazing, and I can’t wait for next year's race”, says Cremer.

At TROOP, we share The Dakar spirit; if you don't help each other, you won't make it, and we are all incredibly proud of Leonard’s achievement. We’ve enjoyed following his progress during the competition over the two weeks and 12 stages”, adds Dennis Vilovic, TROOP’s co-CEO.